> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/rohanarun/phoneclaw/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get PhoneClaw running your first automation in 5 minutes

# Quickstart

Get PhoneClaw up and running with your first automation in just a few minutes.

## Prerequisites

<Warning>
  You'll need an Android device with developer mode enabled. PhoneClaw does not require root access.
</Warning>

Before starting, make sure you have:

* Android device (recommended: Moto G Play, \$30 at Walmart)
* Computer with Android Studio installed
* PhoneClaw source code from GitHub
* Moondream auth token (for vision features)

## Quick setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable developer mode">
    On your Android device:

    1. Go to **Settings > About Phone**
    2. Tap **Build Number** 7 times
    3. Go back to **Settings > Developer Options**
    4. Enable **USB Debugging**

    <Note>
      The exact menu location varies by manufacturer, but the process is similar across all Android devices.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build the APK">
    On your computer with Android Studio:

    1. Open the PhoneClaw repository in Android Studio
    2. Click **Build > Generate Bundles or APKs > Generate APKs**
    3. Wait for the build to complete
    4. Find the APK in `app/build/outputs/apk/debug/`

    <CodeGroup>
      ```bash Terminal theme={null}
      # Or build from command line
      cd phoneclaw
      ./gradlew assembleDebug
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install on device">
    Transfer the APK to your Android device:

    **Option A: USB Transfer**

    ```bash theme={null}
    adb install app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
    ```

    **Option B: Manual Transfer**

    1. Copy the APK to your device via USB or cloud storage
    2. Open the APK file on your device
    3. Click **Install** when prompted
    4. Allow installation from unknown sources if requested
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Moondream token">
    Before building, add your Moondream auth token:

    Create or edit `local.properties` in the project root:

    ```properties local.properties theme={null}
    MOONDREAM_AUTH=YOUR_TOKEN_HERE
    ```

    Or add to `~/.gradle/gradle.properties`:

    ```properties ~/.gradle/gradle.properties theme={null}
    MOONDREAM_AUTH=YOUR_TOKEN_HERE
    ```

    <Note>
      Get your Moondream token from [moondream.ai](https://moondream.ai). This is required for vision-assisted element detection.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable accessibility service">
    On your Android device after installing:

    1. Open **PhoneClaw** app
    2. Grant all requested permissions
    3. Go to **Settings > Accessibility**
    4. Find **PhoneClaw** in the list
    5. Enable the accessibility service

    <Warning>
      The accessibility service is required for PhoneClaw to interact with other apps. Without it, automations won't work.
    </Warning>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Your first automation

Now let's create your first automation using voice commands:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open PhoneClaw">
    Launch the PhoneClaw app on your device. You should see the main interface with a microphone button.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tap to speak">
    Tap the **microphone button** and say:

    > "Open Twitter and click the blue post button every hour"

    PhoneClaw will:

    * Generate a ClawScript for this automation
    * Schedule it to run hourly
    * Output the script file for editing
  </Step>

  <Step title="Watch it run">
    The automation will execute immediately. You'll see:

    * PhoneClaw opening Twitter
    * Finding the post button using vision
    * Clicking it
    * Scheduling the next run

    <Note>
      Voice feedback will confirm each step. You can view the generated ClawScript in the app interface.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Understanding the generated script

Here's what PhoneClaw generated for the Twitter automation:

```javascript theme={null}
// Launch Twitter
launchTwitter();
delay(5000);

// Use vision to find and click the post button
magicClicker("Blue post button");
delay(2000);

// Schedule to run every hour
schedule("twitter-post", "0 * * * *");

speakText("Twitter automation scheduled");
```

### Key ClawScript functions used:

* `launchTwitter()` - Opens the Twitter app
* `delay(ms)` - Waits for the specified milliseconds
* `magicClicker(description)` - Finds and taps UI elements by description
* `schedule(task, cronExpression)` - Sets up recurring automation
* `speakText(text)` - Provides audio feedback

## Try more automations

Now that you've run your first automation, try these voice commands:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Screenshot and share">
    "Take a screenshot and send it via email every morning at 9am"
  </Card>

  <Card title="Social media posting">
    "Upload the latest video from my gallery to TikTok"
  </Card>

  <Card title="Form filling">
    "Fill out the signup form with my email and password"
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cross-app workflow">
    "Check email, extract the code, and paste it into the verification field"
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Editing scripts manually

You can also write ClawScript manually for more control:

```javascript theme={null}
// Example: Instagram automation
speakText("Starting Instagram upload");

launchInstagram();
delay(5000);

// Click the creation tab
clickElementByViewId("com.instagram.android:id/creation_tab");
delay(3000);

// Select first media item
magicClicker("First photo in gallery");
delay(2000);

// Click Next
magicClicker("Next button");
delay(3000);

// Type caption
magicClicker("Write a caption");
delay(1000);
simulateTypeInFirstEditableField("Check out my latest post! #automation");

// Share
magicClicker("Share button");
delay(5000);

speakText("Posted to Instagram successfully");
```

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="ClawScript API" icon="book" href="/api/overview">
    Learn all available helper functions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Example Scripts" icon="code" href="/examples/social-media">
    Browse pre-built automation examples
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduling" icon="clock" href="/guides/scheduling-tasks">
    Master cron expressions for recurring tasks
  </Card>

  <Card title="Vision Features" icon="eye" href="/concepts/vision-targeting">
    Deep dive into magicClicker and magicScraper
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Accessibility service not working">
    If automations aren't executing:

    1. Go to **Settings > Accessibility > PhoneClaw**
    2. Disable and re-enable the service
    3. Restart the PhoneClaw app
    4. Check if other accessibility services are conflicting
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Vision features not working">
    If magicClicker or magicScraper fail:

    1. Verify your Moondream token is correct in `local.properties`
    2. Rebuild the APK after adding the token
    3. Check device internet connectivity
    4. Try more specific descriptions (e.g., "Blue submit button in bottom right" vs "Submit")
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="App crashes on launch">
    Common fixes:

    1. Clear app data: **Settings > Apps > PhoneClaw > Clear Data**
    2. Reinstall the APK
    3. Check Android version compatibility (requires Android 8.0+)
    4. Review logcat output for specific errors
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Scheduled tasks not running">
    If cron jobs aren't executing:

    1. Verify the cron expression is valid
    2. Check if battery optimization is disabled for PhoneClaw
    3. Ensure the device isn't in Doze mode
    4. Review the scheduled tasks list in the app
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Get help

Stuck? Join the community:

* **Discord**: [https://discord.gg/n9nbZUrw](https://discord.gg/n9nbZUrw)
* **YouTube tutorials**: [https://www.youtube.com/@getsuperpowers](https://www.youtube.com/@getsuperpowers)