Sign in to Facebook
Use a Facebook account authorized to manage your business. Keep access to the business email address and phone number you intend to connect.
MeAPI setup guide
Connect your business to WhatsApp Business API
Follow these steps to prepare your Meta Business Portfolio, connect a phone number through MeAPI, and understand the separate verification processes.
Before you begin
- Access to the Facebook account that manages your business and its Meta Business Portfolio.
- Accurate business details, a working business email and access to the phone number you want to connect.
- A MeAPI account and permission to authorize the WhatsApp Business Account.
- If using an existing WhatsApp Business App number, confirm whether coexistence is offered for your setup.
Important: Meta’s screens, eligibility checks and available verification methods can vary by account and region. The steps below describe the general onboarding flow; follow the instructions shown in your own Meta and MeAPI dashboards.
Step-by-step1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Complete your onboarding
Create or select a Meta Business Portfolio
Open Meta Business Settings. Select an existing suitable portfolio or create a new one. Enter your business details accurately; Meta may show different fields depending on your account.
Confirm the business email
If Meta sends an email confirmation, open the message and follow the verification link. Email confirmation is not the same as Meta Business Verification.
Create your MeAPI account
Sign in to MeAPI, or register first. Open the phone-number connection area in your dashboard.
Launch Meta Embedded Signup
Choose Add Phone Number / Connect with Facebook (the wording may vary). Sign in with the Facebook account that has the necessary portfolio permissions.
Select your business and WhatsApp account
Choose the appropriate Business Portfolio and WhatsApp Business Account, or create one if offered. Enter an accurate display name and the business information requested by Meta.
Connect and verify your number
Enter the number and complete the verification method Meta offers. If you currently use the WhatsApp Business App, select coexistence only when the option is available and your number is eligible; otherwise review migration implications before proceeding.
Review permissions and finish
Review Meta’s authorization screens, complete the signup flow, return to MeAPI, and confirm the number and account connection status. Test a permitted message after setup.
After connecting
Understand the three separate checks
Phone-number verification
Confirms control of the number during onboarding using the method offered by Meta.
WhatsApp display-name review
Meta may review your proposed display name against its naming rules. Successful signup does not guarantee display-name approval.
Meta Business Verification
A separate business identity review that Meta may require for particular capabilities or account circumstances. Follow any verification request shown in Business Settings.
Messaging readiness
Check account status, permissions, template approval, billing setup where applicable and applicable messaging limits before launching campaigns.
Business email confirmation, phone-number verification, business verification and display-name approval are not interchangeable. Business verification is not necessarily required to begin every onboarding flow.
Frequently asked questions
Can I connect my existing WhatsApp Business App number?
Some eligible accounts can use coexistence to retain access to the Business App while connecting the API. Availability and functionality depend on Meta’s eligibility rules and the signup flow presented to your account. Do not delete your existing account merely to test eligibility.
Do I need to complete business verification before connecting a number?
Not in every case. Meta may request business verification depending on your account status and the capabilities you want to use. Complete it when your Business Portfolio shows a requirement.
Is email verification enough for business verification?
No. Confirming an email address and verifying a business’s identity are separate processes.
What if I do not receive the phone verification code?
Check that the number can receive the offered SMS or voice call, confirm the number and country code, and follow Meta’s retry guidance. If you use coexistence, follow the specific instructions displayed in that flow.
Where can I estimate Meta messaging charges?
Use the MeAPI rate calculator and confirm current rates on Meta’s official pricing page.
Ready to connect your number?
Create your account, follow Meta’s embedded signup and contact MeAPI support if you need assistance with onboarding.