Image generation

A per-call model override tries only that provider/model and does not continue to configured primary/fallback or auto-detected providers.

A provider default only enters the candidate list when OpenClaw can actually authenticate that provider. Set agents.defaults.mediaGenerationAutoProviderFallback: false to use only explicit model, primary, and fallbacks entries.

Set agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel.timeoutMs for slow image backends. A per-call timeoutMs tool parameter overrides the configured default.

Use action: "list" to inspect the currently registered providers, their default models, and auth env-var hints.

OpenAI image generation defaults to openai/gpt-image-2. If an openai-codex OAuth profile is configured, OpenClaw reuses the same OAuth profile used by Codex subscription chat models and sends the image request through the Codex Responses backend. Legacy Codex base URLs such as https://chatgpt.com/backend-api are canonicalized to https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/codex for image requests. OpenClaw does not silently fall back to OPENAI_API_KEY for that request - to force direct OpenAI Images API routing, configure models.providers.openai explicitly with an API key, custom base URL, or Azure endpoint.

The openai/gpt-image-1.5, openai/gpt-image-1, and openai/gpt-image-1-mini models can still be selected explicitly. Use gpt-image-1.5 for transparent-background PNG/WebP output; the current gpt-image-2 API rejects background: "transparent".

gpt-image-2 supports both text-to-image generation and reference-image editing through the same image_generate tool. OpenClaw forwards prompt, count, size, quality, outputFormat, and reference images to OpenAI. OpenAI does not receive aspectRatio or resolution directly; when possible OpenClaw maps those into a supported size, otherwise the tool reports them as ignored overrides.

OpenAI-specific options live under the openai object:

{
  "quality": "low",
  "outputFormat": "jpeg",
  "openai": {
    "background": "opaque",
    "moderation": "low",
    "outputCompression": 60,
    "user": "end-user-42"
  }
}

openai.background accepts transparent, opaque, or auto; transparent outputs require outputFormat png or webp and a transparency-capable OpenAI image model. OpenClaw routes default gpt-image-2 transparent-background requests to gpt-image-1.5. openai.outputCompression applies to JPEG/WebP outputs.

The top-level background hint is provider-neutral and currently maps to the same OpenAI background request field when the OpenAI provider is selected. Providers that do not declare background support return it in ignoredOverrides instead of receiving the unsupported parameter.

To route OpenAI image generation through an Azure OpenAI deployment instead of api.openai.com, see Azure OpenAI endpoints.

OpenRouter image generation uses the same OPENROUTER_API_KEY and routes through OpenRouter's chat completions image API. Select OpenRouter image models with the openrouter/ prefix:

{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      imageGenerationModel: {
        primary: "openrouter/google/gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview",
      },
    },
  },
}

OpenClaw forwards prompt, count, reference images, and Gemini-compatible aspectRatio / resolution hints to OpenRouter. Current built-in OpenRouter image model shortcuts include google/gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview, google/gemini-3-pro-image-preview, and openai/gpt-5.4-image-2. Use action: "list" to see what your configured plugin exposes.

MiniMax image generation is available through both bundled MiniMax auth paths:

• minimax/image-01 for API-key setups
• minimax-portal/image-01 for OAuth setups

The bundled xAI provider uses /v1/images/generations for prompt-only requests and /v1/images/edits when image or images is present.

• Models: xai/grok-imagine-image, xai/grok-imagine-image-pro
• Count: up to 4
• References: one image or up to five images
• Aspect ratios: 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 2:3, 3:2
• Resolutions: 1K, 2K
• Outputs: returned as OpenClaw-managed image attachments

OpenClaw intentionally does not expose xAI-native quality, mask, user, or extra native-only aspect ratios until those controls exist in the shared cross-provider image_generate contract.