WhatsApp requirements
The Octocom access, Meta business permissions, phone verification, and account reviews needed to connect WhatsApp.
Before you start
- Octocom access: access to the correct business and permission to manage its integrations and WhatsApp settings.
- Meta access: a Facebook account with full admin access to the customer's Meta Business Portfolio and access to the WhatsApp Business Account being connected. Access to a Facebook Page or ad account alone does not establish that access.
- Business information: the customer's business name, address, website, and intended WhatsApp display name. Keep the information consistent with the business's public identity and supply any additional details Meta requests.
- A business-owned phone number: include its country code and ensure you can receive Meta's verification SMS or automated phone call. If the number sits behind an IVR or call-routing system, make sure the verification call can reach someone who can enter the code.
Use the customer's portfolio and WhatsApp account. An agency or developer can help with setup using the appropriate access; the business should retain ownership of its assets.
Choose the route for your number
| Number's current use | What to do |
|---|---|
| Never registered with WhatsApp | Start with Connecting WhatsApp. Register and verify it through Octocom's Meta signup flow. No mobile-app registration is needed first. |
| Registered in WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business mobile app | Contact Octocom before moving it. Tell us which app uses it and whether you need to keep using that app. Do not assume the standard signup flow supports simultaneous app and API use. |
| Connected to another WhatsApp API provider or help desk | Coordinate a provider migration with Octocom. Keep the current integration working until the move is planned. A migration can require changes to two-step verification and billing with the existing provider. |
If you have already entered a verification code in the mobile app and reached business-profile creation, the number may already be registered there. Treat it as an existing app number until its status is confirmed.
Do not delete an existing WhatsApp account, remove its number, or disable two-step verification just to try the connection. Confirm the migration procedure and its impact on current service and history first. Uninstalling the app is not the same as deleting its WhatsApp account.
Phone verification, business verification, and approval
These are separate steps:
| Step | What it establishes | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|
| Phone ownership verification | You can receive a code on the number you are connecting. | SMS or phone call during Meta signup opened from Octocom. |
| API registration and connection | The number is registered for the Business Platform and connected to Octocom. | Octocom completes the connection after signup. Confirm the number in WhatsApp settings and test a reply. |
| Meta business verification | Meta checks the identity of the business. | Meta's business settings, when requested. Follow the requirements shown for that portfolio. |
| Display-name review and account checks | Meta reviews the submitted name and applies its account and policy requirements. | WhatsApp Manager and Meta business settings. |
| Octocom automated replies | The AI is allowed to respond for this number. | The per-number switch in Octocom's WhatsApp settings. |
Receiving the phone code does not mean all Meta reviews are complete. Likewise, a verified business still needs its phone number connected and replies enabled. Follow any verification, account restriction, or billing prompts Meta shows; do not assume every business needs the same documents or receives approval on the same schedule.
Meta controls its reviews, eligibility, limits, and messaging policies. Octocom cannot bypass them or guarantee same-day approval. See Meta's Embedded Signup documentation for the platform onboarding process.
Messaging requirements after connection
Under Meta's WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, ordinary replies are allowed within the 24-hour customer service window, which opens and resets when the customer sends a message. Outside that window, messages require an approved template. An API connection does not grant unrestricted outbound messaging.
Check the policy's consent, human escalation, and business eligibility requirements for your intended use. Some products and business categories are restricted. For ads, test the actual inbound enquiry and reply flow before launching the campaign.