ChatGPT is back on WhatsApp, the EU forced Meta to do it

You can chat with ChatGPT inside WhatsApp again, at least in the EU. OpenAI switched the service back on across the European Economic Area on July 13, after roughly half a year offline. All it takes is a message to the verified contact 1-800-CHATGPT, and you do not need the separate ChatGPT app.

How to use ChatGPT in WhatsApp

Send a message to the verified contact 1-800-CHATGPT in WhatsApp, and the chat will start just like with any other contact. Ask questions, upload images, send voice messages, generate AI images, everything works right within the messenger, and in many languages. For many, this is the more convenient option, since WhatsApp is open all day anyway. If you want the full range of ChatGPT features, you can still use the app or the website. To see how ChatGPT stacks up against Gemini and Claude, check out our comparison of AI assistants.

Why ChatGPT disappeared in the first place

Meta had changed the rules for its WhatsApp Business API. Announced in October 2025 and effective for existing providers like OpenAI starting January 15, 2026, Meta’s move effectively banned universal AI chatbots from the platform. ChatGPT was kicked out, as were Microsoft’s Copilot and Perplexity. Only narrowly defined corporate bots for support, bookings, or order status were permitted. Meta justified the move by citing the high load caused by the volume of messages. At the same time, Meta promoted its own AI assistant within WhatsApp, a move critics interpreted as an attempt to squeeze out the competition.

The European Commission forced Meta to reverse course

On June 9, 2026, the European Commission issued a preliminary injunction against Meta. The company must once again allow third-party universal AI assistants access to the WhatsApp Business API, under the same terms and conditions as before October 15, 2025, when access to these services was free of charge. The order remains in effect until the end of the antitrust proceedings. In the meantime, Meta had restricted access for these providers in March 2026, allowing them to return only for a fee, a move the Commission deemed a de facto ban. If Meta fails to comply, it faces fines of up to 10 percent of its annual revenue. ChatGPT’s return is a direct result of this order.

What you should keep in mind

Access is currently being rolled out; it is already active for some users, but not yet for others. Some users report that their WhatsApp account was suspended after receiving a message from ChatGPT. The cause is unconfirmed; Meta and OpenAI have not commented on the matter, but it’s possible that spam detection or verification issues are to blame. Therefore, only use the genuine, verified contact number 1-800-CHATGPT and avoid any imitations. Just how much is currently in flux at WhatsApp is also illustrated by the controversy surrounding the new WhatsApp usernames. Beyond WhatsApp, OpenAI has also recently made ChatGPT available on Kakao in South Korea and Viber in select markets.