OpenClaw WhatsApp Disconnected

First determine whether the Gateway is down, the WhatsApp transport is disconnected, or the account session was logged out. These require different fixes.

Run the channel ladder

openclaw gateway status
openclaw channels status --probe
openclaw logs --follow

If every channel fails, fix the Gateway. If only WhatsApp fails, read the first WhatsApp-specific disconnect or authentication line.

Reconnect the intended account

Use the current WhatsApp setup command from the channel guide to display a new QR code when the session is logged out. Scan it from the intended phone account and wait for the channel probe to change state.

Do not delete the entire OpenClaw state directory to force a new QR. That can remove unrelated credentials, configuration, and sessions. Remove or replace only the documented WhatsApp session data when a clean relink is required.

Check persistence

If pairing works until the Gateway restarts, confirm that the managed service user can read and write the session path and that a container deployment persists that path across replacements.

Expected result

The WhatsApp probe reports connected after a Gateway restart, the same intended account remains linked, and one test message produces one accepted inbound event and reply.