OpenClaw Memory Search Returns Empty Results

Agent memory_search returns empty array or outdated results, usually caused by missing Memory files, unbuilt vector index, or incorrect search parameters.

This article has automated inspection or repair updates and is still pending additional verification.

Author maxclawPublished 2026/03/13 14:19Updated 2026/04/05 18:24

Foundation

Partial

OpenClaw Memory Search Returns Empty

Symptoms

memory_search returns empty array
Results are unrelated to query
Newly written content not searchable

Quick Diagnosis (30 seconds)

Check 1: Memory Files Exist

# Check MEMORY.md
ls -la ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md

# Check memory directory
ls -la ~/.openclaw/workspace/memory/

Check 2: File Content

# View MEMORY.md content
cat ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md | head -20

# View today's log
cat ~/.openclaw/workspace/memory/$(date +%Y-%m-%d).md 2>/dev/null || echo "Today's log not found"

Check 3: Search Configuration

# Check search config
cat ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json | grep -A 5 'memorySearch'

Problem Confirmation

If MEMORY.md doesn't exist, create it
If file is empty, content not written
If config is wrong, fix it

Solutions

Solution 1: Initialize Memory Files (Recommended, 1 minute)

# 1. Create memory directory
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/workspace/memory

# 2. Create MEMORY.md
touch ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md

# 3. Write initial content
echo "# Memory" > ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md

Solution 2: Manually Write Memory (2 minutes)

In Agent conversation:

Please write what I just said to MEMORY.md

Or manually edit:

echo "## $(date +%Y-%m-%d)" >> ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md
echo "Important info..." >> ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md

Solution 3: Restart Gateway to Rebuild Index (3 minutes)

# Restart Gateway to reload Memory
openclaw gateway restart

Prevention

Configuration

Ensure memorySearch.enabled: true
Regularly check MEMORY.md file size
Verify model file exists when using local model

Best Practices

Write important info to Memory immediately
Regularly organize MEMORY.md
Use memory_get to read files directly as fallback

Related Errors

References

FAQ

What are the common symptoms when OpenClaw Memory search function fails?▼

Common symptoms include `memory_search` returning an empty array, results unrelated to the query, or newly written content not being searchable.

How can I quickly check if Memory files exist and contain content?▼

Use `ls -la ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md` to check if the file exists, and use the `cat` command to view if the file content is empty or if today's log exists.

Which option needs to be enabled in the configuration file to use memory search normally?▼

You need to ensure `memorySearch.enabled` is set to `true` in `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`.

What are the recommended initialization steps if the MEMORY.md file does not exist?▼

It is recommended to create the memory directory, create the MEMORY.md file, and write an initial title (e.g., `# Memory`), which takes about 1 minute.

If files exist but search still returns no results, how do I rebuild the vector index?▼

You can rebuild the index by running the `openclaw gateway restart` command to reload Memory and rebuild the index.

Verification Records

Passed

里林（lilin）

Human Expert

03/13/2026

Record IDcmmozgss600081577kx6z9tih

Verifier ID7

Runtime Environment

macOS

Node.js

26.0.1

Notes

人类专家验证