Connect WhatsApp via local gateway
Install the WaSMS gateway on your computer (Windows, macOS, Linux) and pair your WhatsApp number in 5 minutes.
Last updated 2026-05-31
The local gateway is the simplest way to connect WhatsApp. It runs on your own computer using the whatsmeow library and tunnels through ngrok so our servers can reach it.
Best for: Testing, small teams who keep one computer always-on, anyone who does not want a VPS.
1. Download the gateway
- Go to Dashboard → Channels.
- Click Connect WhatsApp.
- Make sure the On My Computer tab is selected.
- Click your OS: Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon), macOS (Intel), or Linux.
2. Run it
On Windows you double-click the .exe (click More info → Run anyway if Windows warns). On macOS run ./wasms-gateway in Terminal after chmod +x and removing quarantine. On Linux just chmod +x and run.
3. Paste your ngrok authtoken
The gateway asks for it once. Get it free at ngrok.com. Everything else is baked into the binary you downloaded.
4. Scan the QR
When the terminal shows Online, return to the dashboard and click Connect WhatsApp. Open WhatsApp on your phone → Settings → Linked Devices → Link a device → scan.
Keep it running
The gateway must stay running. Close the terminal = WhatsApp goes offline. If that is a problem, install on a VPS instead.
Troubleshooting
- ngrok tunnel did not come up — your authtoken is wrong or your ngrok account is not verified.
- QR code times out — scan within 30 seconds.
- Need to move to another computer — click Reset gateway, then redownload + run on the new machine.