Install openclaw.ai on Windows 10/11
This guide will walk you through installing openclaw.ai on Windows 10 or Windows 11. No prior experience required — just follow the steps and you'll have openclaw.ai running in about 20 minutes.
Pro Tip
If you prefer using Linux tools on Windows, check out our WSL2 installation guide for the best of both worlds!
📋 Prerequisites Checklist
Make sure you have the following before starting:
Install Node.js
openclaw.ai requires Node.js 22.22.3+, 24.15+, or 25.9+; Node 26 is recommended. The official OpenClaw installer can install Node automatically, or you can install it manually:
# Download and install Node.js from nodejs.org
# Or install via winget:
winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTSVerify installation:
node --version
npm --versionv26.x.x 11.x.x or newer
Open PowerShell
Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator:
- Press Win + X
- Select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin)
- Click Yes on the UAC prompt
Tip
You can also search for "PowerShell" in the Start menu and right-click → Run as Administrator.
Install openclaw.ai
Install openclaw.ai using the official install script:
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iexOr install via npm:
npm install -g openclaw@latestRun Onboarding
Start the onboarding wizard to configure your agent:
openclaw onboard --install-daemonFollow the prompts to set your agent name, choose an LLM provider, and connect messaging channels.
Configure API Keys
Set up your LLM provider API keys. You can use cloud providers or local LLMs:
# Set environment variable for your chosen provider
$env:OPENAI_API_KEY = "sk-your-key-here"
# Or for Anthropic
$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = "sk-ant-your-key-here"Local LLMs
Want to run fully offline? Use Ollama or LM Studio instead of cloud APIs.
Verify Installation
Verify everything is working:
openclaw --versionopenclaw 2026.7.1-2 or newer
Check the installed Gateway service and open the Control UI:
openclaw gateway status
openclaw dashboardCongratulations!
openclaw.ai is now running on your Windows machine!
🔧 Troubleshooting
Cause: Slow internet or firewall blocking connections.
Solutions:
- Try a different npm registry mirror:
npm install -g openclaw --registry https://registry.npmmirror.com - Temporarily disable Windows Defender or antivirus
- Disconnect from VPN
- Check your internet connection
Cause: PowerShell script execution policy is restricted.
Solution: Run this command in PowerShell:
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUserThen try running the install command again.
Cause: Node.js global bin not in PATH or openclaw wasn't installed.
Solution:
- Check your PATH environment variable
- Restart your terminal
- Reinstall:
npm install -g openclaw@latest
🚀 Next Steps
Now that you have openclaw.ai installed, here's what you can do next:
❓ FAQ
Run: npm install -g openclaw@latest
Yes! Check out our WSL2 installation guide for Linux-native performance on Windows.
Run npm uninstall -g openclaw to remove the package. You can also delete
the ~/.openclaw configuration folder to remove everything.
Yes, you can install openclaw.ai in Windows Sandbox for testing. Just follow the same steps as regular Windows installation.
PowerShell is more powerful and is Microsoft's recommended shell. This tutorial uses PowerShell, but most commands also work in Command Prompt.
📖 Related Tutorials
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