Where do I get help with OpenClaw?

You can get OpenClaw help through the official documentation, community forums, the ClawHub skill marketplace, or by booking a free consultation with our team at openclaw911.com.

Is OpenClaw hard to set up?

Not at all. Basic setup takes about 15 minutes on any VPS. Our getting started guide walks you through every step, and we offer free consultations if you need hands-on help.

What skills should I install first?

We recommend starting with the weather skill (great for testing), followed by skills relevant to your use case — WordPress management, email handling, or customer support.

OpenClaw Help: Your Complete Getting Started Guide

Welcome to OpenClaw! If you’re here for OpenClaw help, you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through everything from your first installation to advanced configuration — written for beginners, useful for everyone.

What is OpenClaw? (Quick Refresher)

OpenClaw is an AI assistant platform that runs on your own server. Unlike ChatGPT or Claude that live in your browser, OpenClaw lives on your infrastructure, connects to your tools, and maintains persistent memory. It’s free, open-source, and incredibly powerful once you know the basics.

Getting Started: The First 15 Minutes

1. Get a Server

You need a VPS (Virtual Private Server). Any Linux server with 2GB RAM works. Popular options include Hostinger ($4/month), DigitalOcean ($6/month), or Hetzner ($4/month). If you already have a server, even better.

2. Install OpenClaw

SSH into your server and run:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs
sudo npm install -g openclaw
openclaw init

The init wizard will walk you through setting up your admin account, choosing an AI model, and configuring basic settings.

3. Start Your Assistant

openclaw gateway start

That’s it! Your AI assistant is running. Access it at http://your-server-ip:3000.

Having Your First Conversation

Open the web interface and type a message. Try something simple:

“What time is it?”
“What’s the weather in New York?” (with the weather skill installed)
“Help me understand what you can do”

OpenClaw will respond using the AI model you configured. The more context you give, the better the responses.

Installing Your First Skills

Skills are what make OpenClaw powerful. They’re like apps for your AI assistant. Browse and install from ClawHub:

openclaw skill search weather
openclaw skill install weather

openclaw skill search wordpress
openclaw skill install wordpress-pro

Each skill comes with documentation. After installation, the AI automatically knows how to use the skill’s capabilities.

Configuring Communication Channels

Web Chat (Default)

The web interface works out of the box. Point a domain to your server for a professional URL.

Connect your WhatsApp Business account to let customers and team members chat with your AI assistant through WhatsApp. Configuration is available in the OpenClaw settings.

Email

Set up email integration to receive and send messages through your AI assistant. Useful for support ticket handling and async communication.

Understanding OpenClaw Memory

One of OpenClaw’s most powerful features is persistent memory. Here’s how it works:

Session memory: Context within a single conversation
Memory files: Persistent notes that carry across sessions (stored in memory/)
Skills context: Instructions from installed skills that guide the AI’s behavior
Workspace files: Documents and data in your workspace that the AI can reference

You can ask OpenClaw to remember things: “Remember that my primary contact email is tony@company.com.” It stores this for future sessions.

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

“My AI isn’t responding”

Check your API key configuration: openclaw config show. Ensure your AI model API key is valid and has credits.

“I can’t access the web interface”

Verify the gateway is running: openclaw gateway status. Check your firewall allows port 3000: sudo ufw allow 3000.

“How do I update OpenClaw?”

sudo npm update -g openclaw
openclaw gateway restart

“How do I back up my OpenClaw data?”

Your data lives in ~/.openclaw/. Back up this directory regularly:

tar -czf openclaw-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz ~/.openclaw/

Where to Get More Help

Official docs: Built into OpenClaw with openclaw help
ClawHub: Skill marketplace with documentation for each skill
Community: Forums and discussion channels for user support
Our team: Book a free consultation for hands-on help

Ready to Transform Your Workflow?

OpenClaw is free to start — no credit card required. Experience the power of a true AI assistant that works alongside you, not just for you.

Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation and let us show you what OpenClaw can do for your business.