Installing OpenClaw on Any Operating System

Prerequisites

Before installing OpenClaw, ensure you have:

• Node.js 20+ — OpenClaw is a Node.js application
• npm or pnpm — Package manager for installation
• A messaging account — At least one channel (Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.)
• An AI model API key — From OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google

Installation

macOS & Linux

Open your terminal and run:

npm install -g openclaw

Or with pnpm:

pnpm install -g openclaw

Windows

OpenClaw runs on Windows through WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux):

1. Install WSL2 if you haven't: wsl --install
2. Open your WSL terminal
3. Install Node.js via nvm or your preferred method
4. Run: npm install -g openclaw

Verify Installation

After installation, verify it works:

openclaw --version

Running the Onboarding Wizard

The easiest way to configure OpenClaw is the built-in wizard:

openclaw onboard

This interactive wizard walks you through:

1. Setting up your workspace directory
2. Configuring your first channel
3. Selecting an AI model and entering your API key
4. Installing recommended skills
5. Testing the connection

Alternative: Claw for All

If you prefer not to manage installation yourself, Claw for All handles everything. Sign up, subscribe, and get a fully managed OpenClaw instance with zero terminal work. Your instance runs on a dedicated cloud VM with automatic updates and monitoring.