Connecting Your Channels
Connect every Waslo channel besides WhatsApp QR — WhatsApp Cloud API, Telegram, Instagram, Messenger, and Outlook — plus what Gmail early access means.
This guide covers every channel except the WhatsApp QR flow, which has its own Connecting WhatsApp doc. All channels below are live and connect through official, review-approved APIs — Meta, Google, and Microsoft.
Overview
Every channel becomes a place for your AI agent to receive and reply to customer messages. Connect one or connect them all — they run in parallel and share the same setup underneath.
| Channel | Auth | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Cloud API | Meta Business account + registered number | You want no phone kept online |
| Telegram | Bot token from BotFather | You want the fastest possible setup |
| Instagram Direct | Instagram Login (OAuth) | Customers DM your Instagram business profile |
| Facebook Messenger | Meta OAuth (Page) | Customers message your Facebook Page |
| Outlook (email) | Microsoft sign-in (Graph) | You handle support or sales over email |
| Gmail (email) | — | Coming soon (early access only) |
You connect channels from Integrations → Marketplace in the dashboard. On PAYG each channel is a one-time credit unlock; on Growth every channel is included. See Integrations for the pricing table.
WhatsApp Cloud API
The official Meta WhatsApp API. Unlike the QR path — which keeps your phone's own WhatsApp session linked as a device — the Cloud API runs on Meta's servers, so nothing needs to stay online on your phone.
What you need
- A Meta Business account
- A phone number registered with the WhatsApp Cloud API (not already tied to the WhatsApp Business app)
How to connect
- Open Integrations → WhatsApp Cloud API
- Recommended: use the one-click Embedded Signup popup and follow Meta's guided flow to pick your business, number, and permissions
- Or choose the manual / advanced setup and paste your credentials (WABA ID, phone number ID, access token)
- Once verified, the channel turns green and starts receiving messages
If you're testing, Meta's free pre-registered test number (in your Meta App's WhatsApp setup) proves the full pipeline end to end before you connect a production number.
QR vs Cloud in one line: QR keeps your phone's session linked and is instant to set up; Cloud runs independently on Meta's servers and suits businesses that don't want a phone tethered.
Telegram
The fastest channel to connect — no OAuth, no business verification.
What you need
- A Telegram bot token
How to connect
- Open @BotFather in Telegram and create a new bot
- Copy the bot token BotFather gives you
- Open Integrations → Telegram in Waslo and paste the token
- The channel connects immediately
Customers then message your bot's Telegram username and your AI replies.
Instagram Direct
Answer Instagram DMs with your AI agent. This channel is approved by Meta and connects through Instagram Login (the Instagram product's own OAuth), not the older Facebook-Login path.
What you need
- An Instagram Business or Creator account
How to connect
- Open Integrations → Instagram in Waslo
- Start the connect flow — you'll be sent to Instagram to sign in and grant messaging permissions
- Approve the requested permissions
- Once authorized, the channel turns green and incoming DMs route to your AI
Facebook Messenger
Answer messages sent to your Facebook Page. This channel is approved by Meta and connects through Meta OAuth.
What you need
- A Facebook Page you manage
How to connect
- Open Integrations → Messenger in Waslo
- Start the connect flow and sign in with Meta
- Select the Page you want to connect and approve the requested permissions
- Once authorized, Page messages route to your AI
Outlook (email)
Turn your Outlook mailbox into an AI-answered channel. Waslo connects via Microsoft sign-in and is built on Microsoft Graph. Waslo is a Microsoft-verified publisher.
What you need
- A Microsoft account or Microsoft 365 mailbox
How to connect
- Open Integrations → Outlook in Waslo
- Sign in with Microsoft and approve the requested permissions
- Once connected, Waslo checks for unread mail on a short polling cycle and the AI replies in-thread
Because the agent replies within the original email thread, conversations stay tidy in your customer's inbox.
Gmail (email)
Gmail is coming soon and currently in early access only — it is not yet generally available. If Gmail is your main channel, you can register interest from the Gmail tile in the marketplace, and use Outlook or another channel in the meantime.
One AI brain across every channel
No matter how many channels you connect, they all share the same:
- AI configuration — prompt, tone, and behavior (with optional per-channel overrides)
- Knowledge base — the documents your AI cites
- Lead memory — what the AI has learned about each customer
- Tools — calendar booking, product catalog, classification, and handoff
Connect a new channel and it inherits everything you've already set up. You configure once and it works everywhere.
FAQ
Which channel should I pick? Pick where your customers already message you. WhatsApp (QR or Cloud) and Telegram are the quickest to start with; Instagram and Messenger suit social-first businesses; Outlook suits email-driven support and sales.
Can I connect more than one channel? Yes. Channels run in parallel and share the same AI brain, knowledge base, and memory. Your Inbox shows every channel in one place with per-channel filters.
What's the difference between WhatsApp QR and WhatsApp Cloud API? QR keeps your phone's WhatsApp session linked as a device and is instant to set up. Cloud API runs on Meta's official servers with no phone kept online. See Connecting WhatsApp for the QR flow.
Next steps
- Connecting WhatsApp — the QR flow
- Integrations — channel pricing + productivity integrations
- AI Agent Configuration — set tone, prompts, and tools