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You need channel permissions and a Facebook account with appropriate access to the Meta business portfolio. Allow pop-ups so embedded signup can open. If the number is already used in a mobile WhatsApp app, review the eligibility and migration options presented by Meta before changing that account; do not delete it as a troubleshooting step without confirming the supported flow.

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Connect a number

  1. Open Settings → Inbox → Channels → New Channel, or use the connect action in an empty inbox.
  2. Choose WhatsApp Business. Instagram and Messenger are disabled as coming soon.
  3. If the organization already has a connected business account, choose Use this account. Otherwise select Connect with Facebook → Start.
  4. Complete Facebook’s embedded signup, choose the business account and eligible number, and return to ContactShip.
  5. Select the number and finish connecting. A number labeled already connected should be handled through its existing channel.
  6. Open channel settings to review assignment and reply behavior.
Manual setup displays credential fields but currently returns a coming-soon message instead of creating a channel. Use the supported account connection flow.

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Verify the channel

The channel list shows name, type, response method, active/inactive status, and creation date. Channel settings requires channels.update; deleting requires channels.delete. The Manual/Automatic response-method label is informational here. Use the channel test QR or link to open a conversation from a phone, then send a test message yourself. Confirm it appears in the inbox and that the expected person or AI receives it. The QR starts a message to the connected channel; it is not a WhatsApp Web pairing QR. Connect Meta Ads associates advertising context so Click-to-WhatsApp conversations can display their originating campaign and ad. It is separate from basic messaging connection.

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Troubleshoot

If the Facebook SDK is not ready, allow its scripts and pop-ups and reload. If no numbers are available, check the selected account, eligible numbers, and existing connections. A plan-limit error requires reviewing channel capacity. Inactive channels are disabled in the inbox selector and may require support to reactivate. Deleting a channel is permanent and confirmed by a dialog. There is no separate disconnect-without-deleting action in this screen.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes. Select Use this account when it appears, then choose an eligible number.
No. It opens a conversation with the channel for sending a test message.
It already belongs to a channel. Use that channel rather than creating a duplicate.
Those details are not shown in this channel screen; inspect the number in Meta Business.

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See also