> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://unsloth.ai/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://unsloth.ai/docs/integrations/openclaw.md).
# How to Run Local AI Models with OpenClaw
This guide will enable you to use open LLMs locally with **OpenClaw by connecting it to Unsloth**. OpenClaw is an **open-source AI agent** interface that connects to a model to run tasks across your project.
OpenClaw is able to works with any local model by connecting through **Unsloth’s OpenAI-compatible API**: including DeepSeek, Qwen, Gemma, and more. OpenClaw acts as the client, while Unsloth loads and serves models via a **local API**.
After setup, OpenClaw will run against your local model through Unsloth, letting you use it directly as an **AI agent.**
Connecting to OpenClawQuickstart
{% hint style="info" %}
In this tutorial, we’ll use `unsloth/Qwen3.6-27B-GGUF` in Unsloth and access it through OpenClaw. Prefer a different model? Swap in any other model by loading it in Unsloth and updating the configuration.
{% endhint %}
### Installing OpenClaw
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="macOS, Linux, WSL" %}
Install OpenClaw using the official installer:
`curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash`
This sets up OpenClaw and guides you through initial setup.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Windows (PowerShell)" %}
Install OpenClaw using the official installer:
`iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex`
This sets up OpenClaw and guides you through initial setup.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
### ⚡ Quickstart
After installing OpenClaw, we'll need to install Unsloth Studio to enable OpenClaw to serve and run inference of local models.
1. **Install or update** [**Unsloth Studio**](/docs/new/studio.md)**.** Earlier versions don't expose the external API. See Installation.
2. **Launch Unsloth.** Note the port it starts on is usually `8000` or `8888`. You'll see it in the terminal output and in the browser URL (`http://localhost:PORT`).
3. **Load a model.** Click **New Chat**, pick or search a model (GGUF), and wait for it to finish loading.
4. **Connect OpenClaw.** Run `unsloth start openclaw`. It mints an API key, writes the config, and launches OpenClaw against your loaded model.
#### ⚡ Connect with `unsloth start`
The fastest way to point OpenClaw at your local model is the `unsloth start` command. With Unsloth running and a model loaded, run:
```bash
unsloth start openclaw
```
This mints an API key for you, writes the `unsloth` provider into `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`, sets it as the default model, and launches OpenClaw. You don't need to create a key or edit any config by hand.
{% hint style="info" %}
OpenClaw uses a separate gateway daemon. If it isn't already running, start it in another terminal with `openclaw gateway`, then run the connect command again.
{% endhint %}
By default it uses the model already loaded in Unsloth. To load and use a specific model, pass `--model`:
```bash
unsloth start openclaw --model unsloth/Qwen3.6-27B-GGUF
```
Connecting to Unsloth on another machine? Create a key (below) and pass it with `--api-key`, then point `UNSLOTH_STUDIO_URL` at the server. The steps below set the same thing up manually, if you'd rather not use `unsloth start` or need a custom config.
### 🔑 Creating an API key
Keys are created from **Unsloth → Settings → API Keys**.
1. Open the sidebar, click your **Unsloth** avatar at the bottom-left.
2. Go to **Settings** → **API Keys**.
3. Enter a friendly name (e.g. `claude-code-macbook`).
4. *(Optional)* Set an expiry.
5. Click **Create**.
6. **Copy the key immediately.** Unsloth stores only a hash and you won't be able to view it again.
All keys start with the `sk-unsloth-` prefix. Revoke a key from the same page at any time. Requests made with a revoked key will fail with `401 Unauthorized`.
### Connecting to OpenClaw
OpenClaw reads its config from `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`. Add (or merge) a `models` block with a `unsloth` provider pointing at Unsloth's Anthropic Messages API.
{% code title="\~/.openclaw/openclaw\.json" %}
```json
{
"models": {
"mode": "merge",
"providers": {
"unsloth": {
"baseUrl": "http://localhost:8888",
"apiKey": "sk-unsloth-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
"api": "anthropic-messages",
"models": [
{
"id": "unsloth/Qwen3.6-27B-GGUF",
"name": "unsloth/Qwen3.6-27B-GGUF"
}
],
"authHeader": true
}
}
}
}
```
{% endcode %}
**Notes:**
* `baseUrl` is the Studio origin with no path. OpenClaw talks to Studio over the Anthropic Messages API, and the Anthropic SDK appends `/v1/messages` itself, so do not add `/v1` here (a trailing `/v1` would send requests to `/v1/v1/messages`).
* `api: "anthropic-messages"` tells OpenClaw to talk to Unsloth's `/v1/messages` endpoint.
* `authHeader: true` sends your key as `Authorization: Bearer …`.
* Set each model's `id` and `name` to the name you chose when loading the model in Unsloth.
* If you're running Unsloth on a remote machine, replace `localhost:8888` with that machine's address (e.g. `http://10.0.0.42:8888`).
### Optional: configure model behavior
OpenClaw connects through the model running in Unsloth. Runtime settings can be configured when starting the server.
```bash
# Configure default generation behavior (--disable-tools passes OpenClaw's own tools through)
unsloth run \
--model unsloth/gemma-4-26B-A4B-it-GGUF \
--disable-tools \
--reasoning off \
--temp 0.6
```
{% hint style="warning" %}
Use `--disable-tools` when driving OpenClaw (or any external coding agent). By default Unsloth Studio runs its own server-side tools, which swallows the agent's tool calls, so OpenClaw answers but never edits files. `--disable-tools` switches to passthrough, so OpenClaw's own tools are used.
{% endhint %}
Use `--reasoning off` to turn thinking off, or `--reasoning on` to turn it on for models that support reasoning.
```bash
# Allow connections from other devices
unsloth run \
--model unsloth/gemma-4-26B-A4B-it-GGUF \
-H 0.0.0.0 \
-p 8888
```
This starts the server on `0.0.0.0:8888`, allowing other devices on your local network to connect.
For more advanced runtime configuration, see the main [API tuning](https://unsloth.ai/docs/basics/api#unsloth-run-command) section.
---
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