How to Install OpenClaw on Ubuntu 26.04 and 24.04

• Ubuntu 26.04 or 24.04, internet access and a regular user account with sudo access for prerequisites.
• A model provider account or API key, or a separately configured local model. Provider charges depend on your service.
• A browser on your desktop, or SSH access from another computer for a server.
• OpenClaw can use tools and access files with the permissions you grant it. Consider a dedicated account or test environment.

Open Terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T. On a server, connect over SSH. Install curl and certificate support:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install curl ca-certificates

Review any changes before confirming. If the update fails, resolve the error first.

The official script downloads and runs software and may ask for sudo to install dependencies. Download it to a temporary file and inspect it before running it:

installer=$(mktemp) && if curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh -o "$installer"; then
  less "$installer"
else
  rm -f "$installer"
  unset installer
  echo "Download failed. Do not continue." >&2
fi

Press q to exit the viewer. This is executable code from the OpenClaw project, so proceed only if you trust it. If the download fails, stop and check your connection; do not run an empty or incomplete file.

In the same terminal, after a successful download and review, run:

if [ -n "${installer:-}" ] && [ -s "$installer" ]; then
  bash "$installer"
else
  echo "Installer missing; repeat the download step." >&2
fi

The installer checks for a supported Node.js runtime and installs OpenClaw. It may offer to install missing dependencies and starts onboarding for a new interactive setup. Read prompts before accepting them. When finished, remove the temporary script with rm "$installer".

If the wizard does not start, open a new terminal and run openclaw onboard. If the command is not found, see troubleshooting below.

Choose Quick start for guided defaults, or Custom setup to review more choices. The exact screens can change.

• Choose a supported API provider or compatible local model and follow the setup prompts. OpenClaw can also offer an existing compatible Claude Code or Codex CLI login on the gateway host. A chat subscription does not automatically include API access. Local models need separate setup and suitable hardware.
• Keep the gateway bound to loopback for this walkthrough. It accepts local connections instead of exposing the dashboard to your network.
• Keep gateway authentication enabled. Treat tokens, pairing links and configuration files as secrets.
• Skip messaging channels and extra skills for now. You can configure them later.

If asked whether to keep OpenClaw running in the background, accept if you want a user service. Otherwise a foreground gateway stops when you end its terminal session.

In a new terminal, check the installed CLI and, if you installed the background service, its status:

openclaw --version
openclaw gateway status

The first command prints a version. The status command reports the service and gateway connection; check any errors.

Open the dashboard:

openclaw dashboard

The command can offer to start the gateway if needed. In the browser, send a simple message such as Explain what the Linux home directory is in one sentence. A reply confirms that the model connection works. A dashboard that loads without a reply may still have a provider or billing problem.

Open a new terminal, then run type -a openclaw. Read the installer output for the directory it added to PATH. If the install failed, fix the reported error and rerun it; avoid adding guessed paths or using sudo to run the assistant.

If you chose a foreground gateway, it must remain running in its terminal. For a background service, use openclaw gateway status and openclaw doctor. Read errors before changing settings. If the port is occupied, identify the existing process rather than exposing a new port.

Check the selected model, provider sign-in, API key, account limits and network connection. Do not paste the key into a public support request. A local model must be installed and running separately.

A Linux user service may stop when its last login session ends. Check loginctl show-user "$USER" -p Linger. If you deliberately want the user service to run after logout, an administrator can enable lingering with sudo loginctl enable-linger "$USER". This also lets other user services remain active; check them first.

The gateway service, configuration, sessions and workspace are separate removal choices. Back up anything you need first; backups may contain secrets. Preview complete removal without changing files:

openclaw uninstall --dry-run --all

Review all listed paths, especially custom workspaces. Complete removal can delete your assistant data.

Run the interactive uninstaller and select only the components you want removed:

openclaw uninstall

The default selection is the gateway service. Select state, workspace and app only if you intend to remove them. The CLI may remain after the service and data are removed; follow the official uninstall guide for your installation method. Do not delete a shared Node installation or npm prefix used by other tools.

If you installed the official Linux desktop .deb, remove its package with:

sudo apt remove open-claw

Review the proposed package changes before confirming. Removing the desktop package may leave the CLI, gateway service, configuration and conversation data. Use the steps above to review and remove those separately if wanted.