Security Warning: Please Read Carefully

OpenClaw is a powerful AI agent that can execute commands, read files, browse the web, and interact with your system. Running it locally on your personal computer means:

Full System Access

The AI agent can execute commands with your user permissions, including reading and modifying any files you have access to.

No Isolation

Unlike a VPS, your personal files, passwords, and sensitive data are on the same machine. A bug or misconfiguration could expose them.

Uptime Dependent on Your Computer

Your assistant stops when your computer sleeps, shuts down, or loses internet. No proactive messaging when you're away.

Network Exposure Risk

If improperly configured, the gateway could be accessible to others on your local network.

Recommended: Use a VPS Instead

For a safer and more reliable setup, we strongly recommend running OpenClaw on a dedicated VPS. This provides:

Isolation from your personal computer
24/7 uptime without keeping your computer on
Better security with a controlled environment
Easy setup with our step-by-step guide

View VPS Setup Guide

Wait! VPS Setup Takes the Same Time

VPS installation is just as fast as local setup, but you get 24/7 uptime, complete security isolation, and professional infrastructure. The setup process is nearly identical.

Compare VPS vs Local View VPS Guide

Join 1,000+ users running OpenClaw 24/7 on VPS

Local Installation Steps

If you understand the risks and still want to proceed

Install Node.js 22+

Download from nodejs.org or use your system package manager.

On macOS with Homebrew:

brew install node@22

Install OpenClaw

Run the installer script:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Or install via npm:

npm install -g openclaw@latest

Create Your Telegram Bot

Before running onboarding, create a Telegram bot to talk to OpenClaw:

1.Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2.Send /newbot to start the bot creation wizard
3.Choose a display name (e.g., "My OpenClaw")
4.Choose a username ending in bot (e.g., "my_openclaw_bot")
5.Copy the API token (looks like: 123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz)

Important: Keep your bot token secret! Anyone with this token can control your bot.

Run Onboarding

Start the onboarding wizard:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The wizard will ask for:

• Your Telegram bot token (from step 3)
• Your AI provider API key (Anthropic or OpenAI)
• Whether to install the gateway daemon

Pair with Telegram

After onboarding, pair your Telegram account to authorize messaging:

openclaw pair

This generates a link. Open it in Telegram to connect your account as an authorized user. Only paired users can message your bot.

Verify Installation

Check that everything is running:

openclaw status

You should see the gateway running and your Telegram channel connected. Try sending a message to your bot on Telegram!

Troubleshooting

Command not found: openclaw

The CLI wasn't added to your PATH. Add it manually:

# For bash (~/.bashrc):
export PATH="$HOME/.openclaw/bin:$PATH"

# For zsh (~/.zshrc):
export PATH="$HOME/.openclaw/bin:$PATH"

# Then reload:
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc

Sharp / libvips errors

If you see image processing errors, set this environment variable:

export SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1

Then reinstall OpenClaw or restart the gateway.

Gateway not starting

Run the doctor command to diagnose issues:

openclaw doctor

Security Configuration

Edit ~/.openclaw/config.yaml to configure security:

# ~/.openclaw/config.yaml
gateway:
  # Bind only to localhost (recommended)
  host: "127.0.0.1"
  port: 18789

# Restrict who can message your bot
channels:
  telegram:
    allowFrom:
      - "your_telegram_username"
      # Add more usernames as needed

# Enable agent sandboxing (optional)
sandbox: "docker"  # or "none" to disable

Security Best Practices

Use allowFrom: Restrict bot access to only your Telegram username(s)
Bind to localhost: Keep the gateway bound to 127.0.0.1 unless you specifically need network access
Enable sandboxing: Set sandbox: "docker"to run agent commands in isolated containers
Review activity: Regularly check logs with openclaw logs
Exec approvals: Configure ~/.openclaw/exec-approvals.jsonto control which commands the agent can run

Still Have Concerns?

A VPS is truly the safest and most reliable option. It only takes 20 minutes to set up and costs around $5/month.

VPS Setup Guide All Installation Methods