> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs2.openclaw.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# OpenRouter
OpenRouter routes requests to many models behind one API and one key. It is
OpenAI-compatible, so OpenClaw talks to it over the same
`openai-completions`-style transport used for other proxy providers.
## Getting started
```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw onboard --auth-choice openrouter-oauth
```
OpenClaw opens OpenRouter's browser sign-in flow (PKCE), exchanges the
code for an OpenRouter API key, and stores it in the default
OpenRouter auth profile. On remote/headless hosts, OpenClaw prints the
sign-in URL and asks you to paste the redirect URL after signing in.
Onboarding defaults to `openrouter/auto`. Pick a concrete model later:
```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw models set openrouter//
```
Create an API key at [openrouter.ai/keys](https://openrouter.ai/keys).
```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw onboard --auth-choice openrouter-api-key
```
Onboarding defaults to `openrouter/auto`. Pick a concrete model later:
```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw models set openrouter//
```
## Config example
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
env: { OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sk-or-..." },
agents: {
defaults: {
model: { primary: "openrouter/auto" },
},
},
}
```
## Model references
Model refs follow the pattern `openrouter//`. For the full list of
available providers and models, see [/concepts/model-providers](/concepts/model-providers).
Bundled fallback models, used when live catalog discovery is unavailable:
| Model ref | Notes |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| `openrouter/auto` | OpenRouter automatic routing |
| `openrouter/moonshotai/kimi-k2.6` | Kimi K2.6 via MoonshotAI |
| `openrouter/moonshotai/kimi-k2.5` | Kimi K2.5 via MoonshotAI |
Any other `openrouter//` ref, including
`openrouter/openrouter/fusion` (see [Fusion router](#fusion-router)), resolves
dynamically against OpenRouter's live model catalog.
## Image generation
OpenRouter can back the `image_generate` tool. Set an OpenRouter image model
under `agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel`:
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
env: { OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sk-or-..." },
agents: {
defaults: {
imageGenerationModel: {
primary: "openrouter/google/gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview",
timeoutMs: 180_000,
},
},
},
}
```
OpenClaw sends image requests to OpenRouter's chat-completions image API with
`modalities: ["image", "text"]`. Gemini image models additionally receive
`aspectRatio` and `resolution` hints through OpenRouter's `image_config`; other
image models do not. Use `agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel.timeoutMs` for
slower models; the `image_generate` tool's per-call `timeoutMs` still wins.
## Video generation
OpenRouter can back the `video_generate` tool through its asynchronous
`/videos` API. Set an OpenRouter video model under
`agents.defaults.videoGenerationModel`:
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
env: { OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sk-or-..." },
agents: {
defaults: {
videoGenerationModel: {
primary: "openrouter/google/veo-3.1-fast",
},
},
},
}
```
OpenClaw submits text-to-video and image-to-video jobs, polls the returned
`polling_url`, and downloads the finished video from OpenRouter's
`unsigned_urls` or the job content endpoint. Reference images default to
first/last-frame images; images tagged `reference_image` are sent as input
references instead. The bundled `google/veo-3.1-fast` default supports 4/6/8
second durations, `720P`/`1080P` resolutions, and `16:9`/`9:16` aspect ratios.
Video-to-video is not supported: the upstream API only accepts text and image
references.
## Music generation
OpenRouter can back the `music_generate` tool through chat-completions audio
output. Set an OpenRouter audio model under
`agents.defaults.musicGenerationModel`:
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
env: { OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sk-or-..." },
agents: {
defaults: {
musicGenerationModel: {
primary: "openrouter/google/lyria-3-pro-preview",
timeoutMs: 180_000,
},
},
},
}
```
The bundled OpenRouter music provider defaults to `google/lyria-3-pro-preview`
and also exposes `google/lyria-3-clip-preview`. OpenClaw sends `modalities: ["text", "audio"]`, streams the response, collects the audio chunks, and saves
the result as generated media for channel delivery. Lyria models accept one
reference image through the shared `music_generate image=...` parameter.
## Text-to-speech
OpenRouter can act as a TTS provider through its OpenAI-compatible
`/audio/speech` endpoint.
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
messages: {
tts: {
auto: "always",
provider: "openrouter",
providers: {
openrouter: {
model: "hexgrad/kokoro-82m",
speakerVoice: "af_alloy",
responseFormat: "mp3",
},
},
},
},
}
```
If `messages.tts.providers.openrouter.apiKey` is omitted, TTS falls back to
`models.providers.openrouter.apiKey`, then `OPENROUTER_API_KEY`.
## Speech-to-text (inbound audio)
OpenRouter can transcribe inbound voice/audio attachments through the shared
`tools.media.audio` path, using its STT endpoint (`/audio/transcriptions`).
This applies to any channel plugin that forwards inbound voice/audio into
media understanding preflight.
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
tools: {
media: {
audio: {
enabled: true,
models: [{ provider: "openrouter", model: "openai/whisper-large-v3-turbo" }],
},
},
},
}
```
OpenClaw sends OpenRouter STT requests as JSON with base64 audio under
`input_audio` (OpenRouter's STT contract), not as multipart OpenAI form
uploads.
## Fusion router
OpenRouter Fusion sends one OpenClaw model ref to several OpenRouter models in
parallel, has OpenRouter judge their answers, and returns one final response
through the normal OpenRouter endpoint. The upstream model slug is
`openrouter/fusion`, so the OpenClaw model ref carries both the OpenClaw
provider prefix and the upstream OpenRouter namespace:
```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw models set openrouter/openrouter/fusion
```
Configure Fusion's panel and judge through the model's `params.extraBody`;
those fields forward directly into the OpenRouter chat-completions request
body. Fusion works with either OAuth or API-key onboarding; if you use OAuth,
omit the `env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY` line below.
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
env: { OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sk-or-..." },
agents: {
defaults: {
model: { primary: "openrouter/openrouter/fusion" },
models: {
"openrouter/openrouter/fusion": {
params: {
extraBody: {
plugins: [
{
id: "fusion",
analysis_models: [
"google/gemini-3.5-flash",
"moonshotai/kimi-k2.6",
"deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro",
],
model: "google/gemini-3.5-flash",
},
],
},
},
},
},
},
},
}
```
`analysis_models` is the parallel panel; `model` inside the Fusion plugin
config is the judge model. Do not set top-level `tool_choice` to `"required"`
in normal agent/chat turns to try to force Fusion: OpenClaw turns can include
its own tool definitions, and a top-level required tool choice may pick one of
those instead of the Fusion router. When this Fusion plugin config is present,
OpenClaw adds a sanitized system-prompt note listing the configured analysis
models and judge model, so the agent can answer questions about its own Fusion
panel. Other `extraBody` fields are not copied into the prompt.
Fusion is slower by design: OpenRouter fans the prompt out to multiple
analysis models, then runs a judge/synthesis step, so latency runs higher than
a direct single-model request. Use it for deliberate, high-quality answers or
escalation paths, not as a latency-sensitive default. Keep the panel small and
pick faster analysis/judge models for quicker responses.
Test a configured ref with a one-shot local call:
```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw infer model run --local \
--model openrouter/openrouter/fusion \
--prompt "Reply with exactly: FUSION_OK" \
--json
```
## Authentication and headers
OpenRouter uses a Bearer token from your API key. OpenRouter OAuth is a PKCE
login flow that issues an OpenRouter API key, so OpenClaw stores the result in
the same `openrouter:default` API-key auth profile used by manual API-key
setup.
To sign in or rotate the stored key on an existing install without rerunning
full onboarding:
```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw models auth login --provider openrouter --method oauth
openclaw models auth login --provider openrouter --method api-key
```
On verified OpenRouter requests (`https://openrouter.ai/api/v1`), OpenClaw adds
OpenRouter's documented app-attribution headers:
| Header | Value |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `HTTP-Referer` | `https://openclaw.ai` |
| `X-OpenRouter-Title` | `OpenClaw` |
| `X-OpenRouter-Categories` | `cli-agent,cloud-agent,programming-app,creative-writing,writing-assistant,general-chat,personal-agent` |
If you repoint the OpenRouter provider at some other proxy or base URL, OpenClaw
does **not** inject those OpenRouter-specific headers or Anthropic cache markers.
## Advanced configuration
OpenRouter response caching is opt-in. Enable it per model:
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
agents: {
defaults: {
models: {
"openrouter/auto": {
params: {
responseCache: true,
responseCacheTtlSeconds: 300,
},
},
},
},
},
}
```
OpenClaw sends `X-OpenRouter-Cache: true` and, when configured,
`X-OpenRouter-Cache-TTL`. `responseCacheClear: true` forces a refresh for
the current request and stores the replacement response. Snake\_case
aliases (`response_cache`, `response_cache_ttl_seconds`,
`response_cache_clear`) are accepted, as is `responseCacheTtl` /
`response_cache_ttl` without the `Seconds` suffix.
This is separate from provider prompt caching and from OpenRouter's
Anthropic `cache_control` markers. It only applies on verified
`openrouter.ai` routes, not custom proxy base URLs.
On verified OpenRouter routes, Anthropic model refs keep OpenRouter's
Anthropic `cache_control` markers for better prompt-cache reuse on
system/developer prompt blocks.
On verified OpenRouter routes, Anthropic model refs with reasoning enabled
drop trailing assistant prefill turns before the request reaches
OpenRouter, matching Anthropic's requirement that reasoning conversations
end with a user turn.
On supported non-`auto` routes, OpenClaw maps the selected thinking level
to OpenRouter proxy reasoning payloads. `openrouter/auto` and unsupported
model hints skip that injection. Stale `openrouter/hunter-alpha` refs also
skip it, because OpenRouter could return final answer text in reasoning
fields on that retired route.
On verified OpenRouter routes, `openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash` and
`openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro` fill missing `reasoning_content` on
replayed assistant turns, keeping thinking/tool conversations in DeepSeek
V4's required follow-up shape. OpenClaw sends OpenRouter-supported
`reasoning.effort` values for these routes: `xhigh`/`max` map to `xhigh`,
every other non-off level maps to `high`.
OpenRouter runs through the proxy-style OpenAI-compatible path, so native
OpenAI-only request shaping such as `serviceTier`, Responses `store`,
OpenAI reasoning-compat payloads, and prompt-cache hints is not forwarded.
Gemini-backed OpenRouter refs stay on the proxy-Gemini path: OpenClaw keeps
Gemini thought-signature sanitation there, but does not enable native
Gemini replay validation or bootstrap rewrites.
OpenRouter supports a `provider` request object for underlying provider
routing. Configure a default policy for all OpenRouter text-model requests
with `models.providers.openrouter.params.provider`:
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
models: {
providers: {
openrouter: {
params: {
provider: {
sort: "latency",
require_parameters: true,
data_collection: "deny",
},
},
},
},
},
}
```
OpenClaw forwards that object to OpenRouter as the request `provider`
payload. Use OpenRouter's documented snake\_case fields, including `sort`,
`only`, `ignore`, `order`, `allow_fallbacks`, `require_parameters`,
`data_collection`, `quantizations`, `max_price`, `preferred_max_latency`,
`preferred_min_throughput`, `zdr`, and `enforce_distillable_text`.
Per-model params override the provider-wide routing object:
```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
agents: {
defaults: {
models: {
"openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": {
params: {
provider: {
order: ["anthropic"],
allow_fallbacks: false,
},
},
},
},
},
},
}
```
This only applies on OpenRouter chat-completions routes. Direct Anthropic,
Google, OpenAI, or custom provider routes ignore OpenRouter routing params.
## Related
Choosing providers, model refs, and failover behavior.
Full config reference for agents, models, and providers.