MiniMax

MiniMax is an AI company that builds the M2/M2.1 model family. The current coding-focused release is MiniMax M2.1 (December 23, 2025), built for real-world complex tasks.

Source: ''MiniMax M2.1 release note''

MiniMax highlights these improvements in M2.1:

- Stronger multi-language coding (Rust, Java, Go, C++, Kotlin, Objective-C, TS/JS).

- Better web/app development and aesthetic output quality (including native mobile).

- Improved composite instruction handling for office-style workflows, building on interleaved thinking and integrated constraint execution.

- More concise responses with lower token usage and faster iteration loops.

- Stronger tool/agent framework compatibility and context management (Claude Code, Droid/Factory AI, Cline, Kilo Code, Roo Code, BlackBox).

- Higher-quality dialogue and technical writing outputs.

- Speed: Lightning is the "fast" variant in MiniMax's pricing docs.

- Cost: Pricing shows the same input cost, but Lightning has higher output cost.

- Coding plan routing: The Lightning back-end isn't directly available on the MiniMax coding plan. MiniMax auto-routes most requests to Lightning, but falls back to the regular M2.1 back-end during traffic spikes.

#

Best for: quick setup with MiniMax Coding Plan via OAuth, no API key required.

Enable the bundled OAuth plugin and authenticate:

openclaw plugins enable minimax-portal-auth  # skip if already loaded.
openclaw gateway restart  # restart if gateway is already running
openclaw onboard --auth-choice minimax-portal

You will be prompted to select an endpoint:

- ''Global'' - International users (''api.minimax.io'')

- ''CN'' - Users in China (''api.minimaxi.com'')

See ''MiniMax OAuth plugin README'' for details.

#

Best for: hosted MiniMax with Anthropic-compatible API.

Configure via CLI:

- Run ''openclaw configure''

- Select Model/auth

- Choose MiniMax M2.1

{
  env: { MINIMAX_API_KEY: "sk-..." },
  agents: { defaults: { model: { primary: "minimax/MiniMax-M2.1" } } },
  models: {
    mode: "merge",
    providers: {
      minimax: {
        baseUrl: "https://api.minimax.io/anthropic",
        apiKey: "${MINIMAX_API_KEY}",
        api: "anthropic-messages",
        models: [
          {
            id: "MiniMax-M2.1",
            name: "MiniMax M2.1",
            reasoning: false,
            input: ["text"],
            cost: { input: 15, output: 60, cacheRead: 2, cacheWrite: 10 },
            contextWindow: 200000,
            maxTokens: 8192,
          },
        ],
      },
    },
  },
}

#

Best for: keep Opus 4.5 as primary, fail over to MiniMax M2.1.

{
  env: { MINIMAX_API_KEY: "sk-..." },
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      models: {
        "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5": { alias: "opus" },
        "minimax/MiniMax-M2.1": { alias: "minimax" },
      },
      model: {
        primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
        fallbacks: ["minimax/MiniMax-M2.1"],
      },
    },
  },
}

#

Best for: local inference with LM Studio.

We have seen strong results with MiniMax M2.1 on powerful hardware (e.g. a desktop/server) using LM Studio's local server.

Configure manually via ''openclaw.json'':

{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      model: { primary: "lmstudio/minimax-m2.1-gs32" },
      models: { "lmstudio/minimax-m2.1-gs32": { alias: "Minimax" } },
    },
  },
  models: {
    mode: "merge",
    providers: {
      lmstudio: {
        baseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:1234/v1",
        apiKey: "lmstudio",
        api: "openai-responses",
        models: [
          {
            id: "minimax-m2.1-gs32",
            name: "MiniMax M2.1 GS32",
            reasoning: false,
            input: ["text"],
            cost: { input: 0, output: 0, cacheRead: 0, cacheWrite: 0 },
            contextWindow: 196608,
            maxTokens: 8192,
          },
        ],
      },
    },
  },
}

Use the interactive config wizard to set MiniMax without editing JSON:

1. Run ''openclaw configure''.

2. Select Model/auth.

3. Choose MiniMax M2.1.

4. Pick your default model when prompted.

- ''models.providers.minimax.baseUrl'': prefer ''https://api.minimax.io/anthropic'' (Anthropic-compatible); ''https://api.minimax.io/v1'' is optional for OpenAI-compatible payloads.

- ''models.providers.minimax.api'': prefer ''anthropic-messages''; ''openai-completions'' is optional for OpenAI-compatible payloads.

- ''models.providers.minimax.apiKey'': MiniMax API key (''MINIMAX_API_KEY'').

- ''models.providers.minimax.models'': define ''id'', ''name'', ''reasoning'', ''contextWindow'', ''maxTokens'', ''cost''.

- ''agents.defaults.models'': alias models you want in the allowlist.

- ''models.mode'': keep ''merge'' if you want to add MiniMax alongside built-ins.

- Model refs are ''minimax/<model>''.

- Coding Plan usage API: ''https://api.minimaxi.com/v1/api/openplatform/coding_plan/remains'' (requires a coding plan key).

- Update pricing values in ''models.json'' if you need exact cost tracking.

- Referral link for MiniMax Coding Plan (10% off): https://platform.minimax.io/subscribe/coding-plan?code=DbXJTRClnb&source=link

- See ''/concepts/model-providers'' for provider rules.

- Use ''openclaw models list'' and ''openclaw models set minimax/MiniMax-M2.1'' to switch.

#

This usually means the MiniMax provider isn't configured (no provider entry and no MiniMax auth profile/env key found). A fix for this detection is in 2026.1.12 (unreleased at the time of writing). Fix by:

- Upgrading to ''2026.1.12'' (or run from source ''main''), then restarting the gateway.

- Running ''openclaw configure'' and selecting ''MiniMax M2.1'', or

- Adding the ''models.providers.minimax'' block manually, or

- Setting ''MINIMAX_API_KEY'' (or a MiniMax auth profile) so the provider can be injected.

Make sure the model id is case‑sensitive:

- ''minimax/MiniMax-M2.1''

- ''minimax/MiniMax-M2.1-lightning''

Then recheck with:

openclaw models list