Does OpenClaw work on Windows?

Yes. OpenClaw runs on Windows 10/11 with Node.js 22.14 or later. The iMessage channel is the only exception — it requires macOS. All other channels work on Windows.

Does OpenClaw work on Raspberry Pi?

Yes, with at least 1GB RAM and a 64-bit OS. Use Node.js 22 LTS. Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB+) is recommended for comfortable performance with automations running. Pi Zero and older Pi 3 models may be too slow.

What Node.js version does OpenClaw require?

Node.js 22.14 or later. Node.js 24 LTS is recommended. Older versions (18, 20) are not supported. Check your version with `node --version` and upgrade via nvm if needed.

Can I run OpenClaw in Docker?

Yes. OpenClaw runs in Docker. The official image handles all dependencies. The iMessage channel requires macOS and won't work inside a Linux container.

System Requirements – HowOpenClaw

Minimum requirements

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Node.js	22.14	24 LTS
RAM	512MB	1GB+
Disk	200MB	500MB+ (for logs and memory files)
OS	macOS 12+, Ubuntu 20.04+, Windows 10+	Any modern 64-bit OS

Supported operating systems

macOS

macOS 12 Monterey or later
All channels supported including iMessage
ARM (Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3) and Intel supported

Linux

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or later
Debian 11+
Any modern 64-bit distro with Node.js 22+
All channels supported except iMessage

Windows

Windows 10 or Windows 11
WSL2 is supported and recommended for the best experience
All channels supported except iMessage
iMessage requires macOS on the machine running the gateway

Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB RAM) recommended
Pi 3 works but is slow; Pi Zero is not recommended
Use a 64-bit OS (Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm 64-bit or Ubuntu 22.04)
All channels supported except iMessage

Node.js

OpenClaw requires Node.js 22.14 or later. Node.js 24 LTS is recommended.

Check your version:

node --version

Install or upgrade via nvm:

nvm install 24
nvm use 24

Or download from nodejs.org.

Docker

OpenClaw runs in Docker. The Gateway, all channels (except iMessage), and automations work inside a container.

docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
docker run -d \
  -v ~/.openclaw:/root/.openclaw \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  openclaw/openclaw:latest

iMessage in Docker: Not supported. iMessage uses the macOS Messages framework, which isn't available in Linux containers.

What keeps running 24/7

For automations (cron jobs, scheduled briefings) to fire at the scheduled time, the Gateway must be running. This means the machine must:

Be powered on
Not be in sleep mode
Have network access (for AI provider API calls)

A Raspberry Pi or cheap VPS ($5/month) works well for always-on deployment. For personal use where you just want to respond to messages, a laptop is fine — automations simply won't fire when it's sleeping.

See Module 6: Autonomous Tasks for deployment options.

Checking your setup

Run the built-in diagnostics after installation:

openclaw doctor

This checks Node.js version, config validity, AI provider connectivity, and channel status.

Frequently asked questions