Setting Up Aion UI With OpenClaw (Step By Step)

OpenClaw Aion UI takes 10 minutes to set up — this is the step-by-step.

By the end of this post, you'll have Aion UI installed, connected to OpenClaw, and ready to manage all your AI agents from one dashboard.

No padding.

Let's go.

Prerequisites

Three things first.

1 — OpenClaw running

Aion UI is a UI on top of OpenClaw — OpenClaw needs to be running.

If you don't have it, follow Build Your Own OpenClaw.

2 — Mac, Windows, or Linux

Aion UI has builds for all three.

3 — 10-15 minutes

Total time for a clean install + first agent test.

Step 1 — Download Aion UI

Go to the Aion UI download page.

Pick the build for your OS:

Mac → .dmg
Windows → .exe
Linux → .AppImage

Download.

Step 2 — Install

Mac: drag to Applications.

Windows: run installer, click through.

Linux: chmod the AppImage and double-click.

Standard install for any desktop app.

Step 3 — Open Aion UI

Launch.

First open will show the dashboard.

Look for the OpenClaw connection prompt.

Step 4 — Make Sure OpenClaw Gateway Is Up

Open your terminal (or Claude Code if you don't want terminal).

Make sure OpenClaw gateway is running.

Aion UI auto-detects when OpenClaw is up.

If it isn't, you'll see "connection error" or "gateway not live" in Aion UI.

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Step 5 — Switch To OpenClaw Gateway In Aion UI

Inside Aion UI, look for the OpenClaw Gateway view.

It's where you talk to your OpenClaw agents.

You'll see a clean chat panel — much nicer than the OpenClaw browser gateway.

Step 6 — Add Models

Go to Aion UI's Models section.

Click "Add provider".

Add the providers you want — Anthropic, DeepSeek, OpenRouter, Mistral, local Ollama, etc.

Aion UI auto-discovers available models.

You can switch between them per agent.

Step 7 — Configure Custom Agents

In settings:

View existing agents (e.g. OpenClaw setup expert).
Create new custom agents.
Set system prompts per agent.
Pick the model each agent should use.

You can also delete templated sessions you don't use.

Step 8 — Test With A First Chat

Pick an agent.

Start a new chat.

Send a test message.

If you get a reply — Aion UI is connected and working.

Now you can manage everything from this one dashboard.

Step 9 — Set Up Remote Access (Phone)

In Aion UI settings, find the remote section.

Configure phone access.

Now you can control your agents from your phone.

This is one of Aion UI's biggest features over the OpenClaw gateway.

Step 10 — Add Skills

Aion UI has its own skills marketplace.

Browse.

Upload custom skills.

Import existing OpenClaw skills.

Skills work across the agents you've connected.

Common Setup Issues

1. "Connection error" on first launch.

Make sure OpenClaw is running first.

Aion UI needs OpenClaw to be alive.

2. "No models available."

Add at least one provider in the Models section.

3. Agent showing "blocked" in swarm-style mode.

Click the agent, check its settings — usually wrong API selected.

Switch to a model the agent can use.

4. Phone access not working.

Check that your phone and Aion UI are on the same network.

For external access, configure VPN or remote tunnel.

What To Do After Setup

Once Aion UI runs:

Test phone access by sending a message from your phone.
Schedule a daily task.
Add 1-2 useful skills (web search is the most useful).
Connect another agent (Hermes or Claude Code).

I cover broader workflows in Aion UI multi-agent (different angle on same release).

Daily Reality After Setup

Once Aion UI is running:

Open Aion UI.
Pick an agent from sidebar.
Chat or schedule.
Switch agents instantly.
Check progress from phone if you're out.

The gateway feels primitive after using Aion UI.

Multi-Agent Workflows

Once basic setup works:

Add Hermes alongside OpenClaw.
Add Claude Code if you have it installed.
Run them in parallel for different tasks.

Aion UI lets all of them work in one dashboard.

This pairs naturally with Hermes Agent Swarm for multi-agent setups.

Why Aion UI Beats Custom Front-Ends

Three reasons.

1. Free and open source.

No subscription, no lock-in.

2. Multi-CLI support.

Most front-ends only work with one agent. Aion UI works with 10+.

3. Active development.

Regular updates, growing skill marketplace.

When To Pick Aion UI Vs ClawX

Quick decision:

OpenClaw only? ClawX is more focused.
Multiple agents? Aion UI wins.

Both are free.

I run Aion UI because I use multiple agents.

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FAQ — OpenClaw Aion UI Setup

How long does Aion UI install take?

10-15 minutes for a clean install + first agent.

Do I need OpenClaw installed first?

Yes — Aion UI is a wrapper.

Can I run Aion UI on a low-spec laptop?

Yes — Aion UI itself is light. The agents you run are what use resources.

Is Aion UI better than the OpenClaw browser gateway?

For most use cases, yes — clean UI, multi-agent support, phone access.

Can I use voice input?

Yes — supported by Aion UI.

Will my OpenClaw skills work in Aion UI?

Yes — skills are picked up automatically.

Does Aion UI work on iPad/iPhone?

Phone access is via web URL — your phone uses Aion UI through a browser.