OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant that runs on your own machine, connects to messaging platforms, and can automate tasks, check emails, manage calendars, and more. Unlike cloud-based AI assistants, OpenClaw runs locally — giving you control over your data and flexibility in how your AI assistant behaves.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through setting up OpenClaw on a Windows machine (though it supports Linux and macOS too).
🧰 What You’ll Need
- A computer (Windows 10/11, Linux, or macOS)
- A Telegram account (for bot integration)
- An API key from a model provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc.)
⚙️ Step 1: Install OpenClaw
The installer script automatically detects your OS and installs Node.js if needed.
Windows (PowerShell)
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex
macOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
This installs OpenClaw, sets up the Gateway, and launches onboarding.
⚙️ Step 2: Configure OpenClaw
The onboarding wizard runs automatically after installation. To run it manually:
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
This guides you through setting up:
- Your LLM provider (OpenAI, Ollama, Grok, etc.)
- Your API keys
- Messaging platform credentials (Telegram, Discord, etc.)
- Agent behavior settings
⚙️ Step 3: Verify OpenClaw is Running
Check the Gateway status:
openclaw gateway status
You should see the Gateway listening on port 18789.
⚙️ Step 4: Open the Dashboard (Optional)
Launch the Control UI:
openclaw dashboard
This opens the web-based chat interface in your browser.
⚙️ Step 5: Set Up Your Telegram Bot
- Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
- Create a new bot:
/newbot - Copy the bot token
- Add the token to your OpenClaw config
Your bot is now ready to receive messages.
✅ You’re Done
You now have a personal AI assistant running locally, integrated with Telegram. OpenClaw supports multiple messaging platforms, multiple LLM providers, and can be extended with custom skills.
For more details, check out the official documentation.
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