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OpenClaw supports Grok as a web_search provider, using xAI web-grounded responses to produce AI-synthesized answers backed by live search results with citations. Grok web search prefers an existing xAI OAuth sign-in when one is available. If no OAuth profile exists, the same xAI API key also powers the built-in x_search tool for X (formerly Twitter) post search and the code_execution tool. Storing the key at plugins.entries.xai.config.webSearch.apiKey also lets OpenClaw reuse it as a fallback for the bundled xAI model provider. For post-level X metrics (reposts, replies, bookmarks, views), use x_search with the exact post URL or status ID instead of a broad search query.

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Onboarding and configure

Choosing Grok during openclaw onboard or openclaw configure --section web lets OpenClaw reuse an existing xAI OAuth profile without prompting for a separate web-search key. Without OAuth, it falls back to xAI API-key setup. OpenClaw then offers a follow-up step to enable x_search with the same xAI credential. That follow-up:
  • only appears after you choose Grok for web_search
  • is not a separate top-level web-search provider choice
  • can optionally set the x_search model in the same flow
Skip it to enable or change x_search later in config.

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Sign in or get an API key

The xai plugin that provides Grok web search ships with OpenClaw, so there is no openclaw plugins install step. Start at the credential you already have.
1

Use xAI OAuth

If you already signed in with xAI during onboarding or model auth, choose Grok as the web_search provider. No separate API key is required:
2

Use an API key fallback

Get an API key from xAI when OAuth is unavailable or you intentionally want key-backed web-search config.
3

Store the key

Set XAI_API_KEY in the Gateway environment, or configure via:

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Config

Credential alternatives: openclaw models auth login --provider xai --method oauth, XAI_API_KEY in the Gateway environment, or plugins.entries.xai.config.webSearch.apiKey. For a gateway install, put env vars in ~/.openclaw/.env.

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How it works

Grok uses xAI web-grounded responses to synthesize answers with inline citations, similar to Gemini’s Google Search grounding approach.

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Supported parameters

Grok search supports query. count is accepted for shared web_search compatibility, but Grok always returns one synthesized answer with citations rather than an N-result list. Provider-specific filters are not supported. Grok defaults to a 60 second timeout because xAI Responses web-grounded searches can run longer than the shared web_search default. This budget includes credential preparation, the search request, and authentication recovery. Override it with tools.web.search.timeoutSeconds. OAuth refresh failures remain authentication errors rather than being reported as a missing API key. If a refresh cannot recover, sign in again with openclaw models auth login --provider xai --method oauth; increasing the search timeout does not repair an unavailable credential.

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Base URL overrides

Set plugins.entries.xai.config.webSearch.baseUrl to route Grok web search through an operator proxy or xAI-compatible Responses endpoint. OpenClaw posts to <baseUrl>/responses after trimming trailing slashes. x_search falls back to the same webSearch.baseUrl unless plugins.entries.xai.config.xSearch.baseUrl is set.