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How to Install OpenClaw on Linux Ubuntu/Debian (2026 Guide)

Step-by-step guide to install OpenClaw on Ubuntu, Debian, and other Linux distributions. No coding experience required. Get started today.

11 min read
Updated 2026-02-02

What You Will Achieve

By following this guide, you will install OpenClaw on your Linux computer. OpenClaw lets you chat with AI through apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord. The whole process takes about 15-20 minutes.

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is like a bridge between your chat apps and AI. Once installed, you can send a message on WhatsApp or Telegram, and an AI will reply to you. Everything runs on your own computer, so your conversations stay private.

Which Linux Are You Using?

This guide works for:

  • Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, or 24.04 (most common)
  • Debian 11 or 12
  • Linux Mint 20 or 21
  • Other Debian-based distributions

Different Linux?

If you use Fedora, Arch, or another distribution, the commands will be slightly different. The main steps are the same, but package installation commands vary. This guide focuses on Ubuntu/Debian.

Check If Your Computer Is Ready

Before we begin, let us make sure your computer meets the requirements.

Open a terminal:

On most Linux systems, you can open a terminal by:

  • Pressing Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard, OR
  • Clicking the "Activities" button (top-left corner) and typing "Terminal", OR
  • Looking for "Terminal" in your applications menu

What is a Terminal?

A terminal is a program where you type commands to tell your computer what to do. It looks like a window with text. When you see a blinking cursor, you can start typing.

Check your Linux version:

Type this command and press Enter:

bash
lsb_release -a

Expected Result

Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS Release: 22.04

You should see information about your Linux version. Any recent version (from the last few years) should work.

What you need:

  • A computer running Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, or similar)
  • An internet connection
  • The ability to run commands as administrator (using sudo)
  • About 2GB of free disk space

Step-by-Step Installation

1

Update Your System

Before installing anything new, it is a good idea to update your system. This makes sure you have the latest security fixes and software.

Type this command and press Enter:

bash
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

What Does This Command Mean?

  • sudo = "super user do" - this runs the command with administrator permissions
  • apt update = check what updates are available
  • && = "and then do this next thing"
  • apt upgrade -y = install the updates (the -y means "yes, do it automatically")

When asked for your password:

Type your computer login password and press Enter. You will not see any characters as you type - this is a security feature, not a bug. Just type your password and press Enter.

This may take a few minutes. You will see text scrolling on the screen - this is normal.

Expected Result

Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree... Done ... 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

2

Install Required Tools

We need to install a few tools that OpenClaw needs. These are common programs that many other applications also use.

Type this command and press Enter:

bash
sudo apt install -y curl git build-essential

What Are These Tools?

  • curl = a program that downloads files from the internet
  • git = a program for downloading and managing code
  • build-essential = basic tools needed to build software

Wait for the installation to complete (about 1-2 minutes).

Expected Result

Reading package lists... Done ... Setting up build-essential ...

3

Install Node.js

OpenClaw needs a program called Node.js to run. We need version 22 or higher.

What is Node.js?

Node.js is a tool that lets programs written in JavaScript run on your computer. OpenClaw uses JavaScript, so we need Node.js to run it. You do not need to learn JavaScript - we just need to install Node.js.

First, add the Node.js download source:

bash
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -

What Does This Command Do?

This command downloads a setup script from NodeSource (a trusted source for Node.js) and runs it. The script tells your computer where to find Node.js version 22.

When asked for your password, type it and press Enter.

Wait about 30 seconds for this to complete.

Now install Node.js:

bash
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Wait for the installation to complete (about 1-2 minutes).

Verify that Node.js installed correctly:

bash
node --version

Expected Result

v22.x.x

The number should start with v22 (like v22.1.0 or v22.5.1). The exact numbers after v22. do not matter.

Got a Different Number?

If you see a number lower than 22 (like v18.x.x or v20.x.x), the installation did not work correctly. Try running the two commands in this step again from the beginning.

Also check npm (the package manager that comes with Node.js):

bash
npm --version

Expected Result

10.x.x

Any version 10 or higher is fine.

4

Install OpenClaw

Now we can install OpenClaw! This is the main program we have been preparing for.

Type this command and press Enter:

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

What Does This Command Do?

This downloads the OpenClaw installer from the official website and runs it. It is similar to downloading and double-clicking an installer, but done through the terminal.

Wait for the installation to complete (about 1-2 minutes).

Expected Result

Downloading OpenClaw... Installing OpenClaw... openclaw@1.x.x installed successfully Run 'openclaw onboard' to get started

Important: Close and reopen your terminal before continuing!

  1. Close your terminal window (click the X button or type exit)
  2. Open a new terminal (press Ctrl + Alt + T)

This step is necessary so that your computer recognizes the new openclaw command.

Verify that OpenClaw installed correctly:

bash
openclaw --version

Expected Result

openclaw/1.x.x

See 'command not found'?

If you see "openclaw: command not found", try these fixes:

  1. Make sure you closed and reopened your terminal
  2. Try running the install command again
  3. Check our detailed guide: OpenClaw Command Not Found
5

Run the Setup Wizard

OpenClaw includes a setup wizard that helps you configure everything. This is like going through setup screens when you install a new program.

Type this command and press Enter:

bash
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

What is --install-daemon?

The --install-daemon part tells OpenClaw to set itself up to run in the background automatically. A "daemon" is a program that runs continuously, even when you are not using the terminal.

The wizard will ask you several questions. Here is what to choose:

  1. Gateway mode: Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to select "local" and press Enter. This means OpenClaw will run on your computer only.

  2. Authentication: The wizard will ask how you want to connect to AI services. Follow the prompts to enter your API key or set up OAuth.

  3. Channels: Select which chat apps you want to use (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, etc.). You can change this later.

  4. Background service: Choose "Yes" to keep OpenClaw running even when you close the terminal.

You Need an API Key

To make OpenClaw work with AI, you need an API key from an AI provider (like Anthropic or OpenAI). The wizard will explain how to get one. Without an API key, OpenClaw cannot respond to your messages.

6

Check That OpenClaw Is Running

Let us make sure everything is working correctly.

Type these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

bash
openclaw status

Expected Result

Gateway: running Port: 18789 Auth: configured Channels: none connected

bash
openclaw health

Expected Result

Health: OK

What Do These Results Mean?

  • Gateway: running = OpenClaw is active and working
  • Port: 18789 = OpenClaw is listening on port 18789 (like a door number for network connections)
  • Auth: configured = Your API key is set up correctly
  • Channels: none connected = You have not connected WhatsApp/Telegram yet (we will do this next)
  • Health: OK = Everything is working normally
7

Open the OpenClaw Dashboard

OpenClaw has a web page where you can see everything that is happening and change settings.

Open this address in your web browser (Firefox, Chrome, etc.):

text
http://127.0.0.1:18789/

What is 127.0.0.1?

127.0.0.1 is a special address that means "this computer". Port 18789 is where OpenClaw is listening. Together, this address takes you to the OpenClaw dashboard running on your own computer.

You should see the OpenClaw dashboard in your browser. From here you can:

  • See the status of your connections
  • View message logs
  • Change settings

Installation Complete!

Congratulations! OpenClaw is now installed and running on your Linux computer.

Common Problems and Solutions

"sudo: command not found"

This means you might not have sudo installed, which is unusual on most Linux systems.

Solution:

Log in as root and install sudo:

bash
apt install sudo

Then add your user to the sudo group.

"curl: command not found"

Solution:

Install curl first:

bash
sudo apt install curl

Then continue with the installation.

"openclaw: command not found"

This means the terminal does not know where OpenClaw is installed.

Solutions to try in order:

  1. Close your terminal completely and open a new one
  2. Run the install command again: curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
  3. See our detailed guide: OpenClaw Command Not Found

"Permission denied" errors

This usually means you need to use sudo or fix file permissions.

Solution:

bash
sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.npm

Then try installing OpenClaw again.

"No auth configured" message

This means you need to set up your API key.

Solution:

Run the setup wizard again:

bash
openclaw onboard

Node.js version is too old

If node --version shows a version lower than 22:

Solution:

Remove the old version and reinstall:

bash
sudo apt remove nodejs
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Making OpenClaw Start Automatically

If you want OpenClaw to start every time you turn on your computer:

1

Enable the systemd service

If you chose "Yes" for the background service during setup, OpenClaw should already start automatically. You can verify this:

bash
systemctl --user status openclaw

Expected Result

openclaw.service - OpenClaw Gateway Active: active (running)

2

Start OpenClaw manually (if needed)

If the service is not running, you can start it:

bash
systemctl --user start openclaw

To make it start automatically on boot:

bash
systemctl --user enable openclaw

Keeping OpenClaw Safe

Security Tips

Follow these practices to keep your installation secure.

  • OpenClaw only runs locally: By default, only your computer can access OpenClaw. Other devices on your network cannot see it.

  • Keep your control token secret: If you set up a control token during setup, do not share it with anyone.

  • Update regularly: Run this command occasionally to get security updates:

bash
openclaw update
  • Check for security issues:
bash
openclaw security audit --deep

What To Do Next

Now that OpenClaw is installed, you are ready to connect it to your chat apps:

  1. Connect to Telegram - Send AI messages through Telegram
  2. Connect to WhatsApp - Use AI through WhatsApp
  3. Connect to Discord - Add AI to your Discord server
  4. Your First Agent - Learn how to start chatting with AI

Stuck?

If you run into problems not covered here, check our Troubleshooting guide or visit the official OpenClaw documentation.

Last updated: February 2, 2026 | Found an error? Contact us

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