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

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