Complete step-by-step guides for installing and configuring OpenClaw — an open-source AI agent that runs on your own hardware and connects to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, iMessage, and more.
OpenClaw acts as a 24/7 personal AI assistant that can manage emails, run commands, do research, take autonomous actions, and remember context across conversations. Unlike cloud-based AI tools, OpenClaw runs locally with full system access.
| Guide | Description | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Overview & Quick Start | Guide selection, prerequisites, and quick start | - |
| Local Mac Setup | Install on your existing Mac for testing | Beginner |
| Dedicated Mac Mini | Best personal setup — always-on AI server | Beginner–Intermediate |
| VPS (Linux) | Deploy to Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Linode, etc. | Intermediate |
| AWS Cloud | Enterprise-grade EC2 deployment | Intermediate–Advanced |
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Security Hardening | Account isolation, API key protection, firewall, prompt injection defense |
| Troubleshooting | Common issues and solutions across all setups |
| Messaging Channels | WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, iMessage, Signal, and more |
| Google Integration | Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets, Contacts |
| Skills Installation | Plugin system — 1Password, Notion, Todoist, GitHub, Jira, etc. |
| Monitoring & Backups | Uptime monitoring, resource tracking, automated backups |
# Install OpenClaw
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
# Run the setup wizard
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
# Open the dashboard
openclaw dashboard- Node.js 22+ and npm 10+
- Anthropic API Key — sign up at console.anthropic.com
- Separate phone number (eSIM recommended) for WhatsApp
- Basic terminal / command-line knowledge
| Setup | Hardware Cost | Monthly Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Mac | $0 | $0 | Testing, development |
| Mac Mini | ~$500–600 | $0 | Personal 24/7 use (recommended) |
| VPS | $0 | $5–20 | Remote access, no local hardware |
| AWS | $0 | $20–100 | Enterprise, teams, scaling |
All setups require Anthropic API costs of approximately $2–10/day depending on usage.
OpenClaw has full access to whatever machine it runs on — it can read/write files, execute commands, access the network, and send messages as you.
Always:
- Use a dedicated Apple ID / Google account
- Use a separate phone number for WhatsApp
- Review the Security Hardening guide before deploying
- Never run on machines with sensitive financial or corporate data
openclaw status # Overall status
openclaw health # Detailed health check
openclaw logs --tail 50 # View recent logs
openclaw dashboard # Web UI at http://127.0.0.1:18789
openclaw channels status # Check messaging connections
openclaw skills list # Show installed plugins
openclaw security audit # Run security check- macOS 12 (Monterey) or later
- Linux — Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04 LTS
WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, iMessage (macOS only), Signal, Google Chat, Mattermost, Matrix
- Official Docs
- GitHub Issues
- Discord Community (invite link on site)
Contributions are welcome — from fixing typos to adding new guides. See CONTRIBUTING.md for details.
This project is licensed under the MIT License.
Last Updated: February 2026 — OpenClaw v2026.1.x
