[ WHATSAPP MARKETING ]

By the Convert team September 3, 2026 12 min read

How to set up Meta WhatsApp manually in Convert

Connect Meta WhatsApp Cloud API to Convert manually, with direct links and clear steps for every account, ID, token, phone number, and test.

Before you begin: understand the five things Meta will give you

The manual flow connects an existing Meta WhatsApp Cloud API setup to Convert. You will collect five values: a Meta Business Portfolio ID, a Meta App ID, a WhatsApp Business Account ID (usually called a WABA ID), a Phone Number ID, and a Meta access token. These values identify different parts of the same setup; they are not interchangeable.

Use a desktop browser and sign in to the Facebook account that has full control of the correct Meta business portfolio. Keep your legal business name, public website, business email, address, and a phone number that can receive an SMS or voice call nearby. If another employee or agency owns the assets, ask them to grant you full control before you start.

Step 1: create or select the correct Meta business portfolio

Open Meta Business Settings from the link in Sources and further reading, then choose the business portfolio that should own the WhatsApp account. If you do not have one, create it in Meta Business Suite. Use the real business name and details that match your website and supporting documents. Avoid creating a second portfolio simply because an existing asset is not visible; first check the portfolio selector and your permissions.

In Business Settings, open Business info and copy the Business Portfolio ID. Meta may still label this value Business Manager ID or Business ID on some screens. This is the value to paste into Convert's Meta Business ID field later. Business verification may not block an initial test, but Meta can require it for production access, higher limits, or particular features, so complete any verification request shown in Security Centre.

Step 2: create a Meta developer app and add WhatsApp

Open Meta for Developers, select My Apps, and choose Create App. Select the business use case when Meta asks what the app should do, associate the app with the same business portfolio, and finish creating it. Meta changes the labels in this wizard occasionally; the important outcome is a business app owned by the portfolio that will also own the WhatsApp account.

On the app dashboard, add the WhatsApp product and open WhatsApp > API Setup. Copy the App ID from App settings > Basic or from the app header. Paste this into Convert's Meta App ID field later. Do not copy the App Secret into Convert's access-token field; an App Secret and an access token serve different purposes.

Step 3: create or select the WhatsApp Business Account

On WhatsApp > API Setup, select an existing WhatsApp Business Account or let Meta create one under the chosen portfolio. The account is the container for phone numbers, message templates, quality information, and billing. Use the same WABA consistently; creating duplicates makes permissions and templates much harder to diagnose.

Copy the WhatsApp Business Account ID shown on the API Setup page. You can also find it in Business Settings under Accounts > WhatsApp accounts or in WhatsApp Manager. Paste this number into Convert's WhatsApp Business Account ID field. Do not use the Business Portfolio ID here: both are long numbers, but they identify different assets.

Step 4: add and verify the phone number you will send from

In WhatsApp Manager, open Phone numbers and choose Add phone number. Complete the public business profile, choose the correct country and time zone, enter the number in international format, and verify it by SMS or voice call. The number must be able to receive the verification code and must be eligible for the platform. If it is already attached to another WhatsApp product or provider, follow Meta's current migration or coexistence process instead of deleting assets at random.

After verification, return to WhatsApp > API Setup or WhatsApp Manager > Phone numbers. Copy the Phone Number ID—not the visible telephone number—and paste it into Convert's Phone number ID field. The Phone Number ID is a Meta-generated number used in Cloud API requests. Set a payment method in WhatsApp Manager when Meta requests one; a test number and a registered production number do not have the same sending capabilities.

Step 5: use the temporary access token for a first test only

The API Setup page can generate a temporary access token. It is useful for confirming that you selected the correct app, WABA, and phone number, but it expires and should not be treated as a production credential. Copy it only when you are ready to test, never paste it into chat, email, a support ticket, or a shared document, and replace it with a system-user token before going live.

The token needs access to the same business assets as the phone number. For the production flow, the relevant permissions are normally whatsapp_business_messaging for sending and whatsapp_business_management for managing the WhatsApp account and templates. If Meta returns an OAuth or permission error, check the token, assigned assets, and permissions together rather than repeatedly generating unrelated apps.

Step 6: create a production system-user access token

Open Business Settings > Users > System users, add an Admin system user for the integration, and assign the WhatsApp account and the Meta app to that system user with the access needed to manage and send messages. Then choose Generate new token, select the correct app, and grant whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management. Copy the token immediately and store it in a password manager or secrets vault.

A system-user token is the right production pattern, but its practical lifetime still depends on the token configuration, business permissions, app status, and Meta policy. Record who owns the integration and how the token will be rotated. If the Generate token button is missing, you are usually in the wrong portfolio, lack full control, have not assigned the app, or still need to complete a business requirement shown by Meta.

Step 7: enter the credentials in Convert

In Convert, sign in to the correct workspace and open Settings > Channels. In the Meta Cloud WhatsApp card, choose Manual setup. Enter the production access token, Phone Number ID, WhatsApp Business Account ID, Meta Business ID, and Meta App ID, then save. Use digits only for the IDs and remove accidental spaces from the beginning or end of the token.

Convert stores the credential securely and uses the Phone Number ID to send through Meta. When the required Meta connection values are present, Convert also attempts to subscribe its configured Meta app to the WABA so delivery and inbound events can be received. If saving reports a subscription error, confirm that the token can manage that WABA and that your administrator has configured the Convert Meta app's webhook correctly.

Step 8: create or sync an approved message template

Businesses normally need an approved WhatsApp message template to start a conversation outside the customer-service window. Create templates in WhatsApp Manager under Message templates, choose the correct category and language, use clear sample values, and submit them for review. Do not hide promotional content inside a utility template.

After Meta approves the template, open Convert's Templates area and use Sync from Meta. Confirm that its name, language, category, status, body variables, header, and buttons arrived correctly. A template visible in a different WABA will not appear, even when its name is identical.

Step 9: send a controlled end-to-end test

Return to Settings > Channels and use Test Meta delivery. Choose an approved template and send it to a number that has agreed to receive the test. Include the full international country code. Confirm that Convert accepts the send, the phone receives it, and the delivery status later updates. A successful API response means Meta accepted the request; the delivery event confirms what happened afterward.

Next, reply from the recipient's phone and confirm that the inbound message reaches the expected workspace. Test a real template variable and button if your production messages use them. Do not launch a contact-list campaign until sending, delivery events, replies, opt-out handling, billing, and team access have all been checked.

Troubleshooting Meta's most common setup errors

If you cannot see the WABA, phone number, app, or system user, first use the business-portfolio selector and verify that your Facebook account has full control. If a token works in Meta's test panel but not in Convert, compare the selected App ID, WABA ID, and Phone Number ID, then confirm the system user was assigned both the app and WhatsApp account. Error 190 usually points to an invalid or expired token; permission errors usually point to missing scopes or asset assignment.

If templates do not sync, verify that you entered the WABA ID that actually owns them and that the token has whatsapp_business_management. If a message is rejected, read Meta's error details and check template approval, language, variable count, recipient formatting, payment status, quality or account restrictions, and customer permission. Avoid fixing a single error by creating duplicate portfolios, WABAs, apps, or phone-number registrations.

A final go-live checklist

Before launch, confirm that the business portfolio and app belong to the company; at least two trusted administrators have appropriate access; business verification and payment requirements are complete; the production number shows Connected; the system user owns the required assets; the production token is stored as a secret; templates are approved and synced; and send, delivery, reply, and opt-out tests pass.

Keep a small internal record containing the Business Portfolio ID, App ID, WABA ID, Phone Number ID, asset owner, token owner, token creation date, and rotation procedure—but never include the token itself. Meta's navigation and requirements evolve, so use the direct official links below as the source of truth whenever a screen label differs from this guide.

Common questions

What is the difference between a WABA ID and a Phone Number ID?

The WABA ID identifies the WhatsApp Business Account that holds templates, phone numbers, and settings. The Phone Number ID identifies one registered sending number inside that account. Convert needs both for the complete manual setup.

Can I use the temporary token shown on Meta's API Setup page?

Use it only for a short initial test. It expires. Create a system user, assign the correct app and WhatsApp account, and generate a production access token with the required WhatsApp permissions before launch.

Can I use a number that is already on WhatsApp or with another provider?

Possibly, but do not assume it can be registered directly. Its current registration determines whether you need Meta's coexistence or migration process. Check the current official guidance and preserve access to the number for verification.

Why can I not see my app or WhatsApp account in Business Settings?

The usual causes are selecting the wrong business portfolio, lacking full control, or the asset being owned by another business. Check the portfolio selector and asset ownership before creating duplicates.

Does saving the credentials mean I am ready to send campaigns?

No. You should also confirm webhook events, approved template sync, payment and account status, customer opt-in, a successful delivery test, inbound replies, opt-outs, and appropriate team access before launch.