macOS VMs

OpenClaw on macOS VMs (Sandboxing)

Recommended default (most users)

• Small Linux VPS for an always-on Gateway and low cost. See VPS hosting.
• Dedicated hardware (Mac mini or Linux box) if you want full control and a residential IP for browser automation. Many sites block data center IPs, so local browsing often works better.
• Hybrid: keep the Gateway on a cheap VPS, and connect your Mac as a node when you need browser/UI automation. See Nodes and Gateway remote.

Use a macOS VM when you specifically need macOS-only capabilities (iMessage/BlueBubbles) or want strict isolation from your daily Mac.

macOS VM options

Local VM on your Apple Silicon Mac (Lume)

Run OpenClaw in a sandboxed macOS VM on your existing Apple Silicon Mac using Lume.

This gives you:

• Full macOS environment in isolation (your host stays clean)
• iMessage support via BlueBubbles (impossible on Linux/Windows)
• Instant reset by cloning VMs
• No extra hardware or cloud costs

Hosted Mac providers (cloud)

If you want macOS in the cloud, hosted Mac providers work too:

• MacStadium (hosted Macs)
• Other hosted Mac vendors also work; follow their VM + SSH docs

Once you have SSH access to a macOS VM, continue at step 6 below.

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Quick path (Lume, experienced users)

1. Install Lume
2. text

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   lume create openclaw --os macos --ipsw latest
3. Complete Setup Assistant, enable Remote Login (SSH)
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   lume run openclaw --no-display
5. SSH in, install OpenClaw, configure channels
6. Done

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What you need (Lume)

• Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3/M4)
• macOS Sequoia or later on the host
• ~60 GB free disk space per VM
• ~20 minutes

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1) Install Lume

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

If

isn't in your PATH:

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

Verify:

bash
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lume --version

Docs: Lume Installation

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2) Create the macOS VM

bash
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lume create openclaw --os macos --ipsw latest

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

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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"

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4) Get the VM IP address

bash
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lume get openclaw

Look for the IP address (usually

).

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5) SSH into the VM

bash
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ssh youruser@192.168.64.X

Replace

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

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6) Install OpenClaw

Inside the VM:

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

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

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7) Configure channels

Edit the config file:

bash
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nano ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Add your channels:

json5
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{
  channels: {
    whatsapp: {
      dmPolicy: "allowlist",
      allowFrom: ["+15551234567"],
    },
    telegram: {
      botToken: "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN",
    },
  },
}

Then login to WhatsApp (scan QR):

bash
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openclaw channels login

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8) Run the VM headlessly

Stop the VM and restart without display:

bash
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lume stop openclaw
lume run openclaw --no-display

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

To check status:

bash
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ssh youruser@192.168.64.X "openclaw status"

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Bonus: iMessage integration

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:
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   https://your-gateway-host:3000/bluebubbles-webhook?password=<password>
   )

Add to your OpenClaw config:

json5
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{
  channels: {
    bluebubbles: {
      serverUrl: "http://localhost:1234",
      password: "your-api-password",
      webhookPath: "/bluebubbles-webhook",
    },
  },
}

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

Full setup details: BlueBubbles channel

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Save a golden image

Before customizing further, snapshot your clean state:

bash
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lume stop openclaw
lume clone openclaw openclaw-golden

Reset anytime:

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

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Running 24/7

Keep the VM running by:

• Keeping your Mac plugged in
• Disabling sleep in System Settings → Energy Saver
• Using
  text

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  caffeinate
  if needed

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

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Troubleshooting

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Related docs

• VPS hosting
• Nodes
• Gateway remote
• BlueBubbles channel
• Lume Quickstart
• Lume CLI Reference
• Unattended VM Setup (advanced)
• Docker Sandboxing (alternative isolation approach)