Microsoft's OpenClaw Companion App Falls Short of Expectations

Microsoft has been touting OpenClaw as the future of Windows, but an in-depth testing by a PCMag Australia writer reveals that it's still not ready for mass consumption.

The OpenClaw companion app is available as a native tool within Windows and uses Microsoft's Execution Containers (MXC) sandbox technology to provide granular control over what the agent can access. However, setting up the app requires technical expertise, including connecting an API key and paying per token, which can be expensive.

The installation process quickly becomes complex, with users needing to set up a model provider, such as OpenRouter or LM Studio, which requires powerful hardware. This is in stark contrast to Apple's macOS Golden Gate, which integrates AI in user-friendly ways, such as with Siri and vibe-coded browser extensions in Safari.

Once the app is set up, users can interact with their agent using a chatbox, but this process is also marred by issues. The agent may not understand how OpenClaw works, requiring users to provide instructions or wait for it to troubleshoot itself.