Getting Started with WhatsApp

To get started with WhatsApp, please first review the WhatsApp commerce policy, which determines which businesses are allowed onto the WhatsApp Business Platform.

If you are registering a WhatsApp sender for a brand which your business's owns, you may get started directly in your Twilio console using our Self Signup guide.

If your business does not own the brand you want to register on WhatsApp (e.g. ISVs), you must fill out Twilio's Request Access form with accurate and up-to-date information, including the brand's Meta Business Manager ID. Providing incorrect information here can lead to delays in the onboarding process. Please do not attempt to register using the Twilio console until you receive further instructions by Twilio.

Below is additional information on some of the fields on the "Request Access" form based on frequently asked questions:

• Email Address: The address where Twilio will reach out with the next steps once your account is approved for use of the Twilio API for WhatsApp in production.
  • Note for ISVs: The submitted email should go to whoever is managing the onboarding process. For ISVs, it should be your email address, not your customer's email.
• Phone Number: The phone number where the user or business requesting access can be contacted, not your Twilio Phone Number.
• Are you working with an ISV, SI, or third party?: Identifies if you are an ISV/SI. If you are not an ISV/SI, select No.
  • Note for ISVs: If you are submitting an application for yourself, please select Yes, I am an ISV or SI. If you are submitting an application for your client, please select Yes, this request is for a client working with an ISV or SI from the drop-down menu.
• Company Name, Website, HQ Country: Your company’s information. To avoid delays, this should be the same company name used in your Meta (Facebook) Business Manager account, and the same name that will be displayed on the WhatsApp business profile, once you go live.
  • Note for ISVs: Complete these fields with the client company’s information.
• Twilio Account SID: Your primary Twilio Account SID. To find your Account SID, log into the console click the "Home" button, and locate your Account SID on the top right of the page. If this is a Flex account, use your Flex Project Sid.
  • Note for ISVs: This is the Subaccount Sid where the WhatsApp sender will be provisioned. There should be one subaccount per client. Read more about subaccounts here. If this is a Flex account, use your Flex Project Sid.
• Facebook Business Manager ID: This is equivalent to a Meta Business Manager ID. You can find this ID by following this link, or logging into business.facebook.com > clicking "Business Settings" > "Business Info" > Look for the Business Manager ID. (More information about submitting your Meta Business Manager ID)
• "I've completed Facebook Business Verification": This is equivalent to completing Meta Business Verification. Learn more about Meta's verification process documentation.
• "I understand Twilio can modify my SMS/Voice URL and that approval is only for the brand submitted": Twilio may momentarily use your Twilio number’s SMS or Voice URL to register your number with WhatsApp. See more details below.

Await pre-approval from Twilio

After you submit the "Request Access" form, you will receive an email confirming the form submission.

Once Twilio reviews your account, you will receive an email with the subject "You are now pre-approved to use Twilio APIs for WhatsApp". This message will contain the next steps for you to follow for submitting your sender Profile and WhatsApp Message Templates.

If your company has missing information or falls in a vertical forbidden by WhatsApp's commerce policy, Twilio may reject your submission. Final approval is provided by WhatsApp after you complete the following steps.

Why does Twilio need to modify my Voice URLs?

In order to register a phone number with WhatsApp, WhatsApp sends a pin code to the phone number to verify ownership. In situations where the phone number cannot receive SMS messages, Twilio may need to receive the pin code from an automated voice call from WhatsApp. This can happen when a Twilio phone number is not SMS-capable, or when WhatsApp is having trouble delivering SMS pin codes to the phone number. To receive a pin code via voice, Twilio may temporarily disable the phone number's webhook URL used for incoming calls. This process typically takes 5-15 minutes, and Twilio will revert the change to the previous URL. However, during this time, all calls to the number will be routed away from your system so that our team can intercept the pin code from WhatsApp.

If your WhatsApp sender ever goes offline after it is initially registered, the pin code verification process will need to be completed again.

If you would like us to coordinate with you when registering or re-registering a number on WhatsApp, please let us know by opening a support ticket.

What's Next?

Twilio will contact you within 1 to 2 business days with information on how to proceed.