> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wapnotify.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect WhatsApp

> How to connect a WhatsApp Business number to WapNotify using the Meta Cloud API manual setup.

WapNotify uses the official Meta WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API). To receive and send messages, you need to link your WhatsApp Business Account to WapNotify.

## Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

* A **Meta Business Account** at [business.facebook.com](https://business.facebook.com)
* A **WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)** created inside Meta Business Suite
* A **phone number** registered as a WhatsApp Business number (cannot be in use on WhatsApp personal or WhatsApp Business app simultaneously)
* A **System User** with a permanent access token (recommended over short-lived tokens)

<Tip>
  If you're setting this up for the first time, follow Meta's [Get Started guide](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/cloud-api/get-started) to create your app and register your phone number.
</Tip>

## Find your credentials

You need four values from Meta. Here's where to find each one.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Phone Number ID">
    1. Go to [developers.facebook.com](https://developers.facebook.com) and open your app.
    2. In the left sidebar, click **WhatsApp → API Setup**.
    3. Under **From**, select your phone number.
    4. Copy the **Phone number ID** shown below the number.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Business Account ID (WABA ID)">
    1. In the same **WhatsApp → API Setup** page, look for **WhatsApp Business Account ID**.
    2. Copy the numeric ID shown there.

    Alternatively, go to **Meta Business Suite → Settings → WhatsApp accounts** and copy the account ID.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Access Token (System User Token)">
    A permanent access token is recommended so you don't need to refresh it.

    1. Go to **Meta Business Suite → Settings → Users → System users**.
    2. Create or select a system user with **Admin** access.
    3. Click **Generate new token**, select your WhatsApp app, and grant the `whatsapp_business_messaging` and `whatsapp_business_management` permissions.
    4. Copy the token — it's only shown once.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Webhook Verify Token">
    This is a string **you choose**. It can be any random string (e.g. `wapnotify_webhook_abc123`). Meta sends this token to your webhook URL to confirm ownership. You'll enter the same string in both WapNotify and the Meta webhook configuration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="App Secret (for webhook signature verification)">
    1. In your Meta app, go to **Settings → Basic**.
    2. Copy the **App Secret**.

    WapNotify uses this to verify that incoming webhook events actually came from Meta. Keep it private.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Connect in WapNotify

1. Log in as an Admin and go to **Settings → WhatsApp Setup**.
2. Click **Manual Setup**.
3. Fill in the form:

| Field                | Value                                |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| Phone Number ID      | From Meta app → WhatsApp → API Setup |
| Business Account ID  | Your WABA ID                         |
| Access Token         | Your system user token               |
| Webhook Verify Token | Your chosen string                   |
| App Secret           | From Meta app → Settings → Basic     |

4. Click **Save & Validate**. WapNotify will call the Meta API to verify the credentials.
5. Once validated, copy the **Webhook URL** displayed on the page.

## Configure the webhook in Meta

After saving your credentials, you need to tell Meta where to send events.

1. In your Meta app, go to **WhatsApp → Configuration**.
2. Click **Edit** on the Webhook section.
3. Paste the **Webhook URL** from WapNotify into the **Callback URL** field.
4. Enter the same **Verify Token** you used in WapNotify.
5. Click **Verify and save**.
6. Subscribe to the **messages** webhook field.

<Warning>
  If the webhook verification fails, double-check that the Verify Token in Meta exactly matches what you entered in WapNotify. Trailing spaces cause failures.
</Warning>

## Test the connection

Send a WhatsApp message to your business number from a personal number. Within a few seconds it should appear in WapNotify's **Conversations** inbox.

## The 24-hour messaging window

Meta enforces a rule: you can send free-form messages (text, media, etc.) only within **24 hours** of the customer's last inbound message. Outside that window, you can only send approved templates.

WapNotify shows a countdown timer on each conversation so you know when the window closes. When it expires, the free-form text box is disabled and you'll need to use **Send template** instead.

See [using templates in conversations](/conversations/using-templates) for details.