You need a separate phone number
Pawz connects to WhatsApp the same way WhatsApp Web does — by linking to an existing account. It can’t create new phone numbers. The number you scan is the number people will message to talk to your agent.Recommended: get a cheap prepaid SIM
- Buy a prepaid SIM card (~$5 at any store or online)
- Register WhatsApp on it (use an old phone, or briefly swap SIMs)
- You only need the SIM active long enough to receive the verification SMS
- After linking, WhatsApp stays connected even if the SIM expires
- eSIM (Airalo, etc.) — ~$5, activate on your phone
- Google Voice — free but WhatsApp often rejects VoIP numbers
- Second phone with its own number
Setup
- In Pawz, go to Settings → Channels
- Select WhatsApp
- Choose who can message your agent (defaults are fine to start)
- Click Save & Connect
- A QR code will appear — scan it from the agent’s phone (the one with the separate number)
- WhatsApp → Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device
- Done! People can now message that number to talk to your agent
What happens when someone messages
All traffic stays on your machine. Nothing is exposed to the internet.Access control
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Pairing (default) | New contacts get “waiting for approval” — you approve/deny in Pawz |
| Open | Anyone can message the agent immediately |
| Allowlist | Only pre-approved phone numbers can message |
Configuration
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Who can message your agent? | Pairing / Open / Allowlist |
| Reply in group chats too | Whether the agent responds in groups (default: off) |
| Allowed phone numbers | Only needed for allowlist mode — include country code |
| Agent | Leave blank for default, or pick a specific agent |
Features
- QR code authentication (scan to link)
- Direct messages and group chat support
- Per-user conversation sessions with memory
- Prompt injection scanning on all incoming messages
- Agent routing via channel routing rules
- Auto-approval of tool calls (no human-in-the-loop for channel messages)
- Everything runs locally — nothing exposed to the internet
Tips
- The QR code expires after a few minutes — scan it promptly
- If you lose connection, click Stop then Start to get a fresh QR code
- Phone numbers in allowlist should include country code (e.g.,
15551234567) - The agent uses WhatsApp formatting: bold, italic,
strikethrough, ```code``` - Long responses are automatically split into multiple messages