Claude WhatsApp Integration: Set Up a Carly Agent
Yes. You can use Claude with Carly and set up an agent that answers your business WhatsApp. Connect the business number, give the agent your instructions and enable its replies. Customers can ask questions and arrange appointments while you manage the agent and related work from Claude.
There are two parts to the setup: connecting Claude to Carly Teams, and connecting WhatsApp to the agent in Carly. Adding a connector alone does not authorize a WhatsApp number or switch on replies. Start with Set up calls, SMS and WhatsApp for the current business setup prompt.
Connect Claude, then enable the WhatsApp agent
- Connect Carly Teams to Claude. The current Carly Teams setup instructions describe the custom connection. The setup prompt on the page above walks you through it for your AI app.
- Open the agent’s WhatsApp section in Carly. Choose an available number or connect the WhatsApp Business app your business already uses. Complete Meta’s connection steps and wait for the connected status.
- Give the agent its job. Add your services, opening hours, prices, booking rules and the situations that should go to a person. Connect the calendar it needs before asking it to book appointments.
- Turn on Answers WhatsApp and try a conversation. Send a message from another phone. Check that the reply follows your rules and that your team can take over.
The WhatsApp integration guide explains the connection options. WhatsApp and SMS have separate settings, even when they share a number.
What the agent can handle
Incoming questions. A customer asks about availability, delivery or pricing. The agent answers from the information and instructions you provide, and hands off when a person should decide.
Appointment conversations. With the right calendar connected, the agent can check availability, offer times and book the time the customer chooses. Include service lengths, working hours and rescheduling rules in the setup.
Follow-up work. Configure reminders or follow-ups for the jobs you want handled repeatedly. For messages that require an approved WhatsApp template, set up the template as part of the routine.
Human replies. With a supported WhatsApp Business app connection, you can keep replying in the app. When you do, the agent leaves that conversation to you.
This is a customer-facing business agent, not a way to give Claude unrestricted access to every personal WhatsApp conversation on your phone.
Use Claude to manage the work
Once the appropriate Carly connections are available, describe the work you want: review customer conversations, adjust the agent’s instructions or prepare a follow-up. The Claude messaging guide gives examples.
Carly Teams handles the business communications connection. Email, calendars and workflows use the regular Carly connection as described in the setup instructions. Connect the accounts needed for the task rather than assuming that adding one connector enables everything.
For a booking business, a useful first instruction is: “Answer questions using our service list. Offer appointments only during our opening hours, and hand cancellations with less than a day’s notice to the office.” That gives the agent a defined job and an exception it can recognize.
How this differs from a self-hosted WhatsApp bridge
The community whatsapp-mcp project links a personal WhatsApp account through a local bridge. Its documentation describes Go and Python components, QR-code linking and a local message database. That is a different setup from connecting a business number to a hosted Carly agent.
A community bridge can be useful for someone who specifically wants to maintain that integration. Carly is the option here when the goal is a business agent with configurable replies and a team handoff. You do not need to host your own WhatsApp bridge for the Carly setup.
Questions about Claude and WhatsApp
Can the agent reply while Claude is closed?
Yes. Once connected and enabled in Carly, the WhatsApp agent handles incoming conversations through Carly. Claude is a place to manage connected work; it does not need to stay open for the enabled agent to answer.
Can I keep my WhatsApp Business app?
Yes, using the supported Business app connection shown in Carly. Complete the connection steps and keep using the app alongside the agent. A manual reply lets you take over the conversation.
Does turning on WhatsApp also enable SMS and calls?
No. Those are separate channels. They may share a supported number, but connecting a WhatsApp Business app does not automatically add SMS or calling to that number.
What does Carly cost?
Free Zapier-style workflows; AI agents from $35/month. Applicable messaging charges are separate. Configure the agent and number through the calls, SMS and WhatsApp setup page.
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