OpenClaw, the open-source self-hosted AI agent platform, has released native iOS and Android companion apps, allowing users to control their AI agents from a phone for the first time. But initial reviews suggest the mobile experience needs significant refinement.
OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI agent that runs on a Mac, Linux machine or Windows PC via WSL2. Users connect an API key from Claude, OpenAI, Gemini or other AI services, giving the agent access to messaging apps, files, web browsers and other tools on the gateway machine. The platform started as Clawdbot — renamed after Anthropic objected to its original name — and has become one of the most popular open-source agent frameworks.
The new mobile apps are companion nodes, not standalone clients. They connect to an existing OpenClaw gateway over WebSocket on port 18789, using mDNS for local network discovery or Tailscale for remote access. The connection process involves pairing, requiring the gateway owner to approve the device through the command line.
Once paired, the apps expose several capabilities: chat with the AI assistant, camera capture for document scanning, screen snapshots for analysis, location sharing, and voice input for hands-free interaction. The iOS app renders a WKWebView canvas that the AI agent can control, navigating to URLs and executing JavaScript. The Android app offers similar features with additional chat session management.
Early reviews have been mixed. Users report the setup process is non-trivial — the apps require a running gateway, network configuration and CLI-based device approval before they become useful. Troubleshooting guides list common errors including NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE (iOS background restrictions preventing certain commands) and A2UI_HOST_NOT_CONFIGURED (missing gateway address settings).
The apps are available for free on the App Store and Google Play, though they require a self-hosted gateway to function.
Sources: OpenClaw reveals iOS and Android mobile apps at last (TechRadar, June 30, 2026); Open Source AI Agent OpenClaw Gets Native iOS App (MacRumors, June 29, 2026)