Controlling Claude Code via WhatsApp with Channels Feature
WhatsApp Integration with Claude Code
A developer on r/ClaudeAI demonstrated connecting WhatsApp to a live Claude Code session using the new Channels feature available in version 2.1.80+. This setup allows text messages, voice notes, and voice replies to interact with the same CLI session that has full tool access.
Technical Implementation
The stack includes:
- A Go bridge using whatsmeow on a spare phone with a prepaid SIM
- TypeScript MCP Channel server
- OpenAI Whisper for transcription
- OpenAI TTS for voice replies
The workflow described: sending a voice note from a phone triggers Whisper transcription, then Claude can check emails via M365 MCP and reply with a voice note. All interactions happen in the same terminal session with shared context and tool access.
Commands and Setup
The command to run this setup:
claude --dangerously-skip-permissions --dangerously-load-development-channels server:whatsapp-channelThe developer mentioned using "other known methods" for the WhatsApp bridge beyond whatsmeow, and plans to extend the system with live phone calls via WhatsApp Business API + Vapi.ai, pushing calls into the same session for shared context across text, async voice, and real-time calls.
Community Questions
The post asks several technical questions for other developers:
- Experimentation with Channels and what's being pushed into sessions
- Connections with Telegram or Slack as Channels
- Better alternatives to whatsmeow for WhatsApp bridging
- Experience with Vapi or similar services for live voice with Claude Code
The developer offered to share architecture details and build prompts if there's community interest.
📖 Read the full source: r/ClaudeAI
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