How to Install OpenClaw AI Agent on Mac, Windows, Linux & Docker

As AI agents become increasingly integral to productivity workflows, OpenClaw AI (formerly ClawdBot) has emerged as a powerful self-hosted solution for automating tasks across platforms. This comprehensive guide provides verified installation instructions for Mac, Windows (via WSL2), Linux, and Docker environments, ensuring secure deployment with up-to-date dependencies and configurations.

Current Software Versions (as of November 2025)

Before proceeding, verify your system meets the requirements for the latest components:

Installing OpenClaw AI on Mac

macOS users can leverage Homebrew for streamlined dependency management. Follow these steps:

1. Install Homebrew (if not already installed):
   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
2. Install Python 3.10+:
   brew install [email protected]
3. Install Docker Desktop for Mac:
   Download from official site (version 4.25+ required)
4. Install OpenClaw AI:
   pip3 install openclaw-ai==1.4.2
5. Verify installation:
   openclaw --version

Ensure Docker Desktop is running before executing OpenClaw commands. For enhanced security, consider running the agent within Docker containers as detailed in the dedicated section below.

Windows Installation via WSL2

Windows users must first configure WSL2 with Ubuntu for Linux compatibility:

1. Enable WSL2:
   dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart
2. Install Ubuntu 22.04 from Microsoft Store
3. Set up Docker Desktop WSL2 backend:
   Enable “Use the WSL2 based engine” in Docker Desktop settings
4. Install Python dependencies:
   sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.10 python3-pip
5. Install OpenClaw AI:
   pip3 install openclaw-ai==1.4.2

Windows users should access OpenClaw through the Ubuntu terminal environment. For Docker-based deployments, ensure both Docker Desktop and WSL2 integrations are properly configured.

Linux (Ubuntu) Setup

1. Update package list:
   sudo apt update
2. Install Docker Engine:
   sudo apt install docker.io
3. Install Docker Compose:
   sudo apt install docker-compose
4. Install Python 3.10:
   sudo apt install python3.10
5. Install OpenClaw AI:
   pip3 install openclaw-ai==1.4.2
6. Add user to Docker group:
   sudo usermod -aG docker $USER (reboot required)

Linux users benefit from native Docker support, making this the most straightforward deployment environment. Verify permissions by running docker info without sudo after reboot.

Docker Deployment (Recommended)

Docker provides the most secure and consistent environment for running OpenClaw AI. Use these platform-agnostic instructions:

1. Pull the latest image:
   docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
2. Create docker-compose.yml:
   

   version: '3.8'
   services:
     openclaw:
       image: openclaw/openclaw:latest
       volumes:
         - ./config:/app/config
         - ./data:/app/data
       ports:
         - "8080:8080"
       environment:
         - LOG_LEVEL=INFO

3. Start the container:
   docker-compose up -d
4. Access the web interface at http://localhost:8080

This configuration maps local directories for persistent storage and exposes the API interface on port 8080. For production environments, consider adding TLS termination with NGINX and restricting port exposure.

Security Considerations

When deploying OpenClaw AI, particularly in Docker environments:

• Always run containers with non-root users
• Limit resource allocation (CPU/Memory)
• Use read-only filesystems where possible
• Regularly update base images with docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
• Implement network policies to restrict container communication

Conclusion & Next Steps

This guide covered verified installation methods for OpenClaw AI across major operating systems and Docker environments. Key takeaways include:

• Docker deployment offers the most secure and consistent experience
• WSL2 is essential for Windows users seeking Linux compatibility
• Containerization simplifies updates and dependency management
• Always maintain up-to-date security practices with containerized workloads

After installation, configure your OpenClaw AI instance through the web interface or API documentation available at http://localhost:8080/docs. For production use, consider implementing monitoring tools like Prometheus and persistent storage solutions for configuration and data volumes.