---
summary: "Run agent turns from the CLI and optionally deliver replies to channels"
read_when:
  - You want to trigger agent runs from scripts or the command line
  - You need to deliver agent replies to a chat channel programmatically
title: "Agent send"
---

`openclaw agent` runs a single agent turn from the command line without needing
an inbound chat message. Use it for scripted workflows, testing, and
programmatic delivery.

## Quick start

<Steps>
  <Step title="Run a simple agent turn">
    ```bash
    openclaw agent --agent main --message "What is the weather today?"
    ```

    This sends the message through the Gateway and prints the reply.

  </Step>

  <Step title="Send a multiline prompt from a file">
    ```bash
    openclaw agent --agent ops --message-file ./task.md
    ```

    This reads a valid UTF-8 file as the agent message body.

  </Step>

  <Step title="Target a specific agent or session">
    ```bash
    # Target a specific agent
    openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Summarize logs"

    # Target a phone number (derives session key)
    openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Status update"

    # Reuse an existing session
    openclaw agent --session-id abc123 --message "Continue the task"

    # Target an exact session key
    openclaw agent --session-key agent:ops:incident-42 --message "Summarize status"
    ```

  </Step>

  <Step title="Deliver the reply to a channel">
    ```bash
    # Deliver to WhatsApp (default channel)
    openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Report ready" --deliver

    # Deliver to Slack
    openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Generate report" \
      --deliver --reply-channel slack --reply-to "#reports"
    ```

  </Step>
</Steps>

## Flags

| Flag                          | Description                                                 |
| ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--message \<text\>`          | Inline message to send                                      |
| `--message-file \<path\>`     | Read the message from a valid UTF-8 file                    |
| `--to \<dest\>`               | Derive session key from a target (phone, chat id)           |
| `--session-key \<key\>`       | Use an explicit session key                                 |
| `--agent \<id\>`              | Target a configured agent (uses its `main` session)         |
| `--session-id \<id\>`         | Reuse an existing session by id                             |
| `--local`                     | Force local embedded runtime (skip Gateway)                 |
| `--deliver`                   | Send the reply to a chat channel                            |
| `--channel \<name\>`          | Delivery channel (whatsapp, telegram, discord, slack, etc.) |
| `--reply-to \<target\>`       | Delivery target override                                    |
| `--reply-channel \<name\>`    | Delivery channel override                                   |
| `--reply-account \<id\>`      | Delivery account id override                                |
| `--thinking \<level\>`        | Set thinking level for the selected model profile           |
| `--verbose \<on\|full\|off\>` | Set verbose level                                           |
| `--timeout \<seconds\>`       | Override agent timeout                                      |
| `--json`                      | Output structured JSON                                      |

## Behavior

- By default, the CLI goes **through the Gateway**. Add `--local` to force the
  embedded runtime on the current machine.
- Pass exactly one of `--message` or `--message-file`. File messages preserve
  multiline content after removing an optional UTF-8 BOM.
- If the Gateway is unreachable, the CLI **falls back** to the local embedded run.
- Session selection: `--to` derives the session key (group/channel targets
  preserve isolation; direct chats collapse to `main`).
- `--session-key` selects an explicit key. Agent-prefixed keys must use
  `agent:<agent-id>:<session-key>`, and `--agent` must match that agent id when
  both are supplied. Bare non-sentinel keys are scoped to `--agent` when
  supplied; for example, `--agent ops --session-key incident-42` routes to
  `agent:ops:incident-42`. Without `--agent`, bare non-sentinel keys are scoped
  to the configured default agent. Literal `global` and `unknown` remain
  unscoped only when no `--agent` is supplied; in that case, embedded fallback
  and store ownership use the configured default agent.
- Thinking and verbose flags persist into the session store.
- Output: plain text by default, or `--json` for structured payload + metadata.
- With `--json --deliver`, the JSON includes delivery status for sent,
  suppressed, partial, and failed sends. See
  [JSON delivery status](/cli/agent#json-delivery-status).

## Examples

```bash
# Simple turn with JSON output
openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Trace logs" --verbose on --json

# Turn with thinking level
openclaw agent --session-id 1234 --message "Summarize inbox" --thinking medium

# Multiline prompt from a file
openclaw agent --agent ops --message-file ./task.md

# Exact session key
openclaw agent --session-key agent:ops:incident-42 --message "Summarize status"

# Legacy key scoped to an agent
openclaw agent --agent ops --session-key incident-42 --message "Summarize status"

# Deliver to a different channel than the session
openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Alert" --deliver --reply-channel telegram --reply-to "@admin"
```

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Agent CLI reference" href="/cli/agent" icon="terminal">
    Full `openclaw agent` flag and option reference.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Sub-agents" href="/tools/subagents" icon="users">
    Background sub-agent spawning.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Sessions" href="/concepts/session" icon="comments">
    How session keys work and how `--to`, `--agent`, and `--session-id` resolve them.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Slash commands" href="/tools/slash-commands" icon="slash">
    Native command catalog used inside agent sessions.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
