How to Build OpenClaw Multi-Agent Collaboration on WhatsApp
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About OpenClaw
OpenClaw is an open-source AI Agent framework (MIT license) born in late 2025 with 270,000+ GitHub Stars. It connects ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other LLMs to Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, and other communication platforms, supporting multiple fully isolated AI assistants running within a single Gateway process. The latest version v2026.3.7 introduces a pluggable ContextEngine, making it the mainstream choice for AI engineers and developers.
Why Use WhatsApp for Multi-Agent Collaboration?
WhatsApp has over 2 billion monthly active users, making it the world's most widely used instant messaging app. Businesses and development teams choose WhatsApp as their OpenClaw multi-agent deployment platform for compelling reasons:
- Massive Reach: Deliver AI services directly on the platform customers already use
- Department Routing: Different WhatsApp numbers for different business departments (sales, support, technical assistance)
- Independent Contexts: Each agent maintains its own conversation history without interference
- Unified Management: Single Gateway process orchestrates and monitors all agents
- Flexible Scaling: Add new WhatsApp numbers and corresponding agents anytime
Prerequisites: Acquiring WhatsApp Phone Numbers in Bulk
The core requirement of OpenClaw's WhatsApp multi-agent architecture is that each agent requires an independent WhatsApp account (i.e., an independent phone number). Each account needs:
- A separate phone number (for WhatsApp registration)
- Phone number SMS verification (mandatory for WhatsApp registration)
- An independent WhatsApp Business API Token
SMS Verification Solution for Bulk WhatsApp Accounts
When configuring 3, 5, or even 10 agents simultaneously, purchasing physical SIM cards one by one is both expensive and time-consuming. This is exactly where virtual phone number SMS verification services excel.
SMS-Act provides WhatsApp SMS verification services with these advantages:
- On-Demand: Purchase only the verification codes you need, 8 credits per use
- Global Numbers: Supports Indonesia, Philippines, US, and 100+ country phone numbers
- High Success Rate: 95%+ verification success rate with automatic refund on failure
- Instant Delivery: Receive WhatsApp verification codes within 30 seconds
For detailed usage instructions, see: WhatsApp SMS Verification Guide
Step-by-Step Configuration Guide
Step 1: Acquire WhatsApp Phone Numbers in Bulk
Get an independent phone number via SMS-Act for each planned agent:
- Visit SMS-Act Platform
- Search "WhatsApp" in the service search box
- Select target country (Indonesia, Philippines, or US recommended)
- Click "Get Number" — the system instantly assigns a virtual number
- Use the number for WhatsApp registration and receive the SMS verification code
- Repeat these steps to obtain an independent number for each agent
Step 2: Apply for WhatsApp Business API Access
Each WhatsApp number needs to connect to the WhatsApp Business Cloud API:
- Visit Meta Developer Portal
- Create a Meta developer account
- Create a new app with "Business" type
- Add the "WhatsApp" product to your app
- Configure a WhatsApp Business account
- Add and verify the phone number (use SMS-Act virtual number to receive the verification code)
- Obtain the Webhook URL and Access Token
Repeat steps 2-7 to apply for independent API access for each agent's number.
Step 3: Install OpenClaw
# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/openclaw-ai/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Copy configuration template
cp openclaw.example.json openclaw.jsonStep 4: Configure Multiple Agents
Edit openclaw.json to configure multiple WhatsApp agent instances:
{
"gateway": {
"port": 3000,
"log_level": "info"
},
"agents": {
"list": ["agent-sales", "agent-support", "agent-tech"]
},
"channels": {
"whatsapp": {
"accounts": {
"agent-sales": {
"phone": "+62XXXXXXXXXX",
"token": "YOUR_WHATSAPP_TOKEN_FOR_SALES",
"model": "gpt-4o",
"system_prompt": "You are Alpha, the sales assistant. Specialize in product inquiries, pricing, and order follow-up."
},
"agent-support": {
"phone": "+63XXXXXXXXXX",
"token": "YOUR_WHATSAPP_TOKEN_FOR_SUPPORT",
"model": "claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022",
"system_prompt": "You are Beta, the support assistant. Specialize in after-sales service, complaint handling, and account troubleshooting."
},
"agent-tech": {
"phone": "+1XXXXXXXXXXX",
"token": "YOUR_WHATSAPP_TOKEN_FOR_TECH",
"model": "gemini-2.0-flash",
"system_prompt": "You are Gamma, the technical assistant. Specialize in technical support, bug investigation, and developer assistance."
}
}
}
},
"bindings": [
{
"agent": "agent-sales",
"channel_type": "whatsapp",
"phone": "+62XXXXXXXXXX"
},
{
"agent": "agent-support",
"channel_type": "whatsapp",
"phone": "+63XXXXXXXXXX"
},
{
"agent": "agent-tech",
"channel_type": "whatsapp",
"phone": "+1XXXXXXXXXXX"
}
]
}Step 5: Configure Webhook
The WhatsApp Business API uses Webhooks to push messages, requiring a publicly accessible callback URL:
# Use ngrok for local testing
npm install -g ngrok
ngrok http 3000
# Configure the ngrok HTTPS URL as your WhatsApp Webhook URL
# Format: https://xxxx.ngrok.io/webhook/whatsappFor production environments, use your server's public IP or domain name for Webhook configuration.
Step 6: Start the Gateway
# Development mode
npm run dev
# Production mode (with PM2 process manager)
npm install -g pm2
pm2 start npm --name "openclaw-gateway" -- start
pm2 saveOnce the Gateway starts, all three agents come online simultaneously, each responding to user messages through their assigned WhatsApp number.
Real-World Use Cases
Use Case 1: Enterprise Multi-Department Customer Service
+62-XXX → agent-sales (GPT-4o) → Sales inquiries, product pricing, order tracking
+63-XXX → agent-support (Claude) → After-sales service, refunds, account support
+1-XXXX → agent-tech (Gemini) → Technical support, API docs, developer assistanceCustomers add the corresponding business WhatsApp number to receive professional AI assistant service.
Use Case 2: Multilingual Customer Service System
Different numbers correspond to customer service agents in different languages. With independent contexts and dedicated System Prompts, each agent specializes in one language and cultural background, enabling precise multilingual customer service automation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can virtual numbers be used for WhatsApp Business API?
A: Yes. Meta's WhatsApp Business Cloud API supports virtual number verification—as long as you can receive an SMS verification code, you can complete phone number binding. SMS-Act virtual numbers support WhatsApp verification and can receive verification codes normally.
Q: Do agents need to use different AI models?
A: Not required. Multiple agents can use the same AI model (e.g., all using Claude) but with different System Prompts for functional differentiation. The key is that each agent has an independent WhatsApp number and independent context space.
Q: How does OpenClaw handle WhatsApp messages?
A: OpenClaw receives messages via the WhatsApp Business Cloud API's Webhook, automatically routing them to the corresponding agent based on the receiving phone number. Each agent independently maintains its conversation context (v2026.3.7's ContextEngine supports independent vector memory), then replies via the API.
Q: What if one of the WhatsApp numbers gets banned?
A: Update that agent's phone field in openclaw.json with a new number, reapply for API access, update the Token, and restart the Gateway. Other agents are unaffected.
Q: Does a Gateway crash affect all agents?
A: Yes, all agents share the same Gateway process. Using PM2 or Docker for automatic restarts combined with WhatsApp Webhook's retry mechanism ensures no messages are lost.
Related Resources
Related Guides
- WhatsApp SMS Verification Guide - Complete guide for bulk WhatsApp account phone verification
- SMS Verification Platform Usage Guide - Essential reading for SMS platform beginners
- SMS Platform Privacy Protection Guide - Learn how to use verification services safely
Start using SMS-Act to obtain WhatsApp verification codes in bulk and quickly build your OpenClaw multi-agent collaboration system!
Documentation and tutorials are for reference only. Final availability depends on the actual support provided on the website.