What it is
WhatsApp Business Cloud API, called WABA throughout the app, connects a business phone number through Meta rather than through a phone. Messages arrive on the WABA tab of the inbox, AI flows can answer on the number, and you can send marketing or utility messages to people who have not messaged you first, provided you use a template Meta has approved.
Connecting a business number
Open Whatsapp Business Connection. The heading reads Connect your WhatsApp Business Account to start sending messages and a Connection Status card shows one of three states:
- No WhatsApp Business Account connected. Click the button below to connect your account.
- There was an error with your connection. Please try reconnecting your account.
- Your WhatsApp Business Account is successfully connected and ready to use!
- Click the Meta sign-up button. A Facebook window opens.
- Log in with the Facebook account that manages your business, choose or create a Meta Business account, and add or select the phone number. Meta verifies the number by SMS or call.
- When the window closes, the number appears under Connected Phone Numbers.
If you already run your own Meta app, the three-dot menu offers Add Permanent Access Token where you enter the Phone Number ID, WABA ID and a permanent token by hand. Most people should use the sign-up button.
Managing connected numbers
Each number card shows the display number, its Phone Number ID and WABA ID, an edit icon and a delete icon. Check Connections verifies every number with Meta and reports Connection verified successfully or an error.
The For WABA Broadcast Only switch is worth knowing: When enabled, this phone number can only send template messages and manual messages. Incoming messages will not trigger any AI flows or automated replies. Use it for a number that exists purely for campaigns. A number can also be disabled and re-enabled without removing it.
How many numbers you can connect depends on your plan.
The 24-hour window
Meta's rule
You may send free-form messages to a customer only within 24 hours of their last message to you. Outside that window, only an approved template can be sent. When a reply fails for this reason the inbox shows: Meta policy restricts business messaging to a 24-hour window from the customer's last interaction. You can reply once the customer reaches out again.
Practically: answer promptly, and keep a utility template ready (for example an appointment reminder) for the cases where you must reach out after a day of silence.
Templates
Open WABA Templates. Choose the business number, then filter by name, Category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication) and Status (Approved, Pending, Rejected, Paused, Disabled). Rejected templates show Meta's reason on hover. Sync templates from META pulls the latest statuses.
The New Template builder:
| Field | Rules |
|---|---|
| Template Name | Lowercase letters, numbers and underscores. Cannot be changed after creation. |
| Language, Category | Category is Marketing or Utility. |
| Variable Style | Named such as {{customer_name}}, or Positional such as {{1}}. |
| Header (optional) | None, Text (60 characters, one variable), Image, Video, Document or Location. |
| Body | Up to 1,024 characters. |
| Footer (optional) | Up to 60 characters. |
| Buttons (optional) | Quick Reply buttons and Website Link buttons, each with a label; link buttons also need a URL and an example. |
Saving submits the template to Meta for review, which usually takes minutes to a day. Editing an approved template sends it back for review, and Meta keeps delivering the old version meanwhile. Approved templates can be edited at most once per 24 hours and ten times a month. Deleting a template removes it from your WhatsApp Business account on Meta, not just from the app, and Meta blocks re-using the name of a deleted approved template for 30 days.
WABA Broadcast
- Open WABA Broadcast and choose the sending number under Select Phone Number.
- Add contacts: upload a file, paste, or pick from leads, the same as the other broadcast pages. You can export the list as CSV.
- Pick a template. Only APPROVED templates can be sent; anything else shows a warning telling you to sync from Meta.
- Fill in the header (upload media for image, video or document headers, or enter coordinates for a location header) and map the body variables to your contact columns. The Preview renders the message as the recipient will see it.
- Set Delay between messages. A chip shows the estimated total time.
- Click Send to N contacts. A progress overlay shows who is being sent to, with a Cancel button.
The blast is saved to history with every contact marked pending before sending starts, so the record survives even if the tab closes; statuses then update live. Message IDs can be copied from history for support enquiries.
In the inbox
On the WABA tab the account strip shows which number you are viewing; a red dot means the connection has an error. The composer's Add content menu gains Template Message for replies outside the 24-hour window. Some contacts appear by username before Meta reveals their number; the app merges the two conversations automatically once it can. Everything else, from assignment to quick replies and pausing the AI, works as described in The inbox.