Want a powerful AI assistant that runs on your own computer, completely free? OpenClaw lets you set up a personal AI that connects to Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, and more—all in about 5 minutes.

Unlike cloud-based AI tools, OpenClaw runs locally on your machine. This means your data stays private, you're not paying monthly subscriptions, and you have full control over how your AI assistant behaves.

In this guide, you'll go from zero to chatting with your own AI assistant. No coding experience required—just follow along step by step.

What You'll Need

OpenClaw automatically installs Node.js if you don't have it

Before we start, make sure you have:

• A computer running macOS, Windows, or Linux
• An internet connection for downloading and API calls
• 5 minutes of free time
• An Anthropic API key (we'll get this in Step 2)

That's it. OpenClaw's installer handles everything else automatically, including Node.js if you don't have it.

Step 1: Open Your Terminal

The terminal is where you'll run the installation command

First, open your terminal application:

• Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", and press Enter
• Windows: Press Win + X, then select "PowerShell" or "Terminal"
• Linux: Press Ctrl + Alt + T or find Terminal in your applications

Don't worry if you've never used the terminal before. You'll only need to paste one command.

Step 2: Run the Install Command

OpenClaw's installer works on macOS, Windows, and Linux

Copy and paste this command into your terminal, then press Enter:

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

The installer will:

1. Check if Node.js is installed (and install it if needed)
2. Download OpenClaw
3. Start the setup wizard

This takes about 1-2 minutes depending on your internet speed.

Step 3: Get Your Anthropic API Key

Create a free account at console.anthropic.com to get your API key

When the setup wizard asks for your AI provider, choose Anthropic. Here's how to get your API key:

1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Create a free account (or sign in)
3. Navigate to "API Keys" in the sidebar
4. Click "Create Key" and copy the key

Paste this key into the OpenClaw setup wizard when prompted.

Cost note: Anthropic charges per use, not monthly. Light usage typically costs $1-5/month. You can set spending limits in your Anthropic dashboard.

Step 4: Connect Telegram

Telegram is the easiest messaging channel to set up with OpenClaw

OpenClaw needs a messaging channel to communicate with you. Telegram is the quickest to set up:

1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot to create a new bot
3. Follow BotFather's prompts to name your bot
4. Copy the API token BotFather gives you
5. Paste it into the OpenClaw setup wizard

That's it! Your AI assistant now has a Telegram bot it can use to message you.

Alternative channels: OpenClaw also supports WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, and many more. You can add additional channels later.

Step 5: Start the Gateway

The Gateway is OpenClaw's always-running background service

The final step is starting the OpenClaw Gateway—the service that keeps your AI assistant running:

openclaw gateway start

You should see output confirming the gateway is running. Now open Telegram and send a message to your bot. Your AI assistant will respond!

Pro tip: To keep OpenClaw running even when you close the terminal, the gateway runs as a background service. Use openclaw gateway status to check if it's running.

Conclusion

Your new AI assistant can browse the web, access files, and learn new skills

Congratulations! You now have your own AI assistant running locally on your computer. Here's what you can do next:

• Chat naturally via Telegram—ask questions, request tasks, get help
• Add more channels like WhatsApp or Discord
• Install skills to give your AI new capabilities
• Set up automations with cron jobs and scheduling

The best part? Your data stays on your machine, you control the AI's behavior, and there are no monthly fees—just pay-per-use API costs.

Want 24/7 availability? Consider setting up OpenClaw on a VPS so your AI assistant runs even when your computer is off.

FAQ

Find detailed documentation at docs.openclaw.ai

Is OpenClaw really free?

Yes, OpenClaw itself is completely free and open source. You only pay for API usage to your AI provider (like Anthropic), which typically costs $1-5/month for light use.

Can I use OpenClaw without Telegram?

Absolutely. OpenClaw supports WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, and more. Telegram is just the easiest to set up initially.

Will OpenClaw slow down my computer?

No. OpenClaw is lightweight and runs in the background. It only uses significant resources when actively processing requests.

What if I close my terminal?

The gateway runs as a background service, so it keeps running. Use openclaw gateway status to check and openclaw gateway stop to stop it.

Can I run OpenClaw on a Raspberry Pi?

Yes! OpenClaw runs on any device with Node.js support, including Raspberry Pi. Check out our hosting options comparison for details.