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Basic Configuration

Configure OpenClaw's essential settings to match your preferences and requirements. Learn about user accounts, networking, notifications, and security.

Before You Begin

Make sure OpenClaw is installed and running. Run clawdbot status to verify the service is active.

Quick Configuration Wizard

Use the interactive wizard for guided setup of basic settings:

clawdbot configure

# The wizard will guide you through:
# • User account setup
# • Network preferences
# • Notification settings
# • Security options
# • Skill selection

User Account Setup

Configure user accounts and permissions for OpenClaw access.

Create Admin User

# Create admin account
clawdbot user create \
  --username admin \
  --email [email protected] \
  --role admin

# Set password for admin
clawdbot user password admin --interactive

Note: Store admin credentials securely. There's no password recovery feature yet.

Create Standard User

# Create standard user with limited permissions
clawdbot user create \
  --username family \
  --email [email protected] \
  --role standard

# Grant specific permissions
clawdbot user permissions grant family \
  --skills voice,calendar \
  --allow-commands "schedule.*,calendar.*"

Note: Standard users can only access permitted skills and commands.

Network Configuration

Set up network preferences and connectivity options.

Configure Network Interface

# Prefer Ethernet over Wi-Fi
clawdbot config set network.interface en0

# Set static IP (optional)
clawdbot config set network.static-ip 192.168.1.100
clawdbot config set network.gateway 192.168.1.1
clawdbot config set network.dns 8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4

# Test network connectivity
clawdbot network test

Note: Ethernet is recommended for stability and lower latency.

Configure Port Settings

# Change web dashboard port (default: 3000)
clawdbot config set server.port 8080

# Enable HTTPS
clawdbot config set server.https true
clawdbot config set server.ssl-cert /path/to/cert.pem
clawdbot config set server.ssl-key /path/to/key.pem

# Restart service to apply changes
clawdbot service restart

Note: Ports below 1024 require admin privileges.

Notification Settings

Configure how OpenClaw sends alerts and notifications.

Enable Desktop Notifications

# Enable native macOS notifications
clawdbot config set notifications.desktop true

# Set notification sound
clawdbot config set notifications.sound "Glass"

Note: Grant notification permissions when prompted by macOS.

Configure Email Alerts

# Set up email notifications
clawdbot notifications email enable \
  --smtp smtp.gmail.com \
  --port 587 \
  --from [email protected] \
  --user [email protected] \
  --password "app-password"

# Test email notification
clawdbot notifications email test \
  --to [email protected]

Note: Use app-specific passwords for Gmail. Don't use your account password.

Security Settings

Secure your OpenClaw installation with best practices.

Enable Authentication

# Require authentication for web interface
clawdbot config set security.auth-required true

# Set session timeout (minutes)
clawdbot config set security.session-timeout 60

# Enable two-factor authentication
clawdbot security 2fa enable

Note: 2FA requires an authenticator app on your mobile device.

Configure Firewall

# Allow OpenClaw through macOS firewall
sudo /usr/libexec/ApplicationFirewall/socketfilterfw --add /usr/local/bin/clawdbot
sudo /usr/libexec/ApplicationFirewall/socketfilterfw --unblock /usr/local/bin/clawdbot

# Restrict access to local network only
clawdbot config set security.allowed-hosts "192.168.1.*,127.0.0.1"

Note: Limiting access to local network prevents external connections.

Quick Settings Reference

Wake Word

Custom voice trigger for assistant activation:

clawdbot config set voice.wake-word "Hey OpenClaw"

Default Language

Set default language for voice interactions:

clawdbot config set voice.language "en-US"

Auto-Start

Automatically start OpenClaw on boot:

clawdbot service enable

Log Level

Control verbosity of logs (debug, info, warn, error):

clawdbot config set logs.level "info"

Configuration Complete!

Your basic settings are configured. View current settings with clawdbot config list.

Next Steps

Now that basic configuration is complete, explore advanced options or start using OpenClaw.