OpenClaw Cron Jobs: Scheduled Tasks and Automation

OpenClaw isn’t just reactive—it can proactively work for you on a schedule. Using cron-style syntax, you can set up automated tasks that run daily, weekly, or on any schedule you define. This enables powerful automation like daily briefings, periodic checks, and background workflows.

This guide covers everything about scheduled tasks in OpenClaw: cron syntax, setting up tasks, and real-world automation examples.

What Are Cron Jobs?

Cron jobs are scheduled tasks that run automatically at specified times. The name comes from the Unix cron utility, which has been scheduling tasks since the 1970s.

Traditional cron:

# Run every day at 2 AM
0 2 * * * /path/to/script.sh

OpenClaw cron:

You: "Check my email every morning at 8 AM"
OpenClaw: [Sets up scheduled task, runs automatically]

OpenClaw makes cron jobs accessible through natural language, so you don’t need to learn cron syntax (though you can use it if you prefer).

Why Scheduled Tasks Matter

Scheduled tasks enable OpenClaw to:

• Work proactively: Take action without you asking
• Automate routines: Handle repetitive tasks automatically
• Stay informed: Provide regular updates and summaries
• Background processing: Handle tasks while you sleep
• Consistency: Ensure important tasks happen regularly

This transforms OpenClaw from a tool you use into an assistant that works for you continuously.

Cron Syntax Basics

While OpenClaw accepts natural language, understanding cron syntax helps you create precise schedules.

Cron Format

Cron uses five fields (or six with seconds):

* * * * *
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └─── Day of week (0-7, 0 and 7 = Sunday)
│ │ │ └───── Month (1-12)
│ │ └─────── Day of month (1-31)
│ └───────── Hour (0-23)
└─────────── Minute (0-59)

Common Patterns

Every minute:

* * * * *

Every hour:

0 * * * *

Every day at 2 AM:

0 2 * * *

Every Monday at 9 AM:

0 9 * * 1

Every first of the month:

0 0 1 * *

Every 15 minutes:

*/15 * * * *

Weekdays at 9 AM:

0 9 * * 1-5

Setting Up Scheduled Tasks

Method 1: Natural Language

The easiest way is to just ask:

You: "Check my email every morning at 8 AM"
OpenClaw: [Sets up scheduled task]

You: "Give me a daily briefing every weekday at 7 AM"
OpenClaw: [Creates daily briefing task]

You: "Back up my Documents folder every Sunday at midnight"
OpenClaw: [Schedules weekly backup]

OpenClaw understands natural language and converts it to cron syntax automatically.

Method 2: Explicit Cron Syntax

You can also use cron syntax directly:

You: "Schedule a task with cron '0 8 * * *' to check email"
OpenClaw: [Sets up task with specified schedule]

Method 3: Configuration File

For complex setups, edit the configuration:

{
  "cronJobs": [
    {
      "schedule": "0 8 * * *",
      "task": "check-email",
      "enabled": true
    },
    {
      "schedule": "0 7 * * 1-5",
      "task": "daily-briefing",
      "enabled": true
    }
  ]
}

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Daily Email Briefing

The Setup:

You: "Every weekday at 7 AM, read my emails and give me a summary of what's important"
OpenClaw: [Creates scheduled task]

What Happens:

• 7 AM every weekday, OpenClaw checks your inbox
• Categorizes emails by importance
• Summarizes key messages
• Sends briefing via your chat app (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)

Cron: 0 7 * * 1-5

Example 2: Health Summary

The Setup:

You: "Every morning at 6 AM, get my WHOOP data and tell me how I slept and my recovery score"
OpenClaw: [Sets up health check]

What Happens:

• 6 AM daily, OpenClaw fetches WHOOP data
• Analyzes sleep quality and recovery
• Provides personalized insights
• Sends summary to you

Cron: 0 6 * * *

Example 3: File Organization

The Setup:

You: "Every night at 2 AM, organize my Downloads folder"
OpenClaw: [Schedules file organization]

What Happens:

• 2 AM daily, OpenClaw scans Downloads folder
• Categorizes files by type
• Moves to organized folders
• Generates report of actions

Cron: 0 2 * * *

Example 4: Price Monitoring

The Setup:

You: "Check the price of MacBook Pro on Apple's website every 6 hours and alert me if it drops below $2500"
OpenClaw: [Sets up price monitoring]

What Happens:

• Every 6 hours, OpenClaw checks price
• Compares to threshold
• Sends alert if price drops
• Continues monitoring

Cron: 0 */6 * * *

Example 5: Weekly Report

The Setup:

You: "Every Sunday at 9 AM, create a weekly summary of my work: emails sent, tasks completed, meetings attended"
OpenClaw: [Creates weekly report task]

What Happens:

• Sunday 9 AM, OpenClaw analyzes your week
• Compiles statistics from email, calendar, tasks
• Creates formatted report
• Sends via chat

Cron: 0 9 * * 0

Example 6: Heartbeat Check-ins

The Setup:

You: "Every 4 hours, check in with me with any important updates or reminders"
OpenClaw: [Sets up heartbeat]

What Happens:

• Every 4 hours, OpenClaw proactively messages you
• Shares important updates
• Reminds about upcoming events
• Provides helpful information

Cron: 0 */4 * * *

Advanced Scheduling

Conditional Execution

Schedule tasks that only run under certain conditions:

You: "Check email every hour, but only if I have unread messages"
OpenClaw: [Creates conditional task]

Chained Tasks

Run multiple tasks in sequence:

You: "Every morning: check email, then organize files, then send me a summary"
OpenClaw: [Creates task chain]

Timezone Handling

OpenClaw respects your timezone:

You: "Run this task at 8 AM Pacific time"
OpenClaw: [Schedules with timezone awareness]

Managing Scheduled Tasks

List All Tasks

openclaw cron list

Shows all scheduled tasks with their schedules and status.

Enable/Disable Tasks

openclaw cron enable "daily-briefing"
openclaw cron disable "price-monitor"

Or in chat:

You: "Disable the email check task"
OpenClaw: [Disables task]

Modify Schedule

You: "Change the daily briefing from 7 AM to 8 AM"
OpenClaw: [Updates schedule]

Delete Tasks

openclaw cron delete "old-task"

Or:

You: "Remove the weekly backup task"
OpenClaw: [Deletes task]

View Task History

openclaw cron history "task-name"

Shows when the task ran and what happened.

Cron Jobs in Skills

Skills can define their own cron schedules. For example, an email skill might include:

# Email Management Skill

## Scheduled Tasks
- Check inbox every 15 minutes: `*/15 * * * *`
- Daily briefing at 7 AM: `0 7 * * *`
- Weekly cleanup on Sunday: `0 2 * * 0`

When you install the skill, these scheduled tasks are automatically set up.

See our skills guide for more on building skills with cron jobs.

Best Practices

1. Start Simple

Begin with one or two scheduled tasks:

• Daily briefing
• Email check

Then add more as you see value.

2. Avoid Over-Scheduling

Don’t create too many tasks:

• Each task uses resources
• Too many can be overwhelming
• Focus on high-value automation

3. Test First

Test tasks manually before scheduling:

• Verify they work correctly
• Check output format
• Ensure error handling

4. Monitor Performance

Watch task execution:

• Check logs for errors
• Verify tasks complete successfully
• Adjust schedules as needed

5. Use Appropriate Intervals

Choose sensible schedules:

• Email: Every 15-60 minutes (not every minute)
• Briefings: Once or twice daily
• Backups: Daily or weekly
• Monitoring: Based on update frequency

Troubleshooting

Task Not Running

1. Check task is enabled: openclaw cron list
2. Verify cron syntax is correct
3. Check OpenClaw is running
4. Review logs: openclaw logs

Task Running Too Often

1. Review schedule: openclaw cron list
2. Adjust cron expression
3. Disable if needed

Task Errors

1. Check task logs: openclaw cron history "task-name"
2. Verify dependencies are available
3. Test task manually
4. Fix errors and re-enable

Performance Issues

1. Reduce task frequency
2. Optimize task logic
3. Check system resources
4. Spread tasks across time

Integration with Other Features

Cron jobs work seamlessly with other OpenClaw features:

Memory System:

• Tasks can read and update memory
• Learn from task results
• Adapt based on patterns

Skills:

• Skills can define cron schedules
• Tasks trigger skill execution
• Skills handle task logic

Browser Control:

• Tasks can use browser automation
• Schedule web scraping
• Automate form filling

MCP Servers:

• Tasks can use MCP servers
• Schedule API calls
• Periodic data sync

Next Steps

Now that you understand cron jobs:

1. Start with one task: Set up a daily briefing
2. Add more gradually: Email checks, health summaries
3. Explore use cases: Find tasks that save you time
4. Build skills with cron: Create reusable scheduled workflows
5. Monitor and optimize: Refine your automation

For more information:

• OpenClaw Skills Guide - Building skills with cron
• OpenClaw Memory System - How tasks use memory
• OpenClaw Browser Control - Browser automation in tasks
• Installation Guide - Setting up OpenClaw
• FAQ - Common questions

Scheduled tasks transform OpenClaw from reactive to proactive. Set up your first cron job today and start automating your life.