How to Set Up OpenClaw in 10 Minutes

A step-by-step guide to installing and configuring OpenClaw on your computer. From zero to having an AI assistant responding to your Telegram messages in under 10 minutes.

What You'll Need

Before we start, make sure you have:

• A computer (Mac, Linux, or Windows with WSL)
• Node.js 18+ (we'll cover installation if needed)
• An Anthropic API key (for Claude access)
• Telegram (optional, but recommended for mobile access)

Step 1: Install Node.js (2 minutes)

If you already have Node.js 18 or higher, skip to Step 2.

Mac (using Homebrew)

brew install node

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Windows

Use WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and follow the Linux instructions. Verify installation:

node --version  # Should show v18.x or higher
npm --version   # Should show 9.x or higher

Step 2: Clone OpenClaw (1 minute)

Open your terminal and run:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.git
Enter the directory
cd clawdbot
Install dependencies
npm install

The install might take a minute—grab some coffee ☕

Step 3: Get Your Anthropic API Key (2 minutes)

1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Sign up or log in
3. Navigate to API Keys
4. Click "Create Key"
5. Copy the key (starts with sk-ant-...)

Important: Keep this key secret! Never share it or commit it to git.

Step 4: Configure OpenClaw (2 minutes)

Create your configuration file:

# Copy the example config
cp openclaw.example.json openclaw.json

Edit openclaw.json with your favorite editor:

{
  "anthropic": {
    "apiKey": "sk-ant-YOUR_KEY_HERE"
  },
  "model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "YOUR_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN"
    }
  }
}

Step 5: Set Up Telegram (3 minutes)

This gives you mobile access to your AI assistant.

Create a Bot

1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot
3. Choose a name (e.g., "My OpenClaw")
4. Choose a username (e.g., "my_openclaw_bot")
5. Copy the token BotFather gives you

Add Token to Config

Paste the token in your openclaw.json:

"telegram": {
  "enabled": true,
  "token": "1234567890:ABCDEFGHIjklmnopQRSTUVWXyz"
}

Secure Your Bot

Add your Telegram user ID to restrict access:

"telegram": {
  "enabled": true,
  "token": "YOUR_TOKEN",
  "allowFrom": [123456789]
}

Finding your user ID: Send a message to @userinfobot on Telegram.

Step 6: Launch OpenClaw (1 minute)

npm start

You should see:

✓ Gateway running on http://localhost:4440
✓ Telegram channel connected
✓ Ready to assist!

Step 7: Test It Out

Open Telegram, find your bot, and send a message:

> "Hello! What can you do?"

Your AI assistant should respond, explaining its capabilities.

Try something practical:

> "What files are in my home directory?"

> "What's the weather like today?"

> "Create a file called notes.txt with today's date"

Running in Background

To keep OpenClaw running after closing your terminal:

Using systemd (Linux)

# Create service file
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/openclaw.service

Add:

[Unit]
Description=OpenClaw AI Assistant
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=YOUR_USERNAME
WorkingDirectory=/path/to/clawdbot
ExecStart=/usr/bin/npm start
Restart=on-failure
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start:

sudo systemctl enable openclaw
sudo systemctl start openclaw

Using PM2 (Cross-platform)

npm install -g pm2
pm2 start npm --name openclaw -- start
pm2 save
pm2 startup  # Follow instructions to enable on boot

Quick Troubleshooting

"API key invalid"

• Check your Anthropic key is correct
• Ensure no extra spaces in the config

"Telegram not connecting"

• Verify bot token is correct
• Make sure you messaged the bot first
• Check your firewall allows outbound connections

"Permission denied"

• Check file permissions in workspace
• Run with appropriate user privileges

What's Next?

Now that OpenClaw is running, explore:

• Customize your agent: Edit the SOUL.md file to give your AI a personality
• Add memory: Create MEMORY.md for persistent context
• Connect more channels: Add Discord, WhatsApp, or Slack
• Set up tools: Configure browser automation, file access, and more

Check the documentation for advanced configuration.

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Summary: You now have a powerful AI assistant running on your computer, accessible from your phone, capable of executing real actions. Welcome to the future of personal AI.

🔗 Resources:

• GitHub: github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot
• Docs: docs.clawd.bot