How Adding MemOS Long‑Term Memory to OpenClaw Slashed Token Usage

Background and Issues

OpenClaw ships with a basic memory mechanism that stores data in local markdown files. In practice users encounter three main problems: token consumption skyrockets (a simple greeting can cost over 40 000 tokens), global memory quickly becomes noisy, and daily memory is hard to retrieve. Moreover the model records memory only when it decides to, leading to many missed events.

MemOS Long‑Term Memory Service

MemOS is a unified memory‑management platform for AI applications. It stores both persistent (cloud) and short‑term memories, provides intelligent retrieval, and lets users classify what should be remembered. The service promises up to 72 % token reduction by loading only relevant memories.

Integration Options

MemOS can be integrated with OpenClaw in two ways:

Cloud plugin – configure an API key; memory is shared across agents and devices.

Local plugin – stores memory in SQLite with hybrid FTS5 + vector search, no cloud dependency.

Both plugins expose the same API but target different scenarios (quick team collaboration vs. privacy‑focused local deployment).

Installation and Configuration

Install the cloud plugin via the OpenClaw CLI:

openclaw plugins install @memtensor/memos-cloud-openclaw-plugin@latest

Set the API key in ~/.openclaw/.env (or via Windows environment variables):

mkdir -p ~/.openclaw && echo "MEMOS_API_KEY=mpg-..." > ~/.openclaw/.env

For Windows PowerShell:

[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("MEMOS_API_KEY","mpg-...", "User")

Restart the gateway:

openclaw gateway restart

Verification

After enabling the plugin, a test conversation creates two memory entries visible in the MemOS dashboard. The log shows a pre‑run phase that retrieves relevant memories and a post‑run phase that persists the conversation summary.

Memory Sharing Architecture

MemOS defines two sharing levels:

Level 1 – automatic collaboration among agents inside the same OpenClaw instance.

Level 2 – cross‑instance team‑wide experience flow.

Shared public memory can be accessed by any agent, while private memory remains isolated.

Benefits Observed

Users report faster responses, more precise recall, and a noticeable drop in token usage after installing the plugin. The unified memory also enables agents to reuse past analyses (e.g., product‑launch plans) without re‑feeding context.

Conclusion

Adding MemOS to OpenClaw turns the markdown‑file memory into a scalable, searchable brain that can operate in the cloud or locally, reduces token costs, and facilitates multi‑agent collaboration.