Cloud API

Meta Business Account, sometimes referred to as Business Manager account or simply Business account, is being renamed to business portfolio. This change will appear gradually across Meta technologies. The change is cosmetic only and does not affect Meta Business Account IDs (business portfolio IDs).

Get Started for Tech Providers

Tech Providers are businesses that provide WhatsApp messaging services to other businesses. As a Tech Provider, you can do this by using Cloud API directly, or by partnering with a Solution Partner who already offers these services, and who can extend their credit line to your customers.

If you are already a Tech Provider (you've completed all of the steps below) and want to partner with a Solution Partner who you have already identified, or if you are already partnered with a Solution Partner and want to take advantage of a Multi-Partner Solution, follow the instructions in our Multi-Partner Solutions document.

If you want to become a Tech Provider and partner with a Solution Partner, complete steps 1-6 below. Then, identify a compatible Solution Partner in our Solution Partner directory and read our Multi-Partner Solutions document. After you've come to an agreement with your partner, complete the remaining steps below, as appropriate.

If you want to become a Tech Provider but not partner with a Solution Partner, complete all of the steps below.

Terms of Service

You must accept our Tech Provider Terms of Service by clicking the Start onboarding button in the App Dashboard > WhatsApp > Quickstart product panel when you add the WhatsApp product to your app (described in a later step).

If you have already added the product to your app and did not accept the terms, you must return to the Quickstart and accept the terms.

Product Journey

The product journey details the steps for Tech Providers who are developers who sign up on the Meta Developer Platform to get direct access to the Cloud API, hosted by Meta on the WhatsApp Business Platform. Tech Providers directly integrate with the Cloud API to build solutions for customers, and whenever required, apply for advanced API permissions to access user data on behalf of their clients.

Below is a diagram showing the onboarding process for you and your end businesses.

Tech Provider Onboarding Steps

Step 1: Create a Business Portfolio

Create or use your existing business portfolio to ensure it has all required business details including address, website, email, etc. The portfolio must be owned by someone who can provide appropriate details during the business verification process.

Things to keep in mind:

  • You can have up to two business portfolios.
  • Ensure all portfolio information you provide is correct, otherwise it will be rejected during business verification. If your portfolio is not in good standing with Meta, then you won't be able to successfully onboard end businesses.

Step 2: Create a Meta App

Go to the My Apps panel and create a new business app and connect it to your business portfolio. Alternatively, you can connect an existing app to your portfolio by loading your app in the App Dashboard and skipping to step 3.

If you create an app and aren't given the option to create a business app immediately, first choose Other > Next.

Choose Business.

Complete the rest of the form. If you are unable to move past this step, try setting the Business portfolio dropdown menu to No business portfolio selected and proceed.

Once the app is created, go into your App under the basic settings tab to update your domains, icon, etc.

Add your privacy policy and terms of service URLs, which will be visible to users onboarding through Embedded Signup. To complete creating the app, select the Messaging category and save all changes.

Step 3: Add the WhatsApp Product

From your App Dashboard, add the WhatsApp product.

You will then be redirected to select your business portfolio and accept the Facebook Terms for WhatsApp Business and the Meta Hosting Terms for Cloud API.

Step 4: Test Business Messaging on WhatsApp

After accepting the terms and conditions, you will be redirected to the Quickstart panel.

Click Start using the API, which will load the API setup panel.

You will get access to a fully-featured sandbox that includes a test phone number starting with a "555" area code to send and receive messages. You can allowlist up to 5 numbers in the sandbox environment. When adding a real phone number, make sure it's not registered on any other WhatsApp products, otherwise you won’t be able to receive the OTP code.

Important: If you click the Add phone number button and add a real business phone number, after adding it, enable two-step verification. You can do this by going back to the Quickstart panel and clicking Manage phone numbers in the Phone numbers box. This loads the Phone numbers panel in the WhatsApp Manager. From there, locate your phone number, click its settings icon (the gear icon), then click Two-step verification and complete the flow.

Step 5: Scale your solution

Once you have a WhatsApp integration set up, you can start onboarding your customers by selecting the Onboard customers option on the Quickstart page.

Step 6: Complete Business Verification

Select Start verification in the Provider verification step to apply for Business Verification if you have not already done so, and ensure you have uploaded the required official documents. Please follow the guidelines on domain verification. Your business needs to be verified before using the Embedded Signup flow.


Step 7: Set Up Embedded Signup

Expand the Integration section. These buttons (for the most part) correspond to setup steps described in our Embed the Signup Flow document, so you can use that document to set up Embedded Signup if you wish.

Create configuration

This button displays your Facebook Login for Business permission configuration, but you likely have not created any yet. To create one, locate and click the Products link on the left side of the App Dashboard and add the Facebook Login for Business product to your app, then follow Step 2: Create a Facebook Login for Business Configuration of our Embed the Signup flow document to create a permission configuration ID for use in the script itself.

If you do not see Facebook Login for Business in the product panel, create a new business app (App Type > Other > Business). Alternatively, you can add the Facebook Login product to your app, but this requires you to use the legacy version of Embedded Signup (version 1), which we do not recommend, as it requires additional permissions and does not support new features such as session logging.

View scripts

This button displays the Embedded Signup code with several values pre-filled, such as your app ID. Be sure to assign your permission configuration ID to the config_id property in the script. This is described in Step 3: Set up Facebook Login of the Embed the Signup Flow document.

Also, if you are sharing customer assets with a Solution Partner, be sure to add your solution ID to the extras.setup object. See Configuring Embedded Signup in the Multi-Partner Solutions document.

Manage allowlists

This button displays the value you have added to the Facebook Login for Business > Allowed domains for the JavaScript SDK field.

Update roles

Use this button to invite people who are helping you develop and test your app. Avoid admin roles unless absolutely necessary. Once you get advanced access for the permissions your app requires (via App Review, described later), any user can onboard using your Embedded Signup flow.

Step 8: Validate Embedded Signup

Once you have set up Embedded Signup, surface somewhere on your website where you can test it. To test Embedded Signup, simulate a customer completing the flow using a test customer's business credentials generated from your own platform. After completing the flow, verify that you are able to access the test customer's WhatsApp Business Account and send messages on its behalf.

If you are able to successfully send messages on behalf of your test customer, click Mark as complete.

Step 9: Prepare for App Review

Click on Review app settings to review your saved settings and make sure your app icon, Privacy Policy URL, and app category are selected before starting app review. Next, build your prototype. During this phase, you can build your end-to-end product experience. Make sure you adhere to the Meta and WhatsApp terms with regards to user data handling when you build your end-to-end experience prototype.

Step 10: API integration

Once the user has shared their WhatsApp Business Account via Embedded Signup flow, you will have to build the system and infrastructure on your side to complete the integration. Your website can subscribe to webhooks to receive updates on a WhatsApp Business Account of your user.

Step 11: Request advanced access for permissions

Our API endpoints are gated by permissions. In order to access a customer's WhatsApp data using a given endpoint, the customer must first grant your app the permission that the endpoint requires.

Permissions that your app needs (which you identify in your configuration) are presented to your customers in the Embedded Signup flow, accompanied by a user-friendly description of what they provide access to. Customers who onboard via Embedded Signup can choose to grant individual permissions to your app.

In order for this to work, your app must undergo App Review and be approved for advanced access for any permissions your app needs.

App Review Tips

As part of the review process, you must provide a separate text explanation and video for each permission in your request. Use the guidelines below when creating your explanations and videos.

Note that you must use a different video for each permission in your submission. Submitting the same video for each submission will cause your submission to be rejected.

PermissionsText ExplanationVideo

whatsapp_business_management

Explain how you will be managing a customer's account. Many Tech-Providers have an API or application that allow customers to manage their account details, message-templates and other whatsapp assets.

Your video must demonstrate how a customer can access your implementation of Embedded Signup and complete the entire onboarding process.

whatsapp_business_messaging

Describe how you are using this permission to send messages for your users, through an API or app you built.

Your video must demonstrate a message being sent from your app to a WhatsApp number. It should show your app sending the message, as well as the WhatsApp interface (either web or mobile app) receiving the same message.

Starting the App Review process

You can start the App Review process in the App Dashboard:

App Dashboard > WhatsApp > Quickstart > Continue Onboarding (button) > Begin App Review (button)

Step 12: Access Verification

To ensure that only businesses with a legitimate use case can access data belonging to other businesses you must go through the access verification process. You can start Access verification after you’ve applied to advanced permissions on your App. To begin, click Start verification. You can open the full access verification page within our WhatsApp product and quickly return to the onboarding page.


Sending Message Templates

You are able to send messages as templates in a variety of formats, which includes interactive messages.

End-to-End Business Onboarding

  • Create account on Tech Provider Website
    • Your users will create an account for your product where you can track and store integration information of businesses
  • Create business portfolio and WhatsApp Business Account via Embedded Signup
    • Your users will use the Embedded Signup flow on your website to login with Facebook and create a portfolio and WhatsApp Business Account
    • Embedded Signup Process
      • Your users will accept WhatsApp and Meta Terms of Service
      • They will create a new business portfolio or select an existing portfolio
      • For existing portfolios, they will have to create a new WhatsApp Business Account and for new portfolios, a WhatsApp Business Account with the same name will be created
      • Users will then create a WhatsApp Business Profile with a phone number
      • Next they will have to verify the number with an OTP code
      • Make sure your users use a number that is not registered on WhatsApp already
      • After users complete their registration, you will receive a token to start your integration
  • Success View for user
    • Once the user finishes the flow, you will have to build a post onboarding experience where they can take further actions to start WhatsApp messaging
  • Business Verification
    • Your user's business will also have to go through the verification process so we recommend you guide them through it
  • Payment Setup
    • Your users must pay Meta directly, so they must add a payment method to their WhatsApp Business Account. To do this, instruct them to go to the Business Settings panel in the Meta Business Suite, select their WABA, and click the Settings tab. There they can add a payment method.
    • Business Settings URL: https://business.facebook.com/settings/whatsapp-business-accounts/

Onboarding Limits

By default, you can onboard up to 10 new customers in a rolling 7-day window. If you complete Business Verification, App Review, and Access Verification, we will automatically increase your limit to 200 new customers in a rolling 7-day window.

Only customers who are new to the WhatsApp Business Platform count against this limit.

You can check your current limit in the WhatsApp Manager > Partner overview panel. You will be notified by email if you approach this limit.

If you need to onboard more than 200 customers per week, you can apply to become a Meta Business Partner or request an increase by submitting a Direct Support ticket.

You must have completed Business Verification in order to access Direct Support. If requesting via Direct Support, select your business portfolio, click Ask a Question, select Tech Provider: Account and Waba topic, then select the Increase WABA Limit for Onboarding request type. Note that requesting an increase does not guarantee that your limit will be increased.

Migrating Business Phone Numbers

You can migrate a customer's business phone number from one WABA to another, and from On-Premises API to Cloud API (or vice-versa):

Support

  • If you are an enterprise developer, such as a Solution Partner, managed partner, or active Tech Provider/Partner, you can open a ticket in Direct Support. (Choose "WhatsApp Tech Provider" topic and related request type)
  • If you are a non-enterprise developer (E.g Onboarding Tech Provider, Active Tech Provider/Partner) and have already completed business verification, you can create a bug report in Platform Bug Reports. (Choose WhatsApp Business API > Tech Provider Onboarding)
  • If you haven't completed business verification but are facing issues becoming a Tech Provider, you can create a post in our Developer Community Forum. (Choose WhatsApp Business API > Tech Provider)

Submitting Feature Requests

We welcome your feedback and feature requests as they play a vital role in improving our platform. If you have an idea for a new feature or enhancement that you believe would benefit our Tech Providers, we encourage you to submit a feature request. To do so, follow these steps:

  • Direct Support and Platform Bug Reports: You can submit your feature request by creating a ticket in our “Direct Support” and “Platform Bug Report”. This is the primary channel for reporting bugs, requesting support, and suggesting new features for tech providers.
  • Creating a Ticket: When creating a ticket, please ensure you provide as much detail as possible about the feature you're requesting. This includes a clear description of the feature, its intended use, and any relevant use cases or examples.
  • Use a Descriptive Title: A clear and concise title for your feature request will help us quickly understand the nature of your suggestion.
  • Attach Relevant Information: If you have any supporting documentation, images, or other resources related to your feature request, feel free to attach them to the ticket. This can provide additional context and aid in the evaluation process.
  • Stay Engaged: After submitting your feature request, our team will review it and may seek further clarification or feedback from you. Please stay engaged with the support ticket to facilitate the discussion. We greatly appreciate your input and look forward to receiving your feature requests. Your suggestions are valuable in helping us continue to improve our platform and meet your needs.

Thank you for being part of our developer community!

Troubleshooting

  • Ensure you set up two-factor authentication for your business portfolio, otherwise you may run into unexpected errors during the integration process.
  • If you are unable to connect a portfolio to your app while creating the app, you should be able to connect the app to the portfolio once you add the Whatsapp product to the app (see Step 3 above) and by selecting the portfolio from the Quickstart tab.
  • If you do not see Facebook Login for Business in the product panel, create a new business app (App Type > Other > Business). Alternatively, you can add the Facebook Login product to your app, but this requires you to use the legacy version of Embedded Signup.
  • If you are facing trouble while going through the Embedded signup flow, try setting the app to Live mode.
  • Ensure that you have accepted the Tech Provider Terms of Service. Functionality for Tech Providers are contingent on this acceptance.

Important Guides and Developer Documentation

Courses

Tech Partner Upgrade

To learn how to upgrade to a Tech Partner, see our Upgrade Path to Become a Tech Partner on the WhatsApp Business Platform PDF.

Document Changelog

  • April 19, 2024
  • February 29, 2024
    • Updated references to Meta business account, business account, and Business Manager account with business portfolio.
  • January 24, 2024
  • November 11, 2023
  • August 31, 2023
    • Updated version to 2.0
    • Made "Validate Embedded Signup" its own step.
    • Renamed "Embedded Signup Setup" to "Set Up Embedded Signup".
    • Added button explanations to the "Set Up Embedded Signup" section.
    • Updated screenshots in "Set Up Embedded Signup" section to account for the new "Create configuration" button.
  • Version 1 — Initial version.