#How to make openclaw running on mac mini do things on ur computer

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steady siren
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i know this question sounds stupid but i think i kind of misunderstood some things, replies are greatly appreciated.

sharp jewelBOT
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quaint streamBOT
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Not a stupid question — the key “gotcha” is where tools actually run.

What happens by default

If your Gateway is running on a Mac mini, then anything like “run a command” (exec) will run on:

  • the sandbox (default for safety), or
  • the Mac mini (if you’ve configured exec to run on the gateway host)

So it won’t magically control your other computer unless you add a way to run tools on that other machine.

If you want OpenClaw to run commands on your other computer

You want a node host on the other computer, then have the gateway send exec calls to it (host=node):

  1. Run a node host on the target machine (openclaw node run … or install it as a service)
  2. Approve/pair it on the gateway (openclaw devices approve …)
  3. Point exec at it (/exec host=node … or set tools.exec.host=node), and allowlist commands

Docs (these are the canonical instructions + exact commands):

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If you meant “control my browser on my computer”

That’s usually done via the Chrome Browser Relay extension (attach the tab on the computer you want controlled). In that case the gateway can be elsewhere, but the browser session you attach is the one that gets controlled.

Quick clarification so I can point you to the right setup

When you say “do things on my computer”, do you mean:

  1. run terminal commands/programs,
  2. control your browser, or
  3. click around your desktop UI (mouse/keyboard style)?

And what OS is the “other computer” (macOS/Windows/Linux)?

steady siren
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i mean managing files , researching , using desktop ui and being able to use commands and manage my computer

the os is windows 11 ltsc

quaint streamBOT
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Yep — what you want is possible, but it’s not automatic just because your Gateway is on a Mac mini.

Think of it like this:

  • Gateway (Mac mini) = the “brain” (receives your Discord msgs, runs the model, decides what to do)
  • Windows 11 machine = needs a “hand” installed on it, otherwise the brain can’t click/type/run stuff there

For Windows you have two main “hands”, depending on what you want:

1) Run commands + manage files on Windows (recommended baseline)

Install a headless node host on the Windows PC. That gives OpenClaw system.run / exec on that Windows machine (PowerShell, file moves, git, etc.), gated by approvals/allowlists.

Docs:

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What you get:

  • “Move/copy/rename files”, “run scripts”, “install dependencies”, “edit configs”, etc. (via PowerShell)
    What you don’t get:
  • Direct “human-style” mouse/keyboard control of arbitrary Windows apps (unless you script it yourself; see #3)

2) Research / browse using your existing Chrome tabs on Windows

If “researching” means “use my logged-in browser, click around websites, fill forms”, the easiest is the Chrome Extension (Browser Relay) installed on the Windows machine.

Docs:

That lets the agent control the Chrome tab you attach (your normal profile, cookies, logins, etc.).

3) “Desktop UI” (clicking around Windows apps)

This is the part most people misunderstand: OpenClaw doesn’t currently ship as a full cross-platform remote-desktop RPA bot that can reliably see/click any Windows app UI out of the box.

Common workaround if you really need “desktop UI”:

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  • Use the node host to run something like AutoHotkey / scripted automation / app-specific CLIs.
    • i.e. you turn “click this UI” into an explicit script/command, then OpenClaw can run that.

Two quick questions so I can tell you the cleanest setup

  1. Is your Windows PC on the same LAN as the Mac mini, or do you have Tailscale/VPN between them? (This matters because the Windows node host must reach the Gateway port.)
  2. For “desktop UI”, do you mainly mean websites in Chrome (then Browser Relay is perfect), or native apps (then it’s usually AutoHotkey/scripts)?

If you want, paste openclaw --version from the Mac mini and the Windows PC too (helps avoid version-mismatch weirdness).

steady siren
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alright got it! My pc and the mac are in the same wifi.
yes i mean researching on my pc brave

quaint streamBOT
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Cool — same Wi‑Fi makes this pretty straightforward.

Goal: “research in Brave on my Windows PC” (while Gateway runs on Mac mini)

You need a node host on Windows. That’s what gives the Mac mini gateway a “remote body” on your PC (and it also enables browser automation on that PC).

Docs (canonical):

Step 1) Make sure the Mac mini gateway is reachable from your LAN

By default the gateway often binds to loopback only, so your Windows PC can’t connect.

Check/set the bind mode (keep token auth enabled):

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(If you don’t want to change bind, the docs also show using an SSH tunnel, but LAN bind is easiest on home Wi‑Fi.)

Step 2) Install OpenClaw CLI on Windows + run a node host

On Windows (PowerShell), install OpenClaw (docs above), then run:

openclaw node run --host <MAC_MINI_IP> --port 18789 --display-name "Win11 PC"

Or install as a background service:

# 
openclaw node install --host <MAC_MINI_IP> --port 18789 --display-name "Win11 PC"
openclaw node restart

Important: the Windows node host needs the gateway token. Easiest is setting OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN in the environment on Windows (same value as gateway.auth.token on the Mac mini).

Step 3) Approve the node pairing on the Mac mini

On the Mac mini:

openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve <requestId>
openclaw nodes status
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Once that’s done, your gateway can target the Windows PC.

Step 4) Pick how you want “Brave browsing” to work

Option A (simplest): OpenClaw-managed browser on the Windows PC

This opens a separate agent-controlled Brave profile/window on Windows (not your existing personal tabs). Great for generic researching.

Option B (what you asked for): Control your existing Brave tab(s) via the extension relay

This is the “Browser Relay” extension. It’s a Chrome MV3 extension and works in Chromium browsers like Brave.

High level:

  1. On the Windows PC: run
    openclaw browser extension install
    then openclaw browser extension path
  2. In Brave: open brave://extensions → enable Developer mode → Load unpacked → pick the folder from the command above
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  1. Open the extension Options and set:
  • Port: 18792 (default; it’s typically gateway port + 3)
  • Gateway token: same as gateway.auth.token
  1. Open a tab you want controlled → click the extension icon to attach (it won’t auto-attach)

After that, the agent can drive the attached tab.

If you tell me:

  1. whether your Mac mini gateway port is the default 18789 or custom, and
  2. whether you want Option A (separate agent browser) or Option B (your real Brave tabs),

…I can give you the exact “copy/paste” commands with the right ports.

steady siren
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i use the default port and i want option A.

give me start to finish instructions on how to install and setup everything

quaint streamBOT
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Here’s a start → finish setup for your exact goal:

  • Gateway runs on Mac mini (default port 18789)
  • You want Option A = an OpenClaw-managed browser that opens on your Windows 11 PC (Brave) for researching
  • Both machines are on the same Wi‑Fi

Docs for reference:

0) Quick sanity check (both machines)

Run on Mac mini and Windows and paste results if anything fails later:

# 
openclaw --version

1) Mac mini (Gateway): make it reachable from Windows on LAN

1.1 Ensure you have a gateway token

On the Mac mini:

openclaw doctor --generate-gateway-token
openclaw config get gateway.auth.token

Copy that token somewhere safe — you’ll use it on Windows.

1.2 Bind the gateway to LAN (not just localhost)

By default the gateway often binds to loopback-only. You want LAN so the Windows node can connect:

# 
openclaw config set gateway.mode local
openclaw config set gateway.bind lan
openclaw config set gateway.auth.mode token
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw gateway status

Important safety note: LAN bind is fine on home Wi‑Fi, but do not port-forward 18789 to the internet.

1.3 Get your Mac mini’s LAN IP

On the Mac mini:

ipconfig getifaddr en0

(Use that IP as <MAC_IP> below.)

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1.4 macOS Firewall

If the Windows machine can’t connect later, you may need to allow incoming connections for the openclaw/Node process in macOS Firewall.

2) Windows 11 PC: install OpenClaw + start a node host

2.1 Install OpenClaw (PowerShell)

Open PowerShell on Windows and run (from the docs install page):

iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

2.2 Set the gateway token on Windows

In the same PowerShell window (temporary for this session):

$env:OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN = "<PASTE_TOKEN_FROM_MAC>"
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(Optional, persistent env var for future terminals):

setx OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN "<PASTE_TOKEN_FROM_MAC>"

(Then open a new PowerShell.)

2.3 Start the node host (Windows → connects to Mac gateway)

Foreground (good for first test):

openclaw node run --host <MAC_IP> --port 18789 --display-name "Win11"

If that works, you can install it as a background service:

openclaw node install --host <MAC_IP> --port 18789 --display-name "Win11"
openclaw node restart
# 
openclaw node status

3) Mac mini: approve/pair the Windows node

Back on the Mac mini:

openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve <requestId>
openclaw nodes status

You should now see your Windows node as paired/online.

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4) Make “research browser” open on Windows (Option A)

This uses the node browser proxy (zero-config idea: browser runs where the node host is). The node’s browser settings come from the Windows node’s config.

4.1 On Windows: point OpenClaw browser at Brave (recommended)

On the Windows PC (PowerShell):

openclaw config set browser.enabled true
openclaw config set browser.defaultProfile openclaw
openclaw config set browser.executablePath "C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe"

If your Brave is installed somewhere else, adjust that path.

If you installed the node host as a service, restart it so it picks up config changes:

openclaw node restart
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4.2 On the Mac mini: pin browser routing to that node (so it doesn’t use the Mac browser)

Once openclaw nodes status shows the node name (e.g. Win11), run on Mac:

openclaw config set gateway.nodes.browser.node "Win11"
openclaw gateway restart

4.3 Smoke test: launch the managed browser (should pop up on Windows)

Run this on the Mac mini:

openclaw browser --browser-profile openclaw start
openclaw browser --browser-profile openclaw open https://example.com
openclaw browser --browser-profile openclaw snapshot

Expected result:

  • A new Brave window/profile (agent-controlled) opens on the Windows PC
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  • The snapshot command works

5) (Optional) Also run commands/manage files on Windows via exec

Once the node is paired, you can route exec to Windows:

openclaw config set tools.exec.host node
openclaw config set tools.exec.security allowlist
openclaw config set tools.exec.node "Win11"

Then you’ll need to allowlist what you want to run (be aware: allowlisting powershell.exe is basically “full remote shell” on that PC):