Explainer
Is ChatGPT still on WhatsApp? Where it works in 2026, and where it doesn’t
For about a year you could text ChatGPT like a friend on WhatsApp. Then a rule change at Meta, WhatsApp’s owner, pushed it off, and a European order brought it back, but only in some countries. Here’s where it works today, the only official number, and what to use instead.
It depends on your phone number. ChatGPT stopped working on WhatsApp everywhere on January 15, 2026. Since July 13, 2026 it works again for numbers from the European Economic Area, including Spain. In the United States, Mexico, the rest of Latin America and Taiwan, there is no official ChatGPT on WhatsApp.
Where does ChatGPT work on WhatsApp today?
What counts is the country code of your WhatsApp number, not where you are. A Spanish number works while you travel; a US number doesn’t work in Madrid.
| Your WhatsApp number is from… | Official ChatGPT on WhatsApp? |
|---|---|
| Spain, Germany, France, Italy and the rest of the European Economic Area | Yes, since July 13, 2026 |
| United States, Canada | No, since January 15, 2026 |
| Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru and most of Latin America | No, since January 15, 2026 |
| Brazil | Not announced unconfirmed: Meta’s ban is suspended there, but OpenAI hasn’t announced a return |
| Taiwan, Hong Kong, the UK and elsewhere | No |
From OpenAI’s release notes and announcement and the European Commission’s decision, checked Oct 11, 2026. OpenAI says the European return “may roll out gradually”.
What happened to ChatGPT on WhatsApp?
- October 2025: Meta changed the rules for businesses on WhatsApp so that companies offering general-purpose AI assistants could no longer use it. OpenAI said more than 50 million people had used ChatGPT there.
- January 15, 2026: the rule took effect. ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot and other assistants stopped answering on WhatsApp. Meta’s own Meta AI stayed.
- December 2025 to January 2026: competition regulators in Italy and Brazil ordered Meta to suspend the rule in their countries, and the European Commission opened an investigation.
- June 9, 2026: the European Commission ordered Meta to restore free access for rival AI assistants while its investigation continues. It’s a temporary order, not a final ruling.
- July 13, 2026: OpenAI brought ChatGPT back on WhatsApp in the European Economic Area.
How to use ChatGPT on WhatsApp (Europe only)
- Save +1 800 242 8478 as a contact, or open the link from OpenAI’s own website.
- Check that WhatsApp shows the verified badge next to 1-800-CHATGPT.
- Send a message. You can ask questions, send photos and voice notes and ask for images, and you don’t need a ChatGPT account.
- Optional: link your ChatGPT account when it offers, for higher limits. Your chats then appear in your ChatGPT history.
Watch out for fake “ChatGPT” numbers
When the official service left, copycat bots filled the gap. Many are harmless wrappers that cost money; some collect what you type. Simple rule: if it isn’t the verified 1-800-CHATGPT contact, it isn’t OpenAI. Never send it passwords, verification codes, photos of your ID or bank details. And in the US or Latin America, any “ChatGPT” answering on WhatsApp right now is by definition not the official one.
What to use instead if it doesn’t work for you
- The ChatGPT app (iPhone, Android) or chatgpt.com: the full version, with voice chat and file uploads, free to start. See what the free plan includes.
- Meta AI, already built into WhatsApp: tap the blue circle or type @Meta AI in a chat. It’s free, but Meta uses what you tell it to personalize ads. Here’s what that means and what you can switch off.
- Copilot left WhatsApp on the same date; use the Copilot app or copilot.microsoft.com.
Sources: OpenAI: ChatGPT release notes (July 13, 2026) · OpenAI: ChatGPT on WhatsApp transition (Oct 2025) · European Commission: interim measures on Meta (June 9, 2026) · TechCrunch: WhatsApp excludes Brazil from the ban · Microsoft: Copilot on WhatsApp ended
Quick answers
What is the official ChatGPT WhatsApp number?
1-800-CHATGPT, which is +1 800 242 8478, shown with WhatsApp’s verified check mark. It only answers WhatsApp accounts registered with a phone number from a country where the service is available: today, the European Economic Area.
Does ChatGPT work on WhatsApp in the United States?
No. OpenAI ended ChatGPT on WhatsApp on January 15, 2026, and it has not announced a return outside Europe. Use the ChatGPT app or chatgpt.com instead.
Does ChatGPT work on WhatsApp in Mexico or Latin America?
No official ChatGPT works on WhatsApp in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile or the rest of Latin America. Brazil is a special case: a Brazilian regulator suspended Meta’s ban there, but OpenAI has not announced a return for Brazilian numbers.
Is ChatGPT back on WhatsApp in Spain?
Yes. OpenAI says ChatGPT has been available again on WhatsApp in the European Economic Area, which includes Spain, since July 13, 2026. Access depends on the country code of your WhatsApp number, not where you are standing.
Is Copilot still on WhatsApp?
No. Microsoft says Copilot stopped working on WhatsApp on January 15, 2026. Use the Copilot app, copilot.microsoft.com or the Windows and Mac apps.
Is it safe to use a “ChatGPT” bot on WhatsApp?
Only the verified 1-800-CHATGPT contact, in a country where it’s offered, is OpenAI’s. Any other number calling itself ChatGPT is a third-party bot that can read and keep what you send. Never send passwords, ID photos, bank details or verification codes to it.
Keep learning
Does your AI assistant learn from your chats? How to turn it off
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Meta AI, Grok and DeepSeek: which use your chats for training by default, how long they keep them, and the exact switch.
ChatGPT Free vs Go vs Plus: which plan is worth paying for?
ChatGPT Free, Go ($8) and Plus ($20) compared from OpenAI’s own pricing page: models, limits, ads, deep research and Codex, and who should pick which.
Is Claude free? What you get without paying, and what you don’t
Yes, Claude has a free plan. What it includes (Sonnet, web search, files, voice), what needs Pro at $20 (Claude Code, Opus, Research) and how limits work.