WhatsApp Setup Guide
Scan a QR code and you're connected. About 2 minutes.
Prerequisites
- ✅ OpenClaw installed and running (Quick Start)
- ✅ A phone with WhatsApp installed
- ✅ About 2 minutes
Configure OpenClaw
Run the setup wizard and select WhatsApp as your channel:
openclaw init Select WhatsApp when prompted. The wizard creates your config file automatically.
Or create the config file manually
Add this to ~/.openclaw/config.yaml:
channels:
whatsapp:
enabled: trueLink Your Phone
Connect your WhatsApp account by scanning a QR code — just like linking WhatsApp Web.
openclaw channels login A QR code will appear in your terminal. On your phone:
- Open WhatsApp
- Go to Settings → Linked Devices
- Tap Link a Device
- Scan the QR code shown in your terminal
This works exactly like connecting WhatsApp Web. Your phone stays the primary device.
Start & Test
Start the gateway:
openclaw gateway start Send a message to your WhatsApp number from another phone (or use the "Message Yourself" feature).
Success! Your WhatsApp is now connected to OpenClaw.
Bonus: Message Yourself
Don't have a second phone for testing? Use WhatsApp's built-in Message Yourself feature:
- Open WhatsApp → tap the new chat icon
- Your own contact appears at the top — tap it
- Send a message and OpenClaw will reply right there
Troubleshooting
QR code expired
Run openclaw channels login again to generate a fresh QR code.
Phone disconnects after a while
Make sure your phone stays connected to the internet. WhatsApp may unlink devices that are inactive for too long.
Bot doesn't respond
Check that OpenClaw is running: openclaw gateway status