OpenClaw Setup

Run OpenClaw in a headless macOS VM to create a unified messaging gateway that bridges WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage, and more with AI agents.

Why run OpenClaw in a VM?

Running OpenClaw in a macOS VM provides several advantages:

• iMessage integration — Only macOS can run iMessage natively; a VM gives you this capability on any Apple Silicon Mac
• Isolation — Keep your messaging gateway separate from your main system
• Always-on operation — Run the VM headlessly 24/7 without affecting your desktop
• Easy reset — Clone and restore VMs to quickly recover from issues

Quick path (experienced users)

# Install Lume
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trycua/cua/main/libs/lume/scripts/install.sh)"

# Create and setup VM
lume create openclaw --os macos --ipsw latest

# Complete Setup Assistant in VNC window, enable Remote Login (SSH)
# Then run headlessly
lume run openclaw --no-display

# SSH in, install OpenClaw, configure channels
ssh youruser@<VM_IP>
npm install -g openclaw@latest
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Requirements

• Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3/M4)
• macOS Sequoia or later on the host
• ~60 GB free disk space per VM

Step 1: Install Lume

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trycua/cua/main/libs/lume/scripts/install.sh)"

If ~/.local/bin isn't in your PATH:

echo 'export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin"' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc

Verify the installation:

lume --version

See Lume Installation for more details.

Step 2: Create the macOS VM

lume create openclaw --os macos --ipsw latest

This downloads macOS and creates the VM. A VNC window opens automatically.

Step 3: Complete Setup Assistant

In the VNC window:

1. Select language and region
2. Skip Apple ID (or sign in if you want iMessage later)
3. Create a user account (remember the username and password)
4. Skip all optional features

After setup completes, enable SSH:

1. Open System Settings → General → Sharing
2. Enable Remote Login

Step 4: Get the VM's IP address

lume get openclaw

Look for the IP address in the output (usually 192.168.64.x).

Step 5: SSH into the VM

ssh youruser@192.168.64.X

Replace youruser with the account you created, and the IP with your VM's IP.

Step 6: Install OpenClaw

Inside the VM via SSH:

npm install -g openclaw@latest
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Follow the onboarding prompts to set up your model provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.).

Step 7: Configure channels

Edit the config file:

nano ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Add your channels:

{
  "channels": {
    "whatsapp": {
      "dmPolicy": "allowlist",
      "allowFrom": ["+15551234567"]
    },
    "telegram": {
      "botToken": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
    }
  }
}

Then login to WhatsApp (scan QR):

openclaw channels login

Step 8: Run the VM headlessly

Stop the VM and restart without display:

lume stop openclaw
lume run openclaw --no-display

The VM runs in the background. OpenClaw's daemon keeps the gateway running.

To check status:

ssh youruser@192.168.64.X "openclaw status"

iMessage integration with BlueBubbles

This is the killer feature of running on macOS. Use BlueBubbles to add iMessage to OpenClaw.

Inside the VM:

1. Download BlueBubbles from bluebubbles.app
2. Sign in with your Apple ID
3. Enable the Web API and set a password
4. Point BlueBubbles webhooks at your gateway (example: https://your-gateway-host:3000/bluebubbles-webhook?password=<password>)

Add to your OpenClaw config:

{
  "channels": {
    "bluebubbles": {
      "serverUrl": "http://localhost:1234",
      "password": "your-api-password",
      "webhookPath": "/bluebubbles-webhook"
    }
  }
}

Restart the gateway. Now your agent can send and receive iMessages.

Save a golden image

Before customizing further, snapshot your clean state:

lume stop openclaw
lume clone openclaw openclaw-golden

Reset anytime:

lume stop openclaw && lume delete openclaw
lume clone openclaw-golden openclaw
lume run openclaw --no-display

Running 24/7

Keep the VM running by:

• Keeping your Mac plugged in
• Disabling sleep in System Settings → Energy Saver
• Using caffeinate if needed

For true always-on operation, consider a dedicated Mac mini or a small VPS.

Troubleshooting

Next steps

• VM Management — Learn more about managing VMs
• Unattended Setup — Automate VM creation without manual steps
• HTTP Server — Control VMs programmatically via API