Getting Started with OpenClaw: Complete Setup Guide for 2026

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is a free, open-source autonomous AI agent that runs entirely on your machine. Unlike chatbots that only answer questions, OpenClaw takes action — it can browse the web, write and run code, send messages, manage files, and chain together multi-step workflows without you babysitting every move.

What makes it different from other agents is its deep integration with messaging apps. You can delegate tasks to OpenClaw directly from WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, or even SMS, and get updates back the same way. Your AI agent lives where you already work.

Step 1 — Install OpenClaw

OpenClaw is installed via a single command on all major platforms. Open your terminal and run:

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

# Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

This installs the claw command-line tool and its dependencies. Verify it worked:

claw --version

You should see something like OpenClaw v0.9.4. If you get a "command not found" error, restart your terminal or add ~/.claw/bin to your PATH.

Troubleshooting common install issues

• Permission denied on macOS: Run chmod +x ~/.claw/bin/claw
• Python version error: OpenClaw requires Python 3.11+. Check with python3 --version
• Windows Defender blocks install: Run PowerShell as Administrator and set Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Step 2 — Choose and Connect a Model

OpenClaw is model-agnostic — it works with both local models (fully private, no internet needed) and cloud APIs. Run the setup wizard to configure yours:

claw setup

You'll be prompted to choose between three options:

• Cloud API (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini) — Best reasoning, requires API key and internet
• Ollama / local model (Llama 3, Mistral, Phi-3) — Fully private, no cost per query
• NemoClaw — NVIDIA enterprise stack with Nemotron-3-Super-120B, requires NVIDIA GPU

For a cloud model, you'll be asked for your API key. OpenClaw stores it in ~/.claw/config.yaml — it never leaves your machine.

Step 3 — Write Your SOUL.md

SOUL.md is the most important file in your OpenClaw setup. It's a plain-text Markdown file that tells the agent who you are, what you do, and how you want it to behave. Think of it as your AI's onboarding document.

claw soul --edit

This opens your SOUL.md in your default editor. Here's a solid starting template:

# My Identity
My name is [Your Name]. I'm a [your role, e.g. "freelance designer"] based in [city].

# How I work
- I prefer direct, concise communication — no filler.
- I work mostly in the mornings. Do not schedule anything before 9 AM.
- I use Google Workspace: Gmail, Drive, Calendar.

# Communication style
When messaging me, use plain language. Lead with the result, then explain.

# Recurring tasks
- Every Monday: send me a brief summary of my week ahead from my calendar.
- Daily at 7 PM: summarise any unread emails flagged as important.

# Limits
- Never send emails without my explicit approval.
- Do not purchase anything or enter payment info.

The more specific you are, the better OpenClaw will perform. Revisit SOUL.md regularly as your workflow evolves.

Step 4 — Run Your First Task

With your model connected and SOUL.md written, you're ready. Run OpenClaw's interactive mode:

claw run

OpenClaw will greet you and wait for a task. Try something low-stakes first to get a feel for it:

> Summarise the top 5 AI news stories from the past 24 hours and format them as bullet points.

OpenClaw will browse the web, pull relevant stories, summarise them, and return the result — usually in under 30 seconds.

Understanding the output

Before each action, OpenClaw prints what it's about to do and why. You'll see lines like [browsing: techcrunch.com] or [writing: summary.txt]. This transparency is by design — you always know what the agent is doing.

Step 5 — Install Your First Skill

Skills extend OpenClaw's core capabilities. Browse the Marketplace and install the Email Digest skill as a first experiment:

claw skill install email-digest

After installation, trigger it with:

> Run email-digest for today

It will connect to your email provider, filter out noise, and send you a clean summary. For more skill options, visit the Marketplace page.

Next Steps

Now that you have OpenClaw running, here's what to explore next:

• Connect a messaging app — Run claw connect whatsapp to control OpenClaw from your phone
• Set up automation — Use automation schedules to run tasks without being prompted
• Explore use cases — Browse the 32 real-world use cases for inspiration
• Read the SOUL.md guide — Check the full Getting Started page for advanced SOUL.md patterns