About This Guide: Getting OpenClaw running involves more than just installation. This Q&A covers the full suite of setup and monitoring commands: openclaw onboard, the dashboard UI, openclaw status, openclaw logs, openclaw health, openclaw message send, environment variables, and the update command. Every flag explained with real examples.
The openclaw onboard Command
Q
What does openclaw onboard do?
openclaw onboard is the interactive CLI wizard that guides you through the complete OpenClaw setup: auth configuration, gateway settings, and optional channel connections. It's the recommended starting point for all new users.
# Recommended: onboard + install daemon
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
# Just run the wizard (no daemon install)
openclaw onboard
The wizard installs the gateway daemon (launchd/systemd) so it stays running after you close the terminal. Without --install-daemon, the gateway stops when you exit.
Q What does the onboarding wizard configure step by step?
The wizard is interactive and walks you through each step. Here's what it configures:
Auth Configuration
Set up Anthropic Pro/Max (OAuth) or API key. Optionally configure OpenAI, Google Gemini, DeepSeek.
Gateway Settings
Configure port, bind mode, auth token, and reload mode.
Channel Setup (Optional)
Connect WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, or other channels.
Skills Setup
Optionally install bundled skills (browser, calendar, etc.).
Daemon Install (if --install-daemon)
Creates launchd (macOS) or systemd (Linux) service for always-on operation.
Q How do I install OpenClaw before running onboard?
The recommended one-liner installs OpenClaw and runs the setup wizard in one step. Requires Node.js 22 or newer.
# macOS / Linux: one-liner install
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
# Windows (PowerShell)
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex
# Or install via npm
npm install -g openclaw@latest
# Or via pnpm
pnpm add -g openclaw@latest
# Then run onboarding wizard
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
The openclaw dashboard Command
Q
What is openclaw dashboard and how do I access it?
openclaw dashboard opens the Control UI in your browser. The Control UI is served directly from the Gateway at http://127.0.0.1:18789/. It lets you chat with your assistant, manage settings, and view channel status — no channel setup required for basic chat.
# Open Control UI in your default browser
openclaw dashboard
# Or access directly in browser:
http://127.0.0.1:18789/
# Remote gateway? Access via SSH tunnel:
ssh -N -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 user@remote-host
# Then open: http://127.0.0.1:18789/
Status & Health Commands
Q
What's the difference between openclaw status and openclaw health?
These two commands serve different purposes in monitoring your OpenClaw installation:
| Command | What It Checks | Use When |
|---|---|---|
| openclaw status | Same as gateway status — checks if the gateway service is running | Quick check: is the gateway alive? |
| openclaw gateway status | Full service status: Runtime, RPC probe, service state | Detailed gateway state check |
| openclaw health | Readiness probe: sends a health request to the gateway WS | Is the gateway ready to serve requests? |
| openclaw doctor | Full audit: service drift, security policies, channel health, migrations | Comprehensive diagnostic |
# Quick status
openclaw status
# or:
openclaw gateway status
# Readiness check
openclaw health
# Full diagnostic
openclaw doctor
# Deep status with more detail
openclaw gateway status --deep
# JSON output for scripting
openclaw gateway status --json
Q What does a healthy openclaw status output look like?
A healthy gateway shows two key indicators: Runtime: running and RPC probe: ok. If either is missing, investigate with openclaw doctor.
✅ Healthy Output
Gateway Status
──────────────
Runtime: running
RPC probe: ok
Port: 18789
Uptime: 3h 24m
Channels: 3 connected
❌ Unhealthy Output
Gateway Status
──────────────
Runtime: stopped
RPC probe: failed
Port: 18789
→ Run: openclaw doctor
→ Run: openclaw gateway start
The openclaw logs Command
Q How do I view and stream gateway logs?
openclaw logs --follow tails live gateway logs. This is essential for debugging connection issues, channel errors, and agent run failures.
# Stream live logs (Ctrl+C to stop)
openclaw logs --follow
# View recent logs without streaming
openclaw logs
# What to look for in logs:
# ✓ "gateway started" — gateway is up
# ✓ "channel connected" — channel is active
# ✗ "EADDRINUSE" — port conflict
# ✗ "auth error" — invalid API key
# ✗ "channel disconnected" — channel dropped
The openclaw message send Command
Q How do I send a test message from the CLI?
openclaw message send sends a message from the CLI to a specified target. Useful for testing channel connectivity and sending automated messages.
# Basic syntax
openclaw message send --target <address> --message "<text>"
# Send to WhatsApp phone number
openclaw message send --target +15555550123 --message "Hello from OpenClaw"
# Send to Telegram chat ID
openclaw message send --target telegram:123456789 --message "Test message"
# Send to Discord channel
openclaw message send --target discord:channel:987654321 --message "Bot test"
# Old syntax (also works)
openclaw message send --to +15555550123 --message "Hello"
openclaw message send requires a configured and connected channel. Run openclaw channels status --probe first to verify your channel is active.
Q How do I check channel status before sending?
Always verify channel readiness before sending messages. Use openclaw channels status to check connectivity.
# Check channel status
openclaw channels status
# Check with connectivity probe (slower but more accurate)
openclaw channels status --probe
# Example healthy output:
whatsapp: connected ✓
telegram: connected ✓
discord: disconnected ✗
The openclaw update Command
Q How do I update OpenClaw and switch between release channels?
OpenClaw has three release channels: stable (recommended), beta, and dev. Use openclaw update to update and switch channels.
# Update to latest stable (recommended)
openclaw update --channel stable
# Switch to beta for early features
openclaw update --channel beta
# Switch to dev (moving HEAD, may be unstable)
openclaw update --channel dev
# After any update, run doctor to check for issues
openclaw doctor
| Channel | npm dist-tag | Stability | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| stable | latest | ✅ Stable | Production use |
| beta | beta | ⚠ Beta | Early adopters |
| dev | dev | 🔴 Unstable | Development only |
Complete Environment Variable Reference
Q What are all the supported environment variables?
| Variable | Purpose | Default |
|---|---|---|
| OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH | Override config file path | ~/.openclaw/config.json5 |
| OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR | Override state directory | ~/.openclaw/ |
| OPENCLAW_HOME | Home dir for path resolution | System home dir |
| OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT | Override gateway port | 18789 |
| OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN | Gateway auth token | — |
| OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PASSWORD | Gateway auth password | — |
| OPENCLAW_SKIP_CRON | Set to 1 to disable cron | — |
| OPENCLAW_SKIP_RELOAD | Set to 1 to disable hot reload | — |
# Example: run as a service account with custom paths
OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH=/etc/openclaw/config.json5 \
OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR=/var/lib/openclaw \
OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN="secure-token-here" \
openclaw gateway --port 18789
Quick Setup Command Reference
# ─── Step 1: Install ───
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
# ─── Step 2: Onboard ───
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
# ─── Step 3: Verify ───
openclaw gateway status # check service
openclaw health # readiness probe
openclaw doctor # full audit
# ─── Step 4: Access UI ───
openclaw dashboard # open Control UI
# ─── Step 5: Test message ───
openclaw message send --target +15555550123 --message "Hello!"
# ─── Step 6: Monitor ───
openclaw logs --follow # stream live logs
openclaw channels status --probe # check channels
Best VPN for OpenClaw Setup & Onboarding
VPN07 — Best for OpenClaw Setup
The openclaw onboard wizard connects to Anthropic, OpenAI, and other AI APIs. In regions where these APIs are restricted, VPN07's 1000Mbps network across 70+ countries ensures flawless onboarding. 10 years of proven uptime, strict no-logs policy, just $1.5/month.
2. CyberGhost
7.0/10Decent for basic use but inconsistent performance on API routes. Higher latency during onboarding wizard auth flows compared to VPN07.
3. Windscribe
6.5/10Free tier is too slow for AI API calls during setup. Paid plan is better but lacks the 1000Mbps throughput needed for high-volume OpenClaw agent runs.
Related Articles
OpenClaw Gateway Commands 2026: Operator Q&A
Deep dive into all gateway commands: start, stop, restart, port config, and remote access.
Read More → Agent GuideOpenClaw Agent Commands 2026: Thinking & Sessions Q&A
Master every openclaw agent flag: thinking levels, deliver, sessions, local mode.
Read More →Speed Up Your OpenClaw Setup with VPN07
Fast onboarding, reliable API auth, zero restrictions on AI endpoints. VPN07's 1000Mbps network across 70+ countries makes the openclaw onboard wizard run flawlessly — even from restricted regions. 10 years of uptime, just $1.5/month.