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Choose the right OpenClaw installation
OpenClaw’s Mac downloads and its command-line package are related but not interchangeable. The app is a signed desktop bundle distributed as a release asset. The CLI is installed through Node and provides the openclaw command and Gateway workflow.
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| Question | OpenClaw.app | CLI/Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Mac requirement | macOS 15.0 (Sequoia) or later | A supported Node runtime; official Node 24 and Node 26 macOS binaries target macOS 13.5 or later |
| Interface | Menu-bar desktop app | Terminal command line |
| How it is obtained | OpenClaw-<version>.dmg (preferred) or matching .zip from official GitHub releases |
Official installer script, npm, or a source build |
| Gateway setup | Can provision a local Gateway during first run or connect to an existing remote Gateway | Gateway setup is completed during or after CLI onboarding |
| Best fit | Users who want a visible Mac app and guided setup | Users who prefer package-manager updates, automation or terminal administration |
The Node compatibility line does not make the native app usable on older macOS versions. The desktop application has its own macOS 15.0 gate, regardless of which Node version is installed.
Install the native OpenClaw app
1. Check the macOS version
Open Apple menu → System Settings → General → About and read the macOS version. The official macOS platform documentation states: “OpenClaw.app requires macOS 15.0 (Sequoia) or later.” If the Mac is on an earlier release, use the CLI route only if its Node requirements are satisfied; installing the app bundle will not bypass the operating-system requirement.
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2. Download the release asset
Open the official OpenClaw GitHub releases page and select the release you intend to run. Download the OpenClaw-<version>.dmg asset when it is available. The DMG is the preferred distribution. A matching .zip is an alternative when the release provides one.
Keep the version visible in the filename while downloading so you can distinguish it from older releases. Do not substitute a CLI package for the app download: an npm package or installer-script run will not place the menu-bar application in your Applications folder.
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3. Open and place the application
- Open the downloaded DMG in Finder.
- Drag OpenClaw.app to the Applications folder, or launch it from the mounted image if you are testing before copying it.
- If you received a ZIP, double-click it, then move the extracted OpenClaw.app to Applications.
- Launch OpenClaw from Applications or Spotlight. macOS may ask you to confirm that you want to open an application downloaded from the internet; confirm only when the file came from the official release page.
4. Complete first-run setup
Follow the setup screens shown by the app. During first run, the desktop application can either provision a local Gateway on the Mac or connect to an existing remote Gateway. Select the option that matches your deployment: local provisioning keeps the Gateway on this Mac, while a remote connection uses a Gateway that is already running elsewhere.
Allow the app to finish its initial configuration before quitting it. Once setup completes, the menu-bar icon is the normal entry point for opening the app and managing its connection.
Install the CLI and Gateway with the official installer
The official installer is the quickest interactive path when you want the openclaw command rather than the desktop bundle. It checks the Mac platform, checks for a usable Node runtime, installs Node 26 through Homebrew when a compatible runtime is missing, installs OpenClaw through npm by default, and can start onboarding.
1. Open Terminal and run the installer
- Open Applications → Utilities → Terminal, or press Command-Space and search for Terminal.
- Paste the following command exactly, then press Return:
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bashThe script detects macOS and handles the Node check. If Node is absent or incompatible, the documented installer path can provision Node 26 through Homebrew before installing OpenClaw.
2. Let onboarding launch, or defer it
By default, the installer launches onboarding after installing the package. Use the interactive prompts to finish the initial OpenClaw configuration and any Gateway setup they request.
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To install without immediately starting onboarding, run:
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboardThis option leaves the package installed but postpones the guided setup. The installer output shows the onboarding command to run later; copy that command into Terminal when you are ready.
3. Verify the command
After the installer returns to the shell, check that the executable is available:
openclaw --versionA version string confirms that your shell can find the OpenClaw CLI. If the command is not found, open a new Terminal window so the shell reloads its command path, then run the version check again. If it still fails, rerun the installer and read the final lines for the install location or error reported by npm.
4. Finish Gateway configuration
Run the onboarding command shown by the installer if you used --no-onboard. Complete the requested Gateway settings before treating the installation as finished. The CLI installation and Gateway configuration are separate stages: a successful npm install gives you the command, while onboarding establishes the configuration needed for the Gateway workflow.
Install OpenClaw with npm
Use npm directly when Node is already installed and you want package-manager control instead of the all-in-one installer. The documented command is:
npm install -g openclaw@latest --allow-scripts=openclawThe -g flag installs the CLI globally so the openclaw command is available from your shell. The @latest tag requests the latest package published under that tag. The --allow-scripts=openclaw option explicitly permits the package script required by this installation.
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When npm finishes, verify the result with:
openclaw --versionThen run the onboarding command supplied by the OpenClaw documentation or installer workflow and complete Gateway setup. This npm route does not install the native menu-bar app; use the DMG or ZIP method for that target.
Install the native app with Homebrew
Homebrew provides a cask for the native application:
brew install --cask openclawThis is a package-manager alternative to downloading the DMG manually. It targets the app bundle, not the Node CLI. After Homebrew completes, open OpenClaw from Applications and follow the same first-run setup that can provision a local Gateway or connect to an existing remote one.
If the brew command itself is unavailable, install and configure Homebrew first using its official documentation. OpenClaw’s installer can use Homebrew to provision Node 26 when the CLI path needs a runtime, but the Homebrew cask command above is specifically for the native app.
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Build from source only when you need a development install
A source build is an advanced option rather than the normal Mac installation. It requires the project toolchain, and the project uses pnpm when building from source. Choose this route only when you need to work from source code or test an unreleased change; the release app, official installer and package-manager commands are simpler for ordinary use.
Because a source build depends on the project’s current toolchain, follow the build instructions that accompany the exact source revision you checked out. A source build should not be used as a workaround for the native app’s macOS 15.0 requirement.
Understand the Node and macOS requirements
Native app requirement
The native OpenClaw.app target requires macOS 15.0 (Sequoia) or later. This is an operating-system requirement for the desktop app itself.
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CLI runtime requirement
The CLI/Gateway target requires a supported Node runtime. The official installer checks for one and can install Node 26 through Homebrew if a compatible runtime is missing. Official Node 24 and Node 26 macOS binaries target macOS 13.5 or later, so a Mac below macOS 15 may still be able to run the Node-based CLI even though it cannot run OpenClaw.app.
Check the runtime that is currently active in Terminal with:
node --versionIf the reported version is not supported by the OpenClaw package, let the official installer handle the runtime or install a compatible Node release before using the npm command. Installing Node alone does not configure OpenClaw’s Gateway; onboarding remains necessary.
Which path should you use?
Choose OpenClaw.app when you want a Mac-native workflow
- You want a menu-bar icon and desktop-first controls.
- Your Mac runs macOS 15.0 (Sequoia) or later.
- You prefer downloading a release asset instead of managing a global npm package.
- You want first-run screens that can provision a local Gateway or connect to a remote one.
Choose the official installer when you want the fastest CLI setup
- You are comfortable using Terminal.
- You want the installer to check Node and provision Node 26 through Homebrew if needed.
- You want onboarding to start immediately, or you want to suppress it with
--no-onboardand configure later.
Choose npm when Node and package management are already part of your workflow
- You already have a supported Node runtime.
- You want to install or update OpenClaw as a global npm package.
- You do not need the native menu-bar application.
Choose Homebrew cask when you want package-managed app installation
- You already use Homebrew to manage Mac applications.
- You want the native app without manually downloading a DMG.
- You understand that this installs the app bundle, not the CLI package.
Troubleshoot the common installation branches
The app will not open
First check the Mac version in System Settings → General → About. If it is earlier than macOS 15.0, the native app target is unsupported; use the CLI route only if the Mac can run a supported Node binary. If the Mac meets the requirement, confirm that you opened the application extracted from the official DMG or ZIP and moved the complete app bundle to Applications.
The installer stops while checking Node
Run the installer again and watch the Node check. The documented script can install Node 26 through Homebrew when a compatible runtime is missing. If Homebrew is unavailable or cannot complete its installation, resolve that package-manager issue first, then rerun the OpenClaw installer.
openclaw --version says the command is not found
Close and reopen Terminal, then repeat the command. A new shell refreshes the command path after a global npm installation. If the command remains unavailable, rerun the official installer or the npm command and read npm’s final output for an installation error rather than assuming the Gateway is broken.
Installation succeeded but onboarding did not appear
If you used --no-onboard, this is expected. Run the onboarding command printed by the installer. If you used the default command and the process ended before onboarding, rerun the installer or start onboarding separately using the command shown in its output.
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- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
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You installed the wrong target
An npm installation gives you the CLI and does not create OpenClaw.app. Conversely, a DMG or Homebrew cask installation gives you the native app and does not replace a separately managed global CLI. Decide which interface you need, then install that target using its matching method.
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- Native app: OpenClaw.app launches from Applications, appears in the menu bar and completes first-run Gateway selection.
- CLI:
openclaw --versionprints a version string from Terminal. - Onboarding: The initial configuration finishes without an error and the selected local or remote Gateway details are saved.
- Runtime: For the CLI path,
node --versionreports a supported Node installation.
These checks distinguish a downloaded application, an installed command and a configured Gateway. Completing only one of them is not the same as completing the whole setup.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install OpenClaw on an older Mac?
The native OpenClaw.app requires macOS 15.0 or later. The CLI has a separate Node requirement; official Node 24 and Node 26 macOS binaries target macOS 13.5 or later, so the command-line path may work on a Mac that cannot run the native app.
Does the installer install Node automatically?
It checks for a supported Node runtime and can install Node 26 through Homebrew when a compatible runtime is missing.
Do I need both the app and the CLI?
No. Install the app for a menu-bar workflow or install the CLI/Gateway for terminal management. They are distinct installation targets.
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Yes. Add --no-onboard to the official installer command, then run the onboarding command printed by the installer when you are ready.
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