How to Connect WhatsApp Bot to OpenClaw

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Connecting WhatsApp to OpenClaw allows you to interact with your AI agent directly from your phone. Instead of opening a dashboard or terminal every time, you can simply send a message on WhatsApp and your OpenClaw agent will respond there.

The connection works through WhatsApp Web linking, where OpenClaw displays a QR code and your phone scans it to create a session. Once the connection is established, OpenClaw stores the credentials and reconnects automatically in future sessions.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the exact process of linking WhatsApp to OpenClaw using the Agent37 dashboard and terminal.

Step 1 — Open Your OpenClaw Instance

First, log into your dashboard.

https://www.agent37.com/dashboard

Inside the dashboard, navigate to:

OpenClaw → Instances

Here you’ll see your available instances along with their status.

Before continuing, make sure your instance shows:

Status: running

If the instance is not running, restart it first. The messaging channel cannot connect if the instance is offline.

Then click:

Terminal

This opens the OpenClaw CLI where the configuration process happens.

Step 2 — Run the OpenClaw Configure Command

Inside the terminal, start the configuration wizard.

openclaw configure

Once the command runs, the OpenClaw interface appears inside the terminal and begins the configuration process.

You will see options such as:

Select sections to configure
Workspace
Model
Web tools
Gateway
Daemon
Channels (Link WhatsApp/Telegram/etc)
Skills
Health check
Continue

Use your keyboard arrow keys to navigate.

Select:

Channels

This section is used to connect messaging platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, and others.

Step 3 — Choose WhatsApp Channel

Inside the channel selection menu you will see something similar to:

Select a channel

Telegram (Bot API)
WhatsApp (QR Link)
Discord (Bot API)
Google Chat
Slack
Signal
Matrix
LINE
Zalo
Finished

Select:

WhatsApp (QR Link)

Then confirm when the wizard asks:

Link WhatsApp now (QR)?

Choose:

Yes

At this point, OpenClaw begins the WhatsApp linking process.

Step 4 — Scan the WhatsApp QR Code

After confirming the connection, OpenClaw will generate a QR code directly in the terminal.

It will show a message similar to:

Waiting for WhatsApp connection...
Scan this QR in WhatsApp (Linked Devices)

Now open WhatsApp on your phone and follow these steps:

Open WhatsApp

Tap the three-dot menu

Select Linked Devices

Tap Link a Device

Scan the QR code shown in your OpenClaw terminal

Once scanned successfully, the terminal will display a confirmation message.

Something like:

Linked after restart, web session ready

At this point, your WhatsApp account is connected to OpenClaw.

Step 5 — Choose Your Phone Setup

During configuration, OpenClaw will ask how you want to use your WhatsApp number.

You will see options like:

This is my personal phone number
Separate phone just for OpenClaw

For most users, the first option is fine:

This is my personal phone number

If you plan to run automation or production bots, using a separate WhatsApp number is usually recommended.

Step 6 — Configuration Complete

Once the connection is finished, OpenClaw will update the configuration file.

You’ll see something similar to:

Updated ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Configure complete.

The terminal may also display information about the Control UI:

Web UI: http://127.0.0.1:18789
Gateway WS: ws://127.0.0.1:18789
Gateway: reachable

At this point, WhatsApp is fully connected to your OpenClaw agent.

Step 7 — Test the WhatsApp Connection

Now open WhatsApp again.

Start a chat with your own number (or the linked session).

Send a simple message like:

Hi

If everything is working correctly, OpenClaw will respond inside the WhatsApp chat.

Your AI agent is now live.

How the WhatsApp Connection Works

Behind the scenes, OpenClaw connects to WhatsApp using the WhatsApp Web protocol. The QR scan creates a session that allows OpenClaw to act as a linked device.

This means:

you don't need the official WhatsApp Business API

• your existing WhatsApp account can work

• the session is saved and reused automatically

Once connected, your AI assistant can receive and send messages directly through WhatsApp.

Common Issues During WhatsApp Setup

If the connection doesn’t work the first time, these are the most common reasons.

QR code expired

QR codes expire quickly.

Run the command again:

openclaw configure

openclaw channels login

Then scan the new QR immediately.

Camera cannot scan the QR

Try:

increasing screen brightness

• zooming out slightly

• refreshing the QR code

WhatsApp linked but no response

Make sure the OpenClaw gateway is running.

You can restart it with:

openclaw restart

What You Can Do After Connecting WhatsApp

Once WhatsApp is connected, OpenClaw becomes much more useful.

You can now:

chat with your AI assistant from your phone

• automate responses

• trigger OpenClaw skills

• send commands to your agent

• manage tasks remotely

This essentially turns WhatsApp into the interface for your AI agent.

Final Thoughts

Connecting WhatsApp to OpenClaw is one of the most practical ways to use the system. Instead of working through a dashboard or terminal, you interact with your AI agent through a messaging app you already use every day.

The process is simple:

Open your OpenClaw terminal

Run the configuration wizard

Select WhatsApp channel

Scan the QR code

Confirm the connection

Once the link is complete, your OpenClaw assistant becomes available directly inside WhatsApp.

And from that moment, sending a message to your AI agent is as simple as texting a friend.

Watch the Full Setup Video

If you want to follow the process visually, watch the full walkthrough here:

Setting Up WhatsApp for OpenClaw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IopVahw46YM