Complete OpenClaw Setup
Guide for Mac (2026)

Step-by-step installation and configuration guide for OpenClaw on macOS. Get your AI agents running smoothly on Mac.

Start Installation

Prerequisites Check

Verify your Mac meets these requirements before starting the installation

macOS 12.0 or later

required

OpenClaw requires modern macOS for optimal performance

# Check if installed:
sw_vers -productVersion

Node.js 18.0 or later

required

JavaScript runtime required for OpenClaw core

# Check if installed:
node --version
# Install command:
brew install node

Homebrew Package Manager

recommended

Simplifies installation of dependencies

# Check if installed:
brew --version
# Install command:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Git Version Control

required

Required for skill management and updates

# Check if installed:
git --version
# Install command:
xcode-select --install

Installation Steps

Follow these steps in order for a successful OpenClaw installation on your Mac

1

Install Prerequisites

5-10 minutes

Set up all required dependencies before OpenClaw installation

# Install Xcode Command Line Tools (includes Git)
xcode-select --install

# Install Homebrew if not already installed
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install Node.js
brew install node

# Verify installations
node --version
npm --version
git --version

💡 Note: You may need to restart Terminal after Homebrew installation

2

Install OpenClaw

2-3 minutes

Download and install the OpenClaw package globally

# Install OpenClaw globally via npm
sudo npm install -g openclaw

# Verify installation
openclaw --version

# Check available commands
openclaw help

💡 Note: Use sudo for global installation. Password prompt is normal.

3

Initialize OpenClaw Workspace

1-2 minutes

Set up your OpenClaw working directory and configuration

# Create and navigate to workspace directory
mkdir ~/.openclaw
cd ~/.openclaw

# Initialize OpenClaw workspace
openclaw init

# Set up basic configuration
openclaw config set workspace ~/.openclaw/workspace

💡 Note: This creates your personal OpenClaw workspace in your home directory

4

Start OpenClaw Gateway

1 minute

Launch the OpenClaw gateway service for agent communication

# Start the gateway service
openclaw gateway start

# Check gateway status
openclaw gateway status

# View gateway logs (optional)
openclaw gateway logs

💡 Note: Gateway runs in background. Check status if you encounter connection issues.

5

Configure Your First Agent

2-3 minutes

Set up a basic agent to test your installation

# Create your first agent session
openclaw agent create --name test-agent

# Test agent response
openclaw agent chat test-agent "Hello, are you working?"

# List active agents
openclaw agent list

💡 Note: If agent responds successfully, your OpenClaw installation is complete

Mac-Specific Configuration

Additional macOS settings to optimize your OpenClaw experience

Security & Privacy Settings

Allow OpenClaw to access system features

  1. 1.Open System Preferences > Security & Privacy
  2. 2.Go to Privacy tab
  3. 3.Add Terminal to 'Full Disk Access' (if prompted)
  4. 4.Add OpenClaw to 'Automation' permissions

Terminal Configuration

Optimize terminal for OpenClaw usage

  1. 1.Open Terminal preferences (Cmd + ,)
  2. 2.Set shell to /bin/zsh (default on modern macOS)
  3. 3.Enable 'Use Option as Meta key'
  4. 4.Increase scrollback buffer to 10,000 lines

Environment Variables

Set up shell environment for OpenClaw

  1. 1.Add to ~/.zshrc: export OPENCLAW_HOME=~/.openclaw
  2. 2.Add to ~/.zshrc: export PATH=$PATH:$OPENCLAW_HOME/bin
  3. 3.Reload shell: source ~/.zshrc
  4. 4.Verify: echo $OPENCLAW_HOME

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Permission Denied Errors

Symptoms:

  • •sudo: command not found
  • •EACCES: permission denied

Solutions:

  • ✓Run installation commands with sudo
  • ✓Check user account has admin privileges
  • ✓Verify Homebrew installation and permissions

Gateway Connection Failed

Symptoms:

  • •Gateway not responding
  • •Connection timeout errors

Solutions:

  • ✓Check firewall settings - allow Node.js connections
  • ✓Restart gateway: openclaw gateway restart
  • ✓Check port 3000 isn't already in use

Node.js Version Conflicts

Symptoms:

  • •Unsupported Node version
  • •npm ERR! peer dep missing

Solutions:

  • ✓Update Node.js: brew upgrade node
  • ✓Use nvm for version management: brew install nvm
  • ✓Clear npm cache: npm cache clean --force

Command Not Found: openclaw

Symptoms:

  • •zsh: command not found: openclaw

Solutions:

  • ✓Restart terminal after installation
  • ✓Check PATH includes npm global bin: npm config get prefix
  • ✓Reinstall: npm uninstall -g openclaw && npm install -g openclaw

Performance & Security Optimizations

Performance

  • ▸Allocate 8GB+ RAM for complex agents
  • ▸Use SSD storage for OpenClaw workspace
  • ▸Close unnecessary applications during agent training
  • ▸Monitor Activity Monitor for resource usage

Development

  • ▸Install VS Code with OpenClaw extensions
  • ▸Set up Git credentials for skill management
  • ▸Use iTerm2 for better terminal experience
  • ▸Install jq for JSON processing: brew install jq

Security

  • ▸Enable FileVault disk encryption
  • ▸Use strong password for admin account
  • ▸Regular macOS security updates
  • ▸Backup OpenClaw workspace to iCloud/TimeMachine

Need Help with
Mac Installation?

Get expert assistance with OpenClaw setup on your Mac. Free consultation to resolve installation issues.

  • ✓Remote installation assistance
  • ✓Custom configuration setup
  • ✓Troubleshooting support

Mac Setup Support

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