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OpenClaw browser

Local preview, remote routing, and node-host control

Use this page when the browser starts but preview navigation still fails, or when the real browser lives on another machine.

Core idea A healthy browser can still fail preview navigation if the routing or reachability model is wrong.

Startup success does not prove local preview will open

If basic browser health works but a preview still does not open, the problem is usually reachability, SSRF policy, hostname choice, or the wrong routing model rather than browser launch itself.

Local preview should be HTTP-served, not `file://`

  • serve local previews over HTTP instead of using file URLs
  • use the host that is actually reachable from the browser environment
  • check whether localhost or private-network access still needs explicit allowance

Do not mix profile choice and machine routing together

Existing-session

Reuse real signed-in state

Best when the real browser session on the host matters.

Node-host routing

Route to the browser machine

Best when the browser actually lives on another machine.

Remote CDP

Attach to an intentional external endpoint

Best when an explicit DevTools endpoint is part of the design.

Where to go next

Broader repair map

Browser troubleshooting

Classify whether the problem is really launch, reachability, or profile-state.