OpenClaw WhatsApp Stops Responding — How to Fix (2026)

Diagnosing the Issue

When your OpenClaw WhatsApp bot stops responding, it's usually one of three things: the webhook is unreachable, the API token expired, or the OpenClaw process itself is down. Let's check each one.

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Check if OpenClaw Is Running

# Check process status
systemctl status openclaw
# Or Docker
docker ps | grep openclaw
docker logs openclaw --tail 50

2. Verify Webhook URL

Your WhatsApp webhook must be publicly reachable via HTTPS:

# Test webhook endpoint externally
curl -X POST https://your-domain.com/api/whatsapp/webhook \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"test": true}'

# Should return 200 OK, not 502 or timeout

3. Check WhatsApp API Token

# Test your token directly against Meta API
curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/me" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_WHATSAPP_TOKEN"

# If you get an error, generate a new permanent token
# in Meta Business Suite > System Users

4. Check for Rate Limiting

WhatsApp rate limits can silently drop messages. Check the Meta Business Manager for quality ratings and messaging limits.

5. Restart the WhatsApp Session

# In openclaw.json, reset the WhatsApp session
{
  "whatsapp": {
    "token": "YOUR_PERMANENT_TOKEN",
    "phoneNumberId": "YOUR_PHONE_NUMBER_ID",
    "webhookVerifyToken": "YOUR_VERIFY_TOKEN",
    "restartSession": true
  }
}

6. Re-register the Webhook

# Re-register webhook with Meta
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/YOUR_APP_ID/subscriptions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APP_TOKEN" \
  -d "object=whatsapp_business_account" \
  -d "callback_url=https://your-domain.com/api/whatsapp/webhook" \
  -d "verify_token=YOUR_VERIFY_TOKEN" \
  -d "fields=messages"

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my OpenClaw WhatsApp bot stop responding?

Common causes: webhook URL changed or became unreachable, WhatsApp API token expired, rate limits hit, OpenClaw process crashed, or the WhatsApp Business API session timed out. Check your logs first.

How do I check if WhatsApp webhooks are reaching OpenClaw?

Enable debug logging in OpenClaw and send a test message. Check the logs for incoming webhook events. You can also use the WhatsApp Business API dashboard to see webhook delivery status and failures.

How often do WhatsApp API tokens expire?

WhatsApp Business API tokens (system user tokens) do not expire by default. However, temporary tokens from the Meta Developer Portal expire after 24 hours. Always use permanent tokens for production.

What are WhatsApp rate limits for OpenClaw?

WhatsApp Business API has tiered rate limits. New accounts start at 250 conversations per 24 hours. You can increase this to 1,000, 10,000, or 100,000 by verifying your business and building up quality ratings.