Convert lets you connect your existing WhatsApp Business Platform account directly through Meta's Cloud API.
This guide walks you through setting up the connection manually, including where to find every ID and credential required by Convert.
## What you'll need
Before you begin, make sure you have:
* A Meta Business Portfolio
* A Meta Developer App
* A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
* A phone number you want to use for WhatsApp
* Administrator or full-control access to the Meta Business Portfolio
During the setup, you'll collect these five values:
1. **Meta Business Portfolio ID**
2. **Meta App ID**
3. **WhatsApp Business Account ID (WABA ID)**
4. **Phone Number ID**
5. **Access Token**
> These IDs may look similar, but they represent different Meta assets. Make sure you copy the correct value into each field in Convert.
---
# Step 1: Set up your Meta Business Portfolio
Open **Meta Business Suite**:
Sign in using the Facebook account that manages your business.
If you don't already have a Business Portfolio, you can create one here:
Use your real business information, including your:
* Business name
* Website
* Business email
* Address
* Phone number
### Find your Meta Business ID
Open **Meta Business Settings**:
Select the correct Business Portfolio.
Go to:
**Business Settings → Business Info**
Look for **Business Portfolio ID**.
Meta may sometimes display this as **Business Manager ID** or **Business ID**.
Copy this number.
You'll eventually paste it into:
**Convert → Meta Business ID**
---
# Step 2: Create your Meta Developer App
Go to **Meta for Developers**:
Click **Create App**.
When Meta asks what you want your app to do, select the appropriate business use case and connect the app to the same Meta Business Portfolio you selected earlier.
Complete the app creation process.
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### Add WhatsApp to your app
From your Meta App Dashboard, locate **WhatsApp** and click **Set up**.
Then open:
**WhatsApp → API Setup**
You should now have WhatsApp Cloud API available inside the app.
### Find your Meta App ID
Inside your app, go to:
**App Settings → Basic**
You can also usually see the App ID near the top of the App Dashboard.
Copy the **App ID**.
You'll eventually paste this into:
**Convert → Meta App ID**
> Do not copy your App Secret. Convert needs the **App ID**, not the App Secret.
---
# Step 3: Create or select your WhatsApp Business Account
Inside your Meta App, open:
**WhatsApp → API Setup**
Meta will ask you to select an existing WhatsApp Business Account or create one.
You can also manage your WhatsApp Business Accounts from **Meta Business Settings**:
Your WhatsApp Business Account, commonly called a **WABA**, contains your:
* WhatsApp phone numbers
* Message templates
* Account quality information
* WhatsApp business settings
* Billing configuration
### Find your WhatsApp Business Account ID
From:
**WhatsApp → API Setup**
look for **WhatsApp Business Account ID**.
You can also find it from:
**Business Settings → Accounts → WhatsApp Accounts**
Copy the ID.
You'll paste this into:
**Convert → WhatsApp Business Account ID**
> Your WhatsApp Business Account ID is different from your Meta Business Portfolio ID.
---
# Step 4: Add your WhatsApp phone number
Open **WhatsApp Manager**:
Select the correct WhatsApp Business Account.
Go to:
**Phone numbers**
and choose **Add phone number**.
Enter your business information and the phone number you want to use.
Meta will ask you to verify the number using either:
* SMS
* Voice call
Enter the verification code provided by Meta.
### Important
The number must be eligible for use with the WhatsApp Business Platform.
If the number is already connected to another WhatsApp Business Platform provider, don't simply delete it. You may need to use Meta's number migration or coexistence process.
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---
# Step 5: Find your Phone Number ID
After successfully adding the number, return to your Meta Developer App:
Select your app and go to:
**WhatsApp → API Setup**
You'll see information similar to:
**Phone number:** +234 XXX XXX XXXX\
**Phone Number ID:** 123456789012345\
**WhatsApp Business Account ID:** 987654321098765
Copy the **Phone Number ID**.
You'll paste this into:
**Convert → Phone Number ID**
> Do not enter your actual telephone number in this field. Convert requires the Meta-generated **Phone Number ID**.
---
# Step 6: Test with Meta's temporary access token
While you're on:
**WhatsApp → API Setup**
Meta may provide a **Temporary Access Token**.
You can use this token to confirm that your App, WhatsApp Business Account and Phone Number are configured correctly.
However, **do not use the temporary token for your production Convert integration.**
Temporary access tokens expire.
For your production connection, create a System User access token instead.
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---
# Step 7: Create a permanent System User access token
Open **Meta Business Settings**:
Go to:
**Users → System Users**
You can also open the System Users section directly:
Click **Add** and create a System User for the Convert integration.
We recommend giving the integration an identifiable name such as:
**Convert WhatsApp Integration**
Select the appropriate administrator access for the integration.
## Assign your WhatsApp assets
Select the System User and choose **Assign Assets**.
Assign:
* Your Meta App
* Your WhatsApp Business Account
Make sure the System User has the permissions required to manage and send WhatsApp messages.
## Generate the access token
With the System User selected, click:
**Generate New Token**
Select the Meta App you created earlier.
Enable these permissions:
**whatsapp_business_messaging**
**whatsapp_business_management**
Generate the token and copy it immediately.
> Treat this token like a password. Never send it through WhatsApp, email, Slack, support tickets or public screenshots.
Store it securely in a password manager or secrets vault.
---
# Step 8: Connect WhatsApp to Convert
Now that you've collected everything from Meta, open Convert:
Sign in to the correct workspace.
Go to:
**Settings → Channels → WhatsApp**
Select:
**Meta Cloud WhatsApp**
and choose:
**Manual Setup**
Convert will ask for:
| Convert field | Value from Meta |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------ |
| Access Token | System User Access Token |
| Phone Number ID | Meta Phone Number ID |
| WhatsApp Business Account ID | WABA ID |
| Meta Business ID | Business Portfolio ID |
| Meta App ID | Developer App ID |
Carefully paste each value into the corresponding field.
For IDs, enter the numbers without additional spaces.
For your Access Token, make sure there are no spaces before or after the token.
Click **Save**.
---
# Step 9: Create your WhatsApp message templates
WhatsApp normally requires an approved message template when your business wants to initiate a conversation outside the customer-service window.
Open **WhatsApp Manager**:
Select your WhatsApp Business Account and go to:
**Message Templates**
Create your template and choose the appropriate:
* Template name
* Category
* Language
* Message body
* Variables
* Header
* Buttons
Submit the template to Meta for approval.
Once Meta approves it, return to Convert.
Go to:
**Templates → WhatsApp**
and select:
**Sync from Meta**
Convert will retrieve the approved templates belonging to the WhatsApp Business Account you connected.
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# Step 10: Test your WhatsApp connection
Before sending a campaign, test the connection.
In Convert, go to:
**Settings → Channels → WhatsApp**
Select your connected Meta Cloud WhatsApp channel.
Choose:
**Test Meta Delivery**
Select an approved WhatsApp template and enter a test recipient using the full international format.
For example:
**2348012345678**
rather than:
**08012345678**
Send the message.
Confirm that:
* Convert accepts the message
* The WhatsApp message arrives on the recipient's phone
* The delivery status updates inside Convert
* Replies from the recipient appear correctly
* Template variables work correctly
We strongly recommend completing these tests before sending a campaign to your full contact list.
---
# Troubleshooting
## I can't see my WhatsApp Business Account
Open:
Check that you're viewing the correct Business Portfolio using Meta's business selector.
Also confirm that your Facebook account has sufficient access to the WhatsApp Business Account.
---
## I can't generate a System User token
Open:
Confirm that:
* You're in the correct Business Portfolio
* You have full control of the Business Portfolio
* Your Meta App has been assigned to the System User
* Your WhatsApp Business Account has been assigned to the System User
---
## My token works in Meta but doesn't work in Convert
Check that the token belongs to the same setup as the IDs entered in Convert.
Specifically verify your:
**Meta App ID → WABA ID → Phone Number ID → Access Token**
They should all belong to the same Meta Business setup.
Your System User should also have:
**whatsapp_business_messaging**
and
**whatsapp_business_management**
permissions.
---
## My templates aren't appearing in Convert
First open WhatsApp Manager:
Confirm that the template:
* Exists in the correct WhatsApp Business Account
* Has been approved by Meta
* Uses the expected language
* Is not still under review or rejected
Then return to Convert and use **Sync from Meta** again.
---
# Before you go live
Before using your WhatsApp connection for real customers, confirm that:
* Your Meta Business Portfolio belongs to your company
* Your Meta Developer App belongs to the correct portfolio
* Your WhatsApp Business Account is connected
* Your production phone number shows as connected
* Your System User has access to the App and WABA
* You're using a System User token instead of a temporary token
* `whatsapp_business_messaging` permission is enabled
* `whatsapp_business_management` permission is enabled
* Your approved templates have synced to Convert
* Test messages are delivered successfully
* Incoming replies are reaching Convert
* Delivery statuses are updating correctly
Once these checks pass, your Meta WhatsApp Cloud API connection is ready to use with Convert.