> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.jelou.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# WhatsApp calling

> Let your customers call you by voice from WhatsApp and connect a voice agent to that number.

Besides provisioning a new phone number, you can enable **voice calls on your own WhatsApp number**. Your customers call from the same chat where they already message you, without dialing a different number.

It's configured on the WhatsApp channel screen, not in Voice.

<Info>
  Available for **WhatsApp Cloud API** and **Gupshup** numbers.
</Info>

<Frame caption="WhatsApp calling and ElevenLabs voice sections in the channel">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/jelouai/AQag8di7NYjLixU_/assets/images/voice/whatsapp-llamadas.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=AQag8di7NYjLixU_&q=85&s=84ad6765165a7f24c0aa38a10d2466ef" alt="WhatsApp channel configuration showing the WhatsApp calling section with its toggles and, below, the ElevenLabs voice section with the voice agent selector and the Connect button" width="1834" height="862" data-path="assets/images/voice/whatsapp-llamadas.png" />
</Frame>

## Enabling calls

The **WhatsApp calling** section lets your customers call that number by voice on WhatsApp, and has two nested toggles.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Receive WhatsApp calls">
    When enabled, your customers can start a voice call with this number from their WhatsApp chat. It's the main toggle: without it, nothing else applies.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Show the call button">
    Displays the call icon in the chat and on the business profile. Turn it off if you want to **receive calls without showing the button**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Turning off the button while leaving calling enabled is useful for a gradual rollout: you can test with a group that already knows the path, or keep the capability available without inviting all your traffic to use it from day one.
</Tip>

## Connecting a voice agent

The **ElevenLabs voice** section creates an ElevenLabs voice number (SIP trunk) for this WhatsApp number and assigns a voice agent to it.

<Warning>
  This section stays locked until you enable **Receive WhatsApp calls**. The panel says so itself: first you enable calling, then you connect the agent.
</Warning>

Once calling is enabled, you pick the **voice agent** from the dropdown and confirm with **Connect**.

<Note>
  The agent you connect here is one of those you already created in Voice. If you don't have one yet, create it first: see [Voice agents](/en/guides/voice/agents).
</Note>

## How it compares to a provisioned number

Both paths end in the same place — a voice agent answering calls — but they don't serve the same purpose.

|                    | WhatsApp calling                                  | [Provisioned number](/en/guides/voice/numbers) |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| **Who can call**   | Only people who message you on WhatsApp           | Anyone who dials the number                    |
| **New number**     | No, it uses the one you have                      | Yes, it gets provisioned                       |
| **Outbound calls** | Not applicable                                    | Yes, campaigns included                        |
| **When it fits**   | Support over a channel your customers already use | Public support lines and outbound operations   |

<Tip>
  They're not mutually exclusive. It's common to have WhatsApp calling for inbound support of existing customers and a separate provisioned number for outbound campaigns.
</Tip>

## After connecting

Calls that come in through WhatsApp are logged like any other, with their recording and transcript.

<Card title="Call log" icon="phone-volume" href="/en/guides/voice/calls">
  Review the direction, status, duration, and credits of every call.
</Card>