How to Connect OpenClaw to WhatsApp: Complete Setup Guide (2026)

Most people think you need the WhatsApp Business API, Meta developer approval, and per-message fees to run an AI chatbot on WhatsApp. You don't.

OpenClaw connects through Baileys, an open-source implementation of WhatsApp's Web protocol. It works exactly like linking WhatsApp Web to your phone. No API approval. No per-message fees. Just scan a QR code.

In this guide, I walk through the entire setup process step by step.