Connecting WhatsApp

Connect your WhatsApp Business Account to start sending and receiving messages on WhatsApp.

Before You Start

You need:

A Meta Business Account (created at business.facebook.com)
A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) with at least one verified phone number
Admin access to your Meta Business Account
Permission to manage WhatsApp settings

Connection Hub

Go to Channels → Connection Hub (or just Channels). You'll see three cards: WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. Click the WhatsApp card to start.

Connection Methods

This is the easiest way for most users.

Click Add WhatsApp on the WhatsApp card
A modal opens with the title "Connect WhatsApp"
Click Launch Embedded Signup
A Meta login popup appears
Log in with your Meta Business Account credentials
Wallin discovers all WABAs you have access to
Select the WABA and phone number you want to connect
Review the permissions Wallin needs (detailed below)
Click Continue
Your connection is complete — the phone number now appears under the WhatsApp card in Connection Hub

Method 2: Manual Credential Entry

If Embedded Signup doesn't work for you:

Click Add WhatsApp on the WhatsApp card
In the modal, click Connect Manually
You'll need:
- WABA ID — Found in your Meta Business Manager under WhatsApp
- Access Token — A System User token with WhatsApp API permissions (create this in Business Manager)
- Display Name — A friendly name for this connection (e.g., "Main Support Line")
Paste these values into the form
Click Verify & Connect
The connection is added to your Connection Hub

Multiple Phone Numbers Under One WABA

If your WABA has multiple verified phone numbers, each appears as a separate connection in the Hub. For example:

Connection 1: +1-555-0100 (Main)
Connection 2: +1-555-0101 (Support)

Each connection can send messages independently and receives its own conversations.

What Gets Synced

When you connect WhatsApp, Wallin automatically syncs:

Message templates — All approved templates from your WABA appear in Marketing → Templates
Phone number profile — Name, icon, and description (from your WhatsApp profile settings)
Recent conversations — Conversations from the last 30 days begin appearing in your inbox

Permissions Wallin Requires

During Embedded Signup, Meta asks for permission to:

Read messages — See incoming customer messages
Send messages — Reply to customers
Manage templates — Create, view, and edit message templates
Access phone information — Read your phone number and profile details
Webhook subscriptions — Receive real-time notifications when customers message you

These permissions are necessary for Wallin to function. We never store or share your messages outside your organization.

Connection Status

After connecting, your WhatsApp appears in Connection Hub with a status badge:

Connected — Active and ready to use
Action Needed — Token expired or permission revoked; click Manage to reauthorize
Pending Setup — Connection is being configured (rare)
Disconnected — Token was revoked; reconnect to use WhatsApp again

If you see "Action Needed", click Manage next to your phone number and click Reauthorize to update your connection.

Next Steps

Go to Marketing → Templates to create or approve templates
Go to Channels → Connection Hub → Manage to set up auto-replies or other channel-specific settings
Go to Inbox to start responding to customer messages

Troubleshooting

"Connection limit reached"

Your plan limits the number of WhatsApp connections. Upgrade your plan to connect more phone numbers.

"Token expired"

Meta access tokens expire periodically. Click Manage next to your connection and Reauthorize to refresh it.

"No WABAs found"

Make sure you're logged in with an account that has admin access to at least one WABA in Meta Business Manager.