Video Generation
OpenClaw agents can generate videos from text prompts, reference images, or existing videos. Twelve provider backends are supported, each with different model options, input modes, and feature sets. The agent picks the right provider automatically based on your configuration and available API keys.
The video_generate tool only appears when at least one video-generation provider is available. If you do not see it in your agent tools, set a provider API key or configure agents.defaults.videoGenerationModel.
Quick start
- Set an API key for any supported provider:
export GEMINI_API_KEY="your-key"
- Optionally pin a default model:
openclaw config set agents.defaults.videoGenerationModel.primary "google/veo-3.1-fast-generate-preview"
- Ask the agent:
Generate a 5-second cinematic video of a friendly lobster surfing at sunset.
The agent calls video_generate automatically. No tool allowlisting is needed.
What happens when you generate a video
Video generation is asynchronous. When the agent calls video_generate in a session:
- OpenClaw submits the request to the provider and immediately returns a task ID.
- The provider processes the job in the background (typically 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on the provider and resolution).
- When the video is ready, OpenClaw wakes the same session with an internal completion event.
- The agent posts the finished video back into the original conversation.
While a job is in flight, duplicate video_generate calls in the same session return the current task status instead of starting another generation. Use openclaw tasks list or openclaw tasks show <taskId> to check progress from the CLI.
Outside of session-backed agent runs (for example, direct tool invocations), the tool falls back to inline generation and returns the final media path in the same turn.
Supported providers
| Provider | Default model | Text | Image ref | Video ref | API key |
|---|
| Alibaba | wan2.6-t2v | Yes | Yes (remote URL) | Yes (remote URL) | MODELSTUDIO_API_KEY |
| BytePlus | seedance-1-0-lite-t2v-250428 | Yes | 1 image | No | BYTEPLUS_API_KEY |
| ComfyUI | workflow | Yes | 1 image | No | COMFY_API_KEY or COMFY_CLOUD_API_KEY |
| fal | fal-ai/minimax/video-01-live | Yes | 1 image | No | FAL_KEY |
| Google | veo-3.1-fast-generate-preview | Yes | 1 image | 1 video | GEMINI_API_KEY |
| MiniMax | MiniMax-Hailuo-2.3 | Yes | 1 image | No | MINIMAX_API_KEY |
| OpenAI | sora-2 | Yes | 1 image | 1 video | OPENAI_API_KEY |
| Qwen | wan2.6-t2v | Yes | Yes (remote URL) | Yes (remote URL) | QWEN_API_KEY |
| Runway | gen4.5 | Yes | 1 image | 1 video | RUNWAYML_API_SECRET |
| Together | Wan-AI/Wan2.2-T2V-A14B | Yes | 1 image | No | TOGETHER_API_KEY |
| Vydra | veo3 | Yes | 1 image (kling) | No | VYDRA_API_KEY |
| xAI | grok-imagine-video | Yes | 1 image | 1 video | XAI_API_KEY |
video_generate action=list to inspect available providers and models at runtime.
Required
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|
prompt | string | Text description of the video to generate (required for action: "generate") |
Content inputs
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|
image | string | Single reference image (path or URL) |
images | string[] | Multiple reference images (up to 5) |
video | string | Single reference video (path or URL) |
videos | string[] | Multiple reference videos (up to 4) |
Style controls
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|
aspectRatio | string | 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 3:4, 4:3, 4:5, 5:4, 9:16, 16:9, 21:9 |
resolution | string | 480P, 720P, or 1080P |
durationSeconds | number | Target duration in seconds (rounded to nearest provider-supported value) |
size | string | Size hint when the provider supports it |
audio | boolean | Enable generated audio when supported |
watermark | boolean | Toggle provider watermarking when supported |
Advanced
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|
action | string | "generate" (default), "status", or "list" |
model | string | Provider/model override (e.g. runway/gen4.5) |
filename | string | Output filename hint |
Actions
- generate (default) — create a video from the given prompt and optional reference inputs.
- status — check the state of the in-flight video task for the current session without starting another generation.
- list — show available providers, models, and their capabilities.
Model selection
When generating a video, OpenClaw resolves the model in this order:
model tool parameter — if the agent specifies one in the call.videoGenerationModel.primary — from config.videoGenerationModel.fallbacks — tried in order.- Auto-detection — uses providers that have valid auth, starting with the current default provider, then remaining providers in alphabetical order.
If a provider fails, the next candidate is tried automatically. If all candidates fail, the error includes details from each attempt.
{
agents: {
defaults: {
videoGenerationModel: {
primary: "google/veo-3.1-fast-generate-preview",
fallbacks: ["runway/gen4.5", "qwen/wan2.6-t2v"],
},
},
},
}
Provider notes
| Provider | Notes |
|---|
| Alibaba | Uses DashScope/Model Studio async endpoint. Reference images and videos must be remote http(s) URLs. |
| BytePlus | Single image reference only. |
| ComfyUI | Workflow-driven local or cloud execution. Supports text-to-video and image-to-video through the configured graph. |
| fal | Uses queue-backed flow for long-running jobs. Single image reference only. |
| Google | Uses Gemini/Veo. Supports one image or one video reference. |
| MiniMax | Single image reference only. |
| OpenAI | Only size override is forwarded. Other style overrides (aspectRatio, resolution, audio, watermark) are ignored with a warning. |
| Qwen | Same DashScope backend as Alibaba. Reference inputs must be remote http(s) URLs; local files are rejected upfront. |
| Runway | Supports local files via data URIs. Video-to-video requires runway/gen4_aleph. Text-only runs expose 16:9 and 9:16 aspect ratios. |
| Together | Single image reference only. |
| Vydra | Uses https://www.vydra.ai/api/v1 directly to avoid auth-dropping redirects. veo3 is bundled as text-to-video only; kling requires a remote image URL. |
| xAI | Supports text-to-video, image-to-video, and remote video edit/extend flows. |
Configuration
Set the default video generation model in your OpenClaw config:
{
agents: {
defaults: {
videoGenerationModel: {
primary: "qwen/wan2.6-t2v",
fallbacks: ["qwen/wan2.6-r2v-flash"],
},
},
},
}
openclaw config set agents.defaults.videoGenerationModel.primary "qwen/wan2.6-t2v"
