Getting Started

Goal: go from zero to a first working chat with minimal setup.

Info: Fastest chat: open the Control UI (no channel setup needed). Run openclaw dashboard and chat in the browser, or open http://127.0.0.1:18789/ on the gateway host (The machine running the OpenClaw gateway service.). Docs: Dashboard and Control UI.

Prereqs

• Node 22 or newer

Tip: Check your Node version with node --version if you are unsure.

Quick setup (CLI)

Install OpenClaw (recommended)

macOS/Linux

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

Windows (PowerShell)

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

Note: Other install methods and requirements: Install.

Run the onboarding wizard

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The wizard configures auth, gateway settings, and optional channels. See Onboarding Wizard for details.

Check the Gateway

If you installed the service, it should already be running:

openclaw gateway status

Open the Control UI

openclaw dashboard

Check: If the Control UI loads, your Gateway is ready for use.

Optional checks and extras

Run the Gateway in the foreground

Useful for quick tests or troubleshooting.

openclaw gateway --port 18789

Send a test message

Requires a configured channel.

openclaw message send --target +15555550123 --message "Hello from OpenClaw"

Useful environment variables

If you run OpenClaw as a service account or want custom config/state locations:

• OPENCLAW_HOME sets the home directory used for internal path resolution.
• OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR overrides the state directory.
• OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH overrides the config file path.

Full environment variable reference: Environment vars.

Go deeper

• Onboarding Wizard (details) — Full CLI wizard reference and advanced options.
• macOS app onboarding — First run flow for the macOS app.

What you will have

• A running Gateway
• Auth configured
• Control UI access or a connected channel

Next steps

• DM safety and approvals: Pairing
• Connect more channels: Channels
• Advanced workflows and from source: Setup