OpenWA 5.5.1 lets you pair again when saved session data is invalid

An invalid saved session file shouldn't prevent a new WhatsApp login. OpenWA 5.5.1 changes startup to ignore invalid saved data and continue to the QR pairing journey, instead of stopping with PORTABLE_SESSION_PAYLOAD_INVALID.

The saved-file reader treats unusable input as absent: malformed payloads, logged-out markers, oversized data and paths that aren't a usable file no longer become a bootstrap hard stop. It leaves the ignored file in place until fresh pairing produces a valid replacement. Session writes remain strict and atomic.

npx @open-wa/wa-automate@5.5.1 --use-chrome

When the saved session is invalid, use WhatsApp's Linked devices flow to scan the displayed QR code. The newly paired session replaces the saved data. There's no need to delete the file just to reach that pairing flow.

Session lookup uses the configured path or working directory. It no longer searches beside the executable. Old browser-profile folders aren't used and stay untouched; current authentication uses the compact saved session.

This fixes invalid saved-file handling, not every possible startup error. A valid but refused session, failed network connection or unusable browser has its own lifecycle. A new key or session identity also doesn't make old encrypted data valid. See the quickstart for the current pairing path and the 5.5.1 changelog for the release details.