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Summary
Z-API WhatsApp gateway from Brazil: check the instance connection, browse chats and contacts, verify numbers on WhatsApp and send text, image and document messages through a WhatsApp number linked by QR code.
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Example prompts for Z-API
Click any prompt to copy it. Paste into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Gemini, Copilot or OpenClaw to run it against this connector.
Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
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Z-API + ChatGPT
Z-API WhatsApp gateway from Brazil: check the instance connection, browse chats and contacts, verify numbers on WhatsApp and send text, image and document messages through a WhatsApp number linked by QR code.
Prerequisites
See the full setup instructions baked into the connector (visible in the in-app store when you select the connector). The required environment variables for this connector are:
ZAPI_INSTANCE_ID, ZAPI_INSTANCE_TOKEN, ZAPI_CLIENT_TOKEN
Step 1 — Get credentials
- In the Z-API panel (app.z-api.io), open Instances, create or pick an instance and click edit. Copy the instance ID into
ZAPI_INSTANCE_IDand the instance token intoZAPI_INSTANCE_TOKEN. - Open the Security tab, module Account Security Token, click Set Up Now and copy the token into
ZAPI_CLIENT_TOKEN. Then click Activate Token so every request has to carry it. - Link the phone: scan the instance QR code with WhatsApp (Linked devices). Until the number is linked, every send fails.
- Start with
z_api_get_status:connected: falsemeans the QR code has to be scanned again,smartphoneConnected: falsethat the phone is offline.
Z-API is a third-party gateway that runs a WhatsApp Web session for your number. It is not Meta's official WhatsApp Business API, and WhatsApp may restrict numbers that send in bulk. Phone numbers are digits only, with country and area code and no +, spaces or dashes (5511999999999). The send tools write real WhatsApp messages: confirm the recipient and the text first, and never retry a send that returned a messageId. If you turned on IP restriction in the Z-API Security tab, allow the AnythingMCP outbound address.
Step 2 — Install the adapter
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HelpCode-ai/anythingmcp/main/docker-compose.quickstart.yml -o docker-compose.yml
printf 'JWT_SECRET=%s\nENCRYPTION_KEY=%s\n' "$(openssl rand -hex 32)" "$(openssl rand -hex 32)" > .env
docker compose up -d
Step 3 — Add the connector in ChatGPT
Your server URL: in AnythingMCP, open MCP Servers → the server this connector is on, and copy its URL (
https://cloud.anythingmcp.com/mcp/…). Use it wherever this guide showsYOUR_SERVER_ID.
ChatGPT connects to MCP servers as custom apps in developer mode, available on paid plans (not on Free). On Business and Enterprise workspaces an admin may have to allow it first.
- In ChatGPT, open Settings → Security and login and turn on Developer mode.
- Go to chatgpt.com/plugins and click +.
- Enter a name and a short description, e.g. Name:
Z-API. - Under Connection, enter the MCP server URL
https://cloud.anythingmcp.com/mcp/YOUR_SERVER_IDand create the connection. - When ChatGPT asks, sign in to AnythingMCP (OAuth) and allow access.
Available tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
z_api_get_status | Check whether the Z-API instance is linked to a WhatsApp account and whether the phone is online |
z_api_get_instance | Get the Z-API instance name, connection flag, payment status and expiry date (Unix timestamp in due) |
z_api_get_device | Get the phone linked to the instance: its number, profile name, device model and whether it is a WhatsApp Business account |
z_api_check_phone_exists | Check whether a phone number has a WhatsApp account |
z_api_list_chats | List the WhatsApp chats of the linked number (people and groups) with phone or group ID, name, unread count and last message time |
z_api_get_chat | Get metadata of one chat: unread count, last message time, mute and spam flags, profile status and notes (WhatsApp Business only) |
z_api_list_contacts | List WhatsApp contacts known to the linked number, including people from shared groups, with phone, saved name and WhatsApp profile name |
z_api_list_queue | List messages still waiting in the instance's send queue, with phone, text and IDs |
z_api_send_text | Send a WhatsApp text message to a contact or group from the linked number |
z_api_send_image | Send an image by public HTTPS URL to a contact or group, with an optional caption |
z_api_send_document | Send a document (PDF, XLSX, DOCX...) by public HTTPS URL to a contact or group |
FAQ
Does the free ChatGPT plan work with custom MCP connectors? No. Custom MCP connections need developer mode, which is only on paid plans.
Next steps
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