You can change the platform that runs your WhatsApp API without changing your phone number. Your customers keep messaging the same number. What changes is the software behind it. This guide gives a high-level view. Meta's process and your current provider's rules can differ, so confirm the details with them.
Before you start
- Check who owns your Meta Business account. You want your business, not a provider, to hold it. This decides how easy a move is.
- List what you use today. Inbox users, broadcasts, chatbot flows, automations and integrations with your store or CRM.
- Export your data. Contacts, tags and chat history that your current provider lets you export.
- List your message templates. Keep their names, text and category.
The main steps
- Confirm the number is on the WhatsApp Business Platform. A number used on the normal WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app is a different case and needs to be moved first.
- Turn off two-step verification on the number. The new setup cannot take the number over while the old PIN is active. Your current provider or Meta's tools can help.
- Add the number to the new setup. It is connected inside your Meta Business account and verified with a code.
- Rebuild your templates. Templates often need to be recreated and approved again. Plan for this so your campaigns do not stall.
- Move your webhooks and integrations. Point your store, CRM or website to the new platform.
- Test before you switch traffic. Send and receive messages, run a flow and check that your team can reply.
Keep downtime low
- Pick a quiet time of day for the switch.
- Tell your team the new inbox is live before customers write in.
- Pause scheduled campaigns until templates are approved.
- Keep your old provider's access until you have checked everything.
What is not affected
Your phone number stays the same. Your customers do not need to save anything new. If your number has built up a good quality rating, keep sending messages people want so you protect it.