OpenClaw Guide: Gateway Setup and Mobile Apps
Set up OpenClaw step by step: choose a host, complete onboarding, verify the Gateway, connect official mobile apps, and test a useful first workflow.
Research checked October 30, 2026 · SideHustleLab
This OpenClaw guide takes you from choosing the official setup route to checking a useful first result. If you are still deciding whether the product fits, start with our OpenClaw review.
Before you begin: use an account and project you are authorized to access, a small non-sensitive sample, and a clear stopping point. Installation instructions belong on the device or environment you choose; reading this guide does not install anything.
Official downloads and mobile access
Official iPhone/iPad and Android apps are available. They connect to an OpenClaw Gateway; keep the host running and follow the platform-specific pairing instructions.
Choose the supported route for your operating system.
Companion app; a reachable Gateway is required.
Companion app; pair it with your Gateway.
Check device requirements and pairing instructions.
Check installation and Gateway requirements.
How to get started with OpenClaw
1. Choose where the Gateway will run
Pick a supported computer or a dedicated host you can maintain. For an initial experiment, your own computer is easier to inspect than an unfamiliar server. Read the current official installation prerequisites; the required runtime and supported packages can change.
2. Install from the official project
Use the OpenClaw installation page linked below and select your operating system. Follow the current installer rather than copying commands from an old forum post. The installer offers guided onboarding; use the guided options to understand the account or provider being selected.
3. Finish onboarding and confirm model access
Complete the sign-in or provider configuration, then send a simple message. Do this before adding a phone or a messaging channel. A model response establishes that the basic agent path works; it does not yet establish that file, browser, or channel permissions are correct.
4. Check the running service
The official quickstart uses openclaw gateway status to inspect the Gateway and openclaw dashboard to open its browser interface. Quick-start sessions can run in the foreground. If you need a background service, follow the documented openclaw gateway install flow and check its status again.
5. Run the sample-folder task
Use a small copied folder and the example prompt below. Check the new output file, the source references, and the originals. If the result is wrong, keep the task small and fix the underlying access or instruction issue before expanding the workspace.
6. Pair the official phone app
Use the official iOS or Android link below. Follow the matching platform guide to pair the app with your Gateway and confirm the connection. A phone on a different network still needs an approved path to the host; avoid treating a publicly exposed dashboard as a shortcut.
7. Record how to stop and recover the setup
Write down where the Gateway runs, which provider it uses, and where the configuration and working files are saved. Follow the official backup guidance before experimenting with updates. Confirm you can stop a task and restart the service without losing track of the output.
A practical first task
Use copies of non-sensitive notes for the trial. Check that every action can be traced to a source file and that the original files are unchanged. Repeat the same task with one additional note to see whether the output updates cleanly instead of duplicating old actions.
Example prompt to adapt
Read only the three notes in this sample project folder. Create a checklist of decisions, missing information, and next actions, with a filename beside each item. Save a new summary file; do not edit or delete the originals and do not contact anyone.
What a good result looks like
- The deliverable matches the requested scope and uses the supplied inputs.
- Claims or changes have evidence you can inspect, including source links or relevant checks.
- The agent explains anything it could not verify instead of presenting assumptions as completed work.
- No unrequested external action is treated as part of the task.
Common problems and what to check
Phone app installed, but no agent responds
Check the Gateway on its host first, then pairing and network reachability. The mobile app is not a standalone replacement for that service.
The dashboard loads, but replies fail
Check the configured model route, account access, and provider usage status. Fix basic chat before troubleshooting optional channels.
Tasks stop when the laptop sleeps
Decide whether the workflow needs an always-on host. Changing hosting is an operational choice, not a mobile-app setting.
Make the next run easier
Keep a short record of the input, output, correction time, and any usage charge. Repeat the same small task with one changed input before increasing the scope. If you cannot tell whether a result is correct, improve the acceptance checks before delegating a larger job.
Sources and editorial approach
This is a research-based editorial assessment of official product documentation, checked October 30, 2026. The suggested tasks and evaluation criteria are SideHustleLab examples, not claims of hands-on testing or guaranteed results. Product access, interfaces, and prices can change.