How to Install OpenClaw (formerly ClawdBot/Moltbot) on Windows

OpenClaw (formerly known as ClawdBot or Moltbot) is a powerful automation bot that helps streamline your workflow on Windows. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the complete installation process on Windows 10 and Windows 11, from prerequisites to advanced configuration.

Prerequisites

Before installing ClawdBot, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

• Windows 10 (version 1909 or later) or Windows 11
• Python 3.8 or higher
• Git for Windows
• At least 2GB of free disk space
• Administrator access for system-wide installation
• PowerShell 5.1 or later (included in Windows 10/11)

Step 1: Install Python for Windows

Download and install Python from the official website:

1. Visit python.org/downloads
2. Download Python 3.11 or later (64-bit version recommended)
3. Run the installer

Important: During installation, make sure to check:

• ✅ "Add Python to PATH" (very important!)
• ✅ "Install pip"

Verify the installation by opening PowerShell and running:

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python --version
pip --version

If you see version numbers, Python is correctly installed.

Step 2: Install Git for Windows

ClawdBot requires Git to download and update the repository.

1. Download Git from git-scm.com
2. Run the installer with default options
3. Choose "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software"

Verify Git installation:

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git --version

Step 3: Install Visual C++ Build Tools (If Needed)

Some Python packages require compilation tools. Install Visual C++ Build Tools:

1. Download from visualstudio.microsoft.com
2. Run the installer
3. Select "Desktop development with C++"
4. Click Install (this may take 10-15 minutes)

Alternatively, for a lighter installation:

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# Using Chocolatey (if installed)
choco install visualcpp-build-tools -y

Step 4: Clone the ClawdBot Repository

Open PowerShell and navigate to your desired installation directory:

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cd $HOME\Documents
git clone https://github.com/clawdbot/moltbot.git
cd moltbot

Note: Replace the repository URL with the actual ClawdBot/Moltbot repository if different.

Step 5: Create a Virtual Environment

It's best practice to use a virtual environment for Python projects:

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python -m venv venv
.\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

If you encounter an execution policy error:

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Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
.\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

Your prompt should now show (venv) indicating the virtual environment is active.

Step 6: Install ClawdBot

With the virtual environment activated, install ClawdBot and its dependencies:

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python -m pip install --upgrade pip
pip install -r requirements.txt

If ClawdBot is available on PyPI:

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pip install clawdbot

Step 7: Configure ClawdBot

Create a configuration directory:

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New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path "$HOME\.clawdbot"
Copy-Item config.example.yml "$HOME\.clawdbot\config.yml"

Edit the configuration file with Notepad or your preferred editor:

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notepad "$HOME\.clawdbot\config.yml"

Update the following settings:

• API keys (if required)
• Bot preferences and automation rules
• Notification settings
• Log file locations (use Windows paths like C:\Users\YourName\...)

Step 8: Verify Installation

Test that ClawdBot is properly installed:

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clawdbot --version

Run a test command:

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clawdbot test

Step 9: Set Up Auto-Start with Task Scheduler

To have ClawdBot start automatically when you log in, create a scheduled task:

Method 1: Using Task Scheduler GUI

1. Press Win + R, type taskschd.msc, and press Enter

2. Click "Create Task" in the right panel

3. General Tab:

   • Name: ClawdBot
   • Description: Runs ClawdBot automation service
   • Check "Run whether user is logged on or not"
   • Check "Run with highest privileges"

4. Triggers Tab:

   • Click "New"
   • Begin the task: "At log on"
   • Specific user: Your username
   • Click OK

5. Actions Tab:

   • Click "New"
   • Action: "Start a program"
   • Program: C:\Users\YourName\Documents\moltbot\venv\Scripts\python.exe
   • Arguments: -m clawdbot start
   • Start in: C:\Users\YourName\Documents\moltbot
   • Click OK

6. Conditions Tab:

   • Uncheck "Start the task only if the computer is on AC power"

7. Click OK to save the task

Method 2: Using PowerShell

Create a scheduled task with PowerShell:

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$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "$HOME\Documents\moltbot\venv\Scripts\python.exe" `
  -Argument "-m clawdbot start" `
  -WorkingDirectory "$HOME\Documents\moltbot"

$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -AtLogOn

$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId "$env:USERNAME" -LogonType Interactive -RunLevel Highest

$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries

Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "ClawdBot" `
  -Action $action `
  -Trigger $trigger `
  -Principal $principal `
  -Settings $settings `
  -Description "ClawdBot Automation Service"

Step 10: Configure Windows Firewall (If Needed)

If ClawdBot requires network access, add a firewall rule:

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New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "ClawdBot" `
  -Direction Inbound `
  -Protocol TCP `
  -LocalPort 8080 `
  -Action Allow

Troubleshooting

Issue: "Python is not recognized"

If Windows can't find Python:

1. Search for "Environment Variables" in Windows
2. Click "Environment Variables"
3. Under "System Variables", find "Path"
4. Click "Edit" and add:
   • C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\
   • C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Scripts\

Restart PowerShell after making changes.

Issue: PowerShell Execution Policy Error

If you can't activate the virtual environment:

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Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Issue: SSL Certificate Errors

If you encounter SSL errors:

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pip install --upgrade certifi
python -m certifi

Issue: Module Not Found

Ensure your virtual environment is activated:

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cd $HOME\Documents\moltbot
.\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
pip install -r requirements.txt

Issue: Permission Denied

Run PowerShell as Administrator:

1. Right-click PowerShell icon
2. Select "Run as Administrator"
3. Navigate to your ClawdBot directory and retry

Issue: Long Path Error

Windows has a 260-character path limit. Enable long paths:

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# Run as Administrator
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" `
  -Name "LongPathsEnabled" -Value 1 -PropertyType DWORD -Force

Restart your computer for changes to take effect.

Issue: Antivirus Blocking ClawdBot

Some antivirus software may flag Python scripts. Add an exception:

Windows Defender:

1. Open Windows Security
2. Go to "Virus & threat protection"
3. Click "Manage settings"
4. Scroll to "Exclusions" and click "Add or remove exclusions"
5. Add folder: C:\Users\YourName\Documents\moltbot

Issue: Dependencies Compilation Fails

If pip fails to build packages:

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# Install pre-compiled wheels
pip install --only-binary :all: package-name

# Or install Visual C++ Build Tools as mentioned in Step 3

Updating ClawdBot

To update ClawdBot to the latest version:

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cd $HOME\Documents\moltbot
.\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
git pull origin main
pip install --upgrade -r requirements.txt

If using Task Scheduler, the scheduled task will automatically use the updated version.

Uninstalling ClawdBot

If you need to uninstall ClawdBot:

1. Stop any running ClawdBot processes:

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Get-Process python | Where-Object {$_.Path -like "*moltbot*"} | Stop-Process

2. Remove the scheduled task:

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Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName "ClawdBot" -Confirm:$false

3. Remove the installation directory:

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Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$HOME\Documents\moltbot"

4. Remove configuration files:

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Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$HOME\.clawdbot"

5. (Optional) Uninstall Python if not needed elsewhere

Running ClawdBot Manually

To run ClawdBot manually instead of auto-start:

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cd $HOME\Documents\moltbot
.\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
clawdbot start

To run in the background:

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Start-Process -NoNewWindow -FilePath "$HOME\Documents\moltbot\venv\Scripts\python.exe" `
  -ArgumentList "-m clawdbot start"

Advanced Configuration

Running as a Windows Service

For production environments, run ClawdBot as a Windows Service using NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager):

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# Download NSSM
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://nssm.cc/release/nssm-2.24.zip" -OutFile "$HOME\Downloads\nssm.zip"
Expand-Archive "$HOME\Downloads\nssm.zip" -DestinationPath "$HOME\Downloads\nssm"

# Install service
.\nssm.exe install ClawdBot "$HOME\Documents\moltbot\venv\Scripts\python.exe" "-m clawdbot start"
.\nssm.exe set ClawdBot AppDirectory "$HOME\Documents\moltbot"
.\nssm.exe start ClawdBot

Setting Up Logging

Configure ClawdBot to log to a file:

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# In config.yml
logging:
  level: INFO
  file: C:\Users\YourName\Documents\moltbot\logs\clawdbot.log

View logs:

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Get-Content "$HOME\Documents\moltbot\logs\clawdbot.log" -Wait -Tail 50

Using Windows Terminal

For a better experience, consider using Windows Terminal:

1. Install from Microsoft Store
2. Configure PowerShell profile:

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notepad $PROFILE

3. Add ClawdBot alias:

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function Start-ClawdBot {
    cd "$HOME\Documents\moltbot"
    .\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
    clawdbot start
}
Set-Alias clawdbot Start-ClawdBot

Conclusion

You now have ClawdBot (Moltbot) successfully installed and configured on your Windows system. The bot is set to start automatically on login and will help automate your daily workflows.

For further assistance:

• Official documentation: docs.clawdbot.io
• Windows-specific issues: GitHub Issues
• Community support: Discord server

Enjoy automated productivity on Windows!