OpenClaw on Windows: WSL2 vs Native Setup Guide (2026) | OpenClaw DC

OpenClaw runs on Windows through WSL2 (recommended) or natively with some limitations. WSL2 gives you the full Linux experience including Docker support. Native Windows works for basic setups but misses some features. If you want the fastest, most reliable path to a working OpenClaw install on Windows 10 or Windows 11, WSL2 is the way to go. If you need a lightweight setup and can live without Docker-based tools, native Windows will get you there with fewer moving parts.

New to OpenClaw? Start with the install guide for the general overview, then come back here for Windows-specific details.

Option 1: WSL2 Setup (Recommended)

WSL2 runs a real Linux kernel inside Windows. OpenClaw treats it exactly like a Linux machine, which means every feature works out of the box. Here is the full setup from scratch.

Step 1: Enable WSL2

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

wsl --install

This installs WSL2 with Ubuntu by default. Restart your machine when prompted. After reboot, the Ubuntu terminal opens automatically and asks you to create a username and password.

Step 2: Update packages and install Node.js

Inside your WSL2 Ubuntu terminal:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Verify the version:

node --version

You need Node 24 (recommended) or Node 22.16+.

Step 3: Install OpenClaw

Run the official installer script:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Then complete onboarding:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Step 4: Set up Docker (optional but recommended)

Install Docker Desktop for Windows and enable the WSL2 backend in Settings > Resources > WSL Integration. This lets OpenClaw use Docker containers for sandboxed tool execution directly from your WSL2 environment.

Verify Docker works inside WSL2:

docker run hello-world

That is it. OpenClaw is now running inside WSL2 with full feature parity to macOS and Linux.

Option 2: Native Windows Setup

If you prefer to skip WSL2 entirely, OpenClaw can run directly on Windows. This path is simpler to set up but comes with trade-offs.

Step 1: Install Node.js

Download and install Node.js 24 from nodejs.org. Use the Windows installer (.msi). After installation, open a new PowerShell or Command Prompt window and confirm:

node --version
npm --version

Step 2: Install OpenClaw via npm

npm install -g openclaw

Step 3: Run onboarding

openclaw onboard

Note that the --install-daemon flag is not supported on native Windows. Background daemon functionality requires WSL2.

What works natively

• Core chat and agent interactions
• File management and code editing tools
• Web browsing and API calls
• Model provider connections (Anthropic, OpenAI, local models)
• The built-in Control UI web dashboard

What does not work natively

• Docker-based sandboxed tool execution
• Background daemon mode
• Some shell-based tools that expect a POSIX environment
• The official installer script (use npm instead)

WSL2 vs Native: Comparison Table

Common Windows Errors and Fixes

PATH not recognized after npm install

If you get “openclaw is not recognized as a command” after installing with npm, your global npm bin directory is not in your PATH.

Find it with:

npm prefix -g

Then add the result (with \bin appended) to your system PATH through Settings > System > About > Advanced System Settings > Environment Variables. For WSL2 users, add this to your ~/.bashrc:

export PATH="$(npm prefix -g)/bin:$PATH"

Wrong Node version

OpenClaw requires Node 22.16+ and recommends Node 24. If you have an older version, uninstall it and grab Node 24 from nodejs.org or use nvm-windows to manage versions:

nvm install 24
nvm use 24

sharp / libvips build errors

The sharp image processing library depends on libvips, which can fail to compile on native Windows. Two fixes:

1. Install Visual Studio Build Tools with the “Desktop development with C++” workload, then run npm install again.
2. Switch to WSL2, where libvips installs cleanly: sudo apt install -y libvips-dev

This is one of the most common reasons people move from native Windows to WSL2.

Permission errors in WSL2

If you get EACCES errors when installing global npm packages inside WSL2, avoid using sudo npm install -g. Instead, configure npm to use a local directory:

mkdir -p ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Windows Defender slowing things down

Windows Defender real-time scanning can slow down Node.js and npm operations significantly. Add your WSL2 file system path and your project directories to the exclusion list in Windows Security > Virus and Threat Protection > Manage Settings > Exclusions.

Windows Companion App

Once OpenClaw is running (through either WSL2 or native), the OpenClaw Windows Companion adds a native Windows layer on top. It is a free, open-source suite that includes a WinUI 3 system tray app and a PowerToys Command Palette extension.

The tray app gives you quick access to your agent from anywhere on your desktop. Send messages using the global hotkey (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C), view real-time session data, and toggle Node Mode to let OpenClaw control your Windows machine directly.

It supports Windows 10 (20H2+) and Windows 11. You need .NET 10.0 SDK and WebView2 Runtime installed. See the full breakdown in our desktop apps comparison.

Next Steps

• Follow the general install guide if you have not installed OpenClaw yet
• Check the troubleshooting guide for errors not covered here
• Explore all desktop app and GUI options for OpenClaw on Windows