OpenClaw Chrome MCP

Overview

OpenClaw Chrome MCP is the native browser integration in OpenClaw — one of the most popular open-source personal AI assistants (300k+ GitHub stars). It uses Google's official Chrome DevTools MCP server to let your local agent attach directly to your running Chrome (or Brave/Edge) session.

This gives the agent real-time access to your actual browser environment: open tabs, logged-in accounts, cookies, extensions, and live DOM — eliminating the limitations of isolated/headless browsers.

Key Features

• Existing-Session Attachment: Connect to your real Chrome via the built-in user profile (or custom profiles)
• Full Browser Control: Open/close tabs, navigate, click, type, drag, scroll, upload files
• Rich Observation: AI-optimized snapshots (with element refs), screenshots, console logs, network inspection
• State Management: Cookies, localStorage, geolocation, device emulation, headers
• Multiple Profiles: Isolated openclaw mode + existing-session (Chrome MCP) + remote options
• CLI-First: openclaw browser --browser-profile user ... commands for scripting and interactive use

Quick Setup

# 1. Enable remote debugging in Chrome (chrome://inspect)
# 2. Configure ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
{
  "browser": {
    "profiles": {
      "user": {
        "driver": "existing-session",
        "attachOnly": true
      }
    }
  }
}

# 3. Start and attach
openclaw browser --browser-profile user start
openclaw browser --browser-profile user snapshot --format ai

OpenClaw automatically starts the Chrome DevTools MCP server with --autoConnect behind the scenes.

Use Cases

• Personal Automation: Check Gmail, manage calendars, shop online, or handle any logged-in service
• Research & Scraping: Browse multiple authenticated sites with full context
• Complex Workflows: Multi-step tasks across tabs and services (e.g., "transfer money from my bank tab to the invoice site")
• Development Assistance: Debug web apps, test UIs, or interact with internal tools in real sessions
• Agent Orchestration: Combine with NotebookLM MCP, Stitch MCP, or GitHub tools for end-to-end automation

Why OpenClaw Chrome MCP?

Most browser agents use isolated or headless instances that lose your real login state. OpenClaw Chrome MCP bridges that gap — giving your local AI superpowers inside your actual daily browser. Fully local, private, and incredibly practical.

Works with Ollama or any local model. Requires Chrome 144+. Actively maintained with a huge community.