How to Set Up OpenClaw in Under 1 Minute: Complete Beginner’s Guide

Setting up your own AI assistant used to require hours of server configuration, Docker knowledge, and DevOps expertise. With OpenClaw, you can deploy a fully functional AI-powered bot in under 60 seconds — no technical background needed.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the entire OpenClaw setup process from creating your account to launching your first instance.

What Is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is a one-click deployment platform for AI assistants. It takes the complexity out of hosting and running AI-powered bots by handling all the infrastructure for you. Whether you want a personal AI assistant, a customer support bot, or a Telegram chatbot, OpenClaw makes it simple.

Each OpenClaw instance runs in its own isolated container on Fly.io’s global edge network, ensuring fast response times and enterprise-grade security.

What You Need Before You Start

Before setting up OpenClaw, you’ll need just two things:

A Google account — OpenClaw uses Google OAuth for secure, one-click authentication.
An AI API key — From either Anthropic (Claude) or OpenAI (GPT). Not sure which to pick? Read our AI model selection guide.

Step-by-Step OpenClaw Setup

Step 1: Sign In with Google

Head to the OpenClaw login page and click “Sign in with Google”. Your account is created instantly — no forms to fill out, no email verification needed.

Step 2: Enter Your API Key

Once you’re in the dashboard, navigate to the API Keys section. Paste in your Anthropic or OpenAI API key. All keys are encrypted at rest using AES-256 encryption and are only accessible to your isolated instance.

Need help getting an API key? Check our detailed API key setup documentation.

Step 3: Choose Your AI Model

OpenClaw supports multiple AI models out of the box:

Claude Sonnet 4.5 — Best balance of speed, quality, and cost (recommended for most users)
Claude Opus 4.6 — Most capable model for complex reasoning
Claude Haiku 4.5 — Fastest and most affordable
GPT-4.1 — Strong general-purpose model from OpenAI
GPT-4.1 Mini — Fast and cost-effective OpenAI option

For a deep dive into model capabilities and pricing, read our complete AI model comparison guide.

Step 4: Deploy Your Instance

Click “Deploy” and watch the magic happen. OpenClaw will:

Provision an isolated container on the nearest edge server
Configure your AI model and API keys securely
Start your instance and make it available at your custom subdomain

The entire deployment takes about 30–45 seconds. You’ll see a live status indicator in your dashboard as each step completes.

Step 5: Start Using Your AI Assistant

Once deployed, your AI assistant is live and ready to use. You can interact with it directly, or optionally connect it to Telegram for messaging on the go.

Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues

Instance Won’t Start

The most common cause is an invalid or expired API key. Double-check your key in the dashboard and make sure you have sufficient credits with your AI provider (Anthropic or OpenAI).

Slow Response Times

If your bot feels slow, try switching to a faster model like Claude Haiku 4.5 or GPT-4.1 Mini. You can change models anytime from the dashboard without redeploying.

Need More Help?

Visit our getting started documentation or reach out via the contact page.

What’s Next?

Now that your OpenClaw instance is running, explore these guides to get the most out of it:

Ready to get started? Sign up for OpenClaw and deploy your AI assistant in under a minute.