Summary
In this guide, you’ll learn how WhatsApp Co-existence (Coex) lets you use the WhatsApp Business App and WhatsApp Cloud API at the same time—on the same number. We’ll explain why this matters, who it’s for, what changes to expect, and how it works with Wati. If you're looking to scale your messaging without losing your existing chats, this guide is for you.
Instructions
What is WhatsApp Coexistence?
Meta’s Coexistence (Coex) Solution lets you use the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Cloud API at the same time. If you're currently using the WhatsApp Business App, you can now connect your existing phone number and app data to a Cloud API platform, like Wati, without needing to start from scratch.
Why this matters?
Previously, you had to choose between two options:
WhatsApp Business App – great for small teams and personal 1:1 conversations.
WhatsApp Cloud API – powerful for automation, integrations, and scaling your communication.
Switching to the Cloud API used to mean losing access to the Business App, which often resulted in:
Loss of past conversation history
Inability to start new chats
Disruption during setup and onboarding
Now, with Coex, you don’t have to choose. You can scale your communication with the Cloud API while continuing to use the WhatsApp Business App for individual conversations—all with the same phone number.
Who is this for?
This is especially valuable for:
Sales teams who use Wati’s Team Inbox to have ongoing, personalized conversations with leads and customers.
Businesses selling high-value products or services where a consultative sales approach is needed.
SMBs that want to preserve past conversation history while upgrading to a more powerful platform like Wati for campaigns.
What you can do with Coex?
Send broadcasts to 250+ contacts via Wati using the Cloud API
Start 1:1 conversations directly from the WhatsApp Business App
Sync all chats across Wati’s platform, so your team stays in the loop
Keep your full message history—no data loss when switching
Keep your groups chats intact in WhatsApp SMB app
Check out the features and limitation section to understand all the functionalities of Coex.
Conclusion
With Coex, you can get the best of both worlds:
Seamless 1:1 messaging from the WhatsApp Business App
Scalable automation and broadcasts with Wati
Zero disruption to your existing customer chats
If you’ve been holding off on switching because of data loss or messaging limits, Coex changes everything.
Features and limitations of Meta’s Coexistence Solution
Here’s what changes (and what doesn’t) after you enable Coex, across both the WhatsApp Business App and the Cloud API:
Existing feature on WhatsApp Business App | What changes in the WhatsApp Business App after Coex onboarding | What is synced from WhatsApp Business App to Cloud API after Coex onboarding |
Individual (1:1) chats | No major changes, but message edit and revoke features are no longer supported | Synced. Chat history from the past 6 months can be synced. Note: This is a 2-way sync. Future messages sent on the Business app will also show up in Wati and vice-versa |
Contacts | No change | Synced. All contact data can be synced. Note: This is a 1-way sync. Future edits to contacts in WhatsApp Business App will also be reflected in Wati |
Group chats | No change | Not Synced |
Phone number–hiding chats | No change | Not Synced |
Disappearing messages | Will be turned off for all 1:1 chats | Not Synced |
View once messages | Will be disabled for all 1:1 chats | Not Synced |
Live location messages | Will be disabled for all 1:1 chats | Not Synced |
Broadcast lists | You won’t be able to create new lists. Existing lists become read-only | Not Synced |
Voice and video calls | No change | Not Synced |
Business tools (catalog, orders, status) | No change | Not Synced |
Messaging tools (marketing messages, greeting messages, quick replies, labels) | No change | Not Synced |
Business profile (business name, address, website, etc.) | No change | Not Synced |
Channels | No change | Not Synced |
Pricing after onboarding with WhatsApp Coexistence
Once your business is set up on the Cloud API, messages you send through the WhatsApp Business app will still be free. However, messages sent via Wati will follow Meta’s Cloud API pricing.
Multiple Numbers support for WhatsApp Coexistence
The Multiple WhatsApp Numbers feature in Wati lets you connect several phone numbers, up to 15 - to one Wati account, so you can manage all your numbers in one place.
You can onboard each number using either the WhatsApp Coexistence onboarding process or the MM Lite Embedded Signup method. For example, if you want to connect two numbers, you can onboard one through WhatsApp Coexistence and the other through MM Lite Embedded Signup.
All contacts and chats from your connected numbers will appear in the Contacts tab and the Team Inbox tab, respectively. You can distinguish contacts uploaded from the WhatsApp Business app by sorting them using the Source label “WhatsApp Business app.”
Your team members can manage conversations directly within the Team Inbox. For numbers connected via WhatsApp Coexistence, chats are synced to the Team Inbox in real time, ensuring seamless collaboration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
1. What is WhatsApp Coexistence?
→ WhatsApp Coexistence is a solution from Meta that allows you to use both the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Cloud API at the same time with the same phone number. This means you can continue using the Business App for 1:1 chats while scaling communication through Wati’s automation tools.
2. Why is Coexistence important for businesses?
→ Previously, switching to the Cloud API meant losing access to your Business App and chat history. Coexistence removes that limitation—letting you automate messaging while retaining access to past conversations and continuing personal chats on the Business App.
3. Who should use WhatsApp Coexistence?
→ Coexistence is ideal for sales teams using Wati’s Team Inbox, businesses offering high-value or consultative sales, and SMBs looking to upgrade to Wati without losing their WhatsApp message history.
Features and Capabilities
4. Can I send broadcasts using Coexistence?
→ Yes, you can send WhatsApp broadcasts to over 250 contacts using Wati and the Cloud API, while still using the Business App for individual conversations.
5. Will my message history be preserved when I enable Coexistence?
→ Yes, up to 6 months of chat history can be synced between the WhatsApp Business App and Wati. Future messages will continue to sync both ways.
6. What data is synced between WhatsApp Business App and Wati?
→ Individual 1:1 chats and contact data are synced. However, group chats, disappearing messages, view-once messages, and certain special message types are not synced.
7. What messaging features are affected by Coexistence?
→ Some features will no longer be supported in 1:1 chats after enabling Coexistence, such as disappearing messages, view-once media, live location sharing, and creating new broadcast lists. Existing lists become read-only.
8. Can I still use group chats and calls in the WhatsApp Business App?
→ Yes, there are no changes to group chats or voice/video calls within the Business App, but these will not sync to Wati.
Pricing and Usage
9. Will I be charged for messages sent through the WhatsApp Business App after enabling Coexistence?
→ No, messages sent through the WhatsApp Business App remain free. However, messages sent via Wati follow Meta’s Cloud API pricing.
Multiple Numbers Support
10. Can I use multiple phone numbers with WhatsApp Coexistence in Wati?
→ Yes, Wati supports up to 15 phone numbers. You can onboard each number using either the WhatsApp Coexistence method or the MM Lite Embedded Signup process.
11. How are chats from multiple numbers managed in Wati?
→ All contacts and conversations appear in the Contacts and Team Inbox tabs. Chats from numbers connected via Coexistence sync in real time, so your team stays updated.
12. How can I identify contacts that came from the WhatsApp Business App?
→ In Wati, contacts from the WhatsApp Business App are labeled with the source tag “WhatsApp Business app,” making them easy to filter and manage.