How to Use the OpenClaw Onboarding Wizard

OpenClaw onboarding is the setup path I recommend when you want a working assistant before you start debating every config key. The wizard handles the boring but important pieces: model auth, workspace location, Gateway settings, channels, daemon install, health check, and skills. That matters because OpenClaw is not just a CLI toy; it is a Gateway plus channels plus files plus tool policy. Starting from the wizard gives you a known-good baseline.

When this is the right move

Use onboarding for first installs, recovering a half-configured machine, adding a new agent, or moving from a manual experiment into a daemon-backed daily setup. The docs say QuickStart uses local loopback defaults, port 18789, token auth, sensible tool policy defaults, and DM isolation defaults. Advanced mode is for operators who already know they need remote mode, specific channel choices, custom workspaces, Tailscale exposure, or explicit skill selection.

The practical workflow

1. Install OpenClaw with the documented installer or package path, then confirm Node is current enough for your platform. Node 24 is recommended in current docs, with Node 22.16+ supported by the package README.
2. Run onboarding from a terminal. Use the daemon flag when this machine should keep the Gateway running after the terminal closes.
3. Pick model/auth options in the wizard. The official flow supports API keys, OAuth-style provider auth where available, and custom provider paths; do not paste secrets into random config snippets when the wizard can store them safely.
4. Let the wizard seed or reuse the workspace. This is where your AGENTS.md, SOUL.md, TOOLS.md, and other prompt files live, so treat the path as operational state, not a scratch directory.
5. Finish with the health check, open the dashboard, and only then add channels. If the wizard reports legacy config problems, follow the prompt and run doctor before trying to debug the symptom by hand.

Grounded command or config pattern

The documented first-run command is intentionally short. The daemon flag asks OpenClaw to install the per-user service for your OS so the Gateway survives restarts.

openclaw onboard --install-daemon
openclaw gateway status
openclaw dashboard

For later changes, use openclaw configure or openclaw config --section model, --section gateway, --section daemon, --section channels, and similar focused sections. To add a separate agent, the onboarding docs point to openclaw agents add <name>, which creates its own workspace and routing-ready agent entry instead of overloading main.

Operator notes

The subtle win is that onboarding writes compatible config and wizard metadata together. Hand-editing openclaw.json is fine once you know the schema, but first-run setup has enough moving pieces that a guided flow saves real time. It also helps avoid stale legacy keys that make other commands refuse to run until doctor migrates them.

Rollout approach

For use the openclaw onboarding wizard, I would make the first pass deliberately small: one owner, one machine or channel, one visible test, and one rollback path. OpenClaw features become powerful when they connect to real tools and real messages, so the safest rollout is not a giant configuration day. It is a short rehearsal that proves the docs-grounded path works in your exact workspace before you depend on it while busy.

Common mistake

The common mistake is treating the command as the whole feature. The command starts the workflow, but the surrounding state is what keeps it reliable: config validation, auth, pairing, permissions, logs, and a tiny verification step. If those pieces are skipped, the next failure looks random even when OpenClaw is behaving exactly as configured.

Maintenance rhythm

Once this is working, write down the exact command, config path, or approval decision you used. Future you will not remember the tiny detail that made the setup safe. A small note in the workspace or runbook is cheaper than rediscovering the same behavior during an outage, especially after updates or machine changes.

Safety checks

Do not use reset casually. The docs are clear that re-running onboarding is safe unless you explicitly choose reset, but reset scopes can include config, credentials, sessions, and, with full scope, workspace state. If you are setting up a remote connection, remember remote mode configures the local client; it does not install or change the remote host for you.

How to verify it worked

A clean setup has three signs: openclaw gateway status shows a running Gateway, openclaw dashboard opens the Control UI, and a browser chat can get a reply. After that, connect one channel at a time and keep DM pairing enabled until you are sure the right people can reach the agent.

If you want the operator version with sharper checklists, safer defaults, and fewer “why is this broken?” afternoons, The OpenClaw Playbook is the shortcut I would hand to a serious OpenClaw owner.