Install OpenClaw on Windows

Step-by-step guide to install OpenClaw on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Get your AI assistant running in 5 minutes.

Easy ⏱️ 5 min

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure your PC meets these requirements:

  • Windows 10 (version 1903 or later) or Windows 11
  • Node.js 22+ (Node.js 22 recommended)
  • At least 500MB free disk space
  • Administrator access for installation

💡 Tip: If you don’t have Node.js installed, follow the steps below to install it first.

Step 1: Install Node.js

Skip this step if you already have Node.js 22 or later.

  1. Visit nodejs.org
  2. Download the Windows Installer (.msi) — LTS version
  3. Run the installer and follow the prompts
  4. Make sure to check “Automatically install necessary tools”

Option B: Using winget

Open PowerShell or Command Prompt and run:

winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS

Verify Installation

Open a new PowerShell or Command Prompt window:

node --version
# Should display v22.x.x or higher

Step 2: Install OpenClaw

Open PowerShell (recommended) or Command Prompt and run:

npm install -g openclaw@latest

Wait for the installation to complete, then verify:

openclaw --version

If you see a version number, the installation was successful!

Step 3: Run the Setup Wizard

OpenClaw includes an interactive setup wizard:

openclaw onboard

The wizard will guide you through:

  1. AI Provider Setup — Choose Claude, GPT-4, or another model
  2. API Key Configuration — Enter your API key
  3. Messaging Channels — Connect WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.

Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup.

Step 4: Start the Gateway

After configuration, start the OpenClaw gateway:

openclaw gateway

You should see output similar to:

🦞 OpenClaw Gateway v2026.1.24
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
✓ Gateway running on localhost:18789
✓ WebChat available at http://localhost:18789

Next Steps

Congratulations — OpenClaw is now installed on Windows! Here’s what to do next:

Troubleshooting

”npm is not recognized as a command”

This means Node.js wasn’t added to your PATH. Try:

  1. Close and reopen your terminal
  2. If still not working, reinstall Node.js and check “Add to PATH”

Permission Errors

If you encounter permission errors, try running PowerShell as Administrator:

  1. Right-click on PowerShell
  2. Select “Run as administrator”
  3. Run the install command again

Windows Defender SmartScreen Warning

Windows may show a SmartScreen warning when running OpenClaw for the first time. Click “More info” and then “Run anyway” — the app is safe.

Firewall Prompt

Windows Firewall may ask for permission when starting the gateway. Click “Allow access” to ensure the gateway works properly.