[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":806},["ShallowReactive",2],{"help-category-\u002Fgetting-started\u002Fwhat-is-multiclaw":3,"help-article-\u002Fgetting-started\u002Fwhat-is-multiclaw":4,"related-articles-\u002Fgetting-started\u002Fwhat-is-multiclaw":188},[],{"id":5,"title":6,"body":7,"category":170,"description":171,"draft":172,"extension":173,"meta":174,"navigation":176,"order":177,"path":178,"relatedArticles":179,"seo":182,"slug":183,"stem":184,"updatedAt":185,"__hash__":186,"excerpt":171,"searchText":187},"help\u002Fhelp\u002Fgetting-started\u002F01.what-is-multiclaw.md","What is MultiClaw?",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":163},"minimark",[10,30,33,38,41,44,85,88,92,95,98,109,112,116,119,148,155],[11,12,13,17,18,21,22,25,26,29],"p",{},[14,15,16],"strong",{},"MultiClaw"," is a desktop app that lets you run ",[14,19,20],{},"AI agents",": software that does real computer work on your behalf. Instead of spending hours on repetitive work like research, data entry, and form-filling, you describe what you need in a ",[14,23,24],{},"conversation",", and an agent handles the steps on your local machine or a ",[14,27,28],{},"cloud desktop",".",[11,31,32],{},"You talk to agents the way you'd talk to a colleague. Describe what you need, then check in when you want to.",[34,35,37],"h2",{"id":36},"what-multiclaw-does","What MultiClaw does",[11,39,40],{},"Most computer work follows a pattern: open a browser, navigate to a page, copy some data, paste it somewhere else, repeat. MultiClaw gives you a way to hand that work to an agent while you focus on what matters.",[11,42,43],{},"The process works like this:",[45,46,47,54,60,66,72],"ul",{},[48,49,50,53],"li",{},[14,51,52],{},"You describe what you need"," in plain language, no code required. Start a conversation, explain what you're after, and the agent gets to work.",[48,55,56,59],{},[14,57,58],{},"The agent proposes an approach"," right in the conversation. You can review it, ask questions, or redirect before the agent acts.",[48,61,62,65],{},[14,63,64],{},"Work runs locally or in the cloud."," Choose your own machine or a cloud desktop in your workspace.",[48,67,68,71],{},[14,69,70],{},"Agents use browsers and web-based tools",", with additional capabilities available through MCP servers and Slack integration.",[48,73,74,77,78,81,82,29],{},[14,75,76],{},"You stay informed",": every agent action is logged in an ",[14,79,80],{},"audit trail"," you can review in ",[14,83,84],{},"MultiClaw Cloud",[11,86,87],{},"You can run multiple agents at the same time and manage them all from the desktop app.",[34,89,91],{"id":90},"who-its-for","Who it's for",[11,93,94],{},"If you spend hours each week on repetitive computer work (copying data between systems, filling out forms, researching across dozens of tabs, sending the same outreach messages), MultiClaw is built for you.",[11,96,97],{},"Without MultiClaw, you do those steps yourself: click, copy, paste, switch tabs, repeat. With MultiClaw, you describe the outcome you want, and an agent follows the steps on your behalf. You stay in control of the process and review results as the agent works.",[11,99,100,101,104,105,108],{},"MultiClaw works for individuals and teams. Whether you're working solo or managing agents in a ",[14,102,103],{},"workspace",", there are built-in governance controls, audit trails, and workspace-level ",[14,106,107],{},"guardrails"," (rules that define what agents can and cannot do) to maintain accountability.",[11,110,111],{},"You don't need a technical background. If you can describe what you want done, you can use MultiClaw.",[34,113,115],{"id":114},"how-it-works","How it works",[11,117,118],{},"MultiClaw is made up of four components that work together. You use the desktop app daily; the rest run in the background.",[45,120,121,127,132,142],{},[48,122,123,126],{},[14,124,125],{},"Desktop app",": the application on your Mac, Windows, or Linux machine where you chat with agents and manage your work.",[48,128,129,131],{},[14,130,84],{},": the web platform that manages your account, workspace, team, and cloud desktops.",[48,133,134,137,138,141],{},[14,135,136],{},"Chrome Extension",": records your browser actions so you can save them as reusable ",[14,139,140],{},"skills"," that agents can follow.",[48,143,144,147],{},[14,145,146],{},"OpenClaw",": the open-source agent engine that runs locally or on a cloud desktop, depending on your setup.",[149,150,152],"callout",{"type":151},"tip",[11,153,154],{},"You don't need to understand every component to get started. The desktop app is your main interface. Start there.",[11,156,157,158,29],{},"For a detailed look at each component and which ones are required, see ",[159,160,162],"a",{"href":161},"\u002Fgetting-started\u002Funderstand-the-multiclaw-products","What MultiClaw includes",{"title":164,"searchDepth":165,"depth":165,"links":166},"",2,[167,168,169],{"id":36,"depth":165,"text":37},{"id":90,"depth":165,"text":91},{"id":114,"depth":165,"text":115},"getting-started","MultiClaw is a desktop app for running AI agents that do real computer work — on your machine or a cloud desktop.",false,"md",{"icon":175},"rocket",true,1,"\u002Fgetting-started\u002Fwhat-is-multiclaw",[180,181],"getting-started\u002Fhow-multiclaw-works","getting-started\u002Funderstand-the-multiclaw-products",{"title":6,"description":171},"what-is-multiclaw","help\u002Fgetting-started\u002F01.what-is-multiclaw","2026-03-30","UxVDafPwH5JmMxQFobvD-x4JPqhxyrvePXkUrM_QkkQ","What is MultiClaw? MultiClaw is a desktop app for running AI agents that do real computer work — on your machine or a cloud desktop.",[189,422,564],{"id":190,"title":191,"body":192,"category":170,"description":409,"draft":172,"extension":173,"meta":410,"navigation":176,"order":165,"path":411,"relatedArticles":412,"seo":416,"slug":417,"stem":418,"updatedAt":419,"__hash__":420,"excerpt":409,"searchText":421},"help\u002Fhelp\u002Fgetting-started\u002F02.how-multiclaw-works.md","How MultiClaw works",{"type":8,"value":193,"toc":398},[194,211,218,222,226,229,232,237,240,249,252,260,264,267,298,304,308,379,393],[11,195,196,197,200,201,203,204,207,208,210],{},"MultiClaw has four components: the ",[14,198,199],{},"desktop app"," you install on your computer, ",[14,202,84],{}," (the cloud platform at multiclaw.ai), the ",[14,205,206],{},"MultiClaw Chrome Extension"," (an optional browser extension for recording workflows), and ",[14,209,146],{}," (the open-source agent engine that processes your requests and runs tasks). You interact with the desktop app daily — the rest work in the background. Understanding how they connect helps you know where your data lives and what to check when something goes wrong.",[11,212,213],{},[214,215],"img",{"alt":216,"src":217},"MultiClaw architecture — how the four components connect","\u002Fimages\u002Fmulticlaw-architecture-diagram.png",[34,219,221],{"id":220},"the-four-components","The four components",[223,224,125],"h3",{"id":225},"desktop-app",[11,227,228],{},"The desktop app is the application you install on your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer. It's where you chat with agents, review plans, approve task execution, and monitor what's happening. The app connects to OpenClaw locally and to MultiClaw Cloud over the internet. It doesn't have its own database — it reads and writes OpenClaw's files directly.",[223,230,84],{"id":231},"multiclaw-cloud",[11,233,234,236],{},[14,235,84],{}," is the cloud platform that manages your account, workspace, team membership, and cloud desktops. It also runs the relay server that routes signals between your desktop app and any agents running on cloud desktops. When you sign in, MultiClaw Cloud verifies your identity and issues the credentials everything else uses.",[223,238,206],{"id":239},"multiclaw-chrome-extension",[11,241,242,243,245,246,248],{},"The ",[14,244,206],{}," is an optional browser extension for Chrome, Chromium, Edge, Brave, and Arc. It records your browser actions — clicks, form fills, and page navigation — so you can save them as reusable ",[14,247,140],{}," that agents can follow. It communicates only with your local desktop app. You only need it if you want to record browser workflows.",[223,250,146],{"id":251},"openclaw",[11,253,254,256,257,259],{},[14,255,146],{}," is the open-source engine that processes your requests and carries out tasks. It runs either locally on your machine or on a ",[14,258,28],{}," — a remote computer managed by MultiClaw Cloud. OpenClaw stores your conversations, agent configurations, skills, and scheduled workflows as files, not in a proprietary database. MultiClaw handles all communication with OpenClaw; you never need to interact with it directly.",[34,261,263],{"id":262},"how-a-task-works","How a task works",[11,265,266],{},"From your perspective, running a task looks like a conversation. Here's what happens at each step:",[268,269,270,273,276,279,286,292,295],"ol",{},[48,271,272],{},"You type a message in the desktop app.",[48,274,275],{},"The desktop app sends your message to OpenClaw over a local connection.",[48,277,278],{},"OpenClaw processes your request using your configured AI model.",[48,280,281,282,285],{},"The agent drafts a ",[14,283,284],{},"plan"," — an ordered list of steps it proposes to take.",[48,287,288,289,29],{},"The desktop app shows you the plan. You review it, edit any steps if needed, and click ",[14,290,291],{},"Approve",[48,293,294],{},"The agent executes the plan — on a cloud desktop or your local machine, depending on the task.",[48,296,297],{},"Results stream back to your desktop app in real time as work completes.",[149,299,301],{"type":300},"note",[11,302,303],{},"By default, your approval is required before the agent takes any action. The agent cannot proceed past the plan stage without it. Scheduled tasks and automated workflows may run without real-time approval when explicitly configured.",[34,305,307],{"id":306},"what-stays-local-what-goes-to-the-cloud","What stays local, what goes to the cloud",[309,310,311,324],"table",{},[312,313,314],"thead",{},[315,316,317,321],"tr",{},[318,319,320],"th",{},"Data",[318,322,323],{},"Where it lives",[325,326,327,336,344,351,359,371],"tbody",{},[315,328,329,333],{},[330,331,332],"td",{},"Conversation history",[330,334,335],{},"On your machine (local mode) or on your cloud desktop (cloud mode)",[315,337,338,341],{},[330,339,340],{},"Agent configurations and skills",[330,342,343],{},"On whichever machine OpenClaw is running",[315,345,346,349],{},[330,347,348],{},"Your account, workspace, and team settings",[330,350,84],{},[315,352,353,356],{},[330,354,355],{},"Task signals and approvals",[330,357,358],{},"Routed through MultiClaw Cloud — your machine and cloud desktop do not connect directly",[315,360,361,364],{},[330,362,363],{},"Message content sent to AI models",[330,365,366,367],{},"Your configured AI model provider (e.g. OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) — see our ",[159,368,370],{"href":369},"\u002Flegal-compliance\u002Fprivacy-policy","Privacy Policy",[315,372,373,376],{},[330,374,375],{},"Files created during task execution",[330,377,378],{},"On the cloud desktop while the task runs",[149,380,381],{"type":151},[11,382,383,384,388,389,392],{},"In local mode, all OpenClaw data is stored in a standard folder on your machine (",[385,386,387],"code",{},"~\u002F.openclaw\u002F"," on Mac and Linux, ",[385,390,391],{},"%USERPROFILE%\\.openclaw"," on Windows). You can back it up like any other folder.",[149,394,395],{"type":300},[11,396,397],{},"When you send a message, its content is transmitted to your configured AI model provider (such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google) for processing. Those providers handle this data under their own terms of service and privacy policies.",{"title":164,"searchDepth":165,"depth":165,"links":399},[400,407,408],{"id":220,"depth":165,"text":221,"children":401},[402,404,405,406],{"id":225,"depth":403,"text":125},3,{"id":231,"depth":403,"text":84},{"id":239,"depth":403,"text":206},{"id":251,"depth":403,"text":146},{"id":262,"depth":165,"text":263},{"id":306,"depth":165,"text":307},"MultiClaw has four components: a desktop app, a cloud platform, a browser extension, and OpenClaw. Here is how they work together.",{},"\u002Fgetting-started\u002Fhow-multiclaw-works",[413,414,415],"getting-started\u002Fwhat-is-multiclaw","getting-started\u002Finstall-multiclaw","getting-started\u002Fstart-your-first-conversation",{"title":191,"description":409},"how-multiclaw-works","help\u002Fgetting-started\u002F02.how-multiclaw-works",null,"WaNLNzjKyU019RKVKObaSoVhKfGZnfb0YlOMSUrycsE","How MultiClaw works MultiClaw has four components: a desktop app, a cloud platform, a browser extension, and OpenClaw. Here is how they work together.",{"id":423,"title":162,"body":424,"category":170,"description":556,"draft":172,"extension":173,"meta":557,"navigation":176,"order":403,"path":161,"relatedArticles":558,"seo":559,"slug":560,"stem":561,"updatedAt":419,"__hash__":562,"excerpt":556,"searchText":563},"help\u002Fhelp\u002Fgetting-started\u002F03.understand-the-multiclaw-products.md",{"type":8,"value":425,"toc":549},[426,429,433,437,443,446,448,460,463,467,475,478,480,485,488,492],[11,427,428],{},"MultiClaw has four components. You interact with the desktop app daily — the others run behind the scenes. Here's what each one does and which ones are required.",[11,430,431],{},[214,432],{"alt":216,"src":217},[34,434,436],{"id":435},"the-desktop-app","The desktop app",[11,438,242,439,442],{},[14,440,441],{},"MultiClaw desktop app"," is your main interface. Install it on your Mac, Windows, or Linux machine. From here you chat with agents, review their plans, approve tasks, browse skills, and track progress.",[11,444,445],{},"If you're not sure where to start, open the desktop app.",[34,447,84],{"id":231},[11,449,450,452,453,459],{},[14,451,84],{}," is the web platform at ",[159,454,458],{"href":455,"rel":456},"https:\u002F\u002Fmulticlaw.ai",[457],"nofollow","multiclaw.ai",". Use it to create your account, manage your team and workspace, and set up cloud desktops.",[11,461,462],{},"MultiClaw Cloud also handles what the desktop app doesn't: inviting teammates, viewing usage dashboards, and setting up guardrails and approval policies.",[34,464,466],{"id":465},"the-multiclaw-chrome-extension","The MultiClaw Chrome Extension",[11,468,242,469,471,472,474],{},[14,470,206],{}," works in Chrome, Chromium, Edge, Brave, and Arc. It records your browser actions — clicks, form fills, page navigation — so you can turn them into reusable ",[14,473,140],{}," for your agents.",[11,476,477],{},"Install it once, and it runs in the background until you start a recording. The extension communicates only with your local desktop app and does not transmit your browser activity directly to any external server. Recordings saved as skills may later be used in agent conversations, which are processed by your configured AI model provider.",[34,479,146],{"id":251},[11,481,482,484],{},[14,483,146],{}," is the open-source AI agent engine that powers MultiClaw. It runs locally or on a cloud desktop, depending on your setup.",[11,486,487],{},"You don't install or manage OpenClaw yourself — MultiClaw handles that automatically. You may see the name in logs or file paths.",[34,489,491],{"id":490},"what-you-need","What you need",[309,493,494,507],{},[312,495,496],{},[315,497,498,501,504],{},[318,499,500],{},"Component",[318,502,503],{},"Required?",[318,505,506],{},"When you need it",[325,508,509,519,529,539],{},[315,510,511,513,516],{},[330,512,125],{},[330,514,515],{},"Yes",[330,517,518],{},"Always — this is your main interface",[315,520,521,524,526],{},[330,522,523],{},"MultiClaw Cloud account",[330,525,515],{},[330,527,528],{},"Required even for local use — needed for activation",[315,530,531,533,536],{},[330,532,206],{},[330,534,535],{},"No",[330,537,538],{},"Only if you want to record browser workflows to create skills",[315,540,541,543,546],{},[330,542,146],{},[330,544,545],{},"Automatic",[330,547,548],{},"MultiClaw installs and manages it for you",{"title":164,"searchDepth":165,"depth":165,"links":550},[551,552,553,554,555],{"id":435,"depth":165,"text":436},{"id":231,"depth":165,"text":84},{"id":465,"depth":165,"text":466},{"id":251,"depth":165,"text":146},{"id":490,"depth":165,"text":491},"MultiClaw has four components: the desktop app, MultiClaw Cloud, the MultiClaw Chrome Extension, and OpenClaw, but only two are required.",{},[413,414],{"title":162,"description":556},"understand-the-multiclaw-products","help\u002Fgetting-started\u002F03.understand-the-multiclaw-products","Q0A72v5e1sKGz9O5wyMXNx5zJGkMw9et8LqOddPaSD0","What MultiClaw includes MultiClaw has four components: the desktop app, MultiClaw Cloud, the MultiClaw Chrome Extension, and OpenClaw, but only two are required.",{"id":565,"title":566,"body":567,"category":170,"description":795,"draft":172,"extension":173,"meta":796,"navigation":176,"order":797,"path":798,"relatedArticles":799,"seo":801,"slug":802,"stem":803,"updatedAt":419,"__hash__":804,"excerpt":795,"searchText":805},"help\u002Fhelp\u002Fgetting-started\u002F04.what-is-openclaw.md","What is OpenClaw?",{"type":8,"value":568,"toc":785},[569,574,578,581,584,588,595,598,601,607,611,620,640,644,647,735,739,745,751,755,758,761,765,771,777],[11,570,571,573],{},[14,572,146],{}," is the open-source AI agent engine that MultiClaw runs on. It starts automatically when you open the desktop app, runs entirely on your machine, and stores everything as plain files. You don't install, configure, or manage it — MultiClaw handles all of that for you.",[34,575,577],{"id":576},"how-openclaw-and-multiclaw-work-together","How OpenClaw and MultiClaw work together",[11,579,580],{},"MultiClaw and OpenClaw are two separate layers of the same product. OpenClaw is the execution layer: it runs your agents, manages conversation history, and stores your data. MultiClaw is the control layer: it provides the interface, connects to MultiClaw Cloud for team features, and manages the OpenClaw process.",[11,582,583],{},"Keeping them separate means the engine running your agents can be open source, independently auditable, and not tied to any single company's cloud.",[34,585,587],{"id":586},"the-gateway","The Gateway",[11,589,590,591,594],{},"When you open the desktop app, MultiClaw starts OpenClaw in the background. OpenClaw runs a local web server called the ",[14,592,593],{},"Gateway",". The desktop app connects to the Gateway over WebSocket to send instructions and receive results.",[11,596,597],{},"Because the Gateway runs on your machine, agent execution doesn't require a cloud connection. Your agents can work even when MultiClaw Cloud is unreachable, as long as the desktop app is running.",[11,599,600],{},"When you see \"Connected\" in the status bar, the Gateway is up and the desktop app is communicating with it successfully.",[149,602,604],{"type":603},"warning",[11,605,606],{},"If the desktop app shows \"Offline\" after it was working, the Gateway may have stopped unexpectedly. Restart the desktop app to restart the Gateway.",[34,608,610],{"id":609},"what-the-open-source-engine-means-for-you","What the open-source engine means for you",[11,612,613,614,619],{},"OpenClaw is ",[159,615,618],{"href":616,"rel":617},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fopenclaw\u002Fopenclaw",[457],"open source on GitHub",". This has three practical implications:",[45,621,622,628,634],{},[48,623,624,627],{},[14,625,626],{},"Transparency",": Every line of code that processes your conversations and executes your agent tasks is publicly readable.",[48,629,630,633],{},[14,631,632],{},"Portability",": Your data is stored in open, human-readable formats, and the engine that reads them is open source. You're never locked in.",[48,635,636,639],{},[14,637,638],{},"Independent auditability",": Security researchers, developers, and enterprise teams can audit, contribute to, and verify the engine without relying on MultiClaw's word.",[34,641,643],{"id":642},"where-your-data-lives","Where your data lives",[11,645,646],{},"OpenClaw stores everything as plain files on your machine.",[309,648,649,662],{},[312,650,651],{},[315,652,653,656,659],{},[318,654,655],{},"Data type",[318,657,658],{},"Mac \u002F Linux",[318,660,661],{},"Windows",[325,663,664,685,700,720],{},[315,665,666,668,678],{},[330,667,332],{},[330,669,670,673,674,677],{},[385,671,672],{},"~\u002F.openclaw\u002Fagents\u002F"," (",[385,675,676],{},".jsonl"," files)",[330,679,680,673,683,677],{},[385,681,682],{},"%USERPROFILE%\\.openclaw\\agents\\",[385,684,676],{},[315,686,687,690,695],{},[330,688,689],{},"Agent configuration",[330,691,692],{},[385,693,694],{},"~\u002F.openclaw\u002Fopenclaw.json",[330,696,697],{},[385,698,699],{},"%USERPROFILE%\\.openclaw\\openclaw.json",[315,701,702,705,713],{},[330,703,704],{},"Skills",[330,706,707,673,710,677],{},[385,708,709],{},"~\u002F.openclaw\u002Fworkspace\u002Fskills\u002F",[385,711,712],{},"SKILL.md",[330,714,715,673,718,677],{},[385,716,717],{},"%USERPROFILE%\\.openclaw\\workspace\\skills\\",[385,719,712],{},[315,721,722,725,730],{},[330,723,724],{},"Scheduled jobs",[330,726,727],{},[385,728,729],{},"~\u002F.openclaw\u002Fcron\u002Fjobs.json",[330,731,732],{},[385,733,734],{},"%USERPROFILE%\\.openclaw\\cron\\jobs.json",[223,736,738],{"id":737},"your-configuration-file","Your configuration file",[11,740,741,744],{},[385,742,743],{},"openclaw.json"," is OpenClaw's main configuration file. It stores agent definitions, runtime settings, and workspace preferences. MultiClaw reads and writes this file when you make changes through the desktop app.",[11,746,747,748,750],{},"You can open ",[385,749,743],{}," in any text editor to inspect or back up your settings. To change a setting not exposed in the desktop app, edit the file directly. The Gateway port is one example — restart the desktop app after any manual edits to apply the change.",[34,752,754],{"id":753},"your-data-stays-on-your-machine","Your data stays on your machine",[11,756,757],{},"All agent execution happens locally. Conversations, plans, and results are written to the files above, not sent to MultiClaw Cloud. Nothing from OpenClaw's runtime leaves your machine unless you explicitly share or sync it.",[11,759,760],{},"This matters if your work involves sensitive content: the agent runtime is local-only by design.",[34,762,764],{"id":763},"you-dont-need-to-manage-it","You don't need to manage it",[11,766,767,768,29],{},"MultiClaw installs OpenClaw automatically on first launch. When a new version is available, MultiClaw updates it the next time you open the desktop app — no action required. You can check the current OpenClaw version in ",[14,769,770],{},"Settings → About",[11,772,773,774,776],{},"If you see ",[385,775,251],{}," in your system's process list or a log file, that's expected. It's the engine running in the background.",[149,778,779],{"type":151},[11,780,781,782,784],{},"Your data is stored as standard files, so you can back it up at any time. Copy ",[385,783,387],{}," to another machine to transfer your conversation history, agents, and skills.",{"title":164,"searchDepth":165,"depth":165,"links":786},[787,788,789,790,793,794],{"id":576,"depth":165,"text":577},{"id":586,"depth":165,"text":587},{"id":609,"depth":165,"text":610},{"id":642,"depth":165,"text":643,"children":791},[792],{"id":737,"depth":403,"text":738},{"id":753,"depth":165,"text":754},{"id":763,"depth":165,"text":764},"OpenClaw is the open-source AI agent engine that powers MultiClaw — installed automatically, runs locally, and stores your data as plain files.",{},4,"\u002Fgetting-started\u002Fwhat-is-openclaw",[413,800,414],"getting-started\u002Fconnect-to-your-workspace",{"title":566,"description":795},"what-is-openclaw","help\u002Fgetting-started\u002F04.what-is-openclaw","iMOixl89RFnoNe9D5BA7hdel5CMTsWBh8mecP4erkNU","What is OpenClaw? OpenClaw is the open-source AI agent engine that powers MultiClaw — installed automatically, runs locally, and stores your data as plain files.",1778463883269]