Using a phone number already in use with WhatsApp App

The WhatsApp Coexistence (Coex) step-by-step process is not currently available. We will enable it as soon as Meta resolves the pending issues.

About CoExistence Onboarding

You can create a WABA with a phone number that is already registered in the WhatsApp Business App (Android or iPhone) without deleting the existing account.

Once onboarded, you can send messages at scale using the WhatsApp Business API while maintaining one-on-one messaging in the WhatsApp Business App. Messages send and received via API will be available in the App and vice-versa.

See more details below:

Key Benefits

• Maintain access to the WhatsApp Business App while using the WhatsApp Business API.

• Message at scale via the API while retaining one-to-one messaging in the app.

• Simplifies migration for businesses already using WhatsApp Business App.

Important: Do not uninstall the WhatsApp Business App after onboarding. This will disconnect the number from the platform.

Limitations & Restrictions

• Coexistence is not compatible with APIs that are not officially supported. So, if that’s your use case, please know that those will be deactivated and 360Dialog cannot offer support for unofficial products. Once you

• Currently, it is not possible to sync your existing Business App chat history with the API. This feature will be available soon, but only for numbers that request it during onboarding.

  • We will inform you once the feature becomes available. If you have any questions, reach out to our Support Team.

• WhatsApp Business account phone numbers with country codes from the following locations are not Supported:

Countries	Regions or Kingdoms
Australia India Japan Nigeria Philippines Russia South Korea South Africa Turkey	European Economic Area European Union United Kingdom

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Support Team.

Pricing

Both sessions can CoExist on the same number. However, conversations started in the WhatsApp Business App remain free, while API-initiated messages follow standard pricing rules. (See more details in our documentation).

Customer Service Window

A customer service window is opened only when a WhatsApp user messages a business that is already onboarded onto Cloud API.

• If a user messages before onboarding, businesses can only respond using template messages, since no customer service was opened.

• If a user messages after onboarding, businesses can reply with non-template messages within 24 hours, since a customer service window will be opened as usual for API numbers.

Linked devices

Businesses can link up to four "companion" devices to their WhatsApp Business App (described as "linked devices" in Meta Help Center).

However, after onboarding to Cloud API, all companion apps will be unlinked, you can re-link only supported devices after onboarding.

• WhatsApp for Windows and WhatsApp for WearOS are not supported.

• Messages from unsupported companion devices will not trigger webhooks, so the business won't be able to mirror the message through the API. You can still use the App to respond to this message.

Messages viewed on an unsupported companion device will display a placeholder text directing users to check their primary device.

Feature comparison

The following table describes features available to business customers who have been onboarded to Cloud API, as well as any changes to WhatsApp Business app functionality post-onboarding.

Existing feature on the WhatsApp Business App	Changes after CoExistence Onboarding	Availability of feature in the API
Individual (1:1) chats	Message Edit/Revoke is no longer supported.	Supported. All chat messages in the most recent 6 months can be synchronized. Messages sent and received are mirrored between the Cloud API and WhatsApp Business App.
Contacts	No change.	Supported. All contacts with a WhatsApp number can be synchronized.
Group chats	No change.	Not supported. Group chats will not be synchronized.
Phone number hiding chats	No change.	Not supported.
Disappearing messages	Disappearing messages will be turned off for all individual (1:1) chats	Not supported.
View once message	View once messages will be disabled for all individual (1:1) chats	Not supported.
Live location message	Live location messages will be disabled for all individual (1:1) chats	Not supported. To send location messages, see our API documentation.
Broadcast lists	Broadcast list will be disabled. Business will not be able to create new Broadcast Lists. Existing Broadcast Lists will become read-only.	Not supported.
Voice and video calls	No change.	Not supported. To send media messages, see our API documentation.
Business tools (eg. catalog, orders, status)	No change.	Not supported. To use catalog features, see our API documentation.
Messaging tools (eg. marketing messages, greeting message, away message, quick replies, labels)	No change.	Not supported. To configure Messages Templates, use the 360Dialog Hub.
Business profile (eg. business name, address, website)	No change.	Not supported. To configure your Business Profile, use the 360Dialog Hub.
Channels	No change.	Not supported.

FAQ

Are marketing messages sent from a Partner platform via Cloud API supported on the WhatsApp Business App?

Yes, both the WhatsApp Business App and Cloud API support the same types of messages, including Marketing, Utility, Service, and Authentication messages.

Can a business using the CoExistence via Cloud API switch back to WhatsApp Business App with the same number?

No, reverse connections from the API to the WhatsApp Business App are currently not supported.

Can a business use their WhatsApp API number to register on the WhatsApp App?

No, this process only works for numbers registered in the App. If the number is connected to the WhatsApp API, this CoExistence Onboarding won't work.

Is this solution applicable to larger enterprises?

The primary use case is to assist SMBs that have not previously onboarded to the WhatsApp Business API. The solution is not specifically designed for larger enterprises.

Will businesses with Meta Verified blue badges on WhatsApp Business App maintain their verification when connecting to the WhatsApp Business API?

Currently, the blue badge verification does not transfer between the WhatsApp Business App and Cloud API. You will need to go through the OBA process again.

Getting Started: Account Creation

To onboard an existing number to the WhatsApp Business API, see our documentation below:

Step-by-Step CoExistence Onboarding