WhatsApp Business API (also called Cloud API) connects a dedicated number to watsi through Meta's official API. The number lives in watsi, not on a phone: your whole team answers from the same place and you get every watsi feature, calls included. In exchange, the WhatsApp Business app stops working for that number, so it's best to use a new number or one you don't use in the app.
When to choose it
Choose Cloud API if you're dedicating a new number to watsi and want every feature. If you already answer from the WhatsApp Business app and want to keep doing so, choose WhatsApp Coexistence.
Every watsi feature, calls included. The number doesn't depend on your phone being on. Your whole team answers from the same place.
The WhatsApp Business app stops working for that number. There is no history to import. You need a new number, or one unused in the app.
How to connect
- 1
Choose Cloud API
In the activation wizard, at the Connect your WhatsApp! step, select Cloud API ("A new number, for watsi only."). From Integrations, connect the WhatsApp Business card and choose Connect with watsi only (Cloud API).
- 2
Complete Meta's window
Click Connect WhatsApp. In Meta's window, log in with your Facebook account, pick or create your business portfolio and follow the instructions to register the number.
- 3
Confirm the connection
When it's done you'll see Connected number with your number, and in Integrations it shows up as WhatsApp Business API.
The connection type is chosen once per number: it can't be switched to Coexistence from watsi afterwards.
If the connection fails, watsi tells you why and lets you Retry connection. The most common cases:
- You closed Meta's window before finishing. Try again.
- That number is already connected to another WhatsApp Business account. Release it there or use a different number.
- Meta rejected the number's details. Check that the number and the business are verified, then retry.
Your previous history
A number connected through Cloud API brings no previous conversations into watsi. If you need to keep them, export them with watsi Exportador de Chats, the Chrome extension that reads your chats from WhatsApp Web and saves them to your computer.
Disconnect
To disconnect the number, go to Integrations. Keep in mind that with Cloud API the number is deregistered at Meta: you stop sending and receiving on it, and reconnecting requires registering it again.