6 · Select and test models

Choose models by capability and verified access, not an old list of fashionable names. A conversational model may not reliably execute multi-step tool workflows.

Inspect your actual catalogue

openclaw models list
openclaw models status

Copy the full provider/model identifier from your configured catalogue. To change the default, replace MODEL_ID below with that identifier:

openclaw models set MODEL_ID

This changes the configured default; it is not a command to inspect a particular chat override. In the chat itself, use /model status and its model picker to inspect or change that conversation's selection.

Test the job you need

1. Send a simple text request.
2. Try one harmless tool task if your workflow needs tools.
3. Test image input separately if required.
4. Record response quality, latency, and usage before making it the daily default.

Defaults and fallbacks

The model configuration lives under documented OpenClaw settings such as agents.defaults.model; invented keys such as default_model or task_overrides are not a setup recipe. Use the CLI or schema-validated configuration UI instead of copying generic JSON.

Failover applies to supported failure conditions, not every bad answer. Check the fallback's cost and data policy. Model status without a live probe is an inventory/auth inspection, not proof of a successful completion.