> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.coral.inc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Environment Variables

> Configure key-value environment variables for your assistant and skills

Environment variables let you pass configuration values and API keys to your OpenClaw instance and its skills. They're managed from the **Settings** page.

<Frame caption="Settings page with Environment Variables">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/coral-4bdba8dc/fCPdlpPS3qJ229YW/assets/screenshots/settings.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=fCPdlpPS3qJ229YW&q=85&s=75ffcb1f1210d176a7498c3fa4987c10" alt="Coral settings page" width="1280" height="800" data-path="assets/screenshots/settings.png" />
</Frame>

## Adding a variable

1. Go to the **Settings** page.
2. Scroll to the **Environment Variables** section.
3. Click **"Add Variable"**.
4. Enter the key name in `UPPER_SNAKE_CASE` (e.g., `BRAVE_API_KEY`).
5. Enter the value in the password field.
6. Click **Save**.

Key names must contain only uppercase letters, digits, and underscores, and must start with a letter or underscore.

## Editing and deleting

* Click on an existing variable's value field to edit it.
* Click the **trash icon** on any row to remove it.
* Click **Save** to apply all changes at once.

## Redacted values

Existing secrets appear as masked placeholders (`••••••••`) for security. The actual value is stored in your sandbox config. If you need to change a value, clear the field and enter the new one. If you leave a redacted value unchanged, the original secret is preserved.

## Gateway restart

When you save environment variable changes, the OpenClaw gateway restarts automatically to pick up the new values. This is typically instant.

<Warning>
  If you have an active chat session, the WebSocket will briefly reconnect after the restart. This is expected.
</Warning>

## Common environment variables

These are frequently used by skills and use case workflows:

| Variable            | Used by                | Purpose                               |
| ------------------- | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `BRAVE_API_KEY`     | Brave Search skill     | Web search capability                 |
| `OPENAI_API_KEY`    | Whisper, DALL-E skills | Audio transcription, image generation |
| `NOTION_API_KEY`    | Notion skill           | Read/write Notion pages and databases |
| `TODOIST_API_TOKEN` | Todoist workflows      | Task management integration           |

## Relationship to skills

Many [skills](/features/skills) check for specific environment variables. When a skill shows "Needs Setup" on the Integrations page, you can set the required key either:

* **Inline on the skill card** — Fastest for a single key
* **Here in Environment Variables** — Better for managing multiple keys at once

Both approaches store the key in the same place — your sandbox's OpenClaw config.