Initial setup

Before you can start using WhatsApp, an admin user will need to link your WhatsApp business app to Connect.

Step 1: Register as a Meta developer

You'll need a Meta developer account to create a WhatsApp cloud app and link it your WhatsApp business phone number.

1. Start the registration process by logging in with a Facebook account. If you already have a WhatsApp business account, log in with the ID associated with that. Otherwise, log in with an existing Facebook account or create a new one.

2. Follow the steps to verify your developer account.

Step 2: Create a business app

1. Go to the App Dashboard and click Create App at the top-right.

2. Select Other as the use case.

3. Select Business as the app type.

4. Enter a name for the app (this can be whatever you want, but we'd suggest [Business name] WhatsApp), and an email address.

5. If you already have a business account to link the app to, select it from the dropdown. You'll be able to create one later if you don't already have one.

6. Click Create App, then you'll be taken back to the app dashboard.

Step 3: Add the WhatsApp product to your app

1. Click your app, then click Add products to your app.

2. Scroll down, and under WhatsApp, select Set up.

3. If you haven't already attached a Meta Business Account to your app, you'll be taken through the steps to create one.

Step 4: Add the Webhooks product to your app

1. Back at your app dashboard, click your app and scroll down the page to the Add products to your app section.

2. Click the Webhooks product.

3. Select WhatsApp business account in the dropdown, then enter the callback URL and verify token that we will have given you.

4. Once the callback URL is verified, you'll be given a list of available webhooks to subscribe to. You just need to subscribe to the messages one.

Step 5: Add a phone number

1. In the left-hand menu of your app's dashboard page, click API Setup under the WhatsApp section.

2. Add a phone number. This is the number people will use to message you via WhatsApp. You'll need to provide some details for your WhatsApp profile and verify the phone number with a code that will be sent to it. You might be prompted to set up a test number instead. You won't be able to use that to message customers. You'll need to link a proper WhatsApp business number.

3. Once you've added your phone number, you should see a Phone number ID. Copy that and save it somewhere temporarily.

Step 6: Add a system user

1. Go to the Meta Business Suite and click the dropdown at the top-left that has your business name in it. Then click the cog next to your business name to open the Business settings screen.

2. Click System users in the left-hand menu. Click Add, then enter Connect as the username. Select Admin as the user role.

3. Once the user has been created, click Assign Assets. Click Apps in the left-hand list, select your WhatsApp app, then under Full control, turn on Manage App. Click Save changes.

4. Now click Generate New Token.

5. Select your WhatsApp app from the dropdown. Set the token expiry to Never, and under Permissions select whatsapp_business_messaging. Click Generate token, then copy the access token on the next screen. Save it somewhere temporarily as you'll need to send it to us.

Step 7: Get your App Secret

1. Back at your app dashboard, click your WhatsApp app, then click App Settings then Basic in the left-hand menu.

2. Click Show next to the App Secret field. You'll be prompted to enter your account password.

3. Copy the app secret and save it temporarily wherever you saved your access token in the previous step.

Step 8: Give us your app access details

You now need to send us three bits of information so that we can set up WhatsApp for you in Connect. We'll let you know the best way to send this to us securely. We'll need:

• Phone number ID from step 5.
• Access token from step 6.
• App secret from step 7.