🥧 Raspberry Pi Setup

Flash Raspberry Pi OS

Download and install Raspberry Pi Imager on your computer, then:

1. Insert your microSD card
2. Open Raspberry Pi Imager
3. Choose Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit) — no desktop needed
4. Click the gear icon ⚙️ to configure:
   • Set hostname (e.g., openclaw)
   • Enable SSH
   • Set username/password
   • Configure WiFi (if not using Ethernet)
5. Write to SD card

Boot and Connect

Insert the SD card into your Pi, connect power and ethernet, then SSH in:

# Find your Pi's IP (check your router, or try hostname)
ssh pi@openclaw.local
# Or use the IP address
ssh pi@192.168.1.xxx

# First boot may take a minute to resize filesystem

Update the System

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Node.js 22+

OpenClaw requires Node.js 22 or later:

# Install Node.js 22 via NodeSource
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Verify installation
node --version  # Should show v22.x.x
npm --version

Install OpenClaw

# Install globally
sudo npm install -g openclaw@latest

# Verify installation
openclaw --version

Run the Onboarding Wizard

# Run onboard with daemon flag for 24/7 operation
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

# The wizard will ask you to:
# 1. Choose gateway mode (local)
# 2. Enter your Anthropic API key
# 3. Select a model (Claude Haiku recommended for Pi)
# 4. Connect a channel (Telegram is easiest)

Verify It's Running

# Check status
openclaw status

# Check the daemon is running
systemctl status openclaw

# Run diagnostics
openclaw doctor

Use Claude Haiku for Lower Costs

Claude Haiku is much cheaper than Opus/Sonnet and works great for most tasks. Configure in your settings:

# In config, set default model to Haiku
model: anthropic/claude-3-haiku

Add Swap Space

If you have a 4GB Pi, adding swap helps prevent out-of-memory issues:

# Increase swap size
sudo dphys-swapfile swapoff
sudo nano /etc/dphys-swapfile
# Change CONF_SWAPSIZE=100 to CONF_SWAPSIZE=2048
sudo dphys-swapfile setup
sudo dphys-swapfile swapon

Set Up Remote Access

To access your Pi from outside your home network:

• Tailscale — Easiest, encrypted mesh VPN
• Cloudflare Tunnel — Access via browser URL

Enable Watchdog (Auto-Restart)

The Pi has a hardware watchdog that can auto-reboot if the system hangs:

# Enable watchdog
sudo apt install watchdog
sudo systemctl enable watchdog
sudo systemctl start watchdog

Can't find Pi on network?

# Try mDNS hostname
ping openclaw.local

# Or scan your network
nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24 | grep -i raspberry

# Check your router's DHCP client list

OpenClaw won't start?

# Check logs
journalctl -u openclaw -f

# Check Node.js version
node --version  # Must be 22+

# Try running manually to see errors
openclaw gateway

Running slow or crashing?

• Check temperature: vcgencmd measure_temp (should be under 80°C)
• Check memory: free -h
• Add more swap space (see above)
• Use Claude Haiku instead of Opus
• Add a heatsink/fan if overheating