OpenClaw on Windows (Beginner-Friendly)

⚠️ Security note: test on a spare machine/VM/separate account first.
OpenClaw can run high-privilege actions, avoid your primary work environment.

What you’ll achieve

• Install OpenClaw via PowerShell
• Complete onboarding
• Start and verify OpenClaw
• Fix common Windows pitfalls: ExecutionPolicy, PATH, Firewall, Defender, legacy conflicts

Before you start

• Use an English username and simple paths if possible
• Prepare a model API key (e.g., Anthropic/Claude)
• Ensure network access to the install script

Step 1: Run PowerShell as admin

Start menu → PowerShell → right click → Run as Administrator

✅ Verify

whoami

Step 2: Allow script execution (current user)

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

✅ Verify

Get-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser

Step 3: Install script

iwr -useb https://openclaw.bot/install.ps1 | iex

✅ Verify

openclaw --versionwhere openclaw

Step 4: If “command not found”

• Close PowerShell → reopen → try openclaw --version again

Step 5: Remove legacy installs

npm uninstall -g clawdbotnpm uninstall -g moltbotnpm uninstall -g openclaw

Then rerun Step 3.

Step 6: Onboarding

openclaw onboard --flow quickstart

Step 7: Start OpenClaw

openclaw start

✅ Verify (pick one)

• No persistent errors in logs
• Channel test responds

Common Windows pitfalls

• ExecutionPolicy error → confirm Step 2
• Long/Chinese paths → use simple path like D:\openclaw
• Firewall blocks → allow or temporarily disable to test
• Defender high CPU → add data folder to exclusions

Next steps

• Docker/VPS deployment: /docs/vps-setup
• Troubleshooting: /docs/troubleshooting
• Use cases: /use-cases