Openclaw Desktop App — Download for Windows & Mac (2026)

What is Openclaw Desktop?

Openclaw Desktop is the native desktop client for the OpenClaw AI framework. Unlike browser-based AI tools, Openclaw Desktop runs natively on your operating system, giving you:

• System-level global hotkeys — summon AI from any app instantly
• Multi-model support — switch between Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, and local models
• Local data encryption — conversations stay on your device
• Offline mode — run local models via Ollama without internet

Openclaw Desktop is free to download. You only pay for the AI model API calls you make.

System Requirements

Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) users: download the ARM64 build for best performance.

Download Openclaw Desktop

Option 1: GitHub Releases (Recommended)

Visit the Openclaw GitHub Releases page and download the latest version:

Option 2: Windows Package Manager (winget)

winget install OpenClaw.Desktop

Option 3: Homebrew (macOS)

brew install --cask openclaw

Install on Windows

1. Run the installer — double-click the .exe file. If Windows SmartScreen shows a warning, click More info → Run anyway.
2. Choose options — select install path, desktop shortcut, and startup behavior.
3. Launch — Openclaw starts automatically after install.

Verify the download (optional):

certutil -hashfile "openclaw-desktop-win-x64.exe" SHA256

Compare the output with the SHA256 hash on the GitHub Releases page.

Install on macOS

1. Open the DMG — double-click to mount the disk image.
2. Drag to Applications — drag Openclaw.app into your Applications folder.
3. First launch — macOS Gatekeeper will warn about an unverified developer. Right-click Openclaw in Finder → Open → Open again to bypass.

Or remove the quarantine flag via Terminal:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Openclaw.app

macOS Sequoia (15.x): Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to the bottom, and click Open Anyway next to the Openclaw entry.

First-Time Setup

After launching, the setup wizard walks you through:

1. Choose your AI model — Claude Sonnet 4.6, GPT-4o, Gemini 2.0 Flash, or a local Ollama model
2. Enter your API key — paste the key from your AI provider's dashboard
3. Test the connection — click Test to confirm everything works
4. Set your language — English or 简体中文

Recommended: Claude Sonnet 4.6

Claude Sonnet 4.6 offers 1M token context (ideal for long documents), strong reasoning, and competitive pricing. Get your API key at console.anthropic.com.

Key Features

Multi-Model Switching

Configure multiple AI providers and switch mid-conversation. Openclaw Desktop supports:

• Anthropic Claude (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus)
• OpenAI (GPT-4o, o3, o4-mini)
• Google Gemini (2.0 Flash, 2.5 Pro)
• Local models via Ollama (Qwen, Llama, Mistral, etc.)
• Any OpenAI-compatible endpoint

Global Hotkeys

All hotkeys work system-wide — no need to switch apps.

Skills (Plugin System)

Extend Openclaw with community or custom skills:

• Web page summarization
• Image analysis (drag and drop)
• Scheduled tasks
• Python code execution (sandboxed)

Privacy & Local Storage

All conversations are encrypted locally on your device:

• Windows: %AppData%\Openclaw\
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Openclaw/

API keys are stored in the OS keychain (Windows Credential Manager / macOS Keychain), never in plaintext config files.

Openclaw Desktop vs. Web Version

Choose Desktop if you're a power user who wants deep OS integration and data privacy. Choose Web if you prefer no installation and automatic cross-device sync.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Openclaw Desktop free?

Yes. The app itself is completely free. You bring your own API keys — you pay AI providers (like Anthropic or OpenAI) directly based on usage.

Does Openclaw Desktop support offline use?

Yes, via Ollama. Install Ollama, pull a model (e.g. ollama pull qwen2.5), and select it in Openclaw's model settings. No internet required after the model is downloaded.

How do I update Openclaw Desktop?

Openclaw checks for updates on launch. Go to Settings → Updates to check manually or enable auto-update. You can also re-download the latest installer from GitHub Releases.

Is my data safe?

All conversation history is stored locally and encrypted. API keys are stored in your OS keychain, not in any config file. Openclaw does not collect telemetry by default.

Which AI models are supported?

Claude (all variants), GPT-4o / o3 / o4-mini, Gemini 2.0 / 2.5, MiniMax, any OpenAI-compatible API endpoint, and local Ollama models. The list grows with each release.

Download Openclaw Desktop Now

Download from GitHub Releases — free, open source, no account required.

For Chinese installation guides, see:

• Openclaw 桌面版安装教程（中文）
• Windows 安装指南
• macOS 安装指南