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Connect WhatsApp Phone Numbers

Complete guide to connecting official WhatsApp numbers, managing WABAs, and understanding Meta Cloud API requirements.

WhatsBox utilizes the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API. To send and receive messages, you connect one or more WhatsApp numbers to your workspace through Meta's Embedded Signup process.

Prerequisites Before Connecting

Before starting the connection process, verify the following:

WhatsApp App Coexistence
Feature
WhatsBox fully supports Meta's official WhatsApp Coexistence feature. If your phone number is already active on the official WhatsApp Business mobile or desktop app, you do not need to delete your WhatsApp account. You can use WhatsBox and the WhatsApp Business app concurrently on the exact same phone number.
SMS or Call Verification
Required
You must be able to receive an SMS text message or automated voice call on the phone number during registration to enter a 6-digit verification OTP.
Meta Business Portfolio
Required
An active Facebook account with admin access to a Meta Business Manager / Business Portfolio. If you do not have one, the signup flow will allow you to create one on the fly.
Meta Payment Method
Important
Meta charges per conversation for WhatsApp Business API usage (Marketing, Utility, Authentication, and Service). Ensure you add a valid payment method inside your Meta Business Suite under WhatsApp Accounts to avoid outbound delivery halts.

Step-by-Step Connection Process

Open the Add Channel Page

In the WhatsBox web app, navigate to WhatsApp Phone Numbers (/channels) and click Add WhatsApp Number (/channels/add).

Launch Meta Embedded Signup

Click the Connect with Facebook button. A secure popup dialog hosted by Meta will appear:

  1. Log In: Authenticate with your Facebook credentials.
  2. Select Meta Business Portfolio: Choose your company's existing business manager or create a new one.
  3. Select or Create WABA: Choose an existing WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) or create a new WABA.
  4. WhatsApp Business Profile: Enter your public display name, category (e.g. Retail, Professional Services), and description.
  5. Verify Number: Enter the phone number and select SMS or Phone Call to receive your 6-digit verification code. Enter the code to complete verification.

Register and Connect in WhatsBox

After completing the Meta dialog, WhatsBox will display the phone number record:

  • Click Connect next to the phone number.
  • WhatsBox configures webhooks, registers the channel with the Cloud API, and begins syncing conversation history.
  • Once registered, a green badge confirms the channel is active.

Channel Configuration & Settings

Once connected, you can manage individual channel settings by navigating to WhatsApp Phone Numbers and clicking on your channel (/channels/[channel_id]):

  • Display Phone Number: The verified E.164 phone number linked to the channel.
  • Channel Label: A custom internal name (e.g., "Customer Support Main", "Sales North America") to identify the number when multiple channels are active.
  • Timezone: Set the operational timezone for the channel. This ensures that scheduled messages, business hours, and analytics align with your local operations.
  • History Sync Progress: Shows the percentage of historical messages imported from Meta into your WhatsBox inbox.

Quality Ratings & Messaging Limits

Meta monitors the health of every WhatsApp Business phone number:

Quality Rating Tiers

  • High (Green): Good message quality, low user block and report rates.
  • Medium (Yellow): Moderate user feedback. Review recent broadcast content.
  • Low (Red): High volume of user blocks or reports. Meta may temporarily decrease your messaging tier until quality improves.

Messaging Tier Limits

Meta enforces 24-hour rolling messaging limits on uninitiated conversations (starting conversations with new users via templates):

  • Tier 1: 1,000 unique recipients per rolling 24 hours.
  • Tier 2: 10,000 unique recipients per rolling 24 hours.
  • Tier 3: 100,000 unique recipients per rolling 24 hours.
  • Tier 4 (Unlimited): Unlimited customer conversations.
Meta automatically upgrades your messaging tier when you reach your limit on high-quality broadcasts over consecutive days.

WhatsApp Business App Coexistence

A salient, standout feature of WhatsBox is full support for WhatsApp Coexistence provided by the Meta WhatsApp Business API:

  • No Account Deletion Needed: Unlike older WhatsApp API integrations that forced businesses to delete their mobile WhatsApp Business account, WhatsBox allows you to connect your number while keeping your existing WhatsApp Business mobile and desktop app active.
  • Side-by-Side Operation: You and your mobile staff can continue chatting and answering calls directly from the WhatsApp Business mobile app on your smartphone, while your office team uses WhatsBox for multi-agent shared inbox triage, broadcast campaigns, and AI chatbots.
  • Dual-Channel Flexibility: Customer replies sync seamlessly to WhatsBox without interrupting your mobile messaging workflows.

Disconnecting or Migrating a Number

If you need to disconnect a phone number or move it to a different workspace:

  1. Navigate to WhatsApp Phone Numbers (/channels).
  2. Select the channel and click Manage.
  3. With WhatsApp Coexistence, disconnecting a channel in WhatsBox simply detaches it from the WhatsBox workspace—it does not delete your WhatsApp Business mobile account or wipe your phone's local chat history.

Quick Start

Get up and running with WhatsBox in under 5 minutes with our step-by-step setup guide.

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