Claude Desktop setup

Connect WhatsApp to Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop can work with your WhatsApp Business API through the SheetWA MCP server. Once connected, you ask Claude in plain words and it reads your chats, finds contacts, sends approved templates and runs broadcasts for you.

Claude Desktop reaches remote MCP servers through a small bridge called mcp-remote, which runs with npx. You add one block to Claude's config file and restart the app.

Before you start#

A SheetWA workspace with a WhatsApp number connected through the WhatsApp API.
An API Growth or API Max plan, or the 7-day free trial.
An MCP key from the workspace owner or an admin, made under MCP Server in the dashboard.

New to keys? See how to create one.

Add SheetWA to Claude Desktop#

1Open Claude Desktop, go to Settings, then Developer, then Edit Config.
2Paste this into the file, save it and restart Claude Desktop.

jsonclaude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sheetwa": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://backend.sheetwa.com/api/v3/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_key_here"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace sk_live_your_key_here with your key. The server URL is https://backend.sheetwa.com/api/v3/mcp.

Check it works#

1Restart Claude Desktop after saving the config.
2Open a new chat and look for SheetWA in the tools or connectors menu under the message box.
3Ask: "Is my WhatsApp number connected?" Claude should call waca_connection_status and answer with your number and its quality rating.

Things to try#

"Show my unread WhatsApp chats and summarise them."
"Find contacts tagged VIP who have not messaged in 30 days."
"Which of my templates are approved, and what placeholders do they need?"
"How did yesterday's broadcast do? List the failed numbers."

Claude Desktop picks the right tools on its own. See the tools.

If something goes wrong#

SheetWA does not appear after a restart: Check the JSON is valid (no trailing commas) and that Node.js is installed, since mcp-remote runs with npx.
Claude says the key was refused: Make sure the header reads Authorization: Bearer followed by your full key, with no extra spaces or quotes.
Every call answers PLAN_LIMIT_REACHED: MCP is included in API Growth and API Max. A workspace on API Lite needs to upgrade first.

All error codes