Tutorial

OpenClaw + WhatsApp Integration Guide

March 24, 20263 min readUpdated March 24, 2026By OpenClaw Blog

            March 24, 2026
            3 min read
        

Bring AI assistance to your WhatsApp workspace. OpenClaw can respond to mentions, DMs, and integrate with Slack workflows.

Prerequisites

OpenClaw installed and configured
WhatsApp Business account (for unlimited messaging)
Your LLM API key (Anthropic Claude or OpenAI)

Step 1: Get WhatsApp Access

Go to WhatsApp Business
Click "Get Started" with API setup
Select "Build a chatbot" option

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

Add to your config:

            # ~/.config/openclaw/config.yaml
integrations:
  whatsapp:
    enabled: true
    phoneNumber: "your-whatsapp-number"
    apiKey: "${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}"
        

Step 3: Start OpenClaw

            # Start the daemon
openclaw daemon start

# Check status
openclaw integrations status whatsapp
        

Using OpenClaw in WhatsApp

Direct Messages

Open WhatsApp and DM your bot. Any message will trigger an AI response.

Group Mentions

In any group, mention the bot with @OpenClawBot to get a response.

Business Features

For WhatsApp Business, use interactive buttons and quick replies for richer interactions.

Troubleshooting

Bot Not Responding

Verify bot token in config is correct
Check bot is invited to the group
Ensure daemon is running
Review logs: openclaw daemon logs

Use Cases

Customer Support: AI answers common questions in support queues
Team Collaboration: AI assists in group chats and shared channels
Knowledge Base: Query documentation from WhatsApp

References

OpenClaw Official Documentation - https://docs.openclaw.ai/ - Accessed February 2026
OpenClaw GitHub Repository - https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw - Accessed February 2026
WhatsApp Business API Documentation - Meta for Developers - Accessed February 2026

Connect OpenClaw to WhatsApp

Add AI capabilities to your WhatsApp today.

Get Started