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Camera capture

docs/nodes/camera.md

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OpenClaw supports camera capture for agent workflows on paired iOS, Android, and macOS nodes: capture a photo (jpg) or a short video clip (mp4, with optional audio) via Gateway node.invoke.

All camera access is gated behind a user-controlled setting per platform.

iOS node

iOS user setting

  • iOS Settings tab → Camera → Allow Camera (camera.enabled).
    • Default: on (missing key is treated as enabled).
    • When off: camera.* commands return CAMERA_DISABLED.

iOS commands (via Gateway node.invoke)

  • camera.list

    • Response payload: devices — array of { id, name, position, deviceType }.

  • camera.snap

    • Params:
      • facing: front|back (default: front)
      • maxWidth: number (optional; default 1600)
      • quality: 0..1 (optional; default 0.9, clamped to [0.05, 1.0])
      • format: currently jpg
      • delayMs: number (optional; default 0, internally capped at 10000)
      • deviceId: string (optional; from camera.list)
    • Response payload: format: "jpg", base64, width, height.
    • Payload guard: photos are recompressed to keep the base64-encoded payload under 5MB.

  • camera.clip

    • Params:
      • facing: front|back (default: front)
      • durationMs: number (default 3000, clamped to [250, 60000])
      • includeAudio: boolean (default true)
      • format: currently mp4
      • deviceId: string (optional; from camera.list)
    • Response payload: format: "mp4", base64, durationMs, hasAudio.

iOS foreground requirement

Like canvas.*, the iOS node only allows camera.* commands in the foreground. Background invocations return NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE.

CLI helper

The easiest way to get media files is via the CLI helper, which writes decoded media to a temp file and prints the saved path.

bash
openclaw nodes camera snap --node <id>                 # default: both front + back (2 MEDIA lines)
openclaw nodes camera snap --node <id> --facing front
openclaw nodes camera clip --node <id> --duration 3000
openclaw nodes camera clip --node <id> --no-audio

nodes camera snap defaults to --facing both, capturing both front and back to give the agent both views; pass --device-id with a single explicit facing (both is rejected when --device-id is set). Output files are temporary (in the OS temp directory) unless you build your own wrapper.

Android node

Android user setting

  • Android Settings sheet → Camera → Allow Camera (camera.enabled).
    • Fresh installs default to off. Existing installs that predate this setting are migrated to on so upgrades do not silently lose previously working camera access.
    • When off: camera.* commands return CAMERA_DISABLED: enable Camera in Settings.

Permissions

  • CAMERA is required for both camera.snap and camera.clip; missing/denied permission returns CAMERA_PERMISSION_REQUIRED.
  • RECORD_AUDIO is required for camera.clip when includeAudio is true; missing/denied permission returns MIC_PERMISSION_REQUIRED.

The app prompts for runtime permissions when possible.

Android foreground requirement

Like canvas.*, the Android node only allows camera.* commands in the foreground. Background invocations return NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE: command requires foreground.

Android commands (via Gateway node.invoke)

  • camera.list

    • Response payload: devices — array of { id, name, position, deviceType }.

  • camera.snap

    • Params: facing (front|back, default front), quality (default 0.95, clamped to [0.1, 1.0]), maxWidth (default 1600), deviceId (optional; unknown id fails with INVALID_REQUEST).
    • Response payload: format: "jpg", base64, width, height.
    • Payload guard: recompressed to keep base64 under 5MB (same budget as iOS).

  • camera.clip

    • Params: facing (default front), durationMs (default 3000, clamped to [200, 60000]), includeAudio (default true), deviceId (optional).
    • Response payload: format: "mp4", base64, durationMs, hasAudio.
    • Payload guard: raw MP4 is capped at 18MB before base64 encoding; oversize clips fail with PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE (reduce durationMs and retry).

macOS app

macOS user setting

The macOS companion app exposes a checkbox:

  • Settings → General → Allow Camera (openclaw.cameraEnabled).
    • Default: off.
    • When off: camera requests return CAMERA_DISABLED: enable Camera in Settings.

CLI helper (node invoke)

Use the main openclaw CLI to invoke camera commands on the macOS node.

bash
openclaw nodes camera list --node <id>                     # list camera ids
openclaw nodes camera snap --node <id>                     # prints saved path
openclaw nodes camera snap --node <id> --max-width 1280
openclaw nodes camera snap --node <id> --delay-ms 2000
openclaw nodes camera snap --node <id> --device-id <id>
openclaw nodes camera clip --node <id> --duration 10s       # prints saved path
openclaw nodes camera clip --node <id> --duration-ms 3000   # prints saved path (legacy flag)
openclaw nodes camera clip --node <id> --device-id <id>
openclaw nodes camera clip --node <id> --no-audio
  • openclaw nodes camera snap defaults to maxWidth=1600 unless overridden.
  • camera.snap waits delayMs (default 2000ms, clamped to [0, 10000]) after warm-up/exposure settle before capturing.
  • Photo payloads are recompressed to keep base64 under 5MB.

Safety + practical limits

  • Camera and microphone access trigger the usual OS permission prompts (and require usage strings in Info.plist).
  • Video clips are capped at 60s to avoid oversized node payloads (base64 overhead plus message limits).

macOS screen video (OS-level)

For screen video (not camera), use the macOS companion:

bash
openclaw nodes screen record --node <id> --duration 10s --fps 15   # prints saved path

Requires macOS Screen Recording permission (TCC).