How to Install OpenClaw (2026): Verified Guide

Install OpenClaw: the short version

For macOS or Linux, the official installer is the fastest supported path:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
openclaw gateway status
openclaw dashboard

For Windows PowerShell:

iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
openclaw gateway status
openclaw dashboard

Installer trust boundary: these official one-liners download and execute remote code. Confirm the hostname is exactly openclaw.ai. If your policy requires inspection, download the script to a file, review it, and run the reviewed file instead of piping it directly to a shell. Do not substitute an unofficial mirror.

Runtime requirement verified 24 July 2026: Node.js 22.22.3+, 24.15+ or 25.9+, within the supported major versions. “Node 24” is not precise enough—Node 24.13 failed our current-package check.

Prefer a guided path? The free OpenClaw Setup & Operator Foundations course turns this reference into eight practical lessons with local progress tracking and no login.

What we tested

We queried the public npm registry and ran the current CLI in an isolated environment rather than modifying a production OpenClaw install.

The npm registry reported:

latest: 2026.7.1-2
node: >=22.22.3 <23 || >=24.15.0 <25 || >=25.9.0

Running the package under Node 24.13.0 failed before startup:

openclaw: Node.js >=22.22.3 <23, >=24.15.0 <25, or >=25.9.0 is required
(current: v24.13.0)

Running the same package under an isolated Node 24.15.0 runtime succeeded:

OpenClaw 2026.7.1-2 (0790d9f)

This verifies package bootstrap and the version gate. We did not complete provider authentication or channel onboarding in that isolated test, because those steps require operator credentials and create persistent state.

Step 1: check Node before installing

Run:

node --version

Use one of these supported lines:

The official installer can install Node for you. If you manage Node yourself, update it before blaming OpenClaw for an engine error.

Step 2: choose an installation method

Recommended installer: macOS, Linux or WSL2

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

For inspect-before-run environments:

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

The script detects the operating system, handles Node when needed, installs OpenClaw and launches onboarding.

To install without starting onboarding:

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

Recommended installer: Windows PowerShell

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

PowerShell operators with the same review requirement should download install.ps1, inspect it locally, and execute that reviewed file.

To skip onboarding:

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard

Windows users can also use the native Windows Hub or a WSL2 Gateway. Follow the official Windows guide because service behaviour differs from macOS and Linux.

Manual npm installation

Use this when you already manage a compatible Node runtime:

npm install -g openclaw@latest
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The global install is convenient, but your npm prefix must be on PATH.

pnpm or Bun

pnpm add -g openclaw@latest
pnpm approve-builds -g
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Or:

bun add -g openclaw@latest
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The official guide notes that the resulting OpenClaw executable still needs a supported Node runtime because OpenClaw state uses node:sqlite.

From source

Use source installation for contribution or a deliberate development checkout—not because npm failed once.

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
pnpm install
pnpm build
pnpm ui:build
pnpm link --global
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Building from source requires pnpm and adds more moving parts. Most operators should use the official installer or npm package.

Step 3: run onboarding

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The wizard covers model authentication, Gateway configuration and optional channels. You need credentials for at least one model provider to produce model-backed answers.

Skip optional channels and plugins if you are diagnosing the base install. You can return later with:

openclaw configure

Step 4: verify the installation

Run these in order:

openclaw --version
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway status
openclaw dashboard

Expected outcomes:

• openclaw --version prints a release identifier;
• openclaw doctor completes its configuration checks;
• openclaw gateway status reports the service and live Gateway state;
• openclaw dashboard opens the Control UI.

The default Gateway port is 18789. Do not expose it publicly merely because the local dashboard works.

Common installation failures

“Unsupported engine” or “Node.js is required”

Check the full version, not just the major:

node --version
npm view openclaw engines --json

As our test demonstrated, Node 24.13 is below the current 24.15 minimum.

openclaw: command not found

This is commonly a global npm PATH problem:

npm prefix -g
echo "$PATH"

Confirm the global binary directory is in your shell’s path, then open a new terminal. On Windows, inspect the user PATH in the official Node troubleshooting guide.

Gateway installed but not running

openclaw gateway status --deep
openclaw doctor

If the service was never installed:

openclaw gateway install
openclaw gateway start

Dashboard does not open

First prove the Gateway is healthy:

openclaw gateway status
openclaw gateway health

A browser problem and a Gateway problem are not the same fault. Diagnose the service before changing network exposure.

Provider authentication fails

Return to the model section of configuration:

openclaw configure

Check the provider’s credential method and account quota. Do not paste secrets into public issue reports or screenshots.

Secure the fresh installation

Before connecting public or group channels:

openclaw security audit
openclaw security audit --deep

Keep the Gateway loopback-bound unless you have a reviewed remote-access design. Use pairing or allowlists for inbound messages, and start with narrow tools.

Our OpenClaw safety guide explains the trust model and a practical launch checklist.

Installation checklist

• Node is inside a currently supported version range.
• openclaw --version runs without an engine error.
• Onboarding has a working model credential.
• The Gateway is installed and healthy.
• The dashboard opens locally.
• The security audit has been reviewed.
• Sender policy is configured before adding channels.
• State and credential directories are backed up securely.

What to do next

Connect one channel, test one low-risk tool and inspect the result. Avoid installing a pile of third-party skills on day one; every added credential and capability expands the system you must understand.

For the conceptual model, read What is OpenClaw?. For spend controls, read the OpenClaw cost guide.