Reinventing.AI
AI Agent InsightsBy Reinventing.AI
Getting Started

OpenClaw Setup Guide

Get your personal AI assistant up and running in 10 minutes. This guide walks you through installation, configuration, and your first interaction with OpenClaw.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • A Mac, Linux, or Windows machine (WSL recommended for Windows)
  • Node.js 18+ installed
  • Git installed
  • An OpenRouter API key or Claude API key
  • A messaging app account (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, or Slack)

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

The easiest way to install OpenClaw is via npm:

npm install -g openclaw

Alternatively, clone from the GitHub repository for the latest development version:

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.gitcd openclawnpm install

Step 2: Initialize Your Configuration

Run the initialization command to create your configuration file:

openclaw init

This creates a configuration file at ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Step 3: Configure Your API Key

Edit your configuration file to add your AI provider credentials. For OpenRouter:

{
  "providers": {
    "openrouter": {
      "apiKey": "sk-or-v1-YOUR-KEY-HERE"
    }
  },
  "default_model": "openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5"
}

Step 4: Connect a Messaging App

WhatsApp Setup

To connect WhatsApp, start the gateway and scan the QR code:

openclaw gateway start

A QR code will appear in your terminal. Scan it with WhatsApp on your phone (Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device).

Telegram Setup

For Telegram, create a bot via @BotFather and add the token to your config:

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "YOUR-BOT-TOKEN-HERE"
    }
  }
}

Step 5: Start Using OpenClaw

Once connected, send a message to your OpenClaw instance:

You:

"Hi! What can you help me with?"

OpenClaw:

"Hello! I'm your personal AI assistant. I can help you manage your inbox, calendar, create content, automate tasks, and much more. What would you like to work on today?"

Customization & Skills

OpenClaw is highly extensible. You can add custom skills for specific tasks. Check out ClawPrompts.ai for ready-made prompts and workflows.

Explore Reinventing.AI for white-label AI solutions that can complement your OpenClaw setup.

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

If OpenClaw isn't responding, check that the gateway is running with openclaw status

API Key Errors

Verify your API key is correct and has sufficient credits. Check the logs with openclaw logs

Next Steps