# OpenClaw on Unraid: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners > A beginner friendly guide to setting up OpenClaw on your Unraid server using a Linux VM. No experience required. **Published:** Mar 20, 2026 | **Author:** Alex Chen | **Read time:** 12 min read Learn how to run OpenClaw on Unraid with a Linux VM. Beginner-friendly guide with 8 clear steps, exact commands, and common fixes. No experience needed. --- ## What is OpenClaw and How Does It Work on Unraid OpenClaw is an AI assistant you can chat with on Telegram, Discord, or WhatsApp. You install it on your own server and it handles tasks and questions for you automatically. Unraid wipes any software you install directly when it restarts. So you put OpenClaw inside a small [Linux virtual machine](/blog/openclaw-on-linux) instead. That keeps your agent running safely across every reboot. ## What You Need Before Start | What You Need | Details | | --- | --- | | Unraid version | 6.9 or newer | | Processor | Must support virtualization — Intel VT-x or AMD-V (enabled in BIOS) | | RAM for the VM | 2GB minimum, 4GB is better | | Storage for the VM | At least 20GB of free space | | VM operating system | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (recommended for beginners) | | Node.js | The OpenClaw installer takes care of this automatically | | AI provider API key | /blog/what-is-openclaw | | Network setting | Set VM to Bridge mode so it gets its own IP address | ## Step 1: Make Sure VMs Are Turned On Log into your Unraid dashboard and go to the top menu. Click **Settings**, then click **VM Manager**. Look for the option that says Enable VMs and set it to **Yes**. Click Apply to save. If this option is greyed out or not working, you may need to go into your server BIOS first and turn on Intel VT-x (Intel processors) or AMD-V (AMD processors). This setting allows your server to run virtual machines. ## Step 2: Download an Ubuntu ISO Go to ubuntu.com and download Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Once downloaded, upload the ISO file to your Unraid server. In the Unraid dashboard, go to the **Main** tab, find your ISOs share, and upload the file there. ## Step 3: Create a New Linux VM Click the **VMs** tab in Unraid. Click **Add VM** and choose **Linux**. Fill in these settings: - ISO: select the Ubuntu file you uploaded - RAM: set to 4096 MB (4GB) - Disk size: 20GB or more - Network: change to **Bridge** Click Create, then start the VM. Go through the Ubuntu installation steps. When it is done, restart the VM and log in. ## Step 4: Open a Terminal Inside the VM In the Unraid VMs tab, click on your VM and open the VNC console. This is like a screen and keyboard for your VM. You can also SSH into the VM from your computer if you prefer. To find the VM IP address run: ## Step 5: Install OpenClaw Copy and paste this command into the terminal inside your VM and press Enter. It will automatically install everything OpenClaw needs including Node.js. If you are using Ubuntu for the first time, see our [OpenClaw Ubuntu setup guide](/blog/setup-openclaw-on-ubuntu) for more detail. If you see an error saying curl is not found, run this first and then try again: ## Step 6: Run the Setup Wizard After installation finishes, run this command to go through the setup. The `--install-daemon` part at the end makes sure OpenClaw starts automatically every time your VM turns on. Do not remove it. The setup will ask you a few questions: - Read and accept the disclaimer to continue - Choose your AI provider (for example Anthropic or OpenAI) and paste your API key - Press Enter to keep the default gateway port (18789) - Choose a messaging app to connect — you can pick Telegram, Discord, or WhatsApp - Follow the steps shown on screen to link your messaging account ## Step 7: Check That Everything is Working Run this command to confirm OpenClaw is running correctly: If it shows as running, your AI agent is live. Go to your messaging app and send it a message to test it. ## Step 8: Open the Control Dashboard You can view and manage OpenClaw from a web dashboard. Run this command inside the VM to open it, or go to the URL below from any browser on your home network: ## Common Problems and How to Fix Them If you are not sure what is wrong, run `openclaw doctor` inside the VM. It checks everything and tells you exactly what needs to be fixed. ## Run OpenClaw Without Maintaining Unraid Yourself If you want OpenClaw without Docker tuning, VM maintenance, and ongoing server overhead, run it on Ampere.sh and keep the focus on your agent — not the host. [Start your setup](https://www.ampere.sh/setup) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Why do I need a VM? Can I just install OpenClaw directly on Unraid? Unraid keeps its main system files in RAM and resets them every time it restarts. If you install software directly to the Unraid terminal, it will disappear after a reboot. A Linux VM stores everything on your drive so nothing gets lost when you restart. ### Which Linux version should I use for the VM? Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is the easiest choice for beginners. It is well supported, easy to set up, and works perfectly with the OpenClaw installer. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS also works if you want the latest version. ### How much RAM should I give to the OpenClaw VM? Give it at least 2GB of RAM. If you can spare 4GB that is even better, especially if you plan to chat with your agent a lot or connect multiple messaging apps at the same time. ### Will OpenClaw keep running when my Unraid server restarts? Yes, as long as you used the --install-daemon flag when running the setup command. This creates a service that starts OpenClaw automatically every time the VM boots up. ### Can I chat with my OpenClaw agent from my phone or laptop? Yes. Make sure your VM is set to Bridge networking in Unraid. This gives the VM its own IP address. Then you can open the OpenClaw dashboard from any device by going to http://your-vm-ip:18789/ in a browser. ### Can I connect OpenClaw to Telegram or Discord? Yes. When you run the setup command it will ask you which messaging app you want to connect. You can pick Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, and others. If you skip this during setup, you can always add it later by running openclaw configure. ### Do I need to know Linux to do this? You need to be comfortable opening a terminal and typing commands. You do not need to be an expert. This guide gives you the exact commands to run at every step, so just follow along and you will be fine.