Secure Your Mac mini for OpenClaw:
A Complete Guide to Child iCloud Accounts & Safe AI Setup
### Why This Matters
Running an autonomous AI agent like OpenClaw is powerful, but best practice is to isolate it on a
dedicated machine with restricted permissions. Using a child iCloud account with Family Sharing gives you
granular control over what the agent can access—perfect for testing AI safely.
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### Step 1: Create a Child Apple ID (Family Sharing)
1. On your main Mac, iPhone, or iPad, open System Settings → Family Sharing
2. Click “Add Family Member” → “Create a child account”
3. Enter the child’s details (e.g., openclaw-agent@icloud.com)
4. Choose Screen Time options (we’ll configure further in Step 2)
5. Complete the setup—Apple will send a verification email
6. The child account is now ready and linked to your Family
Key Point: The child account is fully managed by you, the parent. You control purchasing, app access, and
screen time.
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### Step 2: Configure Screen Time & Content Restrictions
On the Mac mini (or a Mac you manage), set restrictions for the child account:
1. Go to System Settings → Screen Time
2. Make sure you’re logged in as the parent (not the child)
3. Select the child account from the sidebar
4. Enable Screen Time and set limits if desired
5. Go to Content & Privacy → Enable Restrictions
6. Configure:
– Apps: Allow only safe, approved apps (block Safari initially, or restrict adult content)
– Websites: Restrict to approved/safe websites only
– Privacy: Limit location, microphone, camera access
7. Set a Screen Time passcode (long, random—you control it)
Security Tip: Turn off “Allow changes to privacy settings” so the child account can’t override
restrictions.
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### Step 3: Install OpenClaw as a Standard (Non-Admin) User
Log into the Mac mini using the child iCloud account:
1. Sign in with the child iCloud account during Mac setup
2. Do not grant admin privileges to this account
3. Open Terminal (request your admin password if prompted)
4. Install Node.js (if not already installed):
“`bash
curl -fsSL https://nodejs.org/dist/latest/node-v*-darwin-arm64.tar.xz | tar xJ
“`
5. Install OpenClaw:
“`bash
npm install -g @openclaw/openclaw
“`
6. Initialize OpenClaw:
“`bash
openclaw onboard
“`
Why Standard User? This prevents the agent from modifying system files, installing kernel extensions, or
accessing admin-level features.
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### Step 4: Enable OpenClaw Sandboxing
After installation, configure openclaw.json for maximum isolation:
1. Open ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json in a text editor
2. Add or modify the sandbox section:
“`json
{
“agents”: {
“defaults”: {
“sandbox”: {
“mode”: “all”,
“workspaceAccess”: “rw”,
“perSession”: true
}
}
}
}
“`
3. Restart OpenClaw:
“`bash
openclaw gateway restart
“`
What This Does:
– “mode”: “all” runs the agent in a Docker container (if Docker is installed) or process sandbox
– “workspaceAccess”: “rw” limits read/write to the agent’s workspace directory
– “perSession”: true creates a new sandbox for each session—no persistent access
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### Step 5: Monitor & Maintain
– Regularly review Screen Time reports in Family Sharing to see what the agent accessed
– Check logs in ~/.openclaw/logs/ for agent activity
– Update OpenClaw periodically:
“`bash
npm update -g @openclaw/openclaw
“`
– Rotate API keys if the agent has access to external services (OpenAI, Gemini, etc.)
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### Conclusion
You’ve created a fortress for your AI agent—a dedicated Mac mini with:
– ✅ Restricted child account (Family Sharing controls)
– ✅ Screen Time & content locks
– ✅ Non-admin user (no system-level access)
– ✅ OpenClaw sandbox isolation
– ✅ Full parental monitoring
This setup is ideal for developers testing OpenClaw, teams running autonomous agents, or anyone wanting
peace of mind. The agent can do its job safely—and you’re always in control.