# OpenClaw on Mac M5: Personal AI Agent Setup Guide > Mac M5 is one of the best machines for running OpenClaw. This guide walks you through the full setup, step by step. **Published:** Mar 27, 2026 | **Author:** Michael Park | **Read time:** 10 min read Set up your personal AI agent on Mac M5, M5 Pro, or Mac mini M5. Works with Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp. Runs quietly in the background all day. --- Every Mac with an M5 chip can run [OpenClaw](/blog/what-is-openclaw) - and it runs better on M5 than any previous generation. Your personal AI agent connects to Telegram, Discord, or WhatsApp and stays active in the background without affecting anything else on your Mac. Prefer not to run it locally? [Ampere.sh](https://www.ampere.sh/) handles the hosting so your agent is always on. - Install OpenClaw on any M5 Mac with a single command - Connect to Telegram, Discord, or WhatsApp - Keep your agent running overnight without interruption ## What You Need Before You Start | Requirement | Details | | --- | --- | | Mac with M5 chip | MacBook Pro, Mac mini, or iMac with M5, M5 Pro, or M5 Max. | | macOS 16 or later | All M5 Macs ship with the latest macOS. No upgrade needed. | | AI provider API key | Free or paid key from Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google. Free tier available on all three. | | A messaging app | Telegram, Discord, or WhatsApp on your phone - whichever you use daily. | | Internet connection | Needed during install and while your agent is responding. | Node.js is installed for you automatically. You do not need to set it up separately. ## How to Install OpenClaw on Mac M5 ### Step 1: Open Terminal You need Terminal for two quick commands. Find it using Spotlight: press **Command + Space**, type **Terminal**, and press **Enter**. A window with a blinking cursor appears - that is Terminal, and you are ready. ### Step 2: Download and Install OpenClaw Copy the command below, paste it into Terminal, and press **Enter**. Keep it exactly as written. Text will scroll through the window as the installer runs - this is expected. Once the output stops and a new prompt appears, the install is complete. ### Step 3: Run the Setup Wizard Paste this command and press **Enter**. The `--install-daemon` flag registers OpenClaw as a launch service so it starts on its own every time your Mac powers on. Answer each prompt from the wizard: - **Disclaimer** - press Enter to accept - **AI provider** - arrow keys to select, Enter to confirm - **API key** - paste your key and press Enter. The key is hidden as you type - this is normal - **Gateway port** - press Enter to keep the default - **Messaging app** - pick Telegram, Discord, or WhatsApp and complete the connection steps When setup finishes, open your messaging app and send your agent a test message to confirm everything is working. ## How to Keep Your Agent Running 24/7 OpenClaw launches at startup automatically. The problem is macOS puts your Mac to sleep when idle and that pauses your agent. One setting change prevents this: - Go to **System Settings** from the Apple menu - Click **Battery** - Click **Options** - Turn on **Prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off** - Click **Done** On a MacBook Pro M5, closing the lid still causes sleep even after this change. To run with the lid shut, plug in an external monitor - your Mac stays active in clamshell mode. Mac mini M5 users do not need to worry about this at all. ## How to Check Your Agent is Working Run this in Terminal to see if your agent is active: A **running** status confirms your agent is live. Open the dashboard in your browser for a full view of channels and activity: ## Common Problems and How to Fix Them ## Mac M5 Local vs Ampere.sh | Feature | Mac M5 (Local) | Ampere.sh | | --- | --- | --- | | Setup time | 10 to 15 minutes | Under 2 minutes | | Agent online when Mac is off | No | Yes - always | | Agent online when Mac sleeps | No | Yes - always | | MacBook lid closed | Goes offline without external monitor | Always online | | Works on all chips M1 to M5 | Yes | Yes | | Updates and maintenance | You manage everything | Fully automatic | | Cost | Free - API fees only | Free credits included | Running OpenClaw on your Mac M5 costs nothing beyond your API fees and puts you in full control. The trade-off is uptime - your agent is only reachable when your Mac is powered on and awake. For guaranteed availability, [Ampere.sh](https://www.ampere.sh/) keeps your agent running in the cloud whether your Mac is on or not. ## Run OpenClaw Without Local Maintenance If you want OpenClaw always online without sleep issues or manual maintenance, run it on Ampere.sh and keep your agent available 24/7. [Start your setup](https://www.ampere.sh/setup) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does OpenClaw work on Mac M5? Yes. OpenClaw works on all Apple Silicon Macs including M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max. The install process is identical to previous chips and everything runs natively without any extra setup. ### Is Mac M5 better than M4 for running OpenClaw? Yes. M5 brings improved chip efficiency over M4. Background tasks like OpenClaw run even lighter, with less heat and better battery life on MacBook models. ### Which Mac M5 models support OpenClaw? All of them - MacBook Pro M5, Mac mini M5, and iMac M5. M5 Pro and M5 Max are also supported. More unified memory on Pro and Max models is useful if you want to run multiple agents at once. ### Do I need coding knowledge to install OpenClaw on Mac M5? No. The setup requires only two commands copied into Terminal. This guide explains every step from opening Terminal to sending your first message to the agent. ### Does OpenClaw work on every Apple Silicon chip from M1 to M5? Yes. OpenClaw runs natively on all Apple Silicon chips. Whether you have an older M1 Mac or the latest M5, the install process and commands are exactly the same. ### Will my agent stop if I close my MacBook M5 lid? Yes. Closing the lid puts macOS into sleep mode which pauses OpenClaw. To keep it running with the lid closed, connect an external display and use clamshell mode. Or use Mac mini M5 which has no lid at all. ### Should I run OpenClaw locally on Mac M5 or use Ampere.sh? Running locally is free and gives you full control but your agent only works when your Mac is on and awake. Ampere.sh keeps your agent online 24/7 regardless of your Mac status - ideal if you need it always available. ### How do I update OpenClaw on Mac M5? Run the install command again: curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash. It upgrades everything in place without affecting your settings or connected messaging apps.