Connect your WhatsApp number
This is the first thing you do, and it takes a few minutes if you have the right things to hand. It runs through Meta's embedded signup inside the dashboard, which means the number, the WhatsApp Business Account and the Meta app all end up registered to you — not to us.
Before you start
Have these ready, or the flow stalls halfway:
- A phone number you can receive a code on, that is not currently signed in to the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app. See the warning below if the one you want is.
- A Facebook account to sign in with. It does not need a Page, but the person signing in must be an admin of the Business Manager you want this under.
- Your business name, address and website, as you want them on the public business profile.
- A display name. Meta reviews this, and it has to relate to the business — a slogan or a keyword phrase gets rejected.
The steps
- Sign in and open Settings → WhatsApp → Connect a number.
- Click Connect with Facebook. Meta's own window opens; the fields in it are Meta's, and we never see your Facebook password.
- Choose or create a Meta Business Account, then a WhatsApp Business Account under it.
- Enter the phone number and verify it with the code Meta sends by SMS or voice call.
- Set the display name, category and business description.
- Finish. The window closes and the number appears in your inbox list, usually within a minute.
If the number is in the WhatsApp Business app today
Read this before you start. A number can be on the WhatsApp app or on the WhatsApp Business Platform, never both. Migrating it to the Platform makes the app stop working on that number, and the chat history in the app does not come across.
Two reasonable options:
- Migrate the familiar number. Best when customers already have it saved and it is printed on your menus, boards or packaging. Back up anything you need from the app first, and warn whoever uses the handset.
- Keep the app number, use a new one here. Best when someone uses that handset day to day, or when you want to run both side by side for a while. A new SIM is cheap next to the disruption.
If you are unsure, message us before you start rather than after.
After it is connected
Three things worth doing straight away:
- Set the business profile — logo, description, address, opening hours. It is what a customer sees when they tap your name, and an empty profile reads as a scam.
- Submit your first message templates. Meta reviews them, usually in hours. This is the slowest part of going live, so start it early. See Get your message templates approved.
- Invite your team. Seats are unlimited on every paid plan, so there is no reason to share a login — and a shared login makes assignment and the audit trail useless.
Common problems
| What you see | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| "This number is already registered" | It is on the WhatsApp app, or on another provider's platform. Remove it there first. |
| The code never arrives | Try the voice-call option. Virtual numbers often block the SMS but accept the call. |
| Display name rejected | Meta requires it to relate to the business. Use the trading name, not a slogan. |
| Stuck on the Business Account step | The Facebook account you signed in with is not an admin of that Business Manager. |
Still stuck? WhatsApp us with a screenshot of the step you are on — almost always quicker than a ticket.