Connect a WhatsApp Business number so your agent handles inbound WhatsApp conversations.
Connect a WhatsApp Business number and your agent will reply to messages there. WhatsApp requires a plan that includes the WhatsApp channel feature.
Connect
Open the WhatsApp card on the agent's Channels page. There are two ways to connect:
Click Connect with WhatsApp and complete Meta's guided signup in the popup. Meta returns your number and account, and the connection is created.
From Meta Business, gather and paste:
- Phone Number ID
- WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) ID
- Display phone number (a label shown in your inbox)
- System User Access Token — with the
whatsapp_business_messagingandwhatsapp_business_managementpermissions
The token is masked, stored encrypted, and never shown back to you.
Once connected, the card shows the number as Bound, and FluentChat subscribes to inbound messages automatically.
The 24-hour window
WhatsApp only allows free-form messages within 24 hours of the customer's last message. Outside that window, only pre-approved message templates may be sent. This is a WhatsApp rule that FluentChat respects when sending — your approved templates are available in the inbox.
Manage the connection
- Bot switch — turn automatic replies on or off for this number.
- Disconnect — stop routing this number to the agent. You can re-bind the same number later.