🦞 OpenClaw on Termux: The "Sagar Builds" Guide

Most people run OpenClaw on $2,000 Mac Studios or AWS instances. This guide shows you how to run the full Gateway, Browser Control, and WhatsApp/Telegram channels directly on Android using Termux.

📺 Video Guide

Watch on YouTube if the player doesn't load

🛠️ Prerequisites

Android Device: Android 10 or higher.
Termux: Installed from F-Droid (not Play Store).
- API Key: Use the Gemini API from Google AI Studio for a generous free tier. No need for a paid OpenAI or Anthropic subscription to get started.

1. Environment Setup

Standard Termux has issues with OpenClaw’s native dependencies. We use proot-distro to create a stable Ubuntu environment.

# Update Termux
pkg update && pkg upgrade -y
pkg install proot-distro -y

# Install & Login to Ubuntu
proot-distro install ubuntu
proot-distro login ubuntu

2. Install Dependencies

Inside your new Ubuntu shell, install Node.js 22 and the global package.

apt update && apt upgrade -y
apt install curl git build-essential -y

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

# Install OpenClaw globally
npm install -g openclaw@latest

3. The "Bionic Bypass" (Crucial)

Android's kernel blocks the os.networkInterfaces() call, which causes a System Error 13 crash. We fix this by "hijacking" the Node.js runtime before the bot even starts.

Create the Hijack Script:

cat <<EOF > /root/hijack.js
const os = require('os');
os.networkInterfaces = () => ({});
EOF

Make it permanent for all OpenClaw commands:

echo 'export NODE_OPTIONS="-r /root/hijack.js"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

4. The Onboarding Wizard

Since we installed globally, you can run the wizard from anywhere. This will link your API keys and pair your WhatsApp/Telegram.

openclaw onboard

[!IMPORTANT] Gateway Bind: When the wizard asks for the Gateway Bind, select Loopback (127.0.0.1). Choosing LAN/0.0.0.0 will trigger a crash on non-rooted Android devices.

5. Launching the Gateway

To start the engine and see the logs in real-time (perfect for Reel footage):

openclaw gateway --verbose

🏁 Verified Commands

Once the gateway is live, use these chat commands in your linked WhatsApp/Telegram:

/status — Check the health of your pocket agent.
/think high — Put the bot in "deep reasoning" mode.
/reset — Clear the current session memory.

If you want to chat using the web gateway, then copy the "token" vlue from the file ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json and paste it at openclaw localhost web gateway -> Overview -> Gateway Access -> Gateway Token.

Pro-Tips

Keep it Alive: Android will kill Termux in the background. Run termux-wake-lock in a separate Termux session and disable "Battery Optimization" for Termux.
The UI: Access your dashboard by going to http://127.0.0.1:18789 in your phone's browser. Get your token using openclaw config get gateway.auth.token.
Security: Never show your full API keys or Gateway tokens in your videos. Revoke the keys used during setup once you finish filming your "Success" shot.

Running OpenClaw Locally on Android: The Bionic Bypass