Connecting WhatsApp via QR Code
Step-by-step: connect a personal WhatsApp number as a sending gateway by scanning a QR code.
This guide covers connecting WhatsApp as a sending channel using a personal number and QR code — the fastest way to start sending WhatsApp messages without setting up an official Meta Business account first.
What you'll need before starting
A phone with WhatsApp installed and active on the number you want to connect, and access to that phone to scan a QR code.
1. Open Gateways
From the dashboard sidebar, open Gateways. This is where every sending method — SMS, WhatsApp, Email — gets connected and managed.
2. Choose WhatsApp (QR / personal device)
Select the WhatsApp (QR / personal device) option rather than WhatsApp Cloud API. This connects a real WhatsApp account through device linking — the same mechanism WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop uses — instead of going through Meta's official Business API.
3. Scan the QR code
A QR code is displayed on screen. On your phone:
- Open WhatsApp.
- Go to Settings > Linked Devices (the same place you'd go to link WhatsApp Web or Desktop).
- Tap Link a Device and scan the QR code shown in Mersal.
4. Name the device
Give the connection a device name, following an OS/Browser-style naming convention (for example, something that identifies what and where this connection is, similar to how linked devices are labeled in WhatsApp itself). This makes it easier to recognize the connection later if you have more than one linked device.
5. Confirm the connection
Once scanned, the session links and the gateway shows as connected. The number is now available as a sending channel for messages, campaigns, and automations — the same way any other WhatsApp gateway would be.
Reconnecting after a disconnect
WhatsApp device sessions can drop — for example, if the phone is offline for an extended period, or the session is unlinked from the phone itself. If that happens:
- Return to Gateways and open the WhatsApp connection that shows as disconnected.
- A new QR code is generated.
- Scan it again from Linked Devices on your phone, the same way as the initial setup.
Sharing the connection link
Instead of scanning the QR code directly from the Gateways screen, you can use the share link option to send the connection link to whoever has physical access to the phone — useful if the phone you're linking isn't the one you're currently using to configure Mersal.
Personal session, not the official API
This connection method links a real, personal WhatsApp number through the same unofficial device-linking approach used by WhatsApp Web/Desktop — it is not Meta's official WhatsApp Cloud API. Use it the way you'd use WhatsApp Web on a personal account, and keep sending volume and behavior within WhatsApp's own expectations for personal use. For production or enterprise-scale sending, connect the WhatsApp Cloud API gateway instead — see Gateways Overview.
Next steps
- WhatsApp — the full feature reference for sending, receiving, and automating on WhatsApp.
- Gateways Overview — comparing all available sending methods, including WhatsApp Cloud API.