WhatsApp connection issues

Reepli connects your WhatsApp Business number through a guided flow provided by Meta. This flow takes place on Facebook's pages: there you authorize Reepli to manage your WhatsApp Business number. Without this connection, the bot can neither receive nor send messages.

This guide covers the most common cases:

• The connection flow failing partway through
• A number already in use on the WhatsApp app
• Landline numbers
• Accounts limited or banned by Meta

Check the connection status

1. Sign in to dashboard.reepli.ai.
2. Go to WhatsApp in the side menu.
3. The channel status is shown at the top.

Status	Meaning
Connected (green)	Everything is working — the bot receives and sends
Pending (yellow)	Connection is being established
Disconnected (red)	The connection has been interrupted
Limited (orange)	Restrictions applied by Meta
Banned (dark red)	Account suspended by Meta

Reepli dashboard

Issue 1 — The Meta connection flow fails

Symptoms

• The Facebook pop-up opens then closes without saving anything.
• An error appears at the end of the flow: "Configuration not found", "Missing permissions", "Account already linked to another application".
• You land on the Reepli page but the number is not connected.

Possible causes

Cause	Solution
Pop-up blocker enabled	Disable the blocker for dashboard.reepli.ai then start over
Third-party cookies blocked	Allow third-party cookies (the Facebook flow requires them)
Personal Facebook account without a Business Manager	Create a Meta Business Manager at business.facebook.com
No admin role on the Business Manager	Ask the Business Manager admin to add you
WhatsApp Business account already linked to another platform	Unlink it from the other platform before trying again
Browser in private/incognito mode	Try again in a normal window (the Facebook flow needs the session context)

Full procedure

1. Go to the WhatsApp section of your dashboard.
2. Click Connect a number.
3. Follow the steps presented by Meta:
   • Sign in to your Facebook account (Business Manager admin).
   • Select your Business Manager (or create one).
   • Select or create your WhatsApp Business account.
   • Enter the WhatsApp number.
   • Receive the verification code (SMS or call).
   • Authorize Reepli to manage this number.
4. At the end of the flow, you are redirected to Reepli with the number connected.

Third-party cookies and Facebook

If your browser aggressively blocks third-party cookies (Brave, Safari, strict Firefox), the flow may fail silently. Use Chrome or Edge for the initial connection, then you can switch back to your usual browser.

Issue 2 — Number already in use on the WhatsApp app

Symptoms

When entering your number during the flow, Meta refuses: "This number is already used by a WhatsApp application".

Why

Historically, a WhatsApp Business number could not be used simultaneously on the mobile app and in an integration like Reepli. Since 2026, Meta allows a "coexistence" mode that enables both in parallel.

Solution

Three options:

1. Enable coexistence when the option is offered during the connection flow (recommended). You keep the WhatsApp Business app on your phone, and everything is centralized in Reepli.
2. Use a different number dedicated to your business, so you don't mix personal and professional use.
3. Uninstall WhatsApp from the phone that uses this number, then start the connection over. Warning: your history on the mobile app will be lost.

Coexistence with WhatsApp Business mobile

With coexistence enabled, if you type a message from the WhatsApp Business app on your phone, it automatically appears in the Reepli Inbox. You keep a unified view of the thread, whether it comes from the dashboard or from your pocket.

Issue 3 — Landline number

Symptoms

You want to use a landline phone number (switchboard number, geographic number without a mobile), but SMS verification fails.

Solution

During the verification step, choose Voice call instead of SMS. Meta will dictate the code over the phone.

Number type	Verification method
Mobile number	SMS or call
Landline number	Call only
VoIP / virtual number	Not guaranteed — Meta may refuse

Issue 4 — Frequent disconnections

If your channel disconnects regularly after a successful initial connection:

Checks

1. Activity on the mobile app: if you haven't enabled coexistence, using the number on the WhatsApp Business mobile app cuts the connection on the Reepli side.
2. Expired authorization: very rare, but the authorization you granted to Reepli can be revoked on Meta's side. Reconnect the number.
3. Meta suspension: a limited account may appear as disconnected. See issue 5.

Action

1. Go to WhatsApp.
2. Click Reconnect on the number's row.
3. Go through the Meta-guided connection flow again.

Issue 5 — Account limited or banned by Meta

Meta monitors the quality of WhatsApp Business accounts and may apply restrictions:

Level	Consequence	Typical cause
Warning	Notification without restriction	Rising reports
Limited	Reduced number of possible conversations	High report rate
Restricted	Unable to send messages	Violations of Meta policies
Banned	Permanent suspension	Repeated or serious violations

Common causes

• Spam: sending unsolicited messages to contacts without opt-in.
• Reports: too many contacts reported or blocked your number.
• Prohibited content: phishing, adult content, unregulated medications, etc.
• Poor quality score: report/block rate too high over time.

How to recover a limited account

1. Check the reason: go to business.facebook.com → WhatsApp Manager → there you'll find Meta's alerts.
2. Improve quality:
   • Make sure you have consent (opt-in) from every contact you write to.
   • Reduce how often you send campaigns.
   • Improve message relevance (segment your audiences).
   • Make unsubscribing easy ("STOP" mention at the bottom of every marketing template).
3. Wait: restrictions are generally lifted within 7 days if quality improves.
4. Appeal: if you believe the restriction is unjustified, appeal via Meta Business Manager.

Banned account

A permanent ban generally cannot be reversed. The associated number can no longer be used with WhatsApp Business. Avoid reaching that point by strictly following Meta's policies.

Migrating from another platform

If you're coming from another platform with a WhatsApp Business number that's already active:

1. Unlink the number from your old platform in its dashboard.
2. Wait a few minutes for the change to propagate on Meta's side.
3. Start the connection flow on Reepli (WhatsApp → Connect a number).
4. Check that your approved templates and your Business profile are still present (they're tied to your WhatsApp Business account on Meta's side, not to the platform).

Item	Kept after migration?
Phone number	Yes
Business profile (name, description, logo)	Yes
Approved templates	Yes (tied to your WhatsApp Business account)
Meta quality score	Yes
Conversation history	No (specific to the old platform)
Contacts	No (import via CSV — Pro and Business)

When to contact support

Contact us if:

• The connection flow fails repeatedly even when following the steps above.
• Your channel stays disconnected after several reconnection attempts.
• You receive a Meta error message you can't resolve.
• Your WhatsApp Business account has been restricted or banned and you want help appealing.

Include with your request:

• The phone number concerned.
• A screenshot of the Meta error message.
• The date and time the problem started.
• The actions you've already tried.

Useful links

• Troubleshooting overview
• Message delivery issues
• Template rejected
• FAQ
• Contact support