Set Up OpenClaw Web UI in 10 Minutes

Configure OpenClaw's local gateway and control UI for managing your personal AI assistant through any browser. Complete setup in under 10 minutes.
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4 min read
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Mark
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AI Tools

Problem: You Want Local AI Control Without CLI Commands

You installed OpenClaw but constantly switching to Terminal for basic tasks kills your workflow. You need a web interface to manage sessions, check status, and chat with your AI assistant from any browser.

You'll learn:

  • How to start the OpenClaw gateway with web access
  • Configure the Control UI for secure local access
  • Access WebChat from your browser
  • Troubleshoot common gateway connection issues

Time: 10 min | Level: Beginner

Why This Matters

OpenClaw runs as a local gateway on your machine that coordinates between your AI models (Claude, GPT) and messaging channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord). The Web UI gives you a dashboard to monitor everything without touching the command line.

Common symptoms without Web UI:

  • Running openclaw commands for every status check
  • No visual way to see active sessions or token usage
  • Can't quickly test prompts without configuring a messaging channel

Solution

Step 1: Verify Node.js Installation

OpenClaw requires Node.js 22 or newer.

# Check your Node version
node --version

Expected: Output should show v22.x.x or higher

If it fails:

  • Error: "command not found": Install Node.js from nodejs.org or use nvm install 22
  • Version too old: Run nvm install 22 && nvm use 22 if using nvm

Step 2: Install OpenClaw Globally

# Install with npm (recommended)
npm install -g openclaw@latest

# Or with pnpm if you prefer
pnpm add -g openclaw@latest

Why this works: The -g flag makes the openclaw command available system-wide, so you can run it from any directory.

Expected: Installation completes with no errors, openclaw --version shows the version number

Step 3: Run the Onboarding Wizard

# Start the setup wizard with daemon installation
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

This wizard guides you through:

  1. Choosing your AI model (Claude or GPT)
  2. Authenticating with your API keys or OAuth
  3. Configuring the gateway port (default: 18789)
  4. Setting up optional channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)

During the wizard:

  • When asked for a model, choose anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5 for best results
  • Accept the default port 18789 unless it conflicts
  • Skip channel setup for now (we'll configure Web UI first)

Expected: Wizard completes and shows "Gateway service installed successfully"

Step 4: Check Gateway Status

# Verify the gateway is running
openclaw gateway status

You should see:

Gateway Status: ✓ Running
Port: 18789
URL: http://127.0.0.1:18789

If it shows "Not Running":

  • macOS/Linux: Run openclaw gateway start
  • Windows (WSL2): Restart WSL and try again
  • Port conflict: Edit ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json and change gateway.port to 18790

Step 5: Open the Control UI

# Launch the dashboard in your browser
openclaw dashboard

This command opens http://127.0.0.1:18789/ in your default browser.

You should see:

  • Gateway health status (green checkmark)
  • Active sessions list
  • Quick access to WebChat

If browser doesn't open automatically:

  • Manually navigate to http://127.0.0.1:18789/
  • Check firewall isn't blocking localhost connections
  • Verify gateway is running with openclaw gateway status

Step 6: Test WebChat

In the Control UI, click "WebChat" or navigate to http://127.0.0.1:18789/webchat.

Try this test message:

List three things you can help me with today

Expected: The AI responds within 3-5 seconds with a relevant list

If it times out:

  • Error: "Model not configured": Run openclaw onboard again and complete model setup
  • API key error: Check ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json has valid credentials under models
  • Still failing: View logs with openclaw gateway logs --tail 50

Verification

Gateway check:

openclaw gateway status

You should see:

  • Status: Running
  • Uptime: >0 seconds
  • Port: 18789 (or your custom port)

Browser check:

  • Navigate to http://127.0.0.1:18789/
  • Control UI loads without errors
  • WebChat responds to test messages

What You Learned

  • OpenClaw gateway runs as a local service on port 18789 by default
  • The Control UI provides visual access to sessions, status, and logs
  • WebChat works instantly without configuring external messaging channels
  • Use openclaw dashboard for quick access instead of typing URLs

Limitations:

  • Web UI is only accessible on your local machine by default
  • For remote access, you need Tailscale Serve/Funnel (see Remote Access docs)
  • WebChat sessions don't persist across gateway restarts (configure channels for persistent chat)

Quick Reference

Essential commands:

# Start gateway in foreground (for debugging)
openclaw gateway --port 18789 --verbose

# Check service status
openclaw gateway status

# View real-time logs
openclaw gateway logs --follow

# Open Control UI
openclaw dashboard

# Send a test message
openclaw message send --target yourself --message "Test"

Configuration file: ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Web UI endpoints:

  • Control UI: http://127.0.0.1:18789/
  • WebChat: http://127.0.0.1:18789/webchat
  • Health check: http://127.0.0.1:18789/health

Tested on OpenClaw v2026.2.6, Node.js 22.x, macOS Sequoia & Ubuntu 24.04