Troubleshooting Embedded Signup process: Common issues and how to resolve them

Summary

Embedded Signup lets you connect your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) to Wati through Meta's secure onboarding flow. This guide covers the most common errors you may see while creating or selecting a Meta Business Manager account, creating a WABA, adding a phone number, verifying your phone number, or completing WATI's own post-signup registration — why they happen, and how to resolve them.

Errors can appear either in Meta's embedded signup window or on Wati's Connect Account page after Meta completes the setup — some messages shown in Wati are follow-up errors triggered by Meta during onboarding. Where Meta provides an internal error code, it's noted under the heading so this guide can be matched even from a code alone (e.g. in logs or an API response).

If you want to keep using the WhatsApp Business App while connecting your number to Wati, see the Coexistence guide to check whether your business is eligible.

Quick answer

Most Embedded Signup errors are Meta-side restrictions on your Facebook account, Business Manager, or WABA (account limits, verification requirements, temporary reviews) rather than problems with Wati itself. Find your exact error message under Step-by-step fix below — most resolve by using an eligible account, completing Business Verification, or waiting out a temporary restriction. A smaller set of errors happen after Meta's flow completes, while Wati registers your WABA and number — see Stage E. Errors with no clear stage (rate limits, authentication challenges, generic system errors) are grouped in Stage F.

At a glance

Applies to	Embedded Signup (Meta's onboarding flow for connecting a WABA to Wati)
Estimated fix time	🟡 Varies by error — most resolve in minutes, some require a Meta-side wait of up to 72 hours
Who fixes this	Mixed — see "Which team should I contact?" below. Most account/eligibility errors are customer-fixable; verification and restriction issues need Meta

Is this your issue?

You may see:

"An error occurred while processing this request. Please try again later."
"You have reached the limit for the number of Businesses you can create at this time."
"User does not have permission to create WhatsApp Business Accounts."
"Your WhatsApp Business Account is currently restricted, so this action cannot be completed."
"This number is registered to an existing WhatsApp account."
"You have guessed too many times."
"Please complete the CAPTCHA challenge."
"You need to enable two-factor authentication."
An error after Meta's flow finishes, while your WABA/number is registering with Wati
...or another error during Embedded Signup — see the full list organized by stage below.

You're likely hitting this if:

You're connecting a WhatsApp Business Account to Wati through Meta's Embedded Signup flow, and see an error while creating/selecting a Meta Business Manager, creating a WABA, adding a phone number, verifying phone ownership, or right after Meta's flow hands off to Wati.

This is probably a different issue if:

You're connecting your number using the WhatsApp Business App instead — see the Coexistence guide.
Your number is already connected and the issue is about message delivery, template rejection, or another post-setup problem — see the relevant guide for that issue instead.

Before you start

You'll need:

The correct Facebook account to sign in with
Admin access to the Meta Business Manager account you're using
The latest version of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, on a desktop computer
Pop-ups enabled for both Wati and Facebook
A stable internet connection

Why this happens

Embedded Signup errors fall into six groups, matching where they occur in the flow:

A. Meta Business Manager account creation — issues creating or selecting a Meta Business Manager
B. WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) creation — issues creating or selecting a WABA
C. Phone number setup — issues adding your phone number to the WABA
D. Phone verification — issues verifying ownership of the phone number
E. Post-signup WATI registration — issues registering the WABA/number with Wati after Meta's flow completes
F. Errors that can appear at any step — authentication challenges, Page/partner verification, rate limits, and generic system errors that aren't tied to one screen

Find your exact error message under the matching stage below.

Step-by-step fix

A. Meta Business Manager account creation errors

"An error occurred while processing this request. Please try again later."

Cause: Meta couldn't complete the Meta Business Manager account creation — a temporary system issue or a problem with your Facebook account.

Fix:

Try again using an active Facebook account.
Wait a few minutes and try again.
If the issue continues, contact Support.

"You have reached the limit for the number of Businesses you can create at this time."

Cause: Meta limits the number of Meta Business Manager accounts a single Facebook account can create.

Fix:

Select an existing Meta Business Manager account, or
Delete or permanently close unused Meta Business Manager accounts before creating a new one.

"Your Facebook account is too new to create a business account. 
Try again in an hour."

Cause: New Facebook accounts have temporary restrictions on creating Meta Business Manager accounts.

Fix:

Wait a few hours and try again, or
Use an existing active Facebook account that already has access to a Meta Business Manager account.

"We limit how often you can post, comment, or do other things in a given amount of time to protect the community from spam."

Cause: Meta has temporarily restricted your Facebook account after detecting unusual or suspicious activity.

Fix:

Wait until the temporary restriction expires, then try again, or
Use an active Facebook account in good standing.

"You're no longer allowed to use Facebook Products to advertise."

Cause: Your Facebook account has advertising restrictions from previous policy violations or suspicious activity.

Fix:

Review your account status in Meta Business Manager and resolve any restrictions, or
Use another active Facebook account without advertising restrictions.

"Your payment account is disabled."

Cause: The payment account linked to your Meta Business Manager was disabled for payment issues, suspicious activity, or policy violations.

Fix:

Update or restore your payment account in Meta Business Manager, or
Contact Meta Support to help restore it.

If you later see an error about issues with your existing WABA currency or payment method and are prompted to create a new WABA, either create a new WABA or update the payment method in Meta Business Manager before trying again.

"A user can only create one business user at one time."

Cause: Meta temporarily limits how frequently a user can create Meta Business Manager accounts.

Fix:

Wait before creating another Meta Business Manager account, or
Select an existing Meta Business Manager account to continue the setup.

"The name you chose for your business isn't valid. Consider using a different name."

Cause: The business name doesn't meet Meta's business naming requirements.

Fix: Update the business name so it accurately represents your business and complies with Meta's naming requirements, then try again.

"Business Manager cannot be selected."

Cause: The selected Meta Business Manager is restricted, disabled, or isn't eligible for WhatsApp onboarding.

Fix:

Select a Meta Business Manager account where you have Admin access,
Select a different eligible Meta Business Manager, or
Create a new Meta Business Manager and use it for setup.

If you see "Selected business lacks permission. Please try another," choose a different Meta Business Manager where your Facebook account has Admin permissions.

"Please complete the CAPTCHA challenge before creating a business account."

Error code: 2655091

Cause: Meta requires a CAPTCHA challenge to confirm you're not a bot before it will create a new business account.

Fix: Complete the CAPTCHA challenge as prompted, then continue with setup.

"System users cannot have duplicate names."

Error code: 1690089

Cause: The system user name you entered is already used elsewhere in this Business Manager.

Fix: Choose a different, unique name for the system user.

"The name provided is already in use."

Error code: 1690062

Cause: Another asset in Meta Business Manager already has this exact name.

Fix: Choose a different, unique name.

"The link entered is not valid."

Error code: 3771014

Cause: The URL entered during business setup doesn't meet Meta's link format requirements.

Fix: Double-check and re-enter a valid link (including the correct protocol, e.g. https://).

"This WABA name exceeds the maximum length (255 characters)."

Error code: 2593010

Cause: The name entered for the WhatsApp Business Account is too long.

Fix: Shorten the name to 255 characters or fewer, then try again.

"Business verification is already in progress — complete it before continuing."

Error code: 2494030

Cause: You already have an open Business Verification request with Meta.

Fix: Check the status in Meta Business Suite → Security Center, and wait for it to complete before continuing setup.

"Business verification has already started with another partner."

Error code: 2494143

Cause: Another Meta tech partner has already initiated Business Verification for this Business Manager.

Fix: Continue the verification with the existing partner, or apply for Meta Business Verification independently instead of through a partner.

B. WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) creation errors

"User does not have permission to create WhatsApp Business Accounts."

Cause: Your Facebook account doesn't have Admin access to the selected Meta Business Manager.

Fix:

Ask a Meta Business Manager Admin to grant you Admin access, or
Select a Meta Business Manager where your Facebook account already has Admin permissions.

"You can only create a limited number of WhatsApp Business Accounts before verification."

Cause: Meta requires Business Verification before you can create additional WABAs.

Fix: Complete Business Verification in Meta Business Manager, then try creating the WABA again.

"Name verification is already in progress."

Cause: Meta is still processing a display-name verification request tied to this account or number.

Fix: Wait for the current name verification to complete before starting a new one.

"We can't verify the Facebook Business Account that you selected."

Cause: The selected Meta Business Manager doesn't meet Meta's verification requirements for creating or using a WABA.

Fix:

Check the Business Verification status in Meta Business Manager.
If your verification request was rejected, review Meta's email, fix the reported issue, and resubmit.
If the selected WABA has been restricted, see "Your WhatsApp Business Account is currently restricted" below.

If you see an error about your existing WABA's currency or payment method and are prompted to create a new WABA, either create a new WABA or update the payment method in Meta Business Manager before trying again.

"Your WhatsApp Business Account is currently restricted, so this action cannot be completed."

Error code: 2655089 / 3441040

Cause: The selected WABA has been restricted or banned by Meta.

Fix:

Review the restriction details in Meta Business Manager.
Submit an appeal to Meta and request a review.
Once Meta removes the restriction, try Embedded Signup again.

If Wati shows "Your account is under review by the WhatsApp team...", your WABA isn't banned — Meta is still reviewing your business. Reviews typically take 10 minutes–3 hours. Watch for an email from Meta with the outcome; if there's no update after 48 hours, contact Support.

"You've reached the maximum number of WhatsApp Business Accounts for this Business."

Error code: 2494067

Cause: Meta caps the total number of WABAs a single Business Manager can hold, separately from the pre-verification limit above.

Fix: Delete an existing, unused WABA in Meta Business Suite, then try creating the new one again.

"Something has gone wrong. Please contact support."

Cause: A temporary Meta system error during WABA creation or phone setup. Can appear either in Meta's Embedded Signup window or on Wati's Connect Account page.

Fix:

Wait a few minutes and try Continue with Facebook again.
Verify your business profile information is complete and complies with WhatsApp's requirements.
Use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge on a desktop computer, with pop-ups enabled for both Wati and Facebook.
If Meta is having a temporary service issue, wait and try again later.
If the error continues after 2–3 attempts, contact Support with: the complete error message, a screenshot, and your Subscription ID.

C. Phone setup errors

"This phone number already exists in your list of phone numbers."

Cause: The phone number is already registered in the selected WABA.

Fix:

Select the existing phone number instead of creating a new one, or
If you meant to use a different number, restart the setup and select the correct one.

"This number is registered to an existing WhatsApp account."

Cause: The phone number is already registered with WhatsApp Messenger, the WhatsApp Business App, or another WABA.

Fix:

Remove the phone number from the existing WhatsApp account before connecting it to Wati, or
If your business is eligible for Coexistence, keep using the WhatsApp Business App while connecting the same number to Wati.

If Wati shows "Phone Number is empty" or asks you to delete WhatsApp from the phone number: open WhatsApp on your phone → Settings → Account → Delete my account → wait a few minutes → try Continue with Facebook again. If you're eligible for Coexistence, use that option instead of deleting the account.

"This phone number has been blocked."

Cause: Meta has blocked this specific number from being added, usually due to a policy violation or abuse flag tied to the number.

Fix: Check WhatsApp Manager Overview, or contact Wati Support, for the specific block reason before retrying with this number.

"Your verified name violates WhatsApp guidelines."

Error code: 524126

Cause: Your WhatsApp display name doesn't comply with WhatsApp's Display Name Guidelines.

Fix: Update your display name so it accurately represents your business and complies with the guidelines, then try again.

"You can't edit a verified name."

Error code: 2388010 / 2388009

Cause: Once a phone number's display name is verified, Meta locks it from further direct edits.

Fix: Review the specific detail shown in the error message. If a change is genuinely needed, submit a new Display Name change request through Meta rather than editing it directly.

"Something went wrong creating this phone number's Business Profile."

Cause: WABA and number setup succeeded, but Meta couldn't create the Business Profile for the number — usually a Business Profile name issue.

Fix: Re-enter the correct Business Profile name according to Display Name guidelines, then try again.

"Phone Number Limit Reached."

Cause: Your Meta Business Manager has reached the maximum number of WhatsApp phone numbers currently allowed.

Fix:

Remove an existing, unused phone number: go to WhatsApp Manager from the warning message → remove the unused number → try adding the new number again, or
Complete Business Verification — Meta may increase your phone number limit once verified.

"This phone number isn't linked to a WhatsApp Business account."

Error code: 2655011

Cause: The number entered isn't currently associated with any WhatsApp Business account.

Fix: Double-check the number, or try a different one.

"This phone number can't be added."

Error code: 2388002

Cause: A generic addition failure — the specific reason is included in the error message itself.

Fix: Review the specific detail in the error message; contact Wati Support if it persists.

"Restrictions on this account must be addressed before you can add a phone number."

Error code: 2388107

Cause: The account has an unresolved restriction that specifically blocks adding new phone numbers, separate from a full WABA ban.

Fix: Contact Wati Support to review and resolve the account restriction, then retry.

"Unable to create virtual numbers."

Error code: 2655076

Cause: A restriction on the account is blocking creation of test/virtual numbers.

Fix: Contact Wati Support to check your account status.

"WhatsApp numbers currently unavailable."

Error code: 2655005

Cause: A temporary shortage or system issue on Meta's side.

Fix: Wait a bit and try again.

"There was an error creating this phone number."

Error code: 2593035

Cause: A temporary or data-entry issue while Meta creates the phone number resource.

Fix: Check the number is correct; contact Wati Support if it persists.

D. Phone verification errors

"Phone number ownership is already verified."

Cause: The phone number has already been verified, but the status hasn't refreshed.

Fix: Refresh the page and try the verification step again.

"Your phone number doesn't appear to be valid."

Cause: The number entered is invalid, inactive, or isn't supported by your telecom provider.

Fix: Before trying again, confirm the number is entered correctly (including country code), active, able to receive SMS or calls, and supported by a valid telecom provider.

"You have guessed too many times."

Cause: Too many incorrect verification codes were entered.

Fix: Wait 12 hours, then request a new code and complete verification.

"There was an error verifying this phone number."

Cause: The verification request failed due to a temporary network issue, system delay, or timeout.

Fix:

Wait a few minutes and try again.
Confirm your phone number can receive SMS or calls.
If the problem continues, restart the verification process.

"You have requested your code too many times."

Cause: Too many verification code requests were made in a short period.

Fix:

Switch verification method — try Phone Call if you requested by SMS, or SMS if you requested by Phone Call.
If your number is connected to an IVR system, temporarily disable it and verify by phone call so Meta can reach the number directly.
Wait 12–24 hours before requesting another code.

If setup keeps failing after multiple attempts on the same number, wait up to 72 hours before trying again — repeated requests during this period can extend the wait further.

E. Post-signup Wati registration errors

These happen after Meta's Embedded Signup window closes successfully, while Wati registers your new WABA and phone number in the background.

"Your account is under review by WhatsApp (phone number pending review)."

Error codes: 100 / 368 / 131031 (or a native Wati check with no Meta code)

Cause: Meta is still reviewing the newly created WABA/number as part of standard onboarding checks.

Fix: Retry setup; if the review doesn't clear, contact Wati Support.

"Phone number is empty."

Error code: 1 (or a native Wati check with no Meta code)

Cause: WATI didn't receive a phone number ID back from Meta after signup, often because the number is still attached to a personal WhatsApp/WhatsApp Business App account.

Fix: Retry sign up; if persistent, contact Wati Support. See the callout under Stage C for the "delete my account" workaround if it applies to you.

"Setup process timed out."

Native Wati check, no Meta code

Cause: WATI's registration call to Meta didn't complete within the expected time.

Fix: Retry setup; if persistent, contact Wati Support.

"WABA or phone number IDs are missing after sign up."

Native Wati check, no Meta code

Cause: Meta's signup response didn't include the WABA ID and/or phone number ID that Wati needs to complete registration.

Fix: Retry sign up; if persistent, contact Wati Support.

"WABA registration failed."

Native Wati check, no Meta code

Cause: Wati couldn't complete registering the WABA on its backend after Meta's flow finished.

Fix: Retry registration; if persistent, contact Wati Support.

"Unauthorized during provisioning."

Native Wati check, no Meta code

Cause: A permissions or token issue during Wati's backend provisioning step.

Fix: Retry sign up; if persistent, contact Wati Support.

F. Errors that can appear at any step

These aren't tied to one specific signup screen — they can surface at any point in the flow.

F1. Authentication & security challenges

"You need to enable two-factor authentication."

Error code: 2859009

Cause: Meta requires 2FA on your Facebook account before it will let you complete certain business actions.

Fix: Follow the link in the error description to Business Settings and enable two-factor authentication.

"You're accessing this business from a new device or location."

Error code: 2859043

Cause: Meta flags sign-ins from unrecognized devices or locations as a security precaution.

Fix: Refresh to start verification, or complete identity verification when prompted.

"A challenge is required to process this secured action."

Error code: 2136001

Cause: Meta requires an additional security challenge before allowing this action.

Fix: Follow the link in the error description to complete the challenge.

"You need to set up two-factor authentication in your profile settings."

Error code: 4612001

Cause: Similar to above — 2FA isn't yet configured on your Facebook profile.

Fix: Set it up via Facebook Account Center → Password and security settings.

F2. Page & partner verification

"You can't claim this Page — you're not an admin."

Error code: 1690181

Cause: Your Facebook account doesn't have admin access to the Page you're trying to claim.

Fix: Get Page admin access, or ask an existing Page admin to complete this step.

"You're not allowed to approve this Page request — you were added as admin too recently."

Error code: 1752069

Cause: Meta imposes a short waiting period before a newly added admin can approve Page requests.

Fix: Wait, then try again later.

F3. Rate limits & temporary restrictions

"You're going too fast — please significantly slow down."

Error code: 1390006

Cause: Meta detected an unusually high rate of actions from your account.

Fix: Wait a while, then try again.

"Too many requests in a short period."

Error code: 1675004

Cause: Meta's rate limiter blocked this request temporarily.

Fix: Wait a few minutes, then try again.

"You've been temporarily blocked from performing this action."

Error code: 2859015

Cause: A temporary restriction has been placed on the account.

Fix: Contact Wati Support to see the details of the restriction.

F4. Account & system errors

"There was an error performing this request."

Error code: 1675030

Fix: Try again later.

"There's a problem with this request."

Error code: 1675012

Fix: Try again later.

"This account couldn't be created."

Error code: 2593030

Fix: Try again later, or contact Wati Support.

"This account is currently restricted from performing this action."

Error code: 1357053

Fix: Review your account status in Meta Business Manager.

"A previous attempt to create this Business relationship is still in progress."

Error code: 1752224

Fix: Wait, then try again.

"This user cannot be added to the business."

Error code: 1752206