User Guide

Quick Start

1️⃣ Connect via Web Browser

Go to https://windows.cloud.microsoft/ and sign in

2️⃣ Install Your Tools and Start Using AI

Click desktop shortcuts to install PicoClaw (=Openclaw) optional OpenCode

Step-by-Step: First Login

1. Open AVD Web Client

1. Open your web browser (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox )
2. Go to: https://windows.cloud.microsoft/
3. You'll see the Azure Virtual Desktop login page

2. Sign In

1. Click on your desktop workspace
2. Enter your credentials:
   • Username: hi.test@bigt.ai for
   • Password: Welcome2026!Secure
3. Click Sign in

3. Install AI Tools (First Login Only)

After logging in, you'll see these shortcuts on your desktop:

Action Required: Double-click each shortcut and follow the installation wizards.

Your Desktop Shortcuts

Installation Shortcuts (First Login)

Daily Use Shortcuts (After Installation)

Using PicoClaw (AI Agent)

First Time Setup

1. Double-click Install PicoClaw on desktop
2. Wait for installation to complete (~30 seconds)
3. PicoClaw Gateway starts automatically

Configure PicoClaw

1. Click Config PicoClaw on desktop
2. Edit config.json in Notepad
3. Save the file (Ctrl+S)
4. Close Notepad - Gateway restarts automatically

Update PicoClaw

1. Click Upgrade PicoClaw on desktop
2. The script stops Gateway, updates, and restarts it
3. Wait for "Upgrade Complete" message

PicoClaw Usage Guide

What is PicoClaw?

PicoClaw is a personal AI agent that runs as a gateway service on your VM. It connects AI models to various messaging platforms and provides tools for web search, file access, and more.

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    PicoClaw Gateway                     │
│  (Runs in background, listens for messages)             │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Channels (Input/Output)        │  Tools (Capabilities) │
│  • Telegram Bot                 │  • Web Search         │
│  • WhatsApp                     │  • File Access        │
│  • Discord                      │  • Code Execution     │
│  • Web Interface                │  • API Calls          │
│  • Local Terminal               │  • Custom Skills      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                            ↓
              AI Model (OpenRouter, Ollama, etc.)

Configuration File Location

💡 Tip: User config overrides system config. Click Config PicoClaw to edit your user config.

Key Configuration Options

Edit config.json to customize PicoClaw:

{
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "model": "openrouter/qwen/qwen3.5-397b-a17b",    // AI model to use
      "max_tokens": 8192,                    // Max response length
      "temperature": 0.7,                    // Creativity (0.0-1.0)
      "max_tool_iterations": 20              // Max tool calls per request
    }
  },
  "providers": {
    "openrouter": {
      "api_key": "sk-or-..."                 // Your API key
    }
  },
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,                       // Enable Telegram bot
      "token": "8212046289:AAF...",         // Bot token from @BotFather
      "allow_from": []                       // Allowed user IDs (empty = all)
    }
  },
  "gateway": {
    "host": "0.0.0.0",                       // Listen address
    "port": 18790                            // Listen port
  }
}

Available Channels

1. Telegram Bot

Setup:

1. Open Telegram, search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot and follow prompts
3. Copy the bot token (looks like 123456:ABC-DEF1234...)
4. In PicoClaw config, set:

   "telegram": {
     "enabled": true,
     "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE",
     "allow_from": []
   }
   

5. Click Config PicoClaw to save and restart Gateway
6. In Telegram, search for your bot and click Start

Usage:

• Send any message to your bot
• Bot forwards to PicoClaw AI
• AI responds through the bot

2. Web Interface

Access:

1. Open browser on the VM
2. Go to: http://localhost:18790
3. Chat directly with PicoClaw AI

Remote Access (Advanced):

• Change gateway.host to "0.0.0.0" in config
• Open port 18790 in Windows Firewall
• Access from other machines: http://<vm-ip>:18790

3. Local Terminal

Usage:

# Direct interaction via command line
picoclaw agent "What is the weather today?"

Available Tools

PicoClaw can use tools to extend its capabilities:

Example Use Cases

1. Personal AI Assistant

User: "What's the weather in Shanghai?"
PicoClaw: [Uses web search tool] → "Currently 15°C, partly cloudy..."

2. Code Helper

User: "Write a Python function to sort a list by frequency"
PicoClaw: [Generates code with explanation]

3. Research Assistant

User: "Summarize the latest developments in quantum computing"
PicoClaw: [Searches web, compiles summary]

4. Automation Bot (Telegram)

User (via Telegram): "Remind me to call John at 3pm"
PicoClaw: "I'll remind you at 3:00 PM today"
[At 3 PM] → "Reminder: Call John"

Common Commands

Troubleshooting PicoClaw

Logs and Debugging

Gateway Logs:

• Check terminal output when running picoclaw gateway
• Or check logs in: C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\logs\

Test Configuration:

# Test if gateway is running
curl http://localhost:18790/health

# Check config syntax
picoclaw agent "test"

Persisting Your Data

Understanding AVD Storage

Important: AVD session hosts may be reset or recreated. Your data can be lost if not properly persisted.

Recommended: Sync Your PicoClaw Workspace

Your PicoClaw workspace contains important data:

• Conversation history
• Custom skills
• Agent memory
• Workspace files

Location: C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\workspace\

Option 1: GitHub Repository (Recommended for Code)

Why GitHub?

• ✅ Version control for your configs and code
• ✅ Access from anywhere
• ✅ Easy backup and restore
• ✅ Collaboration support
• ✅ Free for private repos

Setup GitHub Sync

Step 1: Install GitHub Desktop (Optional)

1. Open browser on VM
2. Go to: https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/win32
3. Download and install GitHub Desktop
4. Sign in with your GitHub account

Step 2: Create a Private Repository

1. Go to: https://github.com/new
2. Create a new private repository (e.g., my-picoclaw-config)
3. Do not initialize with README (keep it empty)
4. Click Create repository

Step 3: Clone to Your VM

# Open PowerShell on VM
cd C:\Users\<your-email>\Documents
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/my-picoclaw-config.git
cd my-picoclaw-config

Step 4: Copy PicoClaw Config to Git

# Copy config to git repo
cp C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\config.json my-picoclaw-config/
cp -r C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\workspace my-picoclaw-config/

# Commit and push
git add .
git commit -m "Initial PicoClaw config backup"
git push

Step 5: Create a Sync Script

Create C:\Users\<your-email>\Documents\sync-picoclaw.bat:

@echo off
echo Syncing PicoClaw to GitHub...
cd C:\Users\<your-email>\Documents\my-picoclaw-config

# Pull latest changes
git pull

# Copy current config
copy C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\config.json config.json
xcopy /E /I /Y C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\workspace workspace

# Commit and push
git add .
git commit -m "Auto-backup %date% %time%"
git push

echo Sync complete!
pause

Usage: Double-click the script to sync before logging out.

Step 6: Restore from GitHub

# If you need to restore config
cd C:\Users\<your-email>\Documents\my-picoclaw-config
git pull

# Restore config
copy config.json C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\config.json
xcopy /E /I /Y workspace C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\workspace

Best Practices

Option 2: OneDrive (Recommended for Easy Sync)

Why OneDrive?

• ✅ Pre-installed on your VM
• ✅ Automatic sync
• ✅ Integrated with Windows
• ✅ No manual commands needed
• ✅ 5GB free storage
• ✅ Files On-Demand (saves disk space)

Setup OneDrive Sync

Step 1: Sign In to OneDrive

1. Look for the cloud icon in system tray (bottom-right corner)
2. If not visible, search for "OneDrive" in Start Menu
3. Click the icon and click Sign in
4. Enter your Microsoft account (or work/school account)
5. Follow the setup wizard

Step 2: Move PicoClaw Config to OneDrive

# Create OneDrive folder for PicoClaw
mkdir "C:\Users\<your-email>\OneDrive\PicoClaw"

# Copy config to OneDrive
copy C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\config.json "C:\Users\<your-email>\OneDrive\PicoClaw\"
xcopy /E /I C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\workspace "C:\Users\<your-email>\OneDrive\PicoClaw\workspace"

Step 3: Create Symbolic Links

This makes OneDrive folder appear as your PicoClaw folder:

# Backup original folder
ren C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw .picoclaw.backup

# Create symbolic link
mklink /J C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw "C:\Users\<your-email>\OneDrive\PicoClaw"

Result: PicoClaw reads/writes to OneDrive automatically!

Step 4: Verify Sync

1. Open OneDrive icon in system tray
2. Check that files show green checkmarks (✅ synced)
3. Go to onedrive.live.com to verify files are in the cloud

Access from Other Devices

• Web: https://onedrive.live.com
• Windows: Already synced via OneDrive app
• Mac: Download OneDrive from App Store
• Mobile: OneDrive app (iOS/Android)

Option 3: Google Drive (Alternative Cloud)

Why Google Drive?

• ✅ 15GB free storage
• ✅ Cross-platform support
• ✅ Google Workspace integration
• ✅ Easy sharing

Setup Google Drive Sync

Step 1: Install Google Drive for Desktop

Option A: Run Installer (Recommended)

1. Open File Explorer on the VM
2. Navigate to: C:\Windows\Temp\
3. Double-click GoogleDriveSetup.exe
4. Wait for installation to complete

Option B: Download Manually

1. Open browser on VM
2. Download from: https://dl.google.com/drive-file-stream/GoogleDriveSetup.exe
3. Run installer
4. Follow setup wizard

Step 2: Sign In

1. After installation, click Google Drive icon in system tray (bottom-right)
2. Click Sign in
3. Enter your Google account credentials
4. Follow the setup wizard

Step 3: Move PicoClaw Config to Google Drive

# Create Google Drive folder for PicoClaw
mkdir "C:\Users\<your-email>\Google Drive\PicoClaw"

# Copy config to Google Drive
copy C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\config.json "C:\Users\<your-email>\Google Drive\PicoClaw\"
xcopy /E /I C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw\workspace "C:\Users\<your-email>\Google Drive\PicoClaw\workspace"

Step 3: Create Symbolic Links

# Backup original folder
ren C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw .picoclaw.backup

# Create symbolic link
mklink /J C:\Users\<your-email>\.picoclaw "C:\Users\<your-email>\Google Drive\PicoClaw"

Step 4: Verify Sync

1. Click Google Drive icon in system tray
2. Check sync status
3. Go to drive.google.com to verify files are in the cloud

Comparison Table

Recommended Workflow

Daily Use

1. Login → OneDrive/Google Drive auto-syncs
2. Work → PicoClaw saves to synced folder
3. Logout → Wait for sync to complete (check cloud icon)

Before Extended Absence

1. Run GitHub sync script (if using GitHub)
2. Verify OneDrive/Google Drive shows all files synced
3. Check cloud storage website to confirm backup

Switching VMs

1. Log in to new VM
2. Install PicoClaw
3. Restore from GitHub/OneDrive/Google Drive
4. Continue where you left off!

Troubleshooting Data Sync

Additional Software Available

The VM also includes these development tools:

Troubleshooting

PicoClaw Won't Start

1. Run Install PicoClaw first if you haven't
2. Check if executable exists: C:\Users\<your-email>\picoclaw\picoclaw.exe
3. Click Config PicoClaw to verify configuration
4. Check logs in Notepad when you run Config

"Access Denied" Errors

• Your user folder is hidden from other users for security
• This is normal - you can only see your own folders
• Solution: Use your own C:\Users\<your-email>\ path