⚠️ Fix: 1M Context Window Breaking OAuth Authentication After v2026.2.17 Update

If you just updated to OpenClaw v2026.2.17 and enabled the new 1M context window feature, you might be seeing authentication errors that are breaking your bot. Several users in the Discord reported this issue today, and there's a quick workaround.

The Symptom

After updating to the latest release and enabling the 1M context beta feature, your bot stops working with authentication errors. The chat window may just show "..." with no response, or you'll see OAuth-related errors in the logs.

As user ye described in #general:

"all i did was update to the new version and activate 1M context, then it started giving me the auth errors"

Why This Happens

The 1M context feature requires API-level access that isn't available through OAuth/subscription auth. When your config tries to use the extended context window with an OAuth token, the request fails because subscriptions don't have access to the 1M context model tier.

As rainman explained:

"the error would make sense if it was trying to make request to the 1m context model with OAuth. because the subs don't have access to that"

The Workaround

Option 1: Disable 1M Context (Quick Fix)

If you need your bot working immediately, disable the 1M context feature in your config and stick with the standard context window. The 1M context feature requires API access, not OAuth.

Option 2: Roll Back + Regenerate OAuth

If you're seeing persistent auth issues even after disabling 1M context:

1. Roll back to the previous version
2. Regenerate your OAuth token
3. Reconfigure your auth profiles
4. Update again without enabling 1M context

User ye confirmed this approach worked:

"i reset my version to the previous version, re-generated oauth token.. [and it worked]"

Option 3: Switch to API Keys

If you want to use the 1M context feature, you'll need to use API keys instead of OAuth authentication. This requires an API plan with Anthropic that includes access to extended context windows.

GitHub Issue

This issue is being tracked at: github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues/19769

If you're affected, consider adding your details to help the maintainers diagnose and fix the root cause.

Key Takeaway

The new 1M context window is a great feature, but it's not compatible with OAuth/subscription authentication. If you're using OAuth tokens, don't enable the 1M context beta until there's an official fix, or switch to API-based authentication.

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Thanks to ye, Hazy, rainman, and SirHippy from the OpenClaw Discord for surfacing this issue and helping debug it.