OpenClaw Beginner’s Guide 2026: Set Up Your Own 24/7 AI Agent from Scratch

Most AI tools are websites you visit when you need help. OpenClaw works differently — it runs continuously on its own server, stays connected to your apps, and can act without being asked.

Three core pillars:

• Brain and memory — connects to AI models through APIs, remembers every interaction via local Markdown files, and improves over time.
• Always-on operation — runs 24/7 so it can reach out first, schedule tasks, monitor events, and send updates.
• Tools and actions — integrates with Telegram, Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Slack, Discord, and many more services to perform real work.

Previously known as Clawdbot (renamed after Anthropic trademark concerns) and briefly Moltbot before settling on OpenClaw.

What People Actually Use It For

Working setups shared by the community:

• Every morning at 7:00 a.m., review calendar and email, then send a prioritized summary to Telegram.
• When an interview appears on your calendar, automatically build a preparation document with company research.
• Monitor a gym class schedule and book a spot the instant registration opens.
• Draft email replies and wait for your approval before sending.
• Run a nightly code review on open PRs and post findings to Slack.

These are not hypothetical — they are documented in r/openclaw and the official community channels.

Where to Run OpenClaw

For most beginners, VPS is the best path. The rest of this guide uses Hostinger because it offers a one-click OpenClaw template — no terminal or Docker knowledge needed. You can also deploy manually on any VPS provider (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.) using the standard install method.

Deploying on a Hostinger VPS

Hostinger offers a pre-built OpenClaw VPS template that handles Docker, dependencies, and environment setup automatically.

Choosing a plan:

• KVM1 — enough for basic use and a few automations.
• KVM2 (2 CPU cores, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB disk) — comfortable for most setups.
• KVM4 or higher — needed if you plan to run local models via Ollama later.

During checkout:

• Select at least 12 months to access discount coupons (24 months gives the best per-month price).
• Turn off the pre-selected {"ready-to-use AI"} addon — you will add your own model API key to save money.
• Turn on daily auto backups (~$3/month) — critical because OpenClaw can reconfigure itself, and you want a rollback option.
• Pick the server location with the lowest latency for you.

Complete registration and billing.

Initial Configuration

After payment, Hostinger shows the OpenClaw configuration page.

The first field is the OpenClaw gateway token — your master key for accessing the dashboard. Click the eye icon, copy it, and store it in a password manager. Never share it, screenshot it, or leave it in plain text.

Adding Your First AI Model (Anthropic Example)

OpenClaw needs an AI model to function. You connect one via API key.

1. Open the Anthropic Console in a new tab.
2. Create or log into an account.
3. Click Buy credits and add at least $40 (not $5). The $5 minimum keeps you on Tier 1 with rate limits (60,000 tokens/min) that can break initial setup. $40 puts you on Tier 2 (450,000 tokens/min) and lasts a long time with normal use.
4. Under Manage → Limits → Spend limits, set a monthly cap (e.g., $100).
5. Leave auto-reload disabled so the system simply stops if credits run out.
6. Go to API keys → Create key, name it (e.g., {"openclaw"}), copy the key (shown only once), and paste it into the Hostinger configuration field.

You can add OpenAI, Google Gemini, or other provider keys the same way.

Scroll to the bottom and click Deploy.

Logging Into the Dashboard

After deployment completes:

1. In Hostinger, go to VPS → Manage on your Docker instance.
2. Click Open Claw gateway.
3. Paste your saved gateway token to log in.

Note: The URL shows {"Not secure"} (HTTP). Avoid using it on public Wi-Fi. For production use, set up a reverse proxy with HTTPS or use Tailscale for secure remote access.

Your First Conversation — Identity Setup

In the dashboard chat, send a message like: {"Hey, let's get you set up. Read BOOTSTRAP.md and walk me through it."}

This triggers the first-run interview from BOOTSTRAP.md. Answer in detail:

• Who you are (name, role, time zone)
• What to call the bot
• Preferred communication style
• Work priorities and preferences

Be specific. Short answers limit how well the agent understands you. Example for style: {"Be sharp, direct, and dry. No corporate fluff, no filler phrases."}

After the interview, the bot confirms identity is set, locks the first memory entry, and deletes the bootstrap file.

Critical Security Setup

OpenClaw can run terminal commands, access files, browse the web, and send messages. Powerful, but requires strong guardrails.

Before connecting any external services:

1. Open the official security documentation.
2. Copy the full URL.
3. Paste it into the OpenClaw chat and instruct: {"Implement and verify everything on this page, but leave allow_insecure set to true."}
4. Confirm the bot runs the security audit and restarts the gateway.

This hardens the setup automatically. For the full security analysis, see the security section in our OpenClaw review.

Behavioral Guardrails

Tell the bot clearly, one rule at a time:

• {"When sending messages on my behalf, always draft first and get my approval."}
• {"Always ask before deleting files or making network requests."}
• {"If a task fails three times, stop. Limit runtime to 10 minutes unless I say otherwise."}

These rules are saved to workspace files (specifically AGENTS.md). Start small — connect Telegram and a couple of safe skills first. Do not connect primary email, banking, or password managers until you fully trust the system.

Connecting Telegram

In the OpenClaw chat, type: {"Let's set up Telegram."}

The bot asks permission for a network request (your approval gate working). Say yes.

1. Open a chat with @BotFather on Telegram.
2. Send /newbot.
3. Name your bot and choose a unique username ending in bot.
4. Copy the API token BotFather gives you.
5. Paste it back into the OpenClaw chat.
6. Message your new bot on Telegram and copy the pairing code it returns.
7. Paste the pairing code into OpenClaw to add your user ID to the allow-list.

Test by saying {"hello"} in Telegram. The bot now responds on both the dashboard and Telegram.

You can connect 20+ other messaging platforms the same way — WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage (macOS only), and more. Ask the bot for instructions on each.

Installing Skills

Skills are plugins that add real capabilities — read Gmail, check calendar, search the web, manage files.

Two places to find them:

• ClawHub — the official marketplace (currently ~3,200 skills).
• Inside Telegram: type /clawhub.

Security warning: A community scan found malicious instructions in a significant percentage of community skills. Always:

• Check the VirusTotal report on the skill page
• Review requested permissions (e.g., a note-taking skill should not need network access)
• Prefer official or verified skills
• High download count does not mean safe

Google Workspace Skill (GOG)

The most popular first skill — connects Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Contacts, Sheets, and Docs.

1. In Telegram or the dashboard, ask the bot to install the GOG skill.
2. If you are on a VPS (not macOS), tell it: {"I am on a VPS running Ubuntu, not macOS. Walk me through setting up OAuth."}
3. In Google Cloud Console:
   • Create a new project named {"OpenClaw"}
   • Enable APIs: Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets, Docs, People (Contacts)
   • Set up OAuth consent screen: app name {"OpenClaw"}, external audience, add your email as test user
   • Create OAuth client ID (Desktop app type)
   • Download the JSON credentials file
4. Attach the JSON file to a message in Telegram with context: {"I enabled all Google Workspace APIs and configured OAuth. Here is my client secret JSON. Please connect my Google account."}
5. Follow the prompts: open the authorization URL, select your account, accept permissions (the {"unverified app"} warning is expected — you are the developer), and copy the final redirect URL back into chat.

Test it:

• {"Add a meeting with John Smith to my calendar at 12:00 p.m. this Friday for 1 hour."}
• {"What's on my calendar this Wednesday?"}

Understanding Your Workspace Files

Everything the bot knows lives in Markdown files inside the workspace — no database.

Eight files are loaded every session: