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Installation

OpenClaw runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows. Choose the installation method that fits your workflow.

Prerequisites​

  • Node.js >= 22 (required)
  • pnpm (for git/developer installs)
  • A supported LLM API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI) or a local model setup

The fastest way to get started:

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

This downloads the latest release, installs it globally, and prompts you to run onboarding.

Method 2: npm​

npm i -g openclaw
openclaw onboard

Method 3: Git Clone (Developer Mode)​

For contributors or anyone who wants to hack on OpenClaw itself:

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
pnpm install
pnpm build

Then link it globally:

pnpm link --global

Post-Install Setup​

After installation, run the onboarding wizard:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

This does three things:

  1. Connects your LLM — Enter your API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI) or configure a local model endpoint
  2. Installs the gateway daemon — Sets up openclaw gateway as a background service
  3. Connects messaging channels — Walk through connecting WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, or other platforms
tip

The --install-daemon flag registers the gateway as a system service so it starts on boot. You can skip this and run openclaw gateway manually if you prefer.

Verify Installation​

# Check version
openclaw --version

# Check gateway status
openclaw status

# Send a test message
openclaw chat "Hello, what can you do?"

macOS Menubar App (Beta)​

A companion menubar app is available for macOS:

openclaw install-menubar

This gives you quick access to gateway status, recent conversations, and settings from the system tray.

Updating​

# If installed via npm/one-liner
npm update -g openclaw

# If installed via git
cd openclaw
git pull
pnpm install
pnpm build
danger

Always update promptly. OpenClaw has had critical security vulnerabilities (including CVE-2026-25253). Running outdated versions exposes you to known exploits.

Uninstalling​

# Stop the daemon
openclaw gateway stop

# Remove global install
npm uninstall -g openclaw

# Remove data (optional — this deletes your memory and config)
rm -rf ~/.openclaw

Next Steps​