OpenClaw Desktop App — Run OpenClaw Locally on Mac, Windows, and Linux

What OpenClaw Provides

OpenClaw is a multi-channel AI agent framework. It runs as a background service and exposes:

• A web gateway UI on localhost:18789 — your “desktop” window into the agent
• Channel integrations for Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, WeChat, Slack, and others
• Built-in tools: web search, shell execution, a browser harness, approval policies, and scheduled jobs
• Skills and plugins from ClawHub, installable on demand
• Session memory persisted across restarts in your local config directory

Because OpenClaw is server-side by design, the “desktop app” pattern is the gateway tab pinned in your browser — optionally installed as a PWA for a true app-like feel. The three paths below cover every common use case.

Path 1: Local Gateway as Desktop Companion

The simplest setup: run OpenClaw directly on your machine and open the gateway in your browser. It behaves like a single-page desktop app and works completely offline (except for model API calls and external tool integrations you enable).

Prerequisites

• Node.js 24 (24.16 or newer) or Node 26.1 or newer, with npm. The official installer sets this up for you: curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash on macOS and Linux, or iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex in Windows PowerShell
• An API key for at least one model provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint — including local Ollama)
• See the OpenClaw install guide for full prerequisites

Steps

1. Install OpenClaw globally via npm:

   npm install -g openclaw

2. Start the OpenClaw gateway:

   openclaw gateway --allow-unconfigured

3. Open http://localhost:18789 in your browser. The gateway UI loads immediately.
4. On first launch, complete the setup to connect your model provider and configure your agent.
5. Optional: install the tab as a PWA (see Power Tips below) so it opens as a standalone window with no browser chrome.

Path 2: Managed via OpenClaw Launch

If you want OpenClaw always online — accessible from any device, not tied to your laptop being on — the managed path on OpenClaw Launch is the lowest-effort option. Your agent runs on a cloud server and the gateway URL is a permanent HTTPS endpoint, not localhost.

1. Go to openclawlaunch.com and sign in or create a free account.
2. In the configurator, set up your agent, model provider, and optional channels (Telegram, Discord, etc.).
3. Click Deploy.
4. After a few seconds, your instance page shows a live gateway URL. Open it in any browser — on your laptop, phone, or tablet.
5. Bookmark or install the gateway URL as a PWA for an app-like feel on desktop and mobile simultaneously.

Path 3: Self-Host with Docker on Your Laptop

Running OpenClaw in Docker is the cleanest local option: isolated from your system Node, easy to update, and straightforward to configure. The container keeps running as long as Docker Desktop is open.

1. Install Docker Desktop for your OS and start it.
2. Pull the OpenClaw image:

   docker pull ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:latest

3. Run the container with a persistent data volume:

   docker run -d \
     --name openclaw \
     --restart unless-stopped \
     -p 18789:18789 \
     -v openclaw-data:/home/node/.openclaw \
     ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:latest \
     node openclaw.mjs gateway --allow-unconfigured

4. Open http://localhost:18789 in your browser. Your agent data persists in the openclaw-data Docker volume across container restarts.
5. Set Docker Desktop to Start on login so the container comes up automatically when you boot your machine.

For the full Docker run command and all configuration options, see the OpenClaw Docker guide.

Power Tips

Install as a Browser PWA (Progressive Web App)

Both Chrome and Edge let you install any website as a standalone desktop app. When installed, the gateway opens in its own window with no browser tabs, address bar, or toolbar — indistinguishable from a native desktop app.

• Chrome: Open localhost:18789 (or your managed URL), click the install icon in the address bar, then Install. The app appears in your OS app launcher.
• Edge: Menu → Apps → Install this site as an app.
• Safari (macOS): File → Add to Dock (macOS Sonoma+). Opens as a separate app in the Dock.

System Tray Integration

On macOS, you can use a tool like WebCatalog to wrap the gateway URL into a system-tray app that is one click away at all times. On Windows, ToDesktop or Nativefier produce a lightweight Electron wrapper around any URL.

Autostart on Login

• macOS: Create a LaunchAgent plist at ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.openclaw.plist that runs openclaw gateway (or docker start openclaw).
• Windows: Add a shortcut to openclaw gateway in the Startup folder (Win+R → shell:startup).
• Linux: Create a systemd user service unit (~/.config/systemd/user/openclaw.service) with WantedBy=default.target.

Keyboard Shortcut to Open the Gateway

Assign a global keyboard shortcut to open http://localhost:18789 in your default browser:

• macOS: Use Raycast or Alfred with an “Open URL” action bound to a hotkey.
• Windows: AutoHotkey with a one-liner: ^!o::Run, http://localhost:18789 (Ctrl+Alt+O).
• Linux: Bind a keybinding in your desktop environment settings to run xdg-open http://localhost:18789.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an official OpenClaw desktop app?

Yes, as companion apps. On macOS 15 or later there is the OpenClaw menu bar app, with Quick Chat, notifications and voice input. On Windows there is Windows Hub, a tray app that can also set up a local gateway for you. Both connect to the OpenClaw gateway, whose web UI on localhost:18789 works on any platform and can be installed as a browser PWA.

Can I access my local OpenClaw instance from my phone?

Yes, if your laptop and phone are on the same Wi-Fi network. Find your laptop's LAN IP (ifconfig on macOS/Linux, ipconfig on Windows) and open http://<LAN-IP>:18789 on your phone. For secure access from outside your network without opening ports, use Tailscale, or run a managed instance on OpenClaw Launch — it exposes a public HTTPS URL.

Does OpenClaw work on Windows?

Yes. OpenClaw runs natively on Windows: run iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex in PowerShell, or install the Windows Hub app. Docker Desktop (Path 3 above) and WSL2 work too. See the dedicated OpenClaw on Windows guide for step-by-step instructions.

Will my OpenClaw data persist if I restart the container or my machine?

With Docker, yes — as long as you mount a named volume (the -v openclaw-data:/home/node/.openclaw flag shown in Path 3). Docker volumes survive docker rm and machine reboots. When running OpenClaw natively (Path 1), session memory and config are stored in your home directory (~/.openclaw) and persist across restarts automatically.

What is the difference between OpenClaw and an OpenClaw Launch managed instance?

OpenClaw is the open-source framework you run yourself (locally or via Docker). OpenClaw Launch is a managed hosting service that runs OpenClaw on a cloud server for you — no Node or Docker required, always online, accessible from any device. Both expose the same gateway UI and agent capabilities; the difference is who manages the infrastructure.

What's Next?

• Install OpenClaw — Full prerequisites and step-by-step install via npm, Docker, or Homebrew
• OpenClaw on Windows — Step-by-step Windows install guide
• OpenClaw + Ollama — Point OpenClaw at a local model for fully offline, zero-API-cost operation
• OpenClaw + Tailscale — Reach your local gateway from anywhere without opening ports
• What Is OpenClaw? — Overview of capabilities and architecture