Install MoltBot on Windows

This guide covers installing MoltBot on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Whether you're a developer or regular user, we have an option for you.

Installation Methods

Choose the method that works best for you:

1. Installer (Recommended) - Easiest for most users
2. winget - For command-line enthusiasts
3. npm - For Node.js developers
4. From Source - For contributors

Method 1: Using the Installer

Download

1. Visit the MoltBot Releases page
2. Download MoltBot-Setup-x.x.x.exe
3. Run the installer

Installation Steps

1. Run the installer - Double-click the downloaded .exe
2. Accept UAC prompt - Click "Yes" when Windows asks for permission
3. Choose install location - Default is C:\Program Files\MoltBot
4. Select options:
   • Add to PATH (recommended)
   • Create desktop shortcut
   • Add to Start menu
5. Complete installation - Click "Install"

First Run

After installation:

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
2. Run the setup wizard:

moltbot setup

3. Enter your API key when prompted
4. Choose your messaging integrations

Method 2: Using winget

Windows Package Manager makes installation simple:

winget install moltbot

Verify installation:

moltbot --version

Method 3: Using npm

If you have Node.js installed:

npm install -g moltbot

Or using Bun:

bun install -g moltbot

Method 4: From Source

For developers who want to build from source:

Prerequisites

• Git for Windows
• Node.js 18+ or Bun
• Visual Studio Build Tools (for native modules)

Steps

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/moltbot/moltbot.git
cd moltbot

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build
npm run build

# Run
npm start

Configuration

Environment Variables

Set environment variables in Windows:

1. Open Settings > System > About > Advanced system settings
2. Click Environment Variables
3. Under User variables, click New
4. Add your API key:
   • Variable name: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
   • Variable value: sk-ant-xxx

Or use PowerShell:

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "sk-ant-xxx", "User")

Config File

MoltBot stores configuration in:

%APPDATA%\MoltBot\config.json

Example configuration:

{
  "aiProvider": "anthropic",
  "model": "claude-3-sonnet",
  "memory": {
    "enabled": true,
    "maxTokens": 100000
  },
  "integrations": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
    }
  }
}

Running MoltBot

Command Line

# Start MoltBot
moltbot start

# Interactive mode
moltbot chat

# Run specific skill
moltbot run "check my email"

As a Windows Service

Run MoltBot in the background:

1. Install as service:

moltbot service install

2. Start service:

moltbot service start

3. Check status:

moltbot service status

Using Task Scheduler

For running at startup:

1. Open Task Scheduler
2. Click Create Basic Task
3. Name: "MoltBot"
4. Trigger: "When the computer starts"
5. Action: Start a program
6. Program: moltbot
7. Arguments: start

Updating

Using winget

winget upgrade moltbot

Using npm

npm update -g moltbot

Using Installer

Download and run the latest installer. It will update your existing installation.

Troubleshooting

"moltbot is not recognized"

Add MoltBot to your PATH:

1. Find installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\MoltBot)
2. Add to PATH environment variable
3. Restart your terminal

Permission Errors

Run PowerShell as Administrator:

Start-Process powershell -Verb runAs

SSL Certificate Errors

If you're behind a corporate proxy:

npm config set strict-ssl false

Node.js Version Issues

Ensure you have Node.js 18+:

node --version

If outdated, download from nodejs.org.

Windows-Specific Features

System Tray

MoltBot can run in the system tray:

moltbot start --tray

Notifications

Enable Windows notifications:

{
  "notifications": {
    "enabled": true,
    "provider": "windows"
  }
}

Hotkeys

Set global hotkeys to activate MoltBot:

{
  "hotkeys": {
    "activate": "Ctrl+Shift+M"
  }
}

Uninstallation

Using Installer

1. Open Settings > Apps
2. Find "MoltBot"
3. Click Uninstall

Using winget

winget uninstall moltbot

Using npm

npm uninstall -g moltbot

Need help? Join our Discord community or check the GitHub repository.