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Install OpenClaw on Windows (Service-style)

This guide installs OpenClaw on Windows and sets it up to run continuously as a background service/daemon so it can act as an always-on personal assistant.

Prerequisites

  • Windows 10/11
  • Node.js: Node 24 recommended (Node 22.16+ supported)
  • A model provider API key (OpenAI / Anthropic / etc.) for onboarding

Note

OpenClaw’s official quickstart recommends Windows native or WSL2. For ConnectSoft’s “remote workstation” pattern, this page focuses on a Windows-native install with daemon/service-style startup.

Install

Run the official installer from PowerShell:

iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Run onboarding (installs daemon/service)

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Onboarding configures:

  • model provider + API key
  • gateway configuration
  • service/daemon auto-start

Verify the gateway is running

openclaw gateway status

You should see it listening on port 18789.

Open the dashboard

openclaw dashboard

By default the Control UI is available at http://127.0.0.1:18789.

Tip

On a remote machine, expose the UI safely (VPN / RDP / SSH tunnel). Avoid binding the control UI to public interfaces unless you have strong access controls.

Service installation notes (native Windows vs WSL2)

OpenClaw supports both native Windows and WSL2. For native Windows, the gateway “service install” typically uses Windows Scheduled Tasks first, with a fallback mode if Scheduled Task creation is blocked.

If you want to manage gateway startup explicitly:

openclaw gateway install
openclaw gateway status --json

If you only want to run the gateway in the foreground (no managed auto-start):

openclaw gateway run

Operating commands (day 2)

Use these for day-to-day health checks and troubleshooting:

  • openclaw doctor
  • openclaw logs
  • openclaw health
  • openclaw status

Configuration paths (Windows service accounts)

OpenClaw supports environment variables for service/daemon scenarios:

  • OPENCLAW_HOME
  • OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR
  • OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH

Use these when the daemon runs under a service account that doesn’t have the same profile directory as your interactive user.

  • https://docs.openclaw.ai/start/quickstart
  • https://docs.openclaw.ai/configuration
  • https://docs.openclaw.ai/platforms/windows
  • https://docs.openclaw.ai/help/environment