Introduction

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant that runs locally on your device, bridging messaging platforms (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, iMessage, and others) to AI coding agents through a centralized gateway. This keeps your conversations and code completely private.

Why Install Locally with Ollama?

  • 100% Local Execution: No API costs - everything runs on your machine
  • Complete Privacy: Your data never leaves your computer
  • Full Control: Choose your models and customize your experience
  • Offline Capable: Works without internet connection after setup
  • Cost Effective: No subscription fees or usage limits

What You'll Learn

This guide will walk you through:

  1. Installing Ollama on your system
  2. Installing OpenClaw
  3. Setting up compatible AI models
  4. Configuring WhatsApp integration
  5. Troubleshooting common issues

Prerequisites

System Requirements

  • Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows
  • RAM: Minimum 8GB (16GB+ recommended for larger models)
  • Storage: At least 10GB free space for models
  • Internet connection: Required for initial installation and model downloads

Required Software

  • Node.js (v16 or higher) - for npm installation method
  • Terminal/Command Prompt access
  • WhatsApp account (for WhatsApp integration)
Note: Make sure you have administrator/sudo access on your system for installation.

Installing Ollama

Choose Your Platform

macOS Installation

Install Ollama on macOS using one of these methods:

Method 1: Official Installer
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh
Method 2: Homebrew
brew install ollama
Start Ollama Service
ollama serve

Linux Installation

Install Ollama on Linux:

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh
Start Ollama Service
ollama serve
Note: On Linux, you may need to add your user to the appropriate group or configure systemd service for automatic startup.

Windows Installation

Install Ollama on Windows:

Method 1: Official Installer

Download and run the installer from ollama.com/download

Method 2: PowerShell
winget install Ollama.Ollama
Start Ollama Service

Ollama should start automatically on Windows. If not, run:

ollama serve

Verify Ollama Installation

Test that Ollama is installed and running correctly:

ollama --version

You should see the version number. If you get a "command not found" error, make sure Ollama is in your PATH or restart your terminal.

Installing OpenClaw

Installation Methods

You can install OpenClaw using either npm or the official installer scripts.

Method 1: npm Installation (Recommended)

npm install -g openclaw@latest

Method 2: Official Installer Scripts

macOS/Linux Installer
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
Windows Installer (PowerShell)
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Post-Installation Setup

After installation, run the onboarding wizard to configure OpenClaw:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

This will guide you through the initial configuration and install the daemon service.

Success! If the installation completed without errors, you're ready to proceed to model setup.

Verify OpenClaw Installation

Check that OpenClaw is installed correctly:

openclaw --version

Model Setup

Model Requirements

OpenClaw requires models with a context length of at least 64k tokens. This ensures the AI can handle complex coding tasks and maintain context throughout conversations.

Important: Models with smaller context windows may not work properly with OpenClaw.

Recommended Models

Here are the recommended models for OpenClaw, optimized for different use cases:

For Coding Tasks

  • qwen3-coder - Optimized specifically for coding tasks
ollama pull qwen3-coder

General Purpose Models

  • glm-4.7 - Strong general-purpose model with excellent performance
  • glm-4.7-flash - Faster version with balanced performance
ollama pull glm-4.7
ollama pull glm-4.7-flash

High-Performance Models

  • gpt-oss:20b - Balanced performance and capability
  • gpt-oss:120b - Maximum capability (requires significant RAM)
ollama pull gpt-oss:20b
# or for maximum performance (requires 64GB+ RAM):
ollama pull gpt-oss:120b
Tip: Start with glm-4.7-flash for a good balance of speed and performance. You can always switch models later.

Launching OpenClaw with Ollama

Once you have Ollama running and a model downloaded, launch OpenClaw:

Option 1: Launch and Start Immediately

ollama launch openclaw

Option 2: Configure Without Starting

ollama launch openclaw --config

Set Ollama API Key

Configure the Ollama provider by setting the API key:

export OLLAMA_API_KEY="ollama-local"
Note for Windows: Use set OLLAMA_API_KEY=ollama-local in Command Prompt or $env:OLLAMA_API_KEY="ollama-local" in PowerShell.

Verify Model Setup

Check that your model is available:

ollama list

You should see your downloaded models listed. Test a model:

ollama run glm-4.7 "Hello, can you help me with coding?"

WhatsApp Integration Setup

Prerequisites

  • OpenClaw installed and running
  • Ollama configured with a compatible model
  • WhatsApp account (mobile or web)
  • OpenClaw web interface accessible

Step-by-Step WhatsApp Integration

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Step 1: Access OpenClaw Configuration

Open your web browser and navigate to the OpenClaw configuration interface. This is typically available at:

  • http://localhost:3000 (default)
  • Or the URL provided during installation

Step 2: Navigate to Messaging Channels

In the OpenClaw interface, find the "Messaging Channels" or "Integrations" section. Look for WhatsApp in the list of available platforms.

Step 3: Connect WhatsApp

Click on the WhatsApp integration option. You'll be prompted to:

  1. Scan a QR code with your WhatsApp mobile app
  2. Or connect using WhatsApp Web
Important: Make sure your phone has an active internet connection and WhatsApp is updated to the latest version.

Step 4: Verify Connection

Once connected, you should see a confirmation message. Test the connection by sending a message to your WhatsApp number from another device, or send a test message to yourself.

Configuration Options

After connecting WhatsApp, you can configure:

  • Auto-reply settings: Configure when OpenClaw should respond
  • Model selection: Choose which Ollama model to use for WhatsApp conversations
  • Response preferences: Set response style and behavior
  • Privacy settings: Control data handling and storage

Testing Your Setup

To verify everything is working:

  1. Send a message to your connected WhatsApp number
  2. Wait for OpenClaw to process and respond
  3. Try asking a coding question or requesting help
  4. Check the OpenClaw logs if there are any issues
# Check OpenClaw logs (if running as service)
openclaw logs

# Or check system logs
journalctl -u openclaw  # Linux
# Check Console.app on macOS
# Check Event Viewer on Windows

Usage Examples

Once set up, you can interact with OpenClaw via WhatsApp:

Example Messages:
  • "Help me write a Python function to sort a list"
  • "Explain how async/await works in JavaScript"
  • "Create a REST API endpoint in Node.js"
  • "Debug this code: [paste code]"

Troubleshooting

Common Installation Issues

OpenClaw command not found

Solution:

  • Make sure Node.js and npm are installed: node --version and npm --version
  • Restart your terminal after installation
  • Check if OpenClaw is in your PATH: which openclaw (Linux/macOS) or where openclaw (Windows)
  • Reinstall if necessary: npm uninstall -g openclaw then npm install -g openclaw@latest

Permission denied errors

Solution:

  • Use sudo on Linux/macOS: sudo npm install -g openclaw@latest
  • Run terminal as Administrator on Windows
  • Or configure npm to use a different directory: npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global

Installation script fails

Solution:

  • Check your internet connection
  • Verify the script URL is accessible
  • Try the npm installation method instead
  • Check system logs for specific error messages

Ollama Connection Problems

Ollama service not running

Solution:

  • Start Ollama: ollama serve
  • Check if it's running: curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
  • On Linux, check systemd: systemctl status ollama
  • On macOS, check if it's running in the background

Cannot connect to Ollama API

Solution:

  • Verify Ollama is running on the default port (11434)
  • Check firewall settings
  • Verify OLLAMA_API_KEY is set correctly
  • Test connection: curl http://localhost:11434/api/version

Model download fails or is slow

Solution:

  • Check your internet connection speed
  • Large models (120b) can take hours to download
  • Try a smaller model first (glm-4.7-flash)
  • Check available disk space: df -h (Linux/macOS)
  • Verify Ollama has write permissions to its data directory

WhatsApp Connection Issues

QR code not appearing or expired

Solution:

  • Refresh the OpenClaw configuration page
  • Generate a new QR code
  • Make sure you scan within 60 seconds
  • Check that OpenClaw service is running

WhatsApp messages not being received

Solution:

  • Verify WhatsApp connection status in OpenClaw dashboard
  • Check OpenClaw logs for errors
  • Restart OpenClaw service
  • Reconnect WhatsApp if necessary
  • Ensure your phone has internet connection

OpenClaw not responding to messages

Solution:

  • Check if Ollama is running and accessible
  • Verify the model is loaded: ollama list
  • Check OpenClaw configuration for correct model selection
  • Review OpenClaw logs for error messages
  • Test Ollama directly: ollama run glm-4.7 "test"

Model Loading Errors

Out of memory errors

Solution:

  • Use a smaller model (glm-4.7-flash instead of gpt-oss:120b)
  • Close other applications to free up RAM
  • Check available memory: free -h (Linux) or Activity Monitor (macOS)
  • Consider upgrading your system RAM

Model context window too small

Solution:

  • Verify you're using a model with 64k+ context window
  • Check model specifications: ollama show [model-name]
  • Switch to a recommended model from the list above

Performance Optimization Tips

  • Use flash models: Models with "-flash" suffix are faster and use less memory
  • Close unnecessary applications: Free up RAM for better model performance
  • Use SSD storage: Faster disk I/O improves model loading times
  • Monitor system resources: Use system monitoring tools to identify bottlenecks
  • Update regularly: Keep Ollama and OpenClaw updated to the latest versions

Getting Additional Help

If you're still experiencing issues: