Phone Numbers - WhatsApp Business Platform

archived 9 May 2023 02:59:15 UTC

Phone Numbers

A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) needs a valid phone number that is dedicated to using with the WhatsApp Business Platform. This guide explains how to select a phone number, add it to your account, and how to delete a phone number from your account.
If you are working with a Business Solution Provider (BSP) they will manage your phone number for you.

Requirements

The phone number for your business must be a valid phone number which meets the following criteria:
  • Owned by you
  • Has a country and area code, such as landline and cell numbers
  • Able to receive voice calls or SMS
  • Not a short code
  • Not previously used with the WhatsApp Business Platform
If you want use a phone number already registered with WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business App, refer to our migration guides:
You can still use this number for everyday purposes, such as calling and receiving messages after registering it on the WhatsApp Business Platform.

1-800 and Toll Free Numbers

Businesses may want to register a 1-800 or other toll free number on the platform. These numbers are usually behind an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, however, which a WhatsApp registration call cannot navigate. Phone numbers behind an IVR system can be registered, but must be able to accept calls from international numbers and be able to redirect our SMS message or voice call to a real person.
To register a phone number that is behind an IVR system:
  1. WhatsApp shares with you 1 or 2 phone numbers that the registration call will come from.
  2. Create an allow list for these numbers. If you are unable to create an allow list for these numbers, add the phone number to your WABA and open a Direct Support ticket asking for the registration call phone numbers and include the phone number you are trying to register in the ticket.
  3. Redirect the registration call to an employee or a mailbox to capture the registration code.
Phone numbers behind an IVR system that are unable to receive registration calls are not supported.

Manage WABA Phone Numbers

Add Phone Number to a WABA

Once you have chosen your business's phone number(s), you need to add them to your WABA.
If a phone number is banned by WhatsApp it cannot be added to a WABA. If you believe the phone number was banned in error, please contact support.

Delete Phone Number from a WABA

Requirements

  • Only a business admin for the WhatsApp Business Account can delete a phone number.
  • A number can not be deleted if the business has sent paid messages within the last 30 days using that number.
    • If the business has sent paid messages in the past 30 days, you will be redirected to the Insights page showing the date of the last paid message. You will be able to delete the phone number 30 days after this date.
To delete a phone number, complete the following steps:
  1. In the Business Manager, go to your Business Settings page.
  2. Go to Settings > Business Settings > WhatsApp Accounts > WhatsApp Manager > Phone Numbers.
  3. From the WhatsApp Manager, find the phone number that you wish to delete. Click on the trash icon under Delete in the upper right.
  4. You may be asked to provide the password for your Facebook account connected to the WABA if the phone number had the status “Connected” previously.
Once a number has been deleted from the WhatsApp Business Platform, it can be used again in the WhatsApp app, or may be registered again in the WhatsApp Business Platform. Note that different rules apply to deleted phones that had been banned by the WhatsApp Business Platform.

Phone Number Limits

You can only register your phone number on one API at a time, either on the WhatsApp Business Platform On-Premises API or the WhatsApp Business Platform Cloud API.
If your business is not verified, you may register only up to 2 phone numbers for a single Business Manager, which can have multiple WABAs.
For verified businesses, you may register up to 20 phone numbers for a single Business Manager. Legacy businesses and Official Business Accounts are exempt from this limitation.
Be mindful that if you have low message quality and engagement, your phone number limit may stay at 2 phone numbers. This limit can increase directly to 5 and then directly to 20 by continuing to follow our messaging policies.
If you want to register more than 20 phone numbers for your Business Manager, please contact direct support and follow these steps:
  1. Go to Ask a Question > WABiz: Account & WABA > Request type > Increase Phone Number Limits
  2. Explain why you want to increase phone number limit and submit your request
If you do not have access to direct support, please contact your business service or tech provider.

Resetting Verification Code in WhatsApp Manager

If you forget or misplace your PIN, follow these steps to reset it in WhatsApp Manager:
  1. Go to settings, log into your Facebook Business, and click the business you are using to manage your WABA (WhatsApp Business Account)
  2. In the settings screen, click WhatApp Accounts and find the WABA you want to reset the verification code for. Click on the WABA and a panel with its respective info will come up on the right-side of the page
  3. In the WABA information module, click Settings
  4. In the new tab, click WhatsApp Manager
  5. In WhatsApp Manager, find your phone number and click Settings
  6. Click Two-step verification
  7. In the Two-step verification tab, click Turn off two-step verification. A message with instructions will be sent to your email address
  8. Your two-step verification code is now removed and depending on your platform, you can set it using one of these APIs:

Next Steps

  • Get Started - Determine which APIs is right for your business.
  • Display Name – Set up the business name displayed in WhatsApp messages.
  • Pricing - Learn about pricing and how to set up payments.
  • Webhooks - Set up webhooks to receive notifications for when a customer sends your business a message, a customer updates their phone number, review and quaility status updates for your WhatsApp Business Account.
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