Getting Started — LobsterLauncher

1

Install LobsterLauncher

A

Download the installer

Download LobsterLauncher (.dmg)

Universal build — works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

Don't have a license yet? Purchase here →

B

Open the DMG and drag to Applications

Once downloaded, double-click the .dmg file. A window will open — drag the LobsterLauncher icon into your Applications folder.

C

Open LobsterLauncher from Applications

Go to your Applications folder (Finder → Applications) and double-click LobsterLauncher to open it.

⚠️ macOS Security Tip: If macOS says "LobsterLauncher can't be opened," right-click the app and choose Open, then click Open in the dialog. This only happens the first time.

D

Enter your license key

LobsterLauncher will ask for your license key on first launch. You received it in two places:

✓ In your purchase confirmation email
✓ On the success page right after checkout

Can't find it? Email support@lobsterlauncher.com

2

Get Your AI API Key

This is the most important step. An API key lets LobsterLauncher talk to an AI model. Pick one provider below — you only need one.

🟢

Google Gemini

Recommended for beginners · Free tier available

💚 No credit card required to get started. Google Gemini offers a generous free tier — perfect if you're new to AI assistants.

1 Go to aistudio.google.com/apikeys
2 Sign in with your Google account.
3 Click the blue "Create API Key" button.
4 Select "Create API key in new project" (or choose an existing project if you have one).
5 Your key will appear — click Copy to copy it to your clipboard.
6 Paste it into LobsterLauncher when it asks for your API key.

💰 Cost: Free tier is very generous. If you exceed limits, pay-as-you-go pricing is extremely affordable for casual use.

🟣

Anthropic Claude

Pay-as-you-go · Excellent quality

💳 Billing required. You'll need to add a minimum of $5 in credits. Casual daily use typically costs just a few cents.

1 Go to console.anthropic.com
2 Create an account or sign in.
3 In the left sidebar, go to Settings → API Keys.
4 Click "Create Key".
5
Copy the key immediately. ⚠️ You won't be able to see it again after closing this dialog.
6 Add credits: go to Settings → Billing and add at least $5 to your account.
7 Paste the key into LobsterLauncher when prompted.

💰 Cost: ~$3 per million tokens. Casual daily use (asking questions, getting help with tasks) is typically just a few pennies per day.

⚫

OpenAI

Pay-as-you-go · GPT-4 & more

💳 Billing required. You'll need to add credits to your account before the API key will work.

1 Go to platform.openai.com/api-keys
2 Sign in or create a new account.
3 Click "+ Create new secret key".
4 Give it a name like "LobsterLauncher" so you remember what it's for.
5
Copy the key immediately. ⚠️ OpenAI only shows this once — copy it before closing.
6 Add credits: go to Settings → Billing → Add to credit balance.
7 Paste the key into LobsterLauncher when prompted.

💰 Cost: Pay-as-you-go, similar pricing to Anthropic. Casual daily use runs just a few cents per day.

3

Complete the Setup Wizard

⚙️

LobsterLauncher does the heavy lifting

No technical knowledge required.

1

LobsterLauncher automatically installs OpenClaw

OpenClaw is the AI engine that powers your personal assistant. LobsterLauncher handles the entire installation — no terminal required.

2

Just follow the on-screen prompts

The wizard will walk you through each step with clear instructions. Answer the questions and click Next.

3

Setup completes in 2–3 minutes

Once finished, your AI assistant is live and ready to use.

✅ When the wizard says "Setup Complete," you're ready for Step 4!

4

Meet Your AI Assistant

Your personal AI assistant is now live. Here's what you can do right out of the box:

💬

Ask Anything

Ask questions, get summaries, brainstorm ideas, draft emails — your AI handles it.

📱

Connect from Anywhere

Chat via Telegram, Discord, or the web interface — wherever you prefer.

🎨

Make It Yours

Customize your agent's name, personality, and capabilities to fit your needs.

Explore everything LobsterLauncher can do

Troubleshooting & FAQ

❌ My API key isn't working

A few things to check:

Extra spaces: Make sure there are no spaces before or after the key when you paste it.
Billing not set up: For Anthropic and OpenAI, your key won't work until you add credits. Go back to their billing pages.
Wrong key: Double-check you copied the full key — they're usually 40–100 characters long.

🚫 LobsterLauncher won't open on macOS

This is macOS Gatekeeper protecting you from unrecognized apps — completely normal for new apps. Here's the fix:

Find LobsterLauncher in your Applications folder
Right-click (or Control+click) on the app
Choose Open from the menu
Click Open in the dialog that appears

You'll only have to do this once.

🛡️ Windows SmartScreen blocks the installer

Windows SmartScreen warns about new, unsigned software — this is normal. Here's the fix:

When you see "Windows protected your PC," click More info
Click Run anyway

We're a new publisher and haven't purchased a code signing certificate yet. The software is safe — it's the same open-source OpenClaw project, just with an easy installer.

You may also see PowerShell windows briefly open and close during setup. This is expected — LobsterLauncher uses PowerShell to install Node.js and configure OpenClaw.

🔄 How do I update LobsterLauncher?

LobsterLauncher auto-updates automatically (from v1.0.7 and above). You'll be notified when a new version is available, or you can check for updates in the app menu. No manual downloads needed.

🔑 I lost my license key

Don't worry! A few ways to recover it:

Check your purchase confirmation email — we sent it there.
Use the license recovery link in the LobsterLauncher app.
Email us at support@lobsterlauncher.com with your purchase info.

Getting Started with LobsterLauncher