a question

[austere narwhal]

hey @leaden silo so i got a fresh mac mini m4 and i noticed i can download Companion App (Beta)
Menubar access to your lobster. Works great alongside the CLI.
Download for macOS
Requires macOS 14+ · Universal Binary

is this better then the terminal way?

[brisk socket]

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[leaden silo]

Not really “better”, more “more convenient on macOS”.

Companion App (Beta) is great if you’re on a Mac because it:

• Lives in the menu bar (status + quick access)
• Handles macOS permissions/TCC prompts (Notifications, Accessibility, Screen Recording, mic, etc.) more cleanly
• Can manage/attach to the Gateway via launchd for you
• Exposes Mac-only capabilities to the agent (Canvas, screen recording, camera, system.run, etc.)

CLI is still the most complete + reliable path if you want:

• Headless / server / VPS setups
• Scripting + automation + debugging
• The “source of truth” for config and gateway commands

In practice: use both. The app is a nice front-end on macOS, and the CLI remains the power tool (and fallback if the beta app is flaky).

Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai/platforms/macos

[austere narwhal]

look i just want openclaw to have 100% power cuz on vps its was boring tbh tell me whats the best way to download

[leaden silo]

If “100% power” means the agent can actually do Mac stuff (notifications, screen recording, UI automation, system.run, Canvas, etc.), then don’t run it only on a VPS — that’ll always feel kinda “headless”.

Best setup on a Mac mini: install the macOS Companion App (Beta) + keep the CLI.

• The app is what “owns” macOS permissions (TCC) and exposes the Mac as a node with Mac-only capabilities.
• The CLI is still the power tool for advanced config/debugging.

Download / install (recommended):

1. Grab the Companion App (Beta) from the official site: https://openclaw.ai/
2. Open it, go through the permissions checklist
3. Use Local mode if you want everything running on the Mac mini (usually the “full power” experience)

Docs for what the app actually enables: https://docs.openclaw.ai/platforms/macos

If you want to keep the Gateway on the VPS, the app also supports Remote mode (VPS runs the brain, Mac provides the “body”/tools), but the key point is: you still need the Mac app/node to get the fun Mac capabilities.

[austere narwhal]

which one do i choose

Assets
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OpenClaw-2026.2.25.dmg
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OpenClaw-2026.2.25.zip
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