Security

What Is Approval Workflow?

A process where risky agent actions are paused and routed to a human for review before execution.

In Plain English

Approval workflows are the mechanism behind human-in-the-loop. When the agent wants to take a risky action (send an email, process a refund, modify a database), the action is paused and a notification is sent to the designated approver.

The approver reviews the proposed action with full context — what the agent wants to do, why, and the potential impact. They can approve, reject, or modify the action. The decision is logged.

Clawctl blocks 70+ action categories by default. You can customize which actions require approval and which are auto-approved.

Why It Matters for OpenClaw

Approval workflows prevent the most dangerous AI mistakes. They provide a human checkpoint for high-risk actions while letting routine operations flow automatically.

How Clawctl Helps

Clawctl provides 70+ pre-configured approval categories. Approve via dashboard, Slack, or WhatsApp. Auto-approve rules for trusted patterns. 24-hour expiry by default. Full audit trail of all decisions.

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Common Questions

How fast do I need to approve?

Approvals expire after 24 hours by default. Most teams approve within minutes.

Can I approve from my phone?

Yes. Approval notifications can be sent to Slack, WhatsApp, or any connected channel.

Can I set auto-approve rules?

Yes. "Allow this forever" rules let you auto-approve trusted action patterns.