Will adding more flags to my config fix this?

No. The issue is in the compiled binary's WebSocket handshake logic, which ignores configuration flags in versions 3.12 and 3.13.

Is it safe to downgrade to v2026.3.11?

Yes, as long as you do not rely on features strictly introduced in 3.12 or later, v2026.3.11 is stable for token-based LAN access.

When will this be fixed?

The development team is aware of the regression. Follow issue #44967 on GitHub for the first version release that includes the fix.

Resolving 'Device Identity Required' in OpenClaw v2026.3.12

TL;DR — Quick Fix

A regression in v2026.3.12 and v2026.3.13 ignores your disable auth config; the only reliable fix currently is to downgrade to v2026.3.11.

Run Diagnostics

Next Step

Fix now, then reduce repeat incidents

If this issue keeps coming back, validate your setup in Doctor first, then harden your config.

Open Doctor Harden Config

Error Signal

device identity required

What's Happening

You are trying to access the OpenClaw Control UI over your LAN using a token, but the system keeps throwing a 'device identity required' error despite having gateway.controlUi.dangerouslyDisableDeviceAuth: true set in your configuration. This effectively blocks cross-device LAN access.

The Fix

There is currently no patch for v2026.3.12 or v2026.3.13. The community has confirmed that this issue was introduced in the 3.12 release. To regain functionality, roll back your gateway container to version 2026.3.11:

# Update your docker-compose.yml or container image tag
image: openclaw/gateway:v2026.3.11

After changing the tag, run docker-compose pull && docker-compose up -d to revert the image. Your configuration should function immediately as expected once the older version is running.

Why This Occurs

The issue stems from a faulty merge introduced in the v2026.3.12 release. Even though you explicitly set dangerouslyDisableDeviceAuth and allowInsecureAuth to true, the gateway's WebSocket handshake logic ignores these flags and forces a device pairing check anyway. It ignores the token-only bypass entirely.

Prevention

Keep an eye on the official GitHub repository issue #44967 for status updates. We are tracking this internally and will update the package as soon as the regression is addressed in a future hotfix. Avoid updating to any release post-3.11 until the maintainers mark this as resolved.

Last Updated: April 2026

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