Windows

How to install OpenClaw on Windows without making it harder than it needs to be

The official documentation recommends using OpenClaw on Windows through WSL2. That avoids many native setup incompatibilities and keeps the flow closer to the Linux environment most docs assume.

Recommended route: WSL2

If you start from zero, install WSL2 with Ubuntu and work inside that shell. Then run the official script:

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
openclaw dashboard

Alternative route: native PowerShell

If you want to test the native Windows setup, the official PowerShell command is:

It can work for quick tests, but WSL2 remains the more reliable choice for real usage.

iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Right after installation

Run guided onboarding.
Open the dashboard to test chat and UI control.
If something looks wrong, move into a cleaner WSL2 setup instead of stacking workarounds in PowerShell.