WhatsApp Channel Activation FAQ's
Before you can get started with WhatsApp you first need to activate your channel. In this article we will discuss the below topics:
What do I need to know before starting with WhatsApp?
Channel approval is at WhatsApp's discretion and is out of our control
Your business should be verified by Facebook before going through the channel activation flow. You can read here how to verify your business: How to verify your Facebook Business account
Your phone number should be clean, meaning this cannot have been used previously for a different WhatsApp Business setup. Please check our guidelines for picking a number for further information: How to pick a number for WhatsApp Business.
When picking a display name make sure there is a clear relationship with the business. Please check Facebook's guidelines for picking a display name for more info: Facebook page for Display Names
In order to get an Official WhatsApp Business account and have the green tick next to your name, you need to go through a separate process. Having a WhatsApp channel does not automatically mean you have an Official Business account. In order to apply for an Official Business account you must first activate your channel as per this guide. Following this you can read how to get an Official WhatsApp Business account here: Getting an Official Business Account ("Green Tick") for WhatsApp
How do I activate my channel?
My first channel
If you have already created an account with MessageBird, you can go to your Channels page and click on WhatsApp to add your first channel. If you have yet to create an account, you can view the WhatsApp product page and click on 'Get Started' to get set up.
You will be asked to provide information regarding your WhatsApp channel, so please make sure you have details such as your display name and phone number at the ready. When setting up your first channel you will also need to have your Facebook Business account set up and verified. For instructions on these steps please check here: Verifying your Facebook Business account.
When you have entered all your details correctly the channel will be created for you automatically. If you are not seeing the channel creation, please check that the number you have picked is OK for use in accordance with these guidelines: How to pick a number for WhatsApp Business
Additional channels
To add additional channels please reach out to our Support team with the display name and new number. Our agents will make sure your number and display name will go for verification with WhatsApp and, once approved, our team will be able to create your WhatsApp channel. We will ask you to activate the channel with a verification code sent to your WhatsApp number as described below. When the channel is activated, you can start to send and receive messages.
How do I verify my phone number?
In order to verify you phone number please go to this page. Depending on the type of number you are using for your Channel, different steps are outlined below:
Using my own WhatsApp Number
When the status changes from 'pending' to 'activate', please wait for 30 minutes to click on 'activate'. A verification code will be sent to your WhatsApp number via phone call or SMS.
Using a WhatsApp Number from MessageBird
As your number is from MessageBird, you’ll be required to verify the phone number from us. To do this, you’ll need to forward the verification code call to a phone number you have access to. You can find instructions on how to do this here. Once you have set up the call forwarding and the status changes from 'pending' to 'activate', please wait for 30 minutes to click on 'activate'. A verification code will be sent to your MessageBird WhatsApp number and forwarded to the set up number via a phone call.
Note: make sure to select receive verification code by phone call when using a MessageBird number, otherwise you cannot activate the account.
I'm having issues activating my channel
Below we've outlined the most common issues that our customers run into during their channel activation.
Issue | Action |
I entered the wrong activation code | Please wait for 5 minutes before clicking on 'activate' again. A new code will be sent to you. Do not try to activate the channel multiple times in a small-time frame as your number may get blocked. |
I didn't receive an activation code | Please wait for 5 minute before clicking on 'activate' again. If you are still not receiving a code, please reach out to our Support team following instructions below. |
I am seeing an 'Access Denied' error | The activation code should be entered within 2 minutes. If you did not enter your code within this time you will see this error. Please wait for 5 minutes before clicking on 'activate' again. |
I received a call but it dropped immediately | If you receive a call and it gets dropped immediately it means Facebook is returning an error. You need to wait for 5 minutes before pressing 'activate' again. If this happens several times, then Facebook will exponentially increase the wait time. |
I'm seeing an 'Oops! Something went wrong' error | Please reach out to our Support team following instructions below. |
If you are having an issue that is not listed or need further assistance during the channel activation, please reach out to our Support team on this page with the following information:
Your MessageBird workspace ID (If you're unsure where to find this, check here: Where can I find my MessageBird Workspace ID?)
Your WhatsApp display name
Your WhatsApp phone number
A description of the issue/error you are running in to
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