Link a WhatsApp number to your Chief of Staff, choose who may message it and which groups it joins, and understand the risk to the number before you link it.
Read this before you link
WhatsApp does not offer this kind of link officially. It may restrict or remove a number it sees driven by other software, without notice. Murage shows you this note on the WhatsApp card before the link button, and we mean it.
A spare number on a second SIM or eSIM, set up in the WhatsApp Business app, is the best way to use it. Linking your main number is possible, and it is your number to risk. WhatsApp's official business route is a later option and is not available yet.
The session and its linking credentials stay on this computer. Replies go only to chats that message first; there is no broadcasting, and the bot never starts a conversation.
Link a number
Step 1
Open the WhatsApp card
Open SettingsMessaging appsWhatsApp. Read the note under Link your own WhatsApp number.
You're done when: the status reads Not linked and you can see Link WhatsApp.
Step 2
Scan the code
- Choose Link WhatsApp. A QR code appears with "Scan this code with the phone that owns the number."
- On the phone, open WhatsApp, then Linked devices, then Link a device, and scan it.
If WhatsApp is on the same device as this computer, choose Link with a code instead. Type the number with its country code, digits only (for example 15551234567), and WhatsApp gives you an 8 character code to type on the phone under Link a device, then the option to link with a phone number. The code is shown for about a minute.
WhatsApp may accept the link and ask for a restart. The status says WhatsApp accepted the link and asked for a restart. One moment. and carries on by itself.
You're done when: WhatsApp on the phone shows Murage Desktop under Linked devices.
Step 3
Message yourself
In WhatsApp, open the chat with yourself and send a message. Your Chief answers there.
You're done when: the card reads Linked to your number as Murage Desktop and your message gets a reply.
Who can message the bot
The card has one choice under Who can message the bot:
- Only me (message yourself): the bot answers in your own chat with yourself and nowhere else.
- Me and chosen contacts: people you approve can message the bot. Add their numbers under Allowed contacts with Add number, country code first. Or let a new contact message the number: they get a code, their request shows under Pairing requests, and you type that code and choose Approve this contact.
An approved contact becomes a separate person, never you. The bot keeps their conversation apart from your own context, and the bot never starts a conversation with anyone.
Groups
Groups are off until you turn one on. Switch on Allow chosen groups, choose Load my groups, tick the groups to allow, and pick an activation for each:
- Mention: the bot answers only when someone mentions the linked number, replies to a message the bot sent, or writes the linked number's digits without mentioning anyone else.
- Every message: it answers everything in that group.
Who in a group can talk to the bot is either Any member of an allowed group or Only members on the allowed contacts list. At most 50 groups can be allowed.
Everyone in a group, including you, is a guest there. The bot uses only that group's conversation, never your personal memory, and never approves anything from a group.
What you can send
- Text: type as you would to a person.
- Voice notes: turned into text with Murage's transcription, the same one hold to talk uses, with the same hourly limit. The recording is deleted once its transcript is saved. If transcription is not set up, the bot says so once.
- Photos: reach the bot as attachments, so it can look at them.
- Documents, videos, stickers, locations and contacts: reach the bot as a short placeholder line.
Files WhatsApp sent are kept on this computer for seven days and then removed. When the bot makes a voice note, it is sent after the text reply as an audio message with a play button.
Under Message options you can switch Send read receipts on or off, and choose when replies quote the message they answer: Never, In groups only or In every chat.
Approvals
Approvals stay in Murage. When your Chief needs permission for something you asked for from WhatsApp, the card says WhatsApp work is pending. Review the task in Murage. Answer it in the app, the Inbox or menu bar, or on Telegram if you have that paired.
Change or remove the link
- Refresh status asks WhatsApp how the link is doing and updates the card.
- Relink starts a fresh link for the same number when WhatsApp has ended the old one.
- Unlink removes the saved link from this computer, and the bot stops replying on WhatsApp. To remove it from the phone's side as well, open Linked devices in WhatsApp and log Murage Desktop out.
If you change your Chief of Staff, unlink and link again, because WhatsApp links with the current Chief only.
Troubleshooting
You see
WhatsApp ended this link. Relink to continue.Do this
WhatsApp logged this computer out, which can happen when you log a device out on the phone or after a long time offline. Choose Relink and scan again.
You see
Another WhatsApp Web session took over this link. Relink to continue here.Do this
The same number was linked from somewhere else and WhatsApp kept the newer session. Choose Relink on this computer.
You see
WhatsApp declined this connection. If the number was restricted, WhatsApp support on the phone has the details.Do this
WhatsApp refused the link. Open WhatsApp on the phone and read what it says about the account. If the number was restricted, WhatsApp's own support is the only route. This is the risk the note on the card describes, and a spare number keeps it away from your main one.
You see
WhatsApp is reconnecting.Do this
The connection dropped and Murage is bringing it back. Wait a moment, then choose Refresh status.
You see
WhatsApp could not be reached after several tries. Check the connection and press Resume.Do this
Check the computer is online, then choose Resume.
You see
WhatsApp needs a newer version of this link. Update Murage, then relink.Do this
Install the update from SettingsAbout & updates, then choose Relink.
You see
A WhatsApp message could not be kept.Do this
Murage ran out of room to store the incoming message. Make space on the disk, then ask the sender to send it again.
You see
Some older messages were not replayed after reconnecting. Check the chat on the phone.Do this
Messages that arrived while the link was down may not reach the bot. Read them on the phone and send again anything the bot should act on.
You see
A reply delivery is uncertain. Check WhatsApp before sending the message again.Do this
Murage cannot confirm the reply arrived. Look in WhatsApp before repeating the request, so nothing goes out twice.
You see
Status could not be refreshed. Check that Murage is running, then use Refresh status again.Do this
The card could not reach Murage's server. Make sure Murage is open on this computer and try again.
You see
Groups could not be loaded. Link WhatsApp and try again.Do this
Groups load from the linked number, so finish linking first.
Related: Channels overview, Channels guide, Telegram, Permissions and the stop line.