# How to Deploy OpenClaw with xCloud (Self-Managed Server) > Install OpenClaw on your own VPS with xCloud. Connect a server from DigitalOcean, Hetzner, AWS or any provider, add your AI key and deploy it in one click. This guide shows you how to **install OpenClaw** on your own VPS with xCloud. You keep the server at your cloud provider, and xCloud does the OpenClaw installation, the Control UI, the SSL certificate and the updates. To install OpenClaw, you connect a server, choose the OpenClaw stack, add your AI provider key and click **Create**. An OpenClaw VPS needs a dedicated server with at least 4 GB RAM. If you want xCloud to supply the server too, use [How to Deploy OpenClaw with xCloud (Fully Managed Hosting)](/docs/how-to-deploy-openclaw-with-xcloud/). To run Hermes Agent on your own server instead, see [How to Deploy Hermes Agent with xCloud (Self-Managed Server)](/docs/how-to-install-hermes-agent-on-vps-with-xcloud/). ## OpenClaw installation on your own server You can install OpenClaw on two kinds of self-managed server: - **A connected cloud account.** xCloud creates a new instance for you in your AWS (EC2 or Lightsail), Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Hetzner, Linode (Akamai) or Hostinger account. xCloud reads the regions and plans from your account and shows only plans with at least 4 GB RAM. - **A VPS from any provider.** You create a fresh Ubuntu server at your provider, then connect it to xCloud over SSH. **No OpenClaw Docker setup is necessary.** xCloud installs OpenClaw directly on Ubuntu and runs the gateway as a system service, so there are no Docker or compose files to write. ## VPS for OpenClaw: system requirements Before you start, make sure that you have: - **A dedicated server.** OpenClaw uses the whole server. You cannot host other sites on it. - **At least 4 GB RAM.** xCloud refuses a smaller server before it installs anything. - **A server running Ubuntu.** New cloud instances use Ubuntu 24.04. For a VPS from any provider, use a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x64 server. The connection check also accepts Ubuntu 22.04. It refuses Ubuntu 26.04 for AI agent servers. - **Root SSH access** to a VPS from any provider, and ports 22, 80 and 443 open. - **An AI provider key.** For example, an Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, Z.AI or Moonshot AI (Kimi) API key, an Anthropic Claude Code CLI token, or an OpenAI Codex (ChatGPT OAuth) token. - **A Telegram bot token (optional).** You can also add it later. ## Step 1: Choose where to install OpenClaw Open [OpenClaw on your own server](https://app.xcloud.host/server/create/any?app=openclaw) in xCloud to connect a VPS directly, or [choose a provider](https://app.xcloud.host/server/create/own/provider?app=openclaw). The **Bring and Manage Your Own Server** page lists the providers you can use: DigitalOcean, AWS, Hetzner, Vultr, Google Cloud, Linode (Akamai), Hostinger and **Any**. ![The Bring and Manage Your Own Server page with the provider cards you can use for an OpenClaw VPS: Vultr, DigitalOcean, Google Cloud, Hetzner, AWS, Linode, Hostinger and Any](/_landing/docs/how-to-install-openclaw-on-vps-with-xcloud-image-1.png) - **DigitalOcean, AWS, Hetzner and the other cloud providers:** click your provider to create a new OpenClaw instance in your account. If you did not connect the account yet, connect it first. For example, see the guides for [DigitalOcean](/docs/how-to-setup-your-server-with-digital-ocean/), [AWS](/docs/how-to-set-up-aws-server-in-xcloud/), [Hetzner](/docs/set-up-hetzner-server-in-xcloud/), [Google Cloud](/docs/first-server-with-google-cloud-platform/), [Linode](/docs/integrate-and-setup-linode-server-with-xcloud/) and [Hostinger](/docs/set-up-hostinger-server-with-xcloud/). - **Any provider:** click **Any** to use a VPS that you already created. The rest of this guide shows this path. For the general steps, see [How to connect a fresh Ubuntu server from any provider](/docs/how-to-set-up-server-with-other-providers/). **Expected result:** The server form opens with **Agentic** and **OpenClaw** already selected. ## Step 2: Enter the server details On the **Connect Your Existing Server** form: 1. Enter a **Server Name**. 2. Make sure that **Agentic** is selected under **Choose Web Server** and **OpenClaw** under **Choose Agentic Stack**. 3. Enter the server's public **IP Address** and the **SSH Port** (default `22`). The **SSH Username** is `root`. 4. Optional: add tags. ![The Connect Your Existing Server form for an OpenClaw VPS with the Agentic web server and OpenClaw stack selected](/_landing/docs/how-to-install-openclaw-on-vps-with-xcloud-image-2.png) If you create the instance in a connected cloud account, select the account, region and a plan with at least 4 GB RAM instead of the IP address. xCloud uses Ubuntu 24.04 for the new instance. **Expected result:** The form shows the OpenClaw security warning below the server fields. ## Step 3: Complete the OpenClaw setup 1. Read the security warning. Select **I understand this is powerful and inherently risky. I accept the risks and want to continue.** 2. Under **OpenClaw Configuration**, select your **AI Provider**. 3. Paste your API key or token into the key field. The field name changes with the provider, for example **OpenRouter API Key**. 4. Keep **Enable Control UI (Dashboard)** selected if you want the web dashboard. Clear it for headless mode, where you use OpenClaw only through the API or a chat app. ![The OpenClaw setup section with the security warning, AI provider, API key, optional Telegram fields and the Enable Control UI option](/_landing/docs/how-to-install-openclaw-on-vps-with-xcloud-image-3.png) ### OpenClaw Telegram setup To talk to OpenClaw from Telegram, enter the **Telegram Bot Token** and your **Telegram User ID** in the optional fields. To create the bot and find your user ID, see [How to create a Telegram bot and connect it with OpenClaw](/docs/how-to-create-a-telegram-bot-and-connect-it-with-openclaw/). You can also add the bot later under **OpenClaw > Channels**. **Expected result:** The key field shows dots, and the provider is selected. ## Step 4: Choose the plan and add the xCloud SSH key 1. Under **Choose your plan**, select the xCloud plan for this server. The first self-managed server can use the **Free** plan. 2. Under **SSH Authentication**, select **Public Key**. Copy the command and run it on your server as root. The command adds the xCloud public key to `/root/.ssh/authorized_keys`. If you prefer, select **Password** and enter the root password. 3. Select **I have created a new server on my provider**. 4. Click **Create**. ![The plan choice, the Public Key SSH authentication command with a Copy button, the new server confirmation and the Create button](/_landing/docs/how-to-install-openclaw-on-vps-with-xcloud-image-4.png) Before xCloud saves the server, it connects over SSH and checks the Ubuntu version and the RAM. If a check fails, the form shows the reason and nothing is created. See [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting). **Expected result:** xCloud opens the **Setting Up Your Server** page and runs the installation steps, for example **Installing OpenClaw Stack**. In our test on a 4 GB VPS in October 2026, it finished in about 6 minutes. You can leave the page while it runs. ## Step 5: Open the OpenClaw dashboard When the setup finishes, open the server in xCloud. The **OpenClaw** menu has **Status**, **Providers**, **Channels**, **Config**, **Environment**, **Updates**, **Reset** and **Logs**. Go to **OpenClaw > Status**. This page shows the gateway state, the OpenClaw version, the Control UI credentials and the Basic Auth credentials. ![The OpenClaw Status page in xCloud on an OpenClaw VPS with the running gateway, version, Control UI URL, gateway token and Basic Auth credentials](/_landing/docs/how-to-install-openclaw-on-vps-with-xcloud-image-5.png) To open the OpenClaw Control UI: 1. Copy the **Control UI URL**. It includes the gateway token. 2. Copy the **Basic Auth User** and **Basic Auth Password**. 3. Open the URL in your browser and sign in with these credentials. The Status page also has **Restart** and **Stop** buttons for the gateway. To manage xCloud from OpenClaw chat, see [How to Connect OpenClaw to xCloud](/docs/how-to-connect-openclaw-to-xcloud/). ## Billing for a self-managed OpenClaw server xCloud starts the self-managed billing for a new OpenClaw server only after the gateway and its dashboard respond. If the installation fails, you are not charged for the plan while you retry it. The free first server and Lifetime Deal rules do not change. For plan details, see [Upgrade from free to paid self-managed hosting](/docs/upgrade-from-free-to-paid-of-self-managed-hosting/). If xCloud cannot charge your saved payment method when the server is ready, the setup page shows **Complete payment to start managing your server**. Click **Pay Now** to pay the invoice. ![The Server Provisioned Successfully page with the payment required notice, the invoice, the Starter plan and the Pay Now button](/_landing/docs/how-to-install-openclaw-on-vps-with-xcloud-image-6.png) ## Retry and rebuild ### Retry a failed installation If the setup stops, the **Setting Up Your Server** page shows the error and a **Retry** button with the number of retries left. Fix the cause, for example start the stopped gateway or free memory, then click **Retry**. If the server itself is ready but the OpenClaw dashboard did not respond, **Retry** starts the gateway and runs only the dashboard setup again. After three retries, contact support. ### Rebuild the server Rebuild reinstalls the operating system and OpenClaw. It erases everything on the disk. It is available for OpenClaw servers that xCloud created in a connected DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Linode, Hostinger, Vultr, AWS or Google Cloud account. It is not available for a VPS that you connected with **Any**, because xCloud cannot reinstall that server through a provider API. - On DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Linode, Hostinger and Vultr, xCloud reinstalls the same instance. The public IP and billing stay the same. - On AWS and Google Cloud, xCloud creates a replacement instance. The public IP can change. You must select **I accept that the replacement can change the public IP and cause temporary provider charges for two instances.** xCloud keeps the original instance until the replacement is ready. For the full procedure, see [How to Rebuild a Server Safely with xCloud](/docs/how-to-rebuild-a-server-with-xcloud/). To fix a broken OpenClaw install without a rebuild, see [How to repair OpenClaw with xCloud](/docs/how-to-repair-openclaw-with-xcloud/). ## Troubleshooting ### "Not yet available on Ubuntu 26.04" If the VPS runs Ubuntu 26.04, xCloud shows an **Authentication Failed** message that says **AI agent servers (OpenClaw, Paperclip, Hermes, DeepSeek Harness) are not yet available on Ubuntu 26.04. Please use Ubuntu 24.04.** Reinstall the VPS with Ubuntu 24.04 at your provider and try again. ![The Authentication Failed message saying that AI agent servers are not yet available on Ubuntu 26.04](/_landing/docs/how-to-install-openclaw-on-vps-with-xcloud-image-7.png) ### "AI agent servers need at least 4 GB RAM" xCloud checks the server memory before it creates anything. If the server has less than 4 GB RAM, the form shows **AI agent servers need at least 4 GB RAM. Use a larger server or choose another stack.** Resize the server at your provider, or use a plan with at least 4 GB RAM, and submit the form again. ### The gateway or its dashboard is not ready If the OpenClaw gateway or the dashboard does not respond at the end of the installation, the setup fails with **The agent or its dashboard is not ready. Retry provisioning after the service starts.** Open **OpenClaw > Logs** to see the gateway output, then click **Retry** on the setup page. For other connection errors, see [How to troubleshoot "Server Installation Failed" on a self-managed server](/docs/how-to-troubleshoot-server-installation-failed-xcloud-self-managed/). ## Use the xCloud API You can also do these steps with the xCloud Public API and the xCloud MCP server: list your cloud accounts, regions and plans, connect a server, and start or retry a rebuild. See [xCloud API](/docs/xcloud-api/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I install OpenClaw on a VPS I already have? Yes, if the VPS is fresh. Create a new Ubuntu 24.04 server at your provider, then connect it to xCloud with the Any provider option and choose the OpenClaw stack. Do not use a server that already hosts sites: OpenClaw uses the whole server. ### Which server providers can I use for OpenClaw? xCloud can create the OpenClaw server in a connected AWS (EC2 or Lightsail), Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Hetzner, Linode or Hostinger account. You can also connect a fresh Ubuntu VPS from any other provider over SSH. ### What are the OpenClaw system requirements on a self-managed server? A dedicated server with at least 4 GB RAM and root SSH access. New cloud instances use Ubuntu 24.04. For a VPS from any provider, use a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x64 server. The connection check also accepts Ubuntu 22.04 and refuses Ubuntu 26.04 for AI agent servers. You also need an API key or token from your AI provider. ### Do I need Docker to self-host OpenClaw? No. xCloud installs OpenClaw directly on Ubuntu and runs the OpenClaw gateway as a system service. You do not write Docker or compose files. ### How do I connect Telegram to OpenClaw? Enter your Telegram bot token and Telegram user ID in the optional fields of the OpenClaw configuration when you create the server. You can also add or change them later under OpenClaw > Channels. ## Related guides - [How to Deploy OpenClaw with xCloud (Fully Managed Hosting)](/docs/how-to-deploy-openclaw-with-xcloud/) - [How to Deploy Hermes Agent with xCloud (Self-Managed Server)](/docs/how-to-install-hermes-agent-on-vps-with-xcloud/) - [How to connect a fresh Ubuntu server from any provider](/docs/how-to-set-up-server-with-other-providers/) - [How to create a Telegram bot and connect it with OpenClaw](/docs/how-to-create-a-telegram-bot-and-connect-it-with-openclaw/) - [How to Rebuild a Server Safely with xCloud](/docs/how-to-rebuild-a-server-with-xcloud/) If you run into any issues, feel free to reach out to our [support team](/docs/access-built-in-support-portal-in-xcloud/).