How to Install OpenClaw: Step-by-Step Setup Guide (2026)

Installing OpenClaw takes about five minutes. You need Node.js 22+ and a terminal. The installer script handles everything else — it detects your Node version, installs the CLI, and launches the onboarding wizard.

Requirements

Node.js 22 or newer. Check with node --version. If you need to install Node, the installer script will offer to do it for you.
macOS, Linux, or Windows (WSL2). Native Windows works, but Microsoft's WSL2 gives the most reliable experience on Windows machines.
An API key from at least one AI provider: Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google. If you want to run local models, you can use Ollama instead — no key needed.

Step 1: Run the installer

On macOS or Linux, open Terminal and run:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

On Windows, open PowerShell and run:

iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

The script downloads and installs the OpenClaw CLI globally. If Node 22+ is not detected, it will offer to install it. You do not need to install anything manually first.

Step 2: Run the onboarding wizard

After the installer finishes, launch the wizard to configure your API keys, gateway settings, and optionally connect a channel:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The --install-daemon flag registers the gateway as a background service so it starts automatically when your machine boots. This is the recommended setup for anything beyond a quick test.

The wizard will ask for:

An AI provider API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google Gemini)
A default model
Whether to install the gateway daemon
Optionally, a messaging channel (Telegram, Discord, etc.)

Step 3: Check the gateway is running

openclaw gateway status

You should see the gateway reported as running. If it shows stopped, start it manually:

openclaw gateway start

Step 4: Open the Control UI

openclaw dashboard

This opens the browser-based Control UI at http://127.0.0.1:18789. If it loads, your gateway is fully operational. You can chat directly from the dashboard without setting up any messaging channel — useful for testing your setup.

Step 5: Add your API key (if you skipped it in the wizard)

To set a Claude (Anthropic) key:

openclaw config set auth.providers.anthropic.apiKey "sk-ant-..."

For OpenAI:

openclaw config set auth.providers.openai.apiKey "sk-..."

For Google Gemini:

openclaw config set auth.providers.google.apiKey "AIza..."

Restart the gateway after any config change:

openclaw gateway restart

Common errors and fixes

node: command not found or Node version too old: Re-run the installer — it will detect the missing or outdated Node version and offer to install the correct one. Alternatively, install Node 22+ manually from nodejs.org.
Gateway fails to start — port in use: The default gateway port is 18789. If another process is using it, set a different port: openclaw config set gateway.port 18790, then restart.
API key not working after config set: Make sure you restarted the gateway after setting the key. The gateway reads config at startup — changes don't apply to a running instance.
Windows: permission errors with WSL2: Run WSL2 as administrator for the initial install. After installation completes, you can use a normal terminal for everything else.