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Operations, Data, And Recovery

Row-Bot is local-first, so operational safety starts with knowing which data directory and workspace are active. Conversations, settings, memory, Knowledge, workflows, documents, designs, code folder records, skills, plugins, logs, channel state, and MCP configuration can live under that directory. Operating-system key stores may hold credentials separately.

Remote Access And Server Operations​

Use Remote Access And Server Mode for the complete guide to one-time invitations, desktop and compact owner sessions, Tailscale Serve, LAN, SSH forwarding, Docker, HTTPS reverse proxies, browser-local voice, access recovery, and proxy error diagnostics.

Use Docker And VPS Operations for pull-first Compose startup, release and digest pins, persistent volumes, offline backup and restore, explicit upgrade and rollback, host Caddy or Tailscale, secret-file mounts, and container-specific Developer boundaries.

Remote access remains off by default in ordinary desktop launches. Server operators should back up access state with the rest of the active data directory, keep one worker, publish one canonical origin, terminate remote traffic with HTTPS, and trust only the exact reverse proxy that connects to Row-Bot.

Back Up​

Settings › Data › Back up and restore makes a copy of your Row-Bot on this computer, without passwords or sign-ins. Choose Back up now; the command palette finds it as "back up". Files a reply was still uploading are left out, and a file that can't be read is named in the result ("Left out a file that couldn't be read: …") instead of stopping the backup.

The backup is saved in the workspace's Backups folder. In the desktop app on the computer Row-Bot runs on, Show in folder opens it there. On any other device, such as a phone, another computer's browser, or a server or Docker install, Download saves the last backup on that device.

To copy everything by hand instead:

  1. Stop running workflows, channels, servers, and active replies.
  2. Close Row-Bot so databases are not changing during the copy.
  3. Copy the whole active data directory to protected storage.
  4. Back up code folders, exported design files, and wiki vaults separately when they live elsewhere.
  5. Record the Row-Bot version used with the backup.

Restore​

Restore from backup on the same page restores a backup made there. In the desktop app you pick the file; on any other device you choose it in the browser, and it's sent to Row-Bot first (Stop cancels the transfer). Row-Bot checks the file, refuses one that isn't a Row-Bot backup, comes from a newer Row-Bot, or is damaged, and lists what to set up again afterwards, such as passwords and sign-ins. Nothing changes until you choose Restore on restart: the restore applies the next time Row-Bot starts, with your current profile kept aside in a before-restore-<time> folder. A sent file you don't restore is deleted.

To restore a hand-made copy, restore related databases and files as one set while Row-Bot is closed. Point a test launch at the restored directory first, then check conversations, providers, workflows, Knowledge, documents, designs, code folders, plugins, MCP, and channels. Reconnect secrets that were stored in an OS keychain and were not included in the backup.

Import From Another Assistant​

Settings › Data › Import from another assistant scans Hermes Agent or OpenClaw data on this computer and lets you choose what to bring in: memories, persona and skills, and, only if you tick it, API keys and tokens. Nothing is written until you confirm the preview. First launch offers it when it finds one of them. The same page's danger zone holds irreversible clean-up, such as removing tracker data.

Update, Repair, And Uninstall​

Row-Bot downloads updates in the background and installs them when it restarts; Settings › Updates shows the version you have, the update Channel, what is downloading or ready, and Restart now. Repair there goes back to the version you had before. Updates explains each step, how to turn background downloads off, and what updates contact.

Back up before a major update: Repair goes back to earlier application files but is not a data backup. Uninstalling the application and deleting the data folder are separate decisions; Installation lists both locations for each system.

Logs And Support​

Use Monitor and the local log folder to diagnose startup, provider, workflow, channel, and background failures. Before sharing diagnostics, remove names, paths, account identifiers, document content, prompts, message content, tokens, and screenshots that expose private data.

Release-Specific Manual Checks​

Installer UX, upgrade, repair, uninstall, Windows signing, macOS notarisation, native file dialogs, OS permissions, and clean-machine behaviour require manual testing on release candidates. A successful docs build does not prove those native flows are release-ready.