Your OpenClaw agent needs an AI model before it can reply. The quickest way is the ChatGPT plan you already pay for (Plus or higher): you connect it with a one-time code, and it takes about a minute. The steps below match the current OpenClaw screens. Hermes Agent connects ChatGPT differently: from the AI choice card on its build page or the AI Model tab on your server page.
Before you start: switch on device code sign-in
Pairing uses a one-time code, and your ChatGPT account accepts these codes only after one switch is on. It takes ten seconds and you do it once:
Open your ChatGPT security settings
On chatgpt.com open Settings, then Security and login. The direct address is chatgpt.com/settings/security.
Turn on the device code switch
Scroll to App security and turn on Enable device code sign-in for Codex, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. The switch turns blue.
Tip
On a ChatGPT Business, Enterprise or Edu workspace the switch can be greyed out. Your workspace admin turns device code sign-in on for the workspace.
Step 1: Open your agent
On your dashboard, press the yellow Open agent to pick a model button. Your agent opens in a new tab, straight on its Model Setup page.
Step 2: Choose Codex login (device code)
On the Model Setup page, press Connect provider. Choose OpenAI, then Codex login (device code).
Note
Older servers may still show this row under its old name, ChatGPT Device Pairing. It works the same way.
Step 3: Enter the code on the OpenAI page
A window with a one-time code appears. Press Open sign-in. The OpenAI page opens in a new tab: log in with your ChatGPT account, type the code you see in OpenClaw and approve.
Tip
The code works for 15 minutes. Keep the agent tab open while you approve. To stop halfway, press Cancel in this window before you leave the page.
Step 4: Come back to the agent tab
Return to the agent tab and leave it open. The window is waiting for your approval and moves on by itself once OpenAI confirms it. OpenClaw then checks the model with one short test message and marks it as verified.
Warning
On an older server running OpenClaw 2026.8.2 (the version number sits at the bottom of the agent's settings menu) this window also shows a Continue button. Press Continue only after you approved on the OpenAI page. Pressed earlier, it ends the sign-in and you start again from Step 2.
If something goes wrong
The OpenAI page refuses the code, or the window times out after 15 minutes
Most often your ChatGPT account still has device code sign-in switched off. Turn it on as shown in Before you start, press Cancel in the waiting window, then choose Codex login (device code) again for a fresh code.
OpenAI Codex device code login is not enabled
OpenAI refused to start a code sign-in at that moment. Check the switch from Before you start, check that your ChatGPT plan is Plus or higher, wait a few minutes and choose Codex login (device code) again. If the message comes back, open a support ticket from your dashboard. The message suggests ChatGPT OAuth: on a hosted server stay with the device code row (Codex login (device code), called ChatGPT Device Pairing on older servers), the route built for a server in a data centre.
Could not finish, with already in progress under Details
A sign-in you started earlier is still open, maybe in another tab or from before the page reloaded. If that tab is still open, finish the sign-in there or press Cancel. If you closed it, restart your server: on your OneClickClaw dashboard open Server, press Reboot and wait until it shows Running again. Then choose Codex login (device code) once more.
API rate limit reached
OpenAI is limiting requests for the moment. Wait a while and try again, or connect an API key as described below.
Still stuck? Open a support ticket from your dashboard and tell us which step you reached.
Prefer an API key?
Every provider in the Model Setup list works with its own key: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI Studio, OpenRouter, DeepSeek, Mistral and many more. Press Connect provider, choose the provider, paste the key and follow the steps. The key is stored on your own server. Claude works with an Anthropic API key.
Next: connect a chat channel such as WhatsApp or Telegram, described in Set Up Your Agent Inside OpenClaw.