Connect WhatsApp, Instagram & Messenger
You connect channels under Settings → Meta Platforms. There is a tab for each channel: WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger.
There are two ways to connect a number. Choose the one that matches your situation:
| Option | Choose this if… |
|---|---|
| Connect Whatsapp Business | You have a phone number that isn’t already on WhatsApp, or you’re happy to move the number to Wabot completely |
| Connect Business App | You already use the WhatsApp Business App on your phone and want to keep using it alongside Wabot |
You’ll need:
- A phone number that isn’t already connected to WhatsApp
- Access to your business’s Facebook account
- Go to Settings → Meta Platforms → WhatsApp and click Connect Whatsapp Business.
- Read the policy notes, tick I read and understand the terms above, and click Continue.
- A Facebook window opens. Log in, choose or create your business and WhatsApp Business Account, and verify your phone number with the code Meta sends you.
- When you see “Congratulations! You Have Successfully Onboarded”, reload the page.
Once a number is connected this way, you use it through Wabot’s inbox. You can’t use it in the normal WhatsApp app at the same time.
You’ll need:
- An existing WhatsApp Business App account on your phone
- Go to Settings → Meta Platforms → WhatsApp and click Connect Business App.
- Accept the terms and follow the Facebook window to link your existing number.
- Keep the WhatsApp Business App installed on your phone, because it has to stay connected.
Bring in your existing chats. Each Business App number has two sync actions in its ⋮ menu:
| Action | What it does | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Synchronize Contacts | Imports your WhatsApp contacts | Once per connection, within 24 hours of connecting |
| Synchronize History | Imports up to 180 days of 1:1 chats. Groups, labels and broadcast lists are not included | Once per connection. You have to approve sharing in the app |
If you’ve already synced, you’ll see “Already synced. Offboard and reconnect to sync again.”
Disconnect: Offboard Account only turns the number off in Wabot. To disconnect it fully, open the WhatsApp Business App and go to Settings → Account → Business Platform → Disconnect Account.
After connecting
Section titled “After connecting”Your number appears in the table. Check these columns:
| Column | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Subscription | Should say Subscribed. If not, click Subscribe Now |
| Registration | Should say Registered. If not, click Register Now and set a 6-digit PIN |
| Bot Response | Turn on Allow auto Bot Response to let AI bots reply on this number |
| Status | Enables or disables the number in Wabot |
| Test Bot | Opens a chat to test your AI bot |
The ⋮ menu also has Auto Response (an away message), Add Info (teach the AI about your business), Meta Ad Account (link ad accounts for click-to-WhatsApp ads) and Edit.
Advanced: add a number manually
If you already have a Meta app and Cloud API credentials, open the ⋮ menu at the top of the page and choose Add Manually. Then enter the Phone Number, Whatsapp Phone Number ID, Whatsapp Account ID, Whatsapp App ID, Cloud API Version, Cloud API Access Token and Cloud API Verify Token.
Open the Instagram tab and choose one of these:
- Connect Instagram with Facebook. Use this if your Instagram Business account is linked to a Facebook Page. Both the Instagram account and the Page are connected.
- Connect Instagram. Log in with Instagram only. No Facebook account is needed.
Once connected, you can view and reply to Instagram Direct messages in the shared inbox. The same 24-hour reply rule applies. Use Auto Opt-in Message in the row’s menu to greet new conversations.
Messenger
Section titled “Messenger”Open the Messenger tab and click Connect Messenger. You need to be an admin of the Facebook Page. If the Page has a linked Instagram Business account, it’s connected too.
WhatsApp policy in brief
Section titled “WhatsApp policy in brief”- You can reply to anyone who messages you, but to start a conversation you need an approved template.
- You have 24 hours to reply freely to each message you receive.
- Your quality rating (High / Medium / Low) and messaging tier (for example 250, 2K, 10K or 100K customers a day) are shown in the inbox. Messaging people who expect to hear from you keeps both healthy.