Fix Windows: openclaw plugins install spawn EINVAL

On Windows, openclaw plugins install <plugin-name> can fail with Error: spawn EINVAL. This is a Node.js child-process error meaning Windows rejected the spawn call — most often because of a missing executable, bad PATH, or PowerShell policy restrictions.

Step 1: Run as Administrator

The most common cause is insufficient permissions. Right-click PowerShell or Command Prompt and select Run as administrator, then retry:

# In an Administrator PowerShell or cmd:
openclaw plugins install <plugin-name>

# Example:
openclaw plugins install browser-use-api

Step 2: Fix PowerShell Execution Policy

If the plugin installer runs a .ps1 script, Windows may block it. Set the execution policy for the current user:

# Run in Administrator PowerShell:
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

# Then retry:
openclaw plugins install <plugin-name>

Step 3: Install Git for Windows

Some plugin installers spawn git as a sub-process. If Git is not on PATH, the spawn call returns EINVAL:

winget install Git.Git

# After install, close and reopen your terminal
git --version

During the Git installer, make sure "Add Git to PATH" is checked (it is by default in the recommended installation).

Step 4: Reinstall Node.js LTS

A corrupted or outdated Node.js install can cause spawn to fail even with correct PATH. Download Node.js LTS from nodejs.org and reinstall, then retry:

node --version   # Should be v22 or later
npm --version

# After reinstalling Node.js:
npm install -g openclaw
openclaw plugins install <plugin-name>

Verify Plugin Installed

openclaw plugins list