Clawbot Installation Guide | Installing and Setting Up OpenClaw on Mac, Windows, and Linux [2026]

01/31/20267 min min read

#clawbot#openclaw#installation guide#install openclaw#windows#mac#linux#chrome extension#AI assistant

Clawbot Installation Guide | Installing and Setting Up OpenClaw on Mac, Windows, and Linux

Commands follow the OpenClaw official docs (docs.openclaw.ai) as of September 2026. After updates, defer to the official docs.

Before You Install

Item	Requirement
Operating system	macOS, Linux, Windows (Windows Hub supports Windows 10 20H2+)
Node.js	24.16+ or 26.1+, Node 26 recommended; the installer provisions it when missing
AI model	An existing Claude Code or Codex CLI login, or an API key from any model provider

Check your Node version with node --version. You only need pnpm if you build from source.

Method 1: One-Line Installer (Recommended)

The installer detects your OS, installs Node if needed, installs OpenClaw, and launches onboarding.

macOS / Linux / WSL2:

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

Windows (PowerShell):

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

To install without running onboarding right away on macOS/Linux, add --no-onboard:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard

Just want to try it?

You can run it once without installing:

npx openclaw@latest

The Gateway runs in that terminal until you press Ctrl+C; your config is saved.

Method 2: Windows Hub Desktop App (Best for Windows)

Windows Hub is the official native companion app for Windows 10 20H2+ and Windows 11. It installs without administrator privileges and ships signed x64 and ARM64 installers.

Download OpenClawCompanion-Setup-x64.exe (or the arm64 build for ARM PCs) from the official Windows Hub releases page
Run the installer, then open OpenClaw Companion from the Start menu or system tray
Follow first-run setup to provision a local Gateway or connect to an existing remote Gateway

Windows Hub includes tray status, launch at login, a native chat window, and Command Center diagnostics.

Two other Windows paths: install the CLI with the PowerShell command above, or run the Gateway in WSL2 for the most Linux-compatible runtime.

Method 3: npm / pnpm / bun (If You Manage Node Yourself)

npm 12 or npm 11.16+:

npm install -g openclaw@latest --allow-scripts=openclaw
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

On npm 11.15 and earlier, omit --allow-scripts=openclaw.

pnpm:

pnpm add -g --allow-build=openclaw openclaw@latest
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

bun:

bun add -g --trust openclaw@latest
bun run --bun openclaw onboard --install-daemon --daemon-runtime bun

--trust allows OpenClaw's install scripts for this install; bun run --bun and --daemon-runtime bun run the CLI and the Gateway under Bun (requires Bun 1.4 or newer).

On macOS there is also a menu bar app; download the .dmg from OpenClaw GitHub Releases.

A team discussing a rollout at a whiteboard

First-Time Setup: Onboarding

The installer opens the onboarding wizard automatically, with two choices:

Quick start: finds an existing Claude Code/Codex login or API key on your machine, verifies it with a real completion, saves the config, and opens the web dashboard
Custom setup: the full step-by-step flow

To add settings later, run openclaw configure.

Run the Gateway in the Background

Quick start keeps the Gateway in the foreground of the current terminal. To keep it running in the background, press Ctrl+C and install the service:

openclaw gateway install

This creates a LaunchAgent on macOS, a systemd user unit on Linux and WSL2, or a Scheduled Task on native Windows. Your config is kept.

Check that it is running:

openclaw gateway status

You should see the Gateway listening on port 18789.

Open the Dashboard and Send Your First Message

openclaw dashboard

Your browser opens the Control UI. Send a message in the chat; if the AI replies, installation succeeded.

Want to message it from your phone? Connect Telegram first

The project says Telegram is the fastest channel to set up, needing only a bot token. For other channels (WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, and more), see the official Channels docs.

Install the Chrome Extension (Optional)

If you want OpenClaw to work in your signed-in Chrome tabs, install the official extension. On the machine that hosts Chrome, run:

openclaw browser extension install

Keep the command running and follow the prompts to finish Chrome's setup. Note:

OpenClaw does not restart Chrome or approve permission prompts for you; you enable OpenClaw in Chrome yourself
On Linux and other Chromium browsers: complete native-host registration first, then add OpenClaw from the Chrome Web Store
Supported browsers: Google Chrome, Chrome for Testing, and Chromium

You can automate a browser without the extension, too: OpenClaw can run its own isolated browser profile that never touches your everyday browser. See the OpenClaw AI agent automation guide.

Security Check After Installing

openclaw security audit

This checks your configuration for common risks. The project reminds you that:

Chat channels answer unknown senders with a pairing code by default; approve with openclaw pairing approve <channel> <code>
Unless you configure sandboxing, tool actions run directly on your host
Read the official security and exposure guides before reaching the Gateway from an external network

Common Installation Questions

npm says "blocked because they are not covered by allowScripts"?

npm 12 blocks package lifecycle scripts by default. Add --allow-scripts=openclaw as shown in the official command. npm 11.15 and earlier don't have this option, so leave it out.

I installed Clawdbot or Moltbot before. What now?

The project settled on the name OpenClaw on January 30, 2026, and GitHub and npm both use openclaw. Install openclaw and follow the docs at docs.openclaw.ai.

Which install method should I use on Windows?

For most users, the Windows Hub app is simplest; use the PowerShell installer if you prefer the CLI; run the Gateway in WSL2 if you need the most Linux-compatible setup.

Do I need Node 26?

No. The project supports Node 24.16+ or 26.1+ and recommends 26. The installer provisions a suitable Node version for you.

Next Steps

What OpenClaw can do: Clawbot / OpenClaw overview
Scheduling, browser automation, and webhooks: OpenClaw AI agent automation guide
Writing skills, plugins, or integrations: OpenClaw developer guide

Free Consultation: Find the Right AI Automation Solution for You

Not sure whether a self-hosted AI assistant is right for you? CloudInsight offers free consultations for:

Evaluating AI automation tools
Designing automation workflows
API integration and architecture advice

Book a free consultation -- we'll get back to you within 24 hours. All consultations are fully confidential, with absolutely no sales pressure.

References

OpenClaw docs, "Getting started" - https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/getting-started
OpenClaw docs, "Install" - https://docs.openclaw.ai/install
OpenClaw docs, "Windows" - https://docs.openclaw.ai/platforms/windows
OpenClaw docs, "Chrome Extension" - https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/chrome-extension
OpenClaw GitHub README - https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

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