🦞OpenClaw Guide
Installation

OpenClaw on Windows — Installation & Common Issues

Step-by-step Windows installation guide covering Node.js setup, WSL2 configuration, LM Studio integration, and troubleshooting Windows-specific issues.

⚠️ The Problem

Windows users face unique challenges when installing OpenClaw:

  1. Complete beginner — don't know where to start:
bash
Need help don't have a lot of computer knowledgeNeed help setting clawd on my windows pc
  1. WSL2 cron jobs skipping scheduled runs:
bash
Hourly cron job (0 * * * *) skips slots — nextRunAtMs jumps forward without executingJobs seem to only run when there's user message activityOvernight, zero jobs fire despite gateway staying alive
  1. LM Studio connection errors from WSL2:
bash
Invalid input: expected object, received stringUnrecognized keys in config
  1. openclaw node run on Windows shows nothing:
bash
openclaw node run on Windows only shows node Host Path and nothing has doneNothing on the Gateway side either
  1. Exec commands not working after approval:
bash
"I cannot directly view your hardware... but I can provide precise commands"Bot responds about needing approval but doesn't execute

🔍 Why This Happens

Windows-specific issues arise from:

  1. Missing prerequisites — Node.js, Git, and pnpm need to be installed before OpenClaw can work. Windows doesn't come with these.

  2. WSL2 sleep behavior — When the Windows host sleeps, WSL2 suspends too. Cron jobs can't fire if the system is asleep. Additionally, frequently-scheduled cron jobs may be blocked by long-running previous jobs (only one instance runs at a time by default).

  3. WSL2 ↔ Windows networking — Connecting LM Studio (running on Windows) to OpenClaw (running in WSL2) requires using the WSL2 host IP, not localhost. Config format must also match the expected schema.

  4. PATH and environment issues — Windows PowerShell and cmd.exe handle environment variables differently. The openclaw node run command may not find required binaries if PATH isn't set up correctly.

  5. Exec tool permissions — The exec tool requires explicit approval for commands. If approvals aren't being processed correctly, the bot can't execute anything.

✅ The Fix

Complete Windows Installation (From Scratch)

Step 1: Install Node.js

  1. Go to https://nodejs.org and download the LTS version
  2. Run the Windows Installer (.msi)
  3. Click "Next" through everything
  4. Restart your computer after installing

Open Command Prompt (Windows key + R, type cmd, press Enter) and verify:

powershell
node --version

You should see v24.x.x or higher.

Step 2: Install Git

Download from https://git-scm.com/download/win and install with defaults.

Step 3: Install pnpm

powershell
npm install -g pnpm

Step 4: Clone and Build OpenClaw

powershell
git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.gitcd clawdbotpnpm installpnpm build

Step 5: Run Onboarding

powershell
pnpm clawdbot onboard

Follow the wizard to set up your model and channels.

WSL2 Cron Jobs Skipping

If your cron jobs only run when there's activity and skip overnight:

Root cause: Windows host is sleeping, which suspends WSL2.

Fixes:

  1. Prevent Windows from sleeping — Change power settings to never sleep when plugged in
  1. Move gateway to always-on server — A Linux VPS or dedicated machine won't sleep
  1. Add timeouts to long jobs — Prevent one job from blocking the next:
json
{  "cron": {    "jobs": [{      "id": "hourly-pulse",      "schedule": "0 * * * *",      "isolated": true,      "payload": {        "timeoutSeconds": 300      }    }]  }}

Debug cron issues:

bash
openclaw --versionopenclaw cron runs --id <jobId> --limit 50openclaw logs --limit 300 | grep "cron:"

Connecting LM Studio (Windows) to OpenClaw (WSL2)

LM Studio runs on Windows, but OpenClaw in WSL2 can't reach localhost:1234. You need the WSL2 host IP.

Find your WSL2 host IP:

bash
# From inside WSL2:cat /etc/resolv.conf | grep nameserver | awk '{print $2}'

Configure OpenClaw:

Your config must use the correct format (object, not string):

json
{  "providers": {    "lmstudio": {      "baseUrl": "http://172.x.x.x:1234/v1",      "models": {        "default": {          "id": "your-model-name"        }      }    }  },  "model": {    "provider": "lmstudio",    "id": "your-model-name"  }}

In LM Studio: Enable "Allow connections from network" in settings.

Fixing openclaw node run on Windows

If the command shows PATH and does nothing:

  1. Check the SSH tunnel is working:
powershell
ssh -L 18789:localhost:18789 user@gateway-host
  1. Verify gateway connectivity:
powershell
curl http://localhost:18789/health
  1. Check logs on both sides:
powershell
# On the node (Windows)openclaw logs --follow# On the gatewayopenclaw logs --follow

Exec Tool Not Working

If the bot says it can provide commands but won't execute them:

  1. Check exec is enabled:
json
{  "exec": {    "enabled": true,    "approval": "auto"  }}
  1. For Discord: Make sure exec approvals are configured for the channel
  2. Approve in the same channel — The approval button must be clicked where the request appeared

Fresh Start on Windows

powershell
# Stop the daemonopenclaw daemon stopopenclaw daemon uninstall# Delete all data (PowerShell)Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $env:USERPROFILE\.clawdbot# Delete workspaceRemove-Item -Recurse -Force $env:USERPROFILE\clawd# Reinstallgit clone https://github.com/clawdbot/clawdbot.gitcd clawdbotpnpm installpnpm buildpnpm clawdbot onboard

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📋 Quick Commands

CommandDescription
node --versionCheck Node.js version
npm install -g pnpmInstall pnpm package manager
pnpm installInstall dependencies
pnpm clawdbot onboardRun the setup wizard
openclaw cron runs --id <jobId> --limit 50Check cron job history
cat /etc/resolv.conf | grep nameserverFind WSL2 host IP (run in WSL2)
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force $env:USERPROFILE\.clawdbotDelete OpenClaw config (PowerShell)
openclaw logs --followWatch logs in real-time

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