Using the OpenClaw Onboarding Wizard

The Onboarding Wizard

The openclaw onboard command is the recommended way to set up OpenClaw for the first time. It guides you through every configuration step interactively.

Starting the Wizard

openclaw onboard

Step 1: Workspace Setup

The wizard first creates your workspace directory. This is where OpenClaw stores:

• Configuration files (openclaw.json)
• Memory files (MEMORY.md, USER.md)
• Local skills
• Conversation logs

Default location: ~/.openclaw/

Step 2: Channel Configuration

Choose which messaging platforms to connect:

• Telegram — Enter your Bot token from BotFather
• WhatsApp — Scan a QR code or enter your phone number
• Discord — Enter your bot token from the Discord Developer Portal
• iMessage — macOS only, uses BlueBubbles bridge
• Slack — Enter your Slack app credentials
• Signal — Link via Signal CLI

You can enable multiple channels at once or add more later.

Step 3: AI Model Selection

Choose your AI provider and model:

• OpenRouter (recommended) — Access to 100+ models from all providers
• Anthropic — Direct Claude API access
• OpenAI — Direct GPT API access
• Google — Direct Gemini API access

Enter your API key when prompted. The wizard validates the key before continuing.

Step 4: Skills Configuration

The wizard offers to install recommended skills:

• Web search — Let your assistant browse the internet
• File management — Read, write, and edit files
• Shell execution — Run terminal commands
• Calendar — Manage events and reminders

You can skip this step and add skills manually later.

Step 5: Pairing and Testing

For Telegram, the wizard asks you to send a message to your bot, then provides a pairing code to complete the connection. Other channels have similar verification steps.

After Onboarding

Once complete, OpenClaw runs as a background process. You can:

• Chat with it on your connected channels
• Run openclaw status to check the gateway
• Run openclaw config to modify settings