Skip to main content
This guide takes you from zero to a live auto-replying WhatsApp agent in about ten minutes. You’ll download the macOS app, set up Ollama so replies stay on your device, link your WhatsApp account by scanning a QR code, and flip the switch that turns auto-replies on. No cloud accounts, no API keys, and no terminal experience required beyond a couple of commands for Ollama.
Before you begin, confirm you have the following on your Mac:
  • macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later
  • Google Chrome installed in /Applications
  • Ollama downloaded and ready to run at http://localhost:11434
See Requirements for a full breakdown if you’re unsure about any of these.
1

Download Whatsy

Go to the Whatsy website and click Get Started. Enter your email address and you’ll be taken straight to the macOS download page.Download the .dmg file, open it, and drag Whatsy into your Applications folder. Double-click the app to launch it — macOS may ask you to confirm you want to open an app downloaded from the internet; click Open.Whatsy is a native Swift/SwiftUI app, so it opens instantly without any additional runtime to install.
2

Install Ollama and pull a model

Whatsy generates all replies locally using Ollama. Download and install Ollama from ollama.com, then open Terminal and start the Ollama server:
ollama serve
In a second Terminal tab, pull the recommended model:
ollama pull llama3.2
The download is roughly 2 GB. Once it finishes, Ollama is ready and Whatsy will detect it automatically on the next screen.
Leave ollama serve running in the background — Whatsy talks to it over http://localhost:11434 whenever it needs to generate a reply. If Ollama stops, auto-replies pause until it restarts.
3

Open Whatsy and link WhatsApp

With the app open, click Start My Setup. Whatsy launches the agent process and displays a large QR code with step-by-step instructions.On your iPhone (or Android), open WhatsApp and navigate to:Settings → Linked Devices → Link a DevicePoint your camera at the QR code in the Whatsy window. WhatsApp confirms the link in a few seconds, and the Whatsy screen advances to a success state: “Your agent is connected to WhatsApp.”The QR code refreshes automatically if it expires before you scan it — just wait for the new one and scan again.
4

Turn on auto-replies

After linking, auto-replies are off by default. You’ll see a clear prompt in the app: “Replies are off. Turn them on when you’re ready.”Click Turn on replies. Whatsy shows a confirmation dialog:
Your agent will reply to your contacts on your behalf. Continue?
Click Confirm. The toggle switches on, the agent begins monitoring incoming messages, and your first automated reply will go out the next time someone messages you.
To verify everything is working, send yourself a WhatsApp message from a second phone number or ask a friend to message you. You should see an automated reply appear within a few seconds (plus any response delay you’ve configured), and the exchange will show up in the Activity Dashboard inside Whatsy.

​
Next steps

  • Customize your persona — head to the Persona section in the app to describe your voice, writing style, and examples of how you typically reply.
  • Set behavior rules — use the Behaviors tab to create conditional rules that control how the agent handles specific situations.
  • Review the activity feed — the Dashboard shows every message the agent has handled, the reply it sent, and which rule or persona was active.
For more detail on each prerequisite, see Requirements. For a deeper walkthrough of the WhatsApp connection, see Connecting WhatsApp.