Setup Guide

Get started with OpenClaw

Your personal AI assistant, running on your computer — reachable from any device.

Mac & Windows ~20 minutes ChatGPT Plus or Pro No API key needed
What is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant that runs on your computer. Instead of paying per message via API, you connect it to your existing ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription and use it as a smart assistant you can reach from your phone — via Telegram, WhatsApp, or a web chat.

Before you start

1
Open the Terminal

The Terminal is like a text-based control panel for your computer. Don't worry — you only need it to install things.

  1. Press Command (⌘) + Space to open Spotlight Search
  2. Type Terminal and press Enter
  3. A black or white window with a blinking cursor appears — that's the Terminal
  1. Press the Windows key
  2. Type PowerShell and press Enter
  3. Right-click on "Windows PowerShell" and choose "Run as administrator"
2
Install OpenClaw

Copy and paste the command below into the Terminal, then press Enter.

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

What happens next: It will automatically install everything it needs (including Node.js if missing). Progress messages will scroll by — this is normal, just wait. After 2–3 minutes it will ask you to begin setup. Type yes and press Enter when prompted.
3
Connect your ChatGPT account

During onboarding, OpenClaw will ask which AI provider you want to use.

  1. When asked to choose a provider, select OpenAI Codex
  2. A browser window will open — sign in with your OpenAI account
  3. Use the same email and password you use for ChatGPT
  4. Click Authorize when asked for permission
  5. Go back to the Terminal — it should say "Authentication successful"
Note: This links your ChatGPT subscription to OpenClaw. No API key needed — it uses your existing subscription.
4
Start OpenClaw

After onboarding finishes, start the assistant:

openclaw gateway start

You should see a message like "Gateway running" or "OpenClaw is ready".

To verify it's working:

openclaw status
5
Access your assistant
Option A — Web Chat (easiest to start)

🌐 Open in your browser

Go to:

http://localhost:3000

You'll see a chat interface — type a message and your AI assistant will respond.

Option B — Telegram on your phone (recommended for daily use)

📱 Connect via Telegram

  1. Download Telegram on your phone (free)
  2. In the Terminal, run:
openclaw onboard --channel telegram
  1. Follow the instructions — you'll create a Telegram bot in about 5 minutes
  2. After setup, message your bot on Telegram and your assistant responds
6
Start automatically (optional but recommended)

So you don't have to manually start OpenClaw every time you restart your computer:

openclaw gateway install

OpenClaw will ask during setup if you want it to start automatically — click Yes.

?
Troubleshooting
"openclaw: command not found"

Close the Terminal window, reopen it, and try again. If still not working, run the installer again.

Browser didn't open for ChatGPT login

Copy the URL that appears in the Terminal and paste it into your browser manually.

"Gateway failed to start"

Run openclaw doctor — it will diagnose and suggest fixes.

Want to stop OpenClaw

Run openclaw gateway stop

Quick reference

What you want to do Command
Start OpenClawopenclaw gateway start
Stop OpenClawopenclaw gateway stop
Check if it's runningopenclaw status
Open web chathttp://localhost:3000 in browser
Update OpenClawopenclaw update
Get helpopenclaw help
📖 Documentation 💬 Discord Community

Guide written for OpenClaw with OpenAI Codex (ChatGPT) subscription auth — Feb 2026