Before you start
You'll need three things to get going:
- A GoHighLevel account with admin access to at least one sub-account
- A WhatsApp-enabled phone number (Personal or Business — we recommend Business)
- About 10 minutes of focused time
Three stages from zero to your first message: install the app, scan a QR code from your phone, send your test message.
If your WhatsApp number was registered less than 2–3 weeks ago, send and receive a few normal messages from your phone first. Connecting a "fresh" number to automation tools too quickly can cause WhatsApp to flag it.
1. Install WAGHL in GoHighLevel
WAGHL installs into your GoHighLevel account as a marketplace app. Once installed, it adds the WhatsApp messaging layer to every sub-account where you enable it.
Open the GHL Marketplace
In your GoHighLevel agency dashboard, click Marketplace in the sidebar (or visit app.gohighlevel.com/marketplace).
Search for "WAGHL"
Type WAGHL in the marketplace search bar. You'll see our app card with the WhatsApp logo and a green "Install" button.
Authorize the integration
Click Install, then approve the OAuth permissions when GHL asks. WAGHL needs access to contacts, conversations, and workflows to make WhatsApp work seamlessly with your existing setup.
WAGHL only reads/writes data within sub-accounts you explicitly enable. We never access data outside those sub-accounts and never share it with third parties.
2. Activate your 14-day free trial
Every new sub-account gets a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. You'll get a payment link 13 days in — that's when you decide whether to continue.
Open the WAGHL Control Panel
Inside any GHL sub-account, find the WAGHL icon in your sidebar (usually under "Apps" or "Marketplace"). Click it to open the control panel.
Confirm your sub-account
The first time you open WAGHL on a sub-account, you'll be asked to confirm the registration. Use your own name, email, and phone number — not your client's. This is who we'll contact about billing and trial expiration.
Always use your own contact details when registering, even if you're setting up the sub-account for a client. We never contact your clients directly. If you accidentally entered client details, message us and we'll fix it.
3. Connect your first WhatsApp number
This is the key step. You'll scan a QR code that links your WhatsApp account to WAGHL — same flow as connecting WhatsApp Web.
Open the QR scanner in WAGHL
In the WAGHL control panel, click + Add Number or go to the Numbers tab. A QR code appears on screen.
Open WhatsApp on your phone
On your phone, open WhatsApp → tap the three-dot menu → Linked Devices → Link a Device. Your camera will activate.
Scan the QR code
Point your phone camera at the QR code on your computer screen. Within a few seconds, WhatsApp confirms the link and WAGHL shows your number as Active.
You can connect unlimited WhatsApp numbers per sub-account. Each user can scan their own number, and you can manage them all from one dashboard.
4. Send your first test message
Once a number is connected, you can send WhatsApp messages directly from GHL — using the same SMS workflows, conversations panel, and AI features you already use.
From the Conversations tab
Open any contact in GHL, go to Conversations, and type a message. After WAGHL is installed, SMS = WhatsApp — meaning your existing SMS workflows now send on WhatsApp instead. No workflow changes needed.
From a workflow
If you have an existing GHL workflow that sends an SMS on a trigger (lead capture, appointment reminder, etc.), it'll automatically use WhatsApp once WAGHL is installed. Just trigger the workflow with a test contact and check that the message arrives on WhatsApp.
What's next?
You're set up — but there's a lot more WAGHL can do. Here's where to go next based on what you want to learn:
- Set up incoming message rules — see Configure incoming message rules
- Connect more WhatsApp numbers — see Connect unlimited numbers
- Use AI auto-replies — see Set up ChatGPT replies
- Configure SMS fallback — see Set up Twilio SMS fallback