Your First Chat: Setting Up OpenClaw Step by Step

Sending Your First Message

Once OpenClaw is set up and connected to a channel, just send a message like you would to any contact. There's no special syntax — just type naturally.

Example first messages:

• "Hello! What can you do?"
• "Help me plan my week"
• "What's the weather like today?"

Understanding Responses

OpenClaw responds like a knowledgeable assistant. It:

• Remembers your conversation context
• Can ask clarifying questions
• Provides structured answers when appropriate
• Executes tools when needed (with your permission)

Basic Interactions

Asking Questions

Just ask anything naturally. OpenClaw uses the AI model you selected to generate responses.

Giving Instructions

You can instruct OpenClaw to perform tasks:

• "Search the web for the latest news on AI"
• "Create a file called notes.txt with today's meeting notes"
• "Set a reminder to check emails at 3 PM"

Multi-Turn Conversations

OpenClaw maintains context within a conversation. You can reference previous messages:

• "Tell me more about that"
• "Can you rephrase the second point?"
• "Actually, change the format to a bullet list"

Tips for Better Results

1. Be specific — "Summarize this article in 3 bullet points" works better than "Summarize this"
2. Set context — Tell OpenClaw about your preferences early: "I prefer concise answers"
3. Use memory — Say "Remember that I prefer dark mode" and it will persist across sessions
4. Try skills — Ask "What skills do you have?" to see available capabilities

What's Next?

• Connect more channels for a unified experience
• Explore the Skills system to add capabilities
• Set up memory files to personalize your assistant
• Check out automation with cron scheduling