How to Set Up OpenClaw in 3 Steps
5 min read · March 2026
OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI agent that manages your calendar, files, and emails — all through WhatsApp or Telegram. Free and open-source. Your data never leaves your server.
Step 1 — Create Your Server
Go to DigitalOcean Marketplace, search
OpenClaw, and create a Droplet with at least 4GB RAM (s-2vcpu-4gb).
Or with the API:
curl -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -H 'Authorization: Bearer '$TOKEN'' -d \ '{"name":"openclaw-server","region":"nyc3","size":"s-2vcpu-4gb","image":"openclaw"}' \ "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/droplets"
Step 2 — Connect and Configure
SSH into your Droplet:
ssh root@your_droplet_ip
You'll be prompted to:
- Choose your AI provider — select Anthropic or Gradient AI
- Enter your API key
- Run pairing — opens your dashboard at the Dashboard URL shown in the terminal
Open that URL in your browser, paste your Gateway token in Settings, and refresh.
Step 3 — Install Skills and Start Chatting
In the dashboard, go to Skills and install what you need — Google Calendar, email, web browser, and 50+ more are available in one click.
Test it's working:
What files can you currently see?
To connect WhatsApp:
openclaw channels add
Scan the QR code and your bot is live on WhatsApp.
OpenClaw is free. You only pay for LLM tokens and the ~$12/mo Droplet. Scheduled jobs can burn tokens fast — keep an eye on usage.
