openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: existing-session Chrome DevTools MCP user profile times out after remote debugging is allowed on Windows [1 participants]

Werner-Klier · 2026-03-26T06:36:23Z

[openclaw] On Windows 10 with OpenClaw 2026.3.24, openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs consistently times out after Chrome remote debugging is enabled… On Windows 10 with OpenClaw 2026.3.24, `openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs` consistently times out after Chrome remote debugging is enabled and the attach prompt is allowed, even though `chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect` can connect to the same browser when run standalone. ### Bug type Regression (worked before, now fails) ### Summary On Windows 10 with OpenClaw 2026.3.24, `openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs` consistently times out after Chrome remote debugging is enabled and the attach prompt is allowed, even though `chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect` can connect to the same browser when run standalone. ### Steps to reproduce 1. Install OpenClaw 2026.3.24 via global npm package on Windows 10. 2. Configure browser with `headless: false`, `defaultProfile: "openclaw"`, and built-in `user` existing-session profile pointing at `C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data`. 3. In local Chrome, open `chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging`, enable `Allow remote debugging for this browser instance`, keep at least one normal web page tab open, and allow the remote debugging prompt. 4. Run `openclaw browser --browser-profile user start` followed by `openclaw browser --browser-profile user status` and `openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs`. 5. Observe gateway timeout / timed out waiting for tabs. ### Expected behavior After allowing remote debugging for the running Chrome instance, the built-in `user` existing-session profile should attach through Chrome DevTools MCP and `tabs` / `snapshot` should return live tabs from the signed-in browser session. ### Actual behavior Observed behavior on this machine: - `openclaw browser --browser-profile user start` / `status` / `tabs` consistently end in `gateway timeout after 30000ms` or `gateway timeout after 45000ms`. - Earlier in troubleshooting, the browser side advanced from missing `DevToolsActivePort` to repeated attach prompts and then to stable timeouts after the prompt was allowed. - `DevToolsActivePort` is present at `C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\DevToolsActivePort` and contains port `9222` plus a `/devtools/browser/ ` websocket path. - Running `npx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest --autoConnect --logFile ...` standalone on the same machine logs `Chrome DevTools MCP Server connected`. - OpenClaw still times out waiting for tabs from the `user` existing-session route. ### OpenClaw version 2026.3.24 ### Operating system Windows 10.0.26200 x64 ### Install method npm global package ### Model openai/gpt-5.4 ### Provider / routing chain openclaw local gateway -> built-in browser existing-session/user -> chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect -> local Google Chrome 144+ with remote debugging allowed ### Additional provider/model setup details Relevant observed local setup: - Chrome executable: `C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe` - Chrome user data dir: `C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data` - Browser config used during testing included `headless: false`, `ssrfPolicy.dangerouslyAllowPrivateNetwork: true`, explicit `executablePath`, and the built-in `user` existing-session profile with `attachOnly: true`. - During investigation, standalone `chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect` connected successfully, but the OpenClaw-managed `user` attach path still timed out. - We also confirmed that top-level browser config pathing issues were not the cause. ### Logs, screenshots, and evidence ```shell ``` ### Impact and severity Affected: local Windows host using the built-in `user` existing-session Chrome profile. Severity: High (blocks the documented signed-in Chrome attach workflow). Frequency: Reproduced repeatedly on every attach attempt during this session. Consequence: OpenClaw cannot control or read the user’s real signed-in Chrome session through the documented DevTools MCP path, so browser automation against the live browser session is blocked. ### Additional information Additional grounded notes: - `DevToolsActivePort` only appeared after enabling remote debugging and allowing the prompt, so the browser-side consent step appears to work. - We observed repeated attach prompts while OpenClaw retried the MCP attach flow. - A temporary attempt to reduce MCP startup arguments to only `--autoConnect` did not change the timeout behavior after a clean gateway restart. - If helpful, I can provide redacted command lines / process observations showing OpenClaw spawning `chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect` while the built-in `user` route still times out.

openclaw2026-03-26 06:36:23

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openclaw/openclaw#54966•Fetched 2026-04-08 01:34:02

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On Windows 10 with OpenClaw 2026.3.24, openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs consistently times out after Chrome remote debugging is enabled and the attach prompt is allowed, even though chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect can connect to the same browser when run standalone.

Root Cause

RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Summary

Steps to reproduce

Install OpenClaw 2026.3.24 via global npm package on Windows 10.
Configure browser with headless: false, defaultProfile: "openclaw", and built-in user existing-session profile pointing at C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data.
In local Chrome, open chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging, enable Allow remote debugging for this browser instance, keep at least one normal web page tab open, and allow the remote debugging prompt.
Run openclaw browser --browser-profile user start followed by openclaw browser --browser-profile user status and openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs.
Observe gateway timeout / timed out waiting for tabs.

Expected behavior

After allowing remote debugging for the running Chrome instance, the built-in user existing-session profile should attach through Chrome DevTools MCP and tabs / snapshot should return live tabs from the signed-in browser session.

Actual behavior

Observed behavior on this machine:

openclaw browser --browser-profile user start / status / tabs consistently end in gateway timeout after 30000ms or gateway timeout after 45000ms.
Earlier in troubleshooting, the browser side advanced from missing DevToolsActivePort to repeated attach prompts and then to stable timeouts after the prompt was allowed.
DevToolsActivePort is present at C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\DevToolsActivePort and contains port 9222 plus a /devtools/browser/<id> websocket path.
Running npx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest --autoConnect --logFile ... standalone on the same machine logs Chrome DevTools MCP Server connected.
OpenClaw still times out waiting for tabs from the user existing-session route.

OpenClaw version

2026.3.24

Operating system

Windows 10.0.26200 x64

Install method

npm global package

Model

openai/gpt-5.4

Provider / routing chain

openclaw local gateway -> built-in browser existing-session/user -> chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect -> local Google Chrome 144+ with remote debugging allowed

Additional provider/model setup details

Relevant observed local setup:

Chrome executable: C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
Chrome user data dir: C:\Users\hp\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data
Browser config used during testing included headless: false, ssrfPolicy.dangerouslyAllowPrivateNetwork: true, explicit executablePath, and the built-in user existing-session profile with attachOnly: true.
During investigation, standalone chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect connected successfully, but the OpenClaw-managed user attach path still timed out.
We also confirmed that top-level browser config pathing issues were not the cause.

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

Impact and severity

Affected: local Windows host using the built-in user existing-session Chrome profile. Severity: High (blocks the documented signed-in Chrome attach workflow). Frequency: Reproduced repeatedly on every attach attempt during this session. Consequence: OpenClaw cannot control or read the user’s real signed-in Chrome session through the documented DevTools MCP path, so browser automation against the live browser session is blocked.

Additional information

Additional grounded notes:

DevToolsActivePort only appeared after enabling remote debugging and allowing the prompt, so the browser-side consent step appears to work.
We observed repeated attach prompts while OpenClaw retried the MCP attach flow.
A temporary attempt to reduce MCP startup arguments to only --autoConnect did not change the timeout behavior after a clean gateway restart.
If helpful, I can provide redacted command lines / process observations showing OpenClaw spawning chrome-devtools-mcp --autoConnect while the built-in user route still times out.

extent analysis

Fix Plan

To resolve the issue with OpenClaw timing out when trying to attach to a Chrome browser instance via the user existing-session profile, follow these steps:

Verify Chrome DevTools MCP Connection: Ensure that chrome-devtools-mcp can connect to the Chrome instance when run standalone. This has already been confirmed in the issue description.
Check OpenClaw Configuration: Review the OpenClaw configuration to ensure it is correctly set up to use the user existing-session profile and that the attachOnly option is set to true.
Update OpenClaw to Use Correct DevTools Port: Make sure OpenClaw is configured to use the correct DevTools port. The DevToolsActivePort file contains the port number and WebSocket path. Update the OpenClaw configuration to use this port.

Example configuration update:

const openclawConfig = {
  // ... other configurations ...
  browserProfile: 'user',
  attachOnly: true,
  devToolsPort: 9222, // Update this to the port number from DevToolsActivePort
  devToolsWebSocketPath: '/devtools/browser/<id>', // Update this to the WebSocket path from DevToolsActivePort
};

Increase Timeout Value: Temporarily increase the timeout value in the OpenClaw configuration to allow more time for the connection to establish.

Example configuration update:

const openclawConfig = {
  // ... other configurations ...
  timeout: 60000, // Increase timeout to 1 minute
};

Restart OpenClaw and Retry: Restart the OpenClaw gateway and retry the openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs command.

Verification

To verify that the fix worked, run the following command:

openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs

If the command returns the list of tabs without timing out, the issue is resolved.

Extra Tips

Ensure that the Chrome instance is properly configured to allow remote debugging and that the DevToolsActivePort file is present and contains the correct port number and WebSocket path.
If the issue persists, try reducing the number of MCP startup arguments to only --autoConnect and restart the OpenClaw gateway.
Consider adding logging to the OpenClaw configuration to troubleshoot any further issues.

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openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: existing-session Chrome DevTools MCP user profile times out after remote debugging is allowed on Windows [1 participants]

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openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Bug]: existing-session Chrome DevTools MCP user profile times out after remote debugging is allowed on Windows [1 participants]

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