v2026.5.5

Release date: May 26, 2026

✨ New Features

WhatsApp Official channels can now have a linked auxiliary WAHA channel (QR code) to overcome the natural limitations of the official WhatsApp API.

WhatsApp Official has restrictions that WAHA (phone connection) does not. The auxiliary channel lets you get the best of both worlds:

Echoes of messages sent from the phone — the official channel does not send events for messages sent directly in the app; the auxiliary channel captures those messages (fromMe=true) and records them in the conversation history
Sending outside the 24-hour window — when the Official's reply window has expired, a "Send via Auxiliary Channel" button appears in the conversation footer, allowing any message (text, files, audio) to be sent through WAHA
WhatsApp Groups — the auxiliary channel can receive and reply to group messages, with the usual settings to enable groups and block media
Profile picture — WAHA can fetch contact profile pictures that the Official API does not expose

Go to the settings of the desired WhatsApp Official channel
Scroll to the Auxiliary WAHA Channel section
Click Add auxiliary WAHA channel
Scan the QR code with the phone's WhatsApp — it must be the same number as the official channel, in Coexistence Mode
Adjust the settings:
- Listen to client messages — disabled by default to avoid duplication with the official channel
- Listen to my messages (from me) — enabled by default to capture echoes
- Enable groups and Block group media (if the groups module is enabled for the organization)

When the reply window expires, the conversation footer shows Use Template and Send via Auxiliary Channel buttons
Clicking "Send via Auxiliary Channel" reveals the full message input (with support for files, audio, emoji and formatting)
The message is sent through the auxiliary WAHA channel and recorded normally in the conversation history

Client messages (fromMe=false) are ignored by default (prevents duplication with the official channel)
Messages sent by me (fromMe=true) are processed and linked to the official channel's chat
Status updates, reactions, edits, deletions and calls are also routed to the corresponding official channel
The auxiliary channel does not appear in the general channels list — it is only visible inside the official channel settings

✅ Complete message history, including messages sent from the phone
✅ Continuous communication even after the 24h window expires
✅ Group support via WAHA without creating a separate visible channel
✅ Simple setup directly within the official channel settings
✅ Zero message duplication — fine-grained control over which events the auxiliary channel processes