FAQ
FAQ: first-run setup
Quick-start and first-run Q&A. For everyday operations, models, auth, sessions, and troubleshooting see the main FAQ.
This page is an index. The first-run Q&A is documented on two pages, one per reader job. Open the page that matches your task.
| Page | Read it when |
|---|---|
| Quick start and first-run setup | You are installing, onboarding, or hitting an error on the first run. |
| Providers, hardware, and hosting | You are picking provider auth or a model, or deciding what machine to run this on. |
Where each section moved
Every anchor from the previous single-page version keeps its target here, so an
existing link such as
/help/faq-first-run#why-am-i-seeing-http-429-ratelimiterror-from-anthropic
still resolves. Each entry points at the page that now holds the content.
- Quick start and first-run setup
- I am stuck
- Why am I seeing HTTP 429 rate_limit_error from Anthropic?
- Recommended way to install and set up OpenClaw
- I am stuck, fastest way to get unstuck
- How do I open the dashboard after onboarding?
- How do I authenticate the dashboard on localhost vs remote?
- Heartbeat keeps skipping. What do the skip reasons mean?
- Why are there two exec approval configs for chat approvals?
- What runtime do I need?
- Does it run on Raspberry Pi?
- Any tips for Raspberry Pi installs?
- It is stuck on wake up my friend / onboarding will not hatch. What now?
- Can I migrate my setup to a new machine without redoing onboarding?
- Where do I see what is new in the latest version?
- Cannot access docs.openclaw.ai (SSL error)
- Difference between stable and beta
- How do I install the beta version and what is the difference between beta and dev?
- How do I try the latest bits?
- How long does install and onboarding usually take?
- Installer stuck? How do I get more feedback?
- Windows install says git not found or openclaw not recognized
- Windows exec output shows garbled Chinese text - what should I do?
- The docs did not answer my question - how do I get a better answer?
- How do I install OpenClaw on Linux?
- How do I install OpenClaw on a VPS?
- Where are the cloud/VPS install guides?
- Can I ask OpenClaw to update itself?
- What does onboarding actually do?
- Do I need a Claude or OpenAI subscription to run this?
- Can I use Claude Max subscription without an API key?
- Do you support Claude subscription auth (Claude Pro or Max)?
- Why am I seeing HTTP 429 rate_limit_error from Anthropic?
- Is AWS Bedrock supported?
- How does Codex auth work?
- Why does OpenClaw still mention legacy OpenAI Codex prefix?
- Why can Codex OAuth limits differ from ChatGPT web?
- Do you support OpenAI subscription auth (Codex OAuth)?
- Can I use Gemini CLI or Antigravity OAuth?
- Is a local model OK for casual chats?
- How do I keep hosted model traffic in a specific region?
- Do I have to buy a Mac Mini to install this?
- Do I need a Mac mini for iMessage support?
- If I buy a Mac mini to run OpenClaw, can I connect it to my MacBook Pro?
- Can I use Bun?
- Telegram: what goes in allowFrom?
- Can multiple people use one WhatsApp number with different OpenClaw instances?
- Can I run a "fast chat" agent and an "Opus for coding" agent?
- Does Homebrew work on Linux?
- Difference between the hackable git install and npm install
- Can I switch between npm and git installs later?
- Should I run the Gateway on my laptop or a VPS?
- How important is it to run OpenClaw on a dedicated machine?
- What are the minimum VPS requirements and recommended OS?
- Can I run OpenClaw in a VM and what are the requirements?
Related
- FAQ - the main FAQ (models, sessions, gateway, security, more)
- Models FAQ - model defaults, selection, aliases, switching, failover, and auth profiles
- Install overview
- Getting started
- Troubleshooting
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