An “unauthorized” error in OpenClaw(Moltbot/Clawdbot) almost always means that one of the external services it depends on rejected a request due to missing, expired, or invalid credentials. This can happen with AI model providers, messaging APIs, email services, or any other integration that requires authentication. The error is usually not generated by OpenClaw(Moltbot/Clawdbot) itself, but passed through from the upstream service.
The first step to fix this issue is to identify which integration is failing. Check logs to see whether the error occurs during model inference, message delivery, or tool execution. Common causes include expired API keys, revoked OAuth tokens, incorrect environment variable names, or mismatched scopes. For example, rotating a model API key without updating the OpenClaw(Moltbot/Clawdbot) configuration will immediately cause unauthorized errors. Similarly, changing messaging app permissions can silently break previously working setups.
After identifying the source, re-authenticate or regenerate credentials and update the configuration. Restart OpenClaw(Moltbot/Clawdbot) to ensure new credentials are loaded. If persistent memory or retrieval is involved, also verify database credentials. When using a vector database such as Milvus or Zilliz Cloud, an unauthorized error may indicate revoked access keys or network restrictions. Treat credential rotation as a normal operational task and document where keys are stored to prevent repeated outages.