WhatsApp Setup
At a glance
| Location | Settings → WhatsApp → Health |
| Plan | All plans, including the free tier |
| Related features | 3 |
Connect your WhatsApp number to Spun by scanning a QR code; this is the first step to using the inbox. Before you scan, the connect screen explains what linking does: it is the same linked-device connection WhatsApp Web uses, your phone stays the primary device, your chats stay in WhatsApp, and you can unlink at any time from your phone (WhatsApp → Linked Devices → tap Spun → Log out). Every WhatsApp connection runs through Self Proxy, a small program on your own Windows or Mac computer, because WhatsApp is strict about where a number connects from. The connect screen therefore starts with "First, install the Spun Proxy on your home computer.", marks "Connect through your own internet" as "Required" for everyone, and advises using home Wi-Fi rather than a shared office network; there is no option to connect without it. After you download the installer, a checklist (Installer downloaded, Computer registered, Waiting for connection) tracks progress, and the QR code appears once your computer connects and a manager has confirmed your protected country with one click. If you open the connect screen on a phone or tablet it says "This step needs a Windows or Mac computer" and offers "Email me the link" or "Copy link" so you can carry on at the computer. You can also skip WhatsApp for now ("Skip for now") and use meetings and Spun Chat, then connect a number later from Settings. If you are on your phone and have no second screen to scan from, use the "Share to Friend" tab on the reconnect screen: press "Generate Share Link", open the link on another phone, tablet or computer, enter the passcode shown, and scan the QR that appears there. If a scan is refused (your phone links and WhatsApp drops it moments later), the QR screen says so and offers Self Proxy, which is the usual fix. When a connected line stops working, Spun never swaps the channel behind your back: the reconnect screen diagnoses the cause first and shows the matching step, whether your proxy computer is offline (turn it on and WhatsApp resumes by itself), your computer is online but its tunnel is down (restart the Spun Proxy service on it; reloading the channel will not help), WhatsApp is paused because the computer appears outside your protected country (turn off the VPN or proxy on it; there is nothing to scan or replace), Spun is switching you to another computer (keep the page open), WhatsApp is no longer linked to this device, the connection no longer exists and must be set up again, or the cause is unclear (reload the connection, which keeps your number). Replacing a channel is always a manual, confirmed action, and "Contact support" opens a Human Support ticket. If every Self Proxy computer is offline, WhatsApp waits until one comes back; there is no way to continue without a proxy. If WhatsApp has banned the number, the screen walks you through WhatsApp's own recovery steps and, once the number is restored, "My number is restored - reconnect" links it again. The connection banner at the top of the inbox says "WhatsApp not connected yet" before your first connection and "WhatsApp disconnected" afterwards, and has a gear icon for connection settings and a "Connect WhatsApp" or "Reconnect WhatsApp" action. An account created in the iPhone app connects WhatsApp from the web login; the iPhone app itself has no connect screen. Additional WhatsApp numbers can be added as extra lines. The Settings → WhatsApp → Health tab shows connection status and hosts the Self Proxy card.
How to use
- Go to Settings → WhatsApp → Health, or follow the connect screen shown on first login.
- Read the "Before you scan" notes, then install Self Proxy on a Windows or Mac computer as the screen asks (it is required), and confirm your protected country when prompted.
- Scan the QR code with your phone's WhatsApp app (Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device).
- Wait for the green "Connected" status.
- If the line later stops working, open the reconnect screen, read the diagnosis, and take the step it offers (turn your proxy computer on, restart its proxy service, turn off a VPN, re-scan, reload, or replace the channel after confirming).
- For a line that keeps disconnecting, set up Self Proxy for the strongest fix.
Related features
FAQ
- How do I connect my WhatsApp?
- My QR code is not working
- How to reconnect WhatsApp
- Why does my WhatsApp keep disconnecting?
- How do I scan the QR without a computer?
- Can I connect WhatsApp without the proxy?
- Why does the connect screen say I need a computer?
- Why is my WhatsApp paused?