Connect WhatsApp Business to Reepli
Reepli connects your WhatsApp Business number through the official Meta Embedded Signup procedure — a Meta-branded flow that takes about 5 minutes. You remain the owner of your number, your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and your message templates: Reepli is simply the software that builds on top of them to reply on your behalf.
Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure you have the following:
| Item | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Reepli account | An account with a verified email address | Yes |
| Personal Facebook account | The account that administers your Business Portfolio | Yes |
| Meta Business Portfolio | Formerly Business Manager. Can be created during the connection if needed | Yes |
| Phone number | Able to receive an SMS or a voice call from Meta | Yes |
| Website (recommended) | Strengthens the verification of your business on Meta's side | Recommended |
The number you want to connect must not currently be active in:
- The consumer WhatsApp app (WhatsApp Messenger).
- Another WhatsApp Cloud API integration (with another piece of software or provider).
The WhatsApp Business mobile app, on the other hand, can stay active on this number thanks to coexistence mode (see Coexistence with the WhatsApp Business mobile app below).
How it works
Your customers message you on WhatsApp as usual. Meta forwards those messages to Reepli, which displays them in your dashboard and lets the AI assistant reply on your behalf. You stay in control of your number: Reepli only authenticates with your WhatsApp Business Account using the permissions Meta grants it at the end of the connection.
Step 1 — Start the connection
There are two possible entry points:
- During onboarding: the 5th step of the wizard launches the Meta connection directly.
- Later, at any time: from the WhatsApp settings in your dashboard, click Connect with Meta.
A Facebook Login window opens. Disable pop-up blockers for dashboard.reepli.ai beforehand.
Screenshot being generated.
Step 2 — Facebook authentication
- Sign in with the Facebook account that administers your Business Portfolio.
- If you don't have a Business Portfolio yet, Meta offers to create one on the spot: enter your business name and email.
- Approve the permissions requested by Reepli — they relate only to WhatsApp and to sending messages on behalf of your number.
Step 3 — Choose or create a WABA and a number
Meta then walks you through the following screens:
- Business Portfolio — select the one you administer.
- WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) — choose an existing account or create a new one. If new:
- Display name — this is what your customers will see in WhatsApp.
- Business category.
- Description (optional).
- Phone number — enter it in international format (e.g.
+33 6 XX XX XX XX).
Meta's rules for the display name
- Must reflect your actual business.
- Cannot be a generic word on its own ("Shop").
- Cannot include "WhatsApp", "Meta" or "Facebook".
- Cannot impersonate a third party.
Step 4 — Verify the number
- Choose how you want to receive the code: SMS or voice call.
- Enter the 6-digit code you receive.
- Confirm.
The code normally arrives in under 60 seconds. If it fails:
- Check the number format.
- Try the other channel (SMS ↔ call).
- Wait 5 minutes before requesting a new code: Meta limits attempts.
Step 5 — Reepli finalizes the connection
When the Meta window closes:
- Reepli receives the permissions granted by Meta.
- The connection is saved and its status switches to Connected in the WhatsApp settings.
- Reepli automatically imports your pre-approved message templates — you'll find them ready to use for the behaviors that rely on them (appointment reminders, confirmations, follow-ups).
- Any incoming message is now routed to your dashboard and to the AI assistant.
From that point on, the assistant can start replying — provided at least one customer behavior is enabled on the Scenarios page.
Coexistence with the WhatsApp Business mobile app
Reepli supports Meta's coexistence mode: your number can stay active at the same time in the WhatsApp Business mobile app (on your phone) and in the WhatsApp Cloud API service (used by Reepli). In practice:
- When a customer messages you, the message arrives both on your phone and in the Messages page of your dashboard. The assistant can reply and the conversation stays in sync.
- When you type a reply from your WhatsApp Business mobile app, that message also appears in your dashboard (on the outbound side, sender mobile) — so the displayed thread matches what your customer actually saw.
- To avoid duplicates, as soon as a human message is detected in a conversation (via your mobile app or via a reply from your dashboard), the assistant automatically pauses on that thread. You stay in control until you hand the conversation back to the assistant via the Resume with bot button.
- The assistant: for off-peak hours, nights, weekends, repetitive questions and automatic appointment booking.
- The WhatsApp Business mobile app: for sensitive or personalized conversations you'd rather handle yourself.
- The dashboard: for the big picture, history, internal notes and pausing/handing back the bot.
Set up your WhatsApp Business profile
Once the connection is established, complete your profile to give your customers a professional experience. In the WhatsApp settings, on the Profile tab:
| Field | Description | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Profile picture | Logo or representative image | 640×640 px recommended |
| Description | Short presentation of your business | 512 characters |
| Address | Physical address | 256 characters |
| Public contact address | — | |
| Website | Main URL | 2 URLs maximum |
| Category | Industry | Meta list |
Profile changes can take up to 24 hours to become visible to customers.
Message templates
WhatsApp requires the use of a Meta-approved template to re-engage a customer outside the 24-hour window since their last message. Reepli:
- Automatically imports your approved templates when you connect.
- Uses Meta's pre-built templates ("Meta Library") for standard situations: appointment reminders, confirmations, review requests.
- Lets you create custom templates from the Templates page in Campaigns (Pro and above).
For a complete guide, see the WhatsApp category of the help center.
If your number is already in use
| Case | Action |
|---|---|
| Number active in consumer WhatsApp | Uninstall WhatsApp on the phone in question, wait 5 minutes, then restart the Meta connection. The loss of history on that phone is permanent. |
| Number active in WhatsApp Business mobile only | No action required. Coexistence mode lets you keep the mobile app active. |
| Number already connected to another provider via WhatsApp Cloud API | Ask your current provider to detach the number ("migrate out"). The usual delay is 24 to 48 hours. |
Uninstalling WhatsApp Messenger permanently deletes the conversations and groups on that phone. Back them up first if needed. This precaution does not apply to WhatsApp Business mobile, which can stay in place.
Troubleshooting
"Business Portfolio not verified"
- Check the status at business.facebook.com/settings/security.
- The connection works without verification, but the initial sending limit is 250 customer conversations / 24 h. Business verification gradually lifts this limit.
"Number already registered"
- The number is attached to another WABA. Identify it on Meta's side and request a migration, or choose another number.
"Insufficient permissions"
- You must be an administrator of the Business Portfolio (not just an employee).
- Redo the connection, accepting all the WhatsApp permissions requested by Reepli.
Disconnected status after a few days
- In the WhatsApp settings, click Reconnect. This restarts the Meta procedure and renews the permissions.
- If the disconnection results from a Facebook password change or a manual revocation of permissions, re-consent is mandatory.
The assistant doesn't reply after connecting
- On the Scenarios page, check that at least one customer-facing behavior is enabled.
- In the assistant settings, check that the global pause is not active.
- In the WhatsApp settings, check the quality of the number (Meta rates it
High,MediumorLow). ALowquality can block outgoing messages.
Next steps
Your WhatsApp number is connected. Continue:
- Activate your assistant — Get the automatic behaviors running.
- Single-operator mode — Understand how to coexist with your mobile app.
- Dashboard overview — Take a tour of the main sections.