diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b2531d8..e62e1f3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,67 @@ go build -ldflags "-X git.hangman-lab.top/zhi/HarborForge.Cli/internal/commands.
 ./bin/hf version --json
 ```
 
+## Install
+
+### Local install into a user bin directory
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"
+go build -o "$HOME/.local/bin/hf" ./cmd/hf
+chmod +x "$HOME/.local/bin/hf"
+```
+
+Make sure `~/.local/bin` is on `PATH` before invoking `hf` directly.
+
+### OpenClaw profile install target
+
+The planned OpenClaw plugin installer flow will place the binary at:
+
+```text
+~/.openclaw/bin/hf
+```
+
+Until that installer support lands, the equivalent manual install is:
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p "$HOME/.openclaw/bin"
+go build -o "$HOME/.openclaw/bin/hf" ./cmd/hf
+chmod +x "$HOME/.openclaw/bin/hf"
+```
+
+### Config location
+
+`hf` resolves `.hf-config.json` relative to the binary directory, not the current working directory.
+
+Examples:
+- if the binary is `~/.local/bin/hf`, config lives at `~/.local/bin/.hf-config.json`
+- if the binary is `~/.openclaw/bin/hf`, config lives at `~/.openclaw/bin/.hf-config.json`
+
+This matters when testing multiple copies of the CLI side by side.
+
+### Quick start after install
+
+```bash
+hf config --url http://127.0.0.1:8000
+hf --help-brief
+hf health
+```
+
+### Auth modes after install
+
+- **Padded-cell mode** (`pass_mgr` available): run commands directly and let `hf` resolve secrets automatically.
+- **Manual mode** (`pass_mgr` unavailable): pass `--token` to authenticated commands.
+
+Examples:
+
+```bash
+# padded-cell mode
+hf task list
+
+# manual mode
+hf task list --token "$HF_TOKEN"
+```
+
 ## Package Layout
 
 ```text