Migrating a Phone Number from BSP to WhatsApp Cloud API
When migrating from WhatsApp BSP to the WhatsApp Cloud API, you can successfully transfer the following elements:
Phone number: The phone number currently associated with your business account will be migrated and re-registered to the Cloud API.
Approved message templates: Any high-quality, approved message templates previously in use with the BSP can be migrated, allowing you to continue sending messages without re-approval.
Phone number display name: The display name assigned to your phone number will remain the same after migration.
Quality rating: The quality rating of the phone number, which reflects customer satisfaction and message quality, will carry over to the Cloud API.
Messaging limits: Any existing messaging limits, including the number of messages your account is allowed to send daily, will be preserved.
Prerequisites for Number Migration
Ensure the following requirements are met before migrating your WhatsApp number:
- Meta Business Manager: Verify that you have admin-level access to your Meta Business Manager account.
- Business Verification: The Meta Business Manager must be verified. If your business is not yet verified, refer to this article to get it verified.
- Display Name Approval: Make sure the display name associated with your account is approved in the existing BSP.
- Phone Number access: Have access to the phone number to receive a 6-digit verification code via SMS or call.
Migrating phone numbers to the WhatsApp Cloud API
This guide outlines the steps to migrate phone numbers to the WhatsApp Cloud API.
- Disable two-step verification
- To release your phone number for migration, disable two-step verification. Refer to this article for detailed instructions.
Note: You need to verify whether two-step verification is successfully turned off or not, sometimes it gives a false positive. This happens because some BSP’s restrict your account, preventing you from releasing the account on your own. In such a case, you will have to contact their customer support to release your account.
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Log in to Meta Developer Site
- Access the Meta developer site: https://developers.facebook.com/
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Create a Developer App
- Go to the My Apps tab.
- Click Create App to develop a new app and set up WhatsApp.
- This app must be created using the same Business Manager account from which you intend to migrate your WABA. Remember, you cannot migrate numbers between different Meta Business Manager accounts.
- Go to the My Apps tab.
To learn more about setting up WhatsApp in Meta, refer to this article.
- Configure phone number in Meta Developer Portal
- After completing the onboarding process, navigate to the API setup page.
- On the right, select the Add phone number button.
- After completing the onboarding process, navigate to the API setup page.
- Add a phone number.
- Enter the exact WhatsApp Business display name associated with the number you’re migrating to the Cloud API.
- Select your Timezone.
- Choose a Category for your business and provide a Business Description (optional).
- Click Next to begin the phone number verification process.
- Enter the phone number that you want to migrate. Once you enter the number here, get your number verified with an OTP delivered on Text message or Phone call and click Next to proceed.
- Click Confirm transfer to complete the migration process.
- The verified phone number will appear in the “From” dropdown menu within the “Send and receive messages” section.
- To set up a payment method for the destination WABA, click the Add payment method button.
- Finally, set up webhooks for seamless integration. Refer to this article for webhook setup in meta.
- The verified phone number will appear in the “From” dropdown menu within the “Send and receive messages” section.
