Files
Nimrod Gutman dd28a77df0 fix(ios): refactor screen webview lifecycle handling (#20366)
Merged via /review-pr -> /prepare-pr -> /merge-pr.

Prepared head SHA: 7beb794a06
Co-authored-by: ngutman <1540134+ngutman@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: ngutman <1540134+ngutman@users.noreply.github.com>
Reviewed-by: @ngutman
2026-02-19 05:05:40 +08:00
..

OpenClaw iOS (Super Alpha)

NO TEST FLIGHT AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT

This iPhone app is super-alpha and internal-use only. It connects to an OpenClaw Gateway as a role: node.

Distribution Status

NO TEST FLIGHT AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT

  • Current distribution: local/manual deploy from source via Xcode.
  • App Store flow is not part of the current internal development path.

Super-Alpha Disclaimer

  • Breaking changes are expected.
  • UI and onboarding flows can change without migration guarantees.
  • Foreground use is the only reliable mode right now.
  • Treat this build as sensitive while permissions and background behavior are still being hardened.

Exact Xcode Manual Deploy Flow

  1. Prereqs:
    • Xcode 16+
    • pnpm
    • xcodegen
    • Apple Development signing set up in Xcode
  2. From repo root:
pnpm install
./scripts/ios-configure-signing.sh
cd apps/ios
xcodegen generate
open OpenClaw.xcodeproj
  1. In Xcode:
    • Scheme: OpenClaw
    • Destination: connected iPhone (recommended for real behavior)
    • Build configuration: Debug
    • Run (Product -> Run)
  2. If signing fails on a personal team:
    • Use unique local bundle IDs via apps/ios/LocalSigning.xcconfig.
    • Start from apps/ios/LocalSigning.xcconfig.example.

Shortcut command (same flow + open project):

pnpm ios:open

APNs Expectations For Local/Manual Builds

  • The app calls registerForRemoteNotifications() at launch.
  • apps/ios/Sources/OpenClaw.entitlements sets aps-environment to development.
  • APNs token registration to gateway happens only after gateway connection (push.apns.register).
  • Your selected team/profile must support Push Notifications for the app bundle ID you are signing.
  • If push capability or provisioning is wrong, APNs registration fails at runtime (check Xcode logs for APNs registration failed).
  • Debug builds register as APNs sandbox; Release builds use production.

What Works Now (Concrete)

  • Pairing via setup code flow (/pair then /pair approve in Telegram).
  • Gateway connection via discovery or manual host/port with TLS fingerprint trust prompt.
  • Chat + Talk surfaces through the operator gateway session.
  • iPhone node commands in foreground: camera snap/clip, canvas present/navigate/eval/snapshot, screen record, location, contacts, calendar, reminders, photos, motion, local notifications.
  • Share extension deep-link forwarding into the connected gateway session.

Known Issues / Limitations / Problems

  • Foreground-first: iOS can suspend sockets in background; reconnect recovery is still being tuned.
  • Background command limits are strict: canvas.*, camera.*, screen.*, and talk.* are blocked when backgrounded.
  • Background location requires Always location permission.
  • Pairing/auth errors intentionally pause reconnect loops until a human fixes auth/pairing state.
  • Voice Wake and Talk contend for the same microphone; Talk suppresses wake capture while active.
  • APNs reliability depends on local signing/provisioning/topic alignment.
  • Expect rough UX edges and occasional reconnect churn during active development.

Current In-Progress Workstream

Automatic wake/reconnect hardening:

  • improve wake/resume behavior across scene transitions
  • reduce dead-socket states after background -> foreground
  • tighten node/operator session reconnect coordination
  • reduce manual recovery steps after transient network failures

Debugging Checklist

  1. Confirm build/signing baseline:
    • regenerate project (xcodegen generate)
    • verify selected team + bundle IDs
  2. In app Settings -> Gateway:
    • confirm status text, server, and remote address
    • verify whether status shows pairing/auth gating
  3. If pairing is required:
    • run /pair approve from Telegram, then reconnect
  4. If discovery is flaky:
    • enable Discovery Debug Logs
    • inspect Settings -> Gateway -> Discovery Logs
  5. If network path is unclear:
    • switch to manual host/port + TLS in Gateway Advanced settings
  6. In Xcode console, filter for subsystem/category signals:
    • ai.openclaw.ios
    • GatewayDiag
    • APNs registration failed
  7. Validate background expectations:
    • repro in foreground first
    • then test background transitions and confirm reconnect on return