Onboarding (macOS app)

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Welcome and security notice

Security trust model:

• By default, OpenClaw is a personal agent: one trusted operator boundary.
• Shared/multi-user setups need lock-down: split trust boundaries, keep tool access minimal, and follow Security.
• Local onboarding defaults new configs to tools.profile: "coding" so fresh setups keep filesystem/runtime tools without the unrestricted full profile.
• If hooks/webhooks or other untrusted content feeds are enabled, use a strong modern model tier and keep strict tool policy/sandboxing.

Local vs Remote

Where does the Gateway run?

• This Mac (Local only): onboarding configures auth and writes credentials locally.
• Remote (over SSH/Tailnet): onboarding does not configure local auth; credentials must already exist on the gateway host. The remote gateway token field stores the token the macOS app uses to connect to that Gateway; existing gateway.remote.token SecretRef values are preserved until you replace them.
• Configure later: skip setup and leave the app unconfigured.

CLI

Local setup installs the global openclaw CLI via npm, pnpm, or bun, preferring npm first. Node remains the recommended runtime for the Gateway itself. Existing compatible installations are reused.

Connect your AI

A connected Gateway that already has a configured agent model skips this page entirely and opens the normal agent UI. OpenClaw and provider setup only run for a fresh or incomplete Gateway.

Once the Gateway is ready, onboarding looks for AI access you already have: a Claude Code or Codex login, OPENAI_API_KEY / ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, or a tool-capable model already installed in a reachable Ollama or LM Studio server. Detection runs on the Gateway host, including when the macOS app connects to a Linux Gateway. The best option is tested with a real completion and only saved after it answers; when a test fails the app automatically tries the next option and shows why the previous one failed. If several options are found you can switch between them before continuing. Automatic local discovery never pulls or downloads a model.

To use a Claude subscription when the Gateway host has no Claude CLI login, run claude setup-token on any machine with Claude Code installed, then paste the printed token as Anthropic setup-token under Connect with an API key or token.

Gemini CLI and Antigravity remain available for normal use after setup. Their installed CLIs are shown for context but are not auto-tested because neither can enforce the tool-free inference probe.

You can also sign in through the provider's own OAuth or device-pairing flow. The built-in choices include OpenAI/ChatGPT, OpenRouter, GitHub Copilot, Google Gemini CLI, xAI, MiniMax Global and CN, and Chutes. The list comes from the Gateway's active text-inference provider plugins rather than a fixed app list, so another provider can opt in without adding provider-specific macOS code.

The manual key/token picker uses the same provider registry. In every route, the provider supplies its starter model and configuration; OpenClaw verifies the credential with the same live test before storing its auth profile. Next remains locked until one backend has passed, so the first agent chat cannot start without working inference. After that live check passes, OpenClaw becomes available to help configure the remaining workspace, Gateway, channels, and other optional features; it is also available later under Settings → OpenClaw.

Permissions

Onboarding requests TCC permissions for: Automation (AppleScript), Notifications, Accessibility, Screen Recording, Microphone, Speech Recognition, Camera, and Location.

Finish

After inference passes, OpenClaw owns the remaining optional setup and can hand you off to the normal agent chat. Finishing the permission walkthrough opens that same chat; the app does not create a workspace or launch a separate agent setup conversation before OpenClaw. See Bootstrapping for what happens on the gateway host during the agent's first real turn.