Summary
WhatsApp Coexistence lets you connect your existing WhatsApp Business App number to Wati's Cloud API platform while continuing to use the WhatsApp Business App on your phone. You can keep your existing account and contacts, and optionally sync your chat history to Wati.
This guide explains the requirements, step-by-step setup process, data sync behavior, pricing, and important considerations to help you connect your number successfully.
Available on: All plans - Growth, Pro and Business.
Instructions
Before You Begin
Make sure you meet the following requirements before starting the setup process:
Your phone number is active in the WhatsApp Business App.
You are using WhatsApp Business App version 2.24.17 or later. Update the app to the latest version before proceeding.
You have a Facebook Business Page and administrator access to it.
Your country is supported for WhatsApp Coexistence onboarding. Meta restricts this feature in certain countries.
Choose Your Onboarding Method
When you start the setup process in Wati, you will be asked to choose how you want to connect your phone number.
You will see 2 options:
Connect your phone number: Connect your number through Cloud API using Embedded Signup.
Connect your WhatsApp Business app: Connect your existing WhatsApp Business App using WhatsApp Coexistence.
Select Connect your WhatsApp Business app to proceed with Coexistence.
Important: During Coexistence onboarding, Meta can import your existing WhatsApp Business App conversations into Wati. This is a one-time import available only during onboarding. It is not a general chat import feature that you can use later.
Steps to connect your number using WhatsApp Coexistence
Follow these steps to connect your existing WhatsApp Business App number to Wati.
Begin CoEx setup
Step 1: Sign In to Facebook
Enter your Facebook email address or mobile number and password.
Select Log in to continue.
Use the Facebook account you use to manage your business.
Step 2: Connect Your Account to Wati
Review the information about connecting your business account to Wati, including the terms displayed on the screen.
Select Continue to start the setup process.
Step 3: Enter Your WhatsApp Business App Number
Select your country code from the dropdown.
Enter the phone number you currently use with the WhatsApp Business App.
Select Next.
Important: Enter the exact phone number registered with your WhatsApp Business App. Make sure the number is correct before proceeding.
Step 4: Review Your Account Details
Review your business name, phone number, business category, and website.
If all the details are correct, select Continue.
If your phone number is incorrect, go back and update it before continuing.
Step 5: Choose Your Business Portfolio
Select an existing business portfolio from the dropdown, or choose the option to create a new one.
Select Continue.
We recommend selecting the business portfolio already associated with your WhatsApp Business account. Providing your business website URL can also help prevent account setup issues.
Step 6: Enter Your New Business Portfolio Details
This step appears only if you choose to create a new business portfolio in Step 5.
Enter your business name, email address, country, and website.
Select Next to continue.
These details apply to the new business assets you create. They do not change your existing WhatsApp Business account information.
Step 7: Import Your Contacts and Chat History
During this step, a QR code will appear on your screen. Use your WhatsApp Business App to connect your account and complete the sync process.
Open the WhatsApp Business App on your phone.
Look for an official message from Facebook Business in your chats.
Open the message and select Connect, followed by Connect to the Business Platform.
Scan the QR code displayed on your screen and follow the on-screen instructions.
Once the QR code is scanned, you’ll be asked if you want to sync past chats into Wati.
Once the process is complete, select Continue.
If You Cannot Find the Facebook Business Message
You can start the connection process directly from the WhatsApp Business App.
Android: Open Menu and select Business platform.
iPhone: Open Settings and select Business platform.
Follow the instructions displayed in the app to continue.
What Data Can You Sync?
During Coexistence onboarding, you can import your contacts and eligible chat history into Wati.
Contacts: All contacts are imported automatically.
One-to-one chat history: You can sync up to 6 months of eligible one-to-one conversations.
Multimedia history: You can sync up to 2 weeks of eligible multimedia history.
Group chats: Group chat history is not synced to Wati. Your group chats remain available in the WhatsApp Business App.
Chat history sync is enabled by default, but you can choose to skip it during onboarding.
Important: If you skip chat history sync and decide to import your history later, you must offboard your number and repeat the complete Coexistence onboarding process. You cannot start this one-time import separately after onboarding.
Step 8: Review the Permissions You Will Share With Wati
Review the account access and permissions listed on the screen.
Select Confirm to grant the required permissions and continue.
Step 9: Finish Connecting Your Account
Select Finish to complete the onboarding process.
Your number is now connected to Wati. However, you may need to wait for Meta to verify your business before you can start messaging.
Wati will automatically receive confirmation from Meta.
You’ll see a confirmation screen in the WhatsApp Business App (can also be found under Settings > Account > Connect to Business Platform).
If the connection fails: You will be redirected to the Account Status page in Wati, where you can view the error message. You can then restart the connection process using either WhatsApp Coexistence or Cloud API Embedded Signup.
How to check your WhatsApp number connection status in Wati?
To check your WhatsApp number connection status, click on Settings and then Channels > WhatsApp. You should see the status of your number on this page.
What Happens After You Connect Your Number?
After onboarding, Wati begins syncing your contacts and eligible chat history.
Data Sync Timing
Data | Sync type | Timing |
All contacts | Background sync | Starts immediately |
Chat history from the last 24 hours | Real-time sync | Immediate |
Chat history from the last 90 days | Background sync | Starts immediately |
Chat history from the last 6 months | Background sync | Starts immediately |
Background sync may take time to complete, depending on the amount of data being synced.
Where Can You Find Your Synced Data?
Contacts: Imported contacts appear on the Contacts page in Wati with the source tag WhatsApp Business App.
Conversations: Synced conversations appear in the Team Inbox.
Display Name Status for WhatsApp Coexistence Numbers
When you connect a number through WhatsApp Coexistence, its WhatsApp display name status appears as Under Review.
This is the expected status for Coexistence numbers. It does not mean that your display name is waiting for approval. Coexistence does not support the standard display name review process.
If you want customers to see your business name instead of your phone number, you have 2 options:
Subscribe to Meta Verified for Business: This is a paid subscription that allows you to display your business name, subject to Meta's applicable requirements.
Switch to Cloud API Embedded Signup: Migrate your number from Coexistence to Cloud API Embedded Signup to go through the standard display name review process.
WhatsApp Coexistence Pricing
After connecting your number through Coexistence, messaging charges depend on where you send your messages.
Messages sent through the WhatsApp Business App: Remain free.
Messages sent through Wati: Follow Meta’s Cloud API pricing.
Your existing WhatsApp Business App usage and your Wati messaging usage are billed differently.
Important: Avoid Adding a Payment Method Directly to Your WhatsApp Business Account
Do not add a payment method directly to your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) while using Wati.
Wati manages WhatsApp conversation billing for the WABA connected to your Wati account. Adding a payment method directly through Meta can create billing conflicts and may result in charges from both Wati and Meta.
If you are unsure about your billing setup, contact Wati Support before changing your payment settings.
What If You Have Already Added a Payment Method?
If you have already added a payment method directly to your WABA, complete the following steps before setting up Coexistence again. These steps apply when reconnecting your number to Wati or migrating from another business solution provider (BSP) where your number was previously connected through Coexistence.
Back up your chats: Create a backup of your conversations in the WhatsApp Business App.
Register your number in the personal WhatsApp app: Register the same number in the personal WhatsApp app. This removes the number from the WhatsApp Business App.
Register your number in the WhatsApp Business App again: Re-register the number in the WhatsApp Business App.
Complete Coexistence onboarding: Follow the steps in this guide to reconnect your number to Wati.
Make sure you back up your chats before starting, as these steps involve changing how your number is registered.
Linked Devices and WhatsApp Coexistence
You can link up to 4 companion devices to your WhatsApp Business App account.
However, the following platforms are not supported as companion devices:
WhatsApp for Windows
WhatsApp for Wear OS
Messages sent from unsupported platforms will not appear in your Wati Team Inbox. If you view a message on an unsupported device, a placeholder may appear asking you to check the message on your primary device.
When you migrate from Coexistence to Cloud API, all linked devices are automatically unlinked. You can link supported devices again after the migration.
Review Your WhatsApp Business App Automations
The WhatsApp Business App includes basic automation features, such as greeting messages and away messages.
If you have already configured these automations, turn them off before using Wati. Otherwise, customers may receive duplicate automated replies.
To manage your automations in Wati:
Turn off the existing greeting messages and away messages in the WhatsApp Business App.
Re-create the required automations in Wati using Rule-Based Automation.
Test your automations to make sure customers receive the expected responses.
Connect Multiple WhatsApp Numbers to Wati
The Multiple WhatsApp Numbers feature, available on the Business plan, lets you connect multiple phone numbers to a single Wati account.
You can onboard each number independently using either WhatsApp Coexistence or Cloud API Embedded Signup. You can also use a combination of both methods within the same Wati account.
How Contacts and Conversations are managed
Contacts: All contacts appear in the Contacts tab. Use the WhatsApp Business App source label to filter contacts imported through Coexistence.
Conversations: All conversations appear in the Team Inbox. Chats from Coexistence numbers sync in real time.
Troubleshooting Multiple Numbers
Contact Wati Support if:
You cannot connect a number through Coexistence when using the Multiple WhatsApp Numbers feature.
Your chat history has not synced after 24 hours.
Note: If a new contact starts a conversation through Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA), their first message may not sync during periods of high traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Connection Status
1. How can I check my WhatsApp number connection status in Wati?
Go to Settings > Channels > WhatsApp in Wati to view your WhatsApp number's connection status.
Troubleshooting
2. What should I do if my message or chat history didn't sync?
If your messages or chat history did not sync as expected, try disconnecting and reconnecting your number through WhatsApp Coexistence.
To disconnect your number:
Open the WhatsApp Business App on your phone.
Go to Settings.
Select Business Tools.
Tap WhatsApp Business Platform.
Select Disconnect.
Once disconnected, reconnect your number through the WhatsApp Coexistence onboarding process and check whether your messages sync correctly.
If your chat history still hasn't synced after 24 hours, contact Wati Support.
3. What should I do if I don't receive the code from Facebook on WhatsApp?
Check whether you have previously received verification codes from Facebook in your WhatsApp account. If you have, select Continue to proceed with the setup.
Other Common Questions
4. Can I use a personal or non-business WhatsApp number for WhatsApp Coexistence?
No. WhatsApp Coexistence only supports phone numbers registered with the WhatsApp Business App. Personal WhatsApp numbers are not supported.
5. If I'm already subscribed to Meta Verified, will I keep my blue tick?
Yes. If your number is already subscribed to Meta Verified and you connect it to Wati through WhatsApp Coexistence, the blue tick will remain visible in both Wati and the WhatsApp Business App.
However, if you switch to Cloud API using Embedded Signup, which requires removing your number from the WhatsApp Business App before onboarding, the blue tick will be lost.
Important: For Coexistence accounts, the blue tick is available through a Meta Verified subscription. These numbers are not eligible for the free Official Business Account badge. Meta Verified is purchased through the WhatsApp Business App and is subject to availability in your region.
6. How do I disconnect WhatsApp Coexistence from Wati?
On your phone, open the WhatsApp Business App and follow these steps:
Go to Settings.
Select Business Tools.
Tap WhatsApp Business Platform.
Select Disconnect to disconnect your WhatsApp Coexistence connection.
