# How to Uninstall OpenClaw Windows Node: Complete Removal Guide > Uninstall openclaw-windows-node using Add/Remove Programs or PowerShell for a complete cleanup. Remove WSL gateway, tray app, and registry entries in 13 steps. - Repository: [openclaw/openclaw-windows-node](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-06-06 --- **To completely uninstall openclaw-windows-node, use Windows Add/Remove Programs to trigger the `Uninstall-LocalGateway.ps1` script, or run the PowerShell script manually to execute a 13-step cleanup that removes the WSL gateway, tray application, and registry entries.** The openclaw-windows-node repository distributes a Windows tray application that manages a WSL-based gateway service. When you need to remove the software, the built-in uninstaller orchestrates a detailed teardown process through the SetupEngine to ensure no artifacts remain. ## What the Uninstall Process Removes According to the source code in [`src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupSteps.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupSteps.cs) and [`src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/TrayArtifactCleanup.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/TrayArtifactCleanup.cs), the uninstallation performs seven critical cleanup operations that expand into 13 discrete steps: 1. **Stops the gateway service**: Executes `systemctl stop` inside the `OpenClawGateway` WSL distribution. If the service does not terminate within five seconds, the distro is force-unregistered (lines 1501-1531). 2. **Terminates keep-alive processes**: Locates and kills any background processes started by the tray client (lines 2781-2828). 3. **Deletes gateway identity files**: Removes the per-gateway directory under `%APPDATA%\OpenClawTray\gateways\\` (lines 1943-1952). 4. **Handles token files**: By default, device token files are preserved for potential reinstallation. Use specific flags to override this behavior (lines 1962-1969, 2344-2351). 5. **Removes autostart registry key**: Deletes `HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\OpenClawTray` (lines 30-39 in [`TrayArtifactCleanup.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/TrayArtifactCleanup.cs)). 6. **Deletes file system artifacts**: Recursively removes the installation directory, WSL VHD parent folder, and empty `%APPDATA%\OpenClawTray` sub-folders (lines 850-858, 1100-1120). 7. **Resets onboarding settings**: Clears gateway URL and mode flags in [`settings.json`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/settings.json) to trigger the onboarding wizard on next run (lines 160-170). ## Three Methods to Uninstall OpenClaw Windows Node ### Method 1: Windows Add/Remove Programs (Recommended) The simplest approach uses the standard Windows uninstall UI. Navigate to **Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program** or **Settings → Apps**, select **OpenClaw Tray**, and click **Uninstall**. This launches the Inno Setup uninstaller, which executes `scripts/Uninstall-LocalGateway.ps1`. The script dot-sources `scripts/_uninstall-helpers.ps1`, which provides validation functions like `Test-IsOpenClawOwnedDistroName` to ensure only the `OpenClawGateway` distro is targeted. ### Method 2: PowerShell Command Line For automated deployments or when the UI entry is missing, run the uninstall script directly: ```powershell # Run from an elevated PowerShell session $uninstallScript = "$env:ProgramFiles\OpenClaw\Uninstall-LocalGateway.ps1" & $uninstallScript -DryRun:$false ``` The `-DryRun` parameter allows you to preview actions without executing them. The script logs all steps to `%TEMP%\OpenClaw-Uninstall.log` and uses helper functions including `Invoke-WslCommand` for WSL interaction and `Stop-OpenClawProcessByPid` for process termination. ### Method 3: CLI Tool The `OpenClaw.WinNode.Cli.exe` executable exposes an uninstall sub-command that forwards to the SetupEngine: ```powershell OpenClaw.WinNode.Cli.exe uninstall --confirm-destructive ``` The `--confirm-destructive` flag is required to prevent accidental execution. According to [`src/OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI/CliUninstallHandler.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/src/OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI/CliUninstallHandler.cs), this entry point invokes `SetupPipeline.UninstallAsync`, which ultimately triggers the same PowerShell script as the other methods. ## Verifying Complete Removal After uninstallation, confirm completion by checking the log file and WSL status: ```powershell # View the uninstall log Get-Content "$env:TEMP\OpenClaw-Uninstall.log" # Verify the WSL distribution is removed wsl -l -v ``` The log should show entries like `[Uninstall] Deleted VHD parent directory` and `[Uninstall] Reset onboarding settings`. The `OpenClawGateway` distribution should no longer appear in the WSL list. ## Technical Architecture of the Uninstall Process The uninstallation is orchestrated by the **SetupEngine**, implemented in [`src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupPipeline.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupPipeline.cs). The `UninstallAsync` method executes a 13-step sequence defined in [`SetupSteps.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/SetupSteps.cs), ensuring consistent behavior across all entry points. The PowerShell layer in `scripts/_uninstall-helpers.ps1` provides: - **Distro validation**: `Test-IsOpenClawOwnedDistroName` confirms the target is exactly `OpenClawGateway` - **Safe process termination**: `Stop-OpenClawProcessByPid` kills PIDs without throwing errors for missing processes - **Dry-run support**: `Assert-DryRunGate` prevents destructive operations during validation This architecture ensures that whether you uninstall via UI, PowerShell, or CLI, the same cleanup logic defined in the C# implementation runs consistently. ## Summary Uninstalling openclaw-windows-node requires executing the SetupEngine's 13-step cleanup sequence. Key takeaways: - **Use Windows Add/Remove Programs** for the standard experience, which runs `Uninstall-LocalGateway.ps1` automatically - **Run PowerShell directly** with `-DryRun:$false` for scripted or offline uninstalls - **Device tokens are preserved by default** to allow seamless reinstallation, while the WSL gateway and registry keys are always removed - **Check `%TEMP%\OpenClaw-Uninstall.log`** to verify all steps completed, including the removal of the `OpenClawGateway` WSL distro and autostart registry entry ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does uninstalling openclaw-windows-node delete my device tokens? No. By default, the uninstaller preserves device token files so you can reinstall without reconfiguring credentials. According to [`src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupSteps.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupSteps.cs) (lines 1962-1969), tokens are only deleted if you specify flags to remove them explicitly. ### What happens if the WSL gateway service does not stop within 5 seconds? If `systemctl stop` fails to terminate the service within five seconds, the uninstaller force-unregisters the entire `OpenClawGateway` WSL distribution. This logic appears in [`src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupSteps.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/src/OpenClaw.SetupEngine/SetupSteps.cs) (lines 1501-1531) to prevent hung processes from blocking removal. ### Can I preview what the uninstall will do before executing it? Yes. Run the PowerShell script with `-DryRun:$true` to execute the validation logic without performing destructive operations. The `Assert-DryRunGate` function in `scripts/_uninstall-helpers.ps1` intercepts deletion commands and logs them instead of executing them. ### Why does the CLI tool require the --confirm-destructive flag? The flag protects against accidental data loss when using `OpenClaw.WinNode.Cli.exe`. As implemented in [`src/OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI/CliUninstallHandler.cs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/main/src/OpenClaw.Tray.WinUI/CliUninstallHandler.cs), this requirement ensures you explicitly acknowledge that the command will remove the gateway and associated configuration files.