Get answers to common questions about installing and configuring OpenClaw. Find quick solutions to installation issues, requirements, configuration, and troubleshooting.
You can install OpenClaw in under 10 minutes with our quick start guide. The process includes:
npm install -g openclaw@latest: 2 minutesopenclaw onboard wizard: 3-5 minutesThe easiest method is using npm:
npm install -g openclaw@latestThis requires Node.js 22+ to be installed first.
Yes, OpenClaw is free and open-source (MIT license). The installation process is completely free.
Costs breakdown:
Yes, you can install OpenClaw on as many computers as you want. OpenClaw is open-source software with no licensing restrictions.
Note: Each installation is independent. To sync configurations, you'll need to manually copy your ~/.openclaw/ directory or use the same API keys and settings.
No programming knowledge is required. If you can:
...you can install OpenClaw. Our guides are designed for beginners.
Essential requirements:
OpenClaw requires Node.js version 22 or newer.
Check your version:
node --versionIf you have an older version, update to Node.js 22+.
Yes! Use Ollama to run local AI models for free.
Install Ollama and launch OpenClaw:
curl -fsSL https://ollama.ai/install.sh | sh
ollama launch openclawSupported local models: glm-5, qwen3-coder, gpt-oss (require ≥64,000 token context)
Cloud models (Claude, GPT):
Local models (Ollama):
Yes! OpenClaw works on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Installation steps:
npm install -g openclaw@latestInstall using Homebrew (recommended) or npm:
# Install Node.js 22+
brew install node@22
# Install OpenClaw
npm install -g openclaw@latestWorks on both Intel and Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) Macs.
Yes! OpenClaw supports all major Linux distributions:
Yes! OpenClaw fully supports Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4).
Install Rosetta 2 if needed:
softwareupdate --install-rosettaOpenClaw is model-agnostic and supports:
Cloud Models:
Local Models (via Ollama):
Depends on your use case:
openclaw onboardYes! You can configure different models for different workspaces or switch between models as needed.
Use OpenRouter Auto for automatic model selection based on task complexity.
OpenClaw is open-source software (180K+ GitHub stars, 900+ contributors) but has had security issues:
Known Issues:
Stay safe:
CVE-2026-25253 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in OpenClaw versions before 2026.1.29.
Fix immediately:
npm update -g openclaw@latestBest practices:
.openclaw/ to .gitignoreNot all skills are safe. 341 malicious skills were found, and 7.1% mishandle secrets.
Safety measures (v2026.2.6+):
OpenClaw Ecosystem (Feb 2026):
openclaw skill install <skill-name>
openclaw restartBrowse skills at openclawskills.best
ClawHub is the public skill registry and marketplace for OpenClaw, containing 5,705 community-built skills as of Feb 7, 2026.
All skills are now scanned with VirusTotal (v2026.2.6+) for safety.
Yes! Skills are SKILL.md files that teach OpenClaw how to use tools and workflows.
See official skills documentation for creating custom skills.
SOUL.md is OpenClaw's revolutionary personality configuration system. It's a Markdown file that defines your agent's personality, values, communication style, and behavior.
Every time your agent wakes, it reads SOUL.md first - "it reads itself into being."
Each OpenClaw workspace contains its own SOUL.md:
~/.openclaw/workspaces/default/SOUL.md%USERPROFILE%\.openclaw\workspaces\default\SOUL.mdEdit your SOUL.md file to define:
Community templates: souls.directory
Peter Steinberger (creator of OpenClaw) advocates for making agents "less boring":
Common errors and solutions:
npm cache clean --forceOpenClaw requires Node.js 22 or newer. Update Node.js:
brew install node@22nvm install 22 && nvm use 22npm update -g openclaw@latestThis installs the latest version (v2026.2.6) while preserving your configuration.
v2026.2.6 (released February 7, 2026)
New features:
openclaw --versionYes, specify the version number:
npm install -g [email protected]