diff --git a/docs/install/podman.md b/docs/install/podman.md
index 3bea007a12b8..b35349e472b1 100644
--- a/docs/install/podman.md
+++ b/docs/install/podman.md
@@ -82,6 +82,12 @@ Onboarding:
 
 Then open `http://127.0.0.1:18789/` and use the token from `~/.openclaw/.env`.
 
+Model auth in Podman:
+
+- Use OpenClaw-managed auth during setup: Anthropic API keys for Anthropic, or OpenAI Codex browser OAuth/device-code auth for Codex-backed OpenAI.
+- The Podman launcher does not mount host CLI credential homes such as `~/.claude` or `~/.codex` into the setup or gateway container.
+- Existing host CLI logins are same-host convenience paths. For container installs, keep provider auth in the mounted `~/.openclaw` state that setup manages.
+
 Host CLI default:
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/docs/providers/anthropic.md b/docs/providers/anthropic.md
index 5cdf0911961b..d5698a481e70 100644
--- a/docs/providers/anthropic.md
+++ b/docs/providers/anthropic.md
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@ Anthropic's current public docs:
     Setup and runtime details for the Claude CLI backend are in [CLI Backends](/gateway/cli-backends).
     </Note>
 
+    <Warning>
+    Claude CLI reuse expects the OpenClaw process to run on the same host as the
+    Claude CLI login. Container installs such as [Podman](/install/podman) do
+    not mount host `~/.claude` into setup or runtime; use an Anthropic API key
+    there, or choose a provider with OpenClaw-managed OAuth such as
+    [OpenAI Codex](/providers/openai).
+    </Warning>
+
     ### Config example
 
     Prefer the canonical Anthropic model ref plus a CLI runtime override: