Install OpenClaw
on Mac
From zero to a working AI agent in 30 minutes. No coding experience needed.
What you need before starting
- A Mac (any Mac from the last 5 years. M1/M2/M3/M4 chips are ideal)
- macOS 13 Ventura or newer
- At least 8GB RAM (Apple menu → About This Mac to check)
- A stable internet connection
- About 30 minutes
If you want your agent running 24/7, a Mac Mini M4 is the best option. Quiet, efficient, can be tucked away. A MacBook works fine for getting started. You can always move it to dedicated hardware later.
Install Homebrew
Homebrew is the package manager for Mac. Think of it as an app store for developer tools. You install it once and never think about it again.
Open Terminal: press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter. Then paste:
It will ask for your Mac login password. Type it and press Enter. You won't see characters as you type — that's normal. Takes a few minutes. Wait for the prompt to return.
Homebrew may print two extra commands after installing. If it does, run them. They look like echo >> ~/.zprofile and eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)".
Verify: run brew --version. You should see Homebrew 5.x.x or similar.
Install Node.js
OpenClaw runs on Node.js. You don't need to know what that means. Just install it.
Wait for it to finish. Verify:
Should show v22.x.x. If you get "command not found":
Install OpenClaw
One command:
Verify:
Always install openclaw@latest. CVE-2026-25253 was a critical remote code execution vulnerability patched in 2026.1.29. If your version is older than that, update immediately: npm install -g openclaw@latest
Get your AI API key
OpenClaw needs an AI brain. We recommend Claude by Anthropic — the best model for business tasks and writing.
- Go to console.anthropic.com
- Create an account or sign in
- Click API Keys in the left sidebar → Create Key
- Name it anything (e.g., "OpenClaw")
- Copy the key. Save it — you only see it once.
- Go to Billing and set a monthly spending limit while you're learning
Most people spend $5–30/month. Light use (a few messages a day) is very cheap. The biggest cost mistake is leaving heartbeat on Opus. See the Beginner Playbook for the full cost guide.
OpenClaw also works with OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, DeepSeek, and local models via Ollama. Claude is the recommended starting point. You can add more later.
Run the setup wizard
The wizard guides you through every setting. Key answers for a secure setup:
ModeLocal — keeps everything on your machineGateway bind127.0.0.1 — NEVER 0.0.0.0 or LANGateway authToken — enables authenticationDM policyPairing — requires manual approvalSkillsSkip all — install zero skills to startDaemonYes — keeps agent running 24/7 on restartThousands of OpenClaw instances were found wide open because people chose 0.0.0.0. Always choose 127.0.0.1 (loopback only). This means only your machine can reach the gateway.
Connect Telegram
Telegram is the easiest way to talk to your agent from anywhere. Free, works on every device, supports voice notes.
Create the bot
- Open Telegram → search @BotFather (blue verified checkmark)
- Tap Start → type
/newbot - Give it a name (e.g., "My AI Agent")
- Give it a username ending in
bot - Copy the token BotFather gives you. Save it.
Connect and pair
Message your bot on Telegram. It'll trigger a pairing request. In Terminal:
Send another message to your bot. If it responds, Telegram is live. You now have an AI agent you can message from your phone.
Give your agent an identity
This is what makes OpenClaw different from every other AI tool. Six text files in your workspace folder define who your agent is. It reads them fresh at the start of every session.
Who your agent is. Values, mission, purpose, relationship with you.
How it communicates. Tone, style, what it never says.
Who you are. Name, timezone, role, preferences.
Operating instructions. Priorities, daily routines, how it handles requests.
Long-term memory. Important facts it should always know.
Scheduled tasks. Morning briefings, automated checks.
Open the workspace folder:
Open any of the files in TextEdit and start writing. The simplest place to start is SOUL.md:
Every detail you add to SOUL.md and USER.md makes your agent more useful. Tell it about your industry, your clients, your communication style. You can update these files any time.
Start the gateway
The gateway is the engine that runs in the background and routes messages to your agent. If you installed the daemon in Step 6, it's already running and starts on every boot.
If it says "running", you're set. If not: openclaw gateway start
Useful commands
openclaw gateway statusCheck if runningopenclaw gateway startStart the gatewayopenclaw gateway restartRestart after config changesopenclaw security audit --deepSecurity scanopenclaw security audit --fixAuto-fix security issuesopenclaw doctorDiagnose problemsopenclaw dashboardOpen web control panelopenclaw logs --followWatch live logsSend your first message
Open Telegram. Message your bot. Start simple:
Then try something real:
You have your own AI agent running on your machine. It knows who you are, it's ready to work, and it gets more useful every day you use it. Start with one task. Build from there.
What to do next: read the Beginner Playbook for memory, cost control, and automation.
Read the Beginner Playbook → ← Back to vault