OpenClaw Installation Guide for Windows and Mac 2026
Getting started with local AI development begins with a smooth installation. This OpenClaw installation guide for Windows and Mac 2026 walks you through every step, from system verification to GPU acceleration and IDE plugin setup. Whether you're on a high-end workstation or a standard laptop, OpenClaw's flexible architecture ensures you can run powerful AI coding assistance entirely offline, keeping your data private and your workflow uninterrupted.
System Requirements & Compatibility
Before downloading, verify your machine meets these baseline specifications. OpenClaw is highly optimized, but performance scales significantly with hardware capabilities.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 / macOS 12 | Windows 11 / macOS 14+ |
| CPU | Intel i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 | Intel i7 / Apple M2/M3 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB+ (32 GB for 70B models) |
| Storage | 5 GB free (SSD recommended) | 20 GB free NVMe |
| GPU (Optional) | Integrated graphics | NVIDIA RTX 3060+ / Apple Silicon |
Step 1: Installation on Windows
Windows users have two primary installation paths: the graphical installer for simplicity, or CLI for automation. Follow these steps for a clean setup:
- Download the latest
.exeinstaller from the official GitHub releases page. - Run the installer as Administrator. The wizard will automatically configure environment variables and add OpenClaw to your system PATH.
- Choose your installation directory (default:
C:\Program Files\OpenClaw). - Complete the setup and restart your terminal to load the new PATH variables.
For GPU acceleration on NVIDIA cards, ensure you have the latest CUDA Toolkit installed. OpenClaw will automatically detect and leverage CUDA cores during inference.
Step 2: Installation on Mac
macOS installation is streamlined via Homebrew, though a manual DMG installer is also available. Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) users will experience exceptional performance thanks to native Metal acceleration.
- Open Terminal and install via Homebrew:
brew install openclaw - Alternatively, download the
.dmgfrom the releases page, drag to Applications, and grant accessibility permissions in System Settings. - Run
openclaw initto configure the local model directory and backend. - Verify Metal acceleration is enabled by running
openclaw system-info.
Apple's unified memory architecture allows Macs with 16GB+ RAM to run large coding models efficiently without discrete GPUs. For configuration tips, see our performance optimization guide.
Step 3: Post-Installation Configuration
After installation, OpenClaw requires minimal configuration to become fully operational. The first run will prompt you to select a default model. For coding tasks, we recommend qwen2.5-coder:7b or deepseek-coder:6.7b for speed, or llama3.1:8b for balanced performance.
To connect OpenClaw to your IDE, install the official VS Code or JetBrains extension from their respective marketplaces. The extension will automatically detect the local service running on localhost:11434. If you're migrating from cloud assistants, check out our OpenClaw vs ChatGPT comparison to understand workflow differences.
Step 4: Verification & Testing
Confirm your installation is functioning correctly by running these terminal commands:
openclaw list
openclaw run "def fibonacci(n):"
The first command checks the version, the second lists available models, and the third triggers a live completion test. You should see inline suggestions appear in your terminal or IDE within seconds. For deeper setup walkthroughs, refer to the OpenClaw Beginner's Guide 2026.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Command not found: Restart your terminal or manually add the installation directory to your PATH environment variable.
GPU not detected: Verify your graphics drivers are up to date. On Windows, run openclaw config --set gpu=auto. On Mac, ensure you're using a supported macOS version.
Slow suggestions: Reduce the context window size in ~/.openclaw/config.yaml from 8192 to 4096 tokens, or switch to a quantized model variant (e.g., q4_k_m).
Port conflict (11434): If another service uses port 11434, change OpenClaw's port in the config file and update your IDE extension settings accordingly.
🚀 Next Steps: Once installed, explore OpenClaw AI Coding Tool: Full Tutorial to master daily workflows, or learn how to deploy it for teams in our Docker setup guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can use the portable ZIP/DMG version and run it from a user directory. However, IDE integrations and system-wide PATH configuration may require manual setup.
Yes, but Intel Macs rely on CPU inference, which is significantly slower. We recommend at least 16GB RAM and enabling the --threads flag to utilize all available cores.
Run openclaw update in your terminal. The CLI handles backup, replacement, and service restart automatically. Model files are preserved during updates.
Yes, but you'll need to change one of their default ports (11434) to avoid conflicts. OpenClaw's config file allows easy port remapping.