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Complete OpenClaw Install Guide: Step-by-Step Tutorial

This comprehensive guide walks you through the complete process to install OpenClaw on any platform. Follow these detailed steps to get your personal AI assistant running in minutes.

⏱️ 10 minutes 📦 Node.js 22+ required 💻 All platforms supported

Table of Contents

✓ Prerequisites

📦

Node.js 22 or Newer

OpenClaw requires Node.js version 22 or higher to run. Check your version:

bash 
node --version

If you don't have Node.js 22+, follow Step 1 below.

📥

npm Package Manager

npm comes bundled with Node.js. Verify it's installed:

bash 
npm --version

You should see version 9 or higher.

🔑

AI Model API Keys

You'll need API keys for at least one AI model provider:

1 Install Node.js 22+

OpenClaw requires Node.js version 22 or newer. Choose your platform below for installation instructions:

🍎 macOS

Install using Homebrew (recommended):

bash 
brew install node@22

→ Full macOS install guide

🐧 Linux

Install using nvm (recommended):

bash 
nvm install 22
nvm use 22

→ Full Linux install guide

🪟 Windows

Download the installer from nodejs.org

  1. Visit nodejs.org
  2. Download Node.js 22+ LTS installer
  3. Run installer and follow prompts
  4. Restart your terminal

→ Full Windows install guide

Verify Installation

After installing Node.js, verify it's working:

bash 
node --version
npm --version

You should see Node.js v22.x.x or higher and npm v9.x.x or higher.

2 Install OpenClaw via npm

Once Node.js is installed, use npm to install OpenClaw globally on your system:

bash 
npm install -g openclaw@latest

What this command does:

  • npm install - npm package installation command
  • -g - Install globally (accessible from anywhere)
  • openclaw - The OpenClaw package name
  • @latest - Install the latest version (v2026.2.6)

Installation Progress

The installation may take 1-2 minutes. You'll see progress output:

npm info using [email protected]
npm info using [email protected]
...
added 523 packages in 45s
✓ OpenClaw installed successfully

⚠️ Permission Errors?

If you get EACCES permission errors on macOS/Linux:

bash 
sudo npm install -g openclaw@latest

Or fix npm permissions: See troubleshooting guide →

3 Run Onboarding Wizard

After installation, run the onboarding wizard to configure OpenClaw:

bash 
openclaw onboard

The wizard will guide you through:

1
Choose AI Model

Select your preferred AI model:

  • Claude (Anthropic) - Recommended for coding
  • GPT (OpenAI) - Versatile and powerful
  • Local Models (Ollama) - Free, runs offline
2
Enter API Key

Paste your API key when prompted. The wizard will validate it.

3
Select Messaging Platform

Choose how you want to interact with OpenClaw:

  • Web Interface - Browser-based (default)
  • Discord - Discord bot integration
  • Telegram - Telegram bot
  • WhatsApp - WhatsApp integration
  • And 50+ more platforms
4
Basic Configuration

Set preferences like workspace location and default settings.

✓ Configuration Complete

The wizard creates your configuration file and sets up your workspace. You're ready to start OpenClaw!

4 Start OpenClaw

Launch OpenClaw with a single command:

bash 
openclaw start
🦞 OpenClaw v2026.2.6 starting...
✓ Configuration loaded
✓ AI model connected (Claude Opus 4.6)
✓ Web interface ready
→ http://127.0.0.1:18789/

Press Ctrl+C to stop

Access Web Interface

Open your browser and navigate to:

http://127.0.0.1:18789/

You'll see the OpenClaw dashboard where you can chat with your AI assistant.

✓ Post-Installation

Verify Installation

Check that OpenClaw is installed correctly:

bash 
openclaw --version

Should output: v2026.2.6

Send Your First Message

Once OpenClaw is running, try these starter prompts:

  • "Hello! What can you help me with?"
  • "Tell me about your capabilities"
  • "Help me write a Python script"

Explore Features

OpenClaw comes with powerful features:

  • 25 tools built-in
  • 53 official skills pre-loaded
  • 5,705 community skills on ClawHub
  • SOUL.md for personality customization

# Platform-Specific Notes

🍎 macOS

  • Supports both Intel and Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)
  • Homebrew installation recommended
  • May need to allow OpenClaw in Security & Privacy settings
macOS Install Guide →

🐧 Linux

  • Works on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, and more
  • nvm recommended for Node.js installation
  • Optional systemd service for auto-start
Linux Install Guide →

🪟 Windows

  • Windows 10 and 11 supported
  • Use PowerShell or Command Prompt
  • Windows build tools may be needed for some packages
Windows Install Guide →

→ Next Steps

⚙️

Configure OpenClaw

Customize your AI assistant with SOUL.md, add messaging platforms, and configure advanced settings.

→
🎯

Best Practices

Learn security best practices, performance optimization, and how to get the most out of OpenClaw.

→
🔧

Troubleshooting

Run into issues? Check our troubleshooting guide for common problems and solutions.

→

Additional Resources