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Automate Your Calendar with OpenClaw

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OpenClaw is a free, open-source personal assistant that can automate repetitive tasks on your computer. This guide shows you how to set up OpenClaw to manage your calendar automatically—adding events from natural language commands, checking your schedule, and even creating recurring meetings—so you spend less time on admin and more on actual work.

What You’ll Need

  • A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux
  • Python 3.9 or newer installed
  • A Google Calendar account (the most common setup; other calendars can be adapted)
  • Basic familiarity with the command line

Step-by-Step

  1. Install OpenClaw. Open a terminal and run pip install openclaw. Verify the installation with openclaw --version.
  2. Create a Google Cloud Project. Go to the Google Cloud Console, create a new project, and enable the Google Calendar API for that project.
  3. Generate credentials. In the API & Services section, create OAuth 2.0 credentials. Download the credentials.json file and save it in a folder you’ll use for OpenClaw (e.g., ~/openclaw).
  4. Configure OpenClaw. Run openclaw init to create the configuration file. Open ~/.openclaw/config.yaml and add your calendar settings: set calendar_provider: google and point to your credentials file.
  5. Authorize access. Run openclaw calendar auth. A browser window will open asking you to log in to your Google account and grant permission to access your calendar. After approval, OpenClaw stores a token locally.
  6. Test basic commands. Run openclaw calendar list to see today’s events. If that works, try openclaw calendar add "Lunch with Alex" "tomorrow at 12:30" to create an event.
  7. Set up natural language processing. OpenClaw uses a plugin called nlp to parse commands. Enable it in the config file by adding plugins: [nlp] under the assistant section. Restart OpenClaw.
  8. Create a custom automation. For recurring tasks, edit the automations.yaml file. For example, to add a weekly team meeting every Monday at 9 AM, add: 
    automations:
  - name: weekly_team_meeting
    trigger: "every Monday at 9am"
    action: "calendar add 'Team Sync' 'every Monday 9:00-9:30'"
  9. Run OpenClaw in the background. Start it with openclaw run to keep it active. It will listen for commands and execute automations.
  10. Use voice or text input. If you want to speak commands, install the voice plugin and configure a microphone. Otherwise, you can type commands directly in the terminal.

Common Mistakes

  • Wrong timezone. OpenClaw uses your system timezone by default. If you travel or work across timezones, set the timezone field in the config file explicitly.
  • Not refreshing the token. OAuth tokens expire. If you get a 401 error, run openclaw calendar auth again to re-authorize.
  • Using the wrong calendar ID. If you have multiple calendars, you must specify the correct calendar ID in the command or config. Use openclaw calendar list-calendars to see IDs.
  • Forgetting to enable the API. The Google Calendar API must be enabled in your project. Double-check in the Cloud Console.
  • Typing commands with quotes incorrectly. When using the command line, ensure you use double quotes around the command text, not single quotes, to avoid shell interpretation.

Tips

  • Start with simple commands before building complex automations.
  • Use the --dry-run flag to test an automation without actually modifying your calendar.
  • Keep your credentials file secure—never share it or commit it to a public repository.
  • Use the calendar search command to find events quickly instead of scrolling.
  • If you use multiple calendars, set a default calendar in the config to avoid specifying it every time.
  • Automate reminders by combining OpenClaw with a notification system (e.g., desktop notifications or email).

Troubleshooting

If something goes wrong, here’s what to try:

  • OpenClaw won’t start. Check that Python is in your PATH and that you installed OpenClaw in the same environment you’re using. Try reinstalling with pip install --upgrade openclaw.
  • Authentication fails repeatedly. Delete the stored token file (usually token.json in the same folder as credentials) and run openclaw calendar auth again.
  • Commands return “calendar not found”. Verify the calendar ID is correct. Use openclaw calendar list-calendars to see all available calendars.
  • Events are added to the wrong timezone. Set the timezone in the config file to your local IANA timezone (e.g., America/New_York).
  • Natural language commands don’t work. Make sure the nlp plugin is enabled and that you restarted OpenClaw after editing the config.
  • Automations don’t fire. Check that the trigger syntax is correct and that OpenClaw is running (not just installed). Also verify that your system clock is accurate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OpenClaw free?

Yes, OpenClaw is open-source and free to use. You only need a Google account for the calendar integration.

Can I use Outlook or Apple Calendar instead?

OpenClaw currently supports Google Calendar out of the box. For other providers, you can use their APIs or export/import via ICS files, but it requires more manual setup.

How do I make an event recurring?

Use the recur parameter in the add command, e.g., calendar add "Standup" "every weekday at 9am". OpenClaw will create a recurring event.

Can I delete events with OpenClaw?

Yes, use calendar delete "event name" to remove an event. You can also use calendar clear to delete all events in a calendar (use with caution).

Does OpenClaw work offline?

OpenClaw itself runs locally, but the calendar integration requires an internet connection to sync with Google Calendar.

How do I update OpenClaw?

Run pip install --upgrade openclaw to update to the latest version. Check the official repository for release notes.

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