> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documents.xobito.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# WhatsApp Connection Overview

> Why you need to connect WhatsApp to Xobito, what you get, and how it all fits together.

Before you can send a single message through Xobito, you need to connect a **WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)**. This page explains what that means, what you gain, and how the pieces fit together.

<Note>
  If you already know you're ready to connect, skip ahead to [Prerequisites](/whatsapp/prerequisites) or jump straight into [Connect Meta Business](/whatsapp/connect-meta-business).
</Note>

## Why connect WhatsApp at all?

Xobito is a platform, not a WhatsApp provider. To actually send and receive messages, we need to pass through **Meta's official WhatsApp Business Cloud API**. That API is tied to your own business — your company name, your phone numbers, your templates — not ours.

Connecting means:

* Your messages are sent under **your business identity**, not a shared one.
* You **own** the relationship with Meta. If you ever leave Xobito, your WABA stays with you.
* You get the **official, compliant** channel — no risk of bans that come with unofficial browser-based WhatsApp tools.
* You unlock every feature: campaigns, chat, automations, templates, webhooks.

<Warning>
  Xobito does not support unofficial or reverse-engineered WhatsApp clients. We only work with the **official Meta Cloud API**. This is a safety measure for you — unofficial tools get users' numbers banned.
</Warning>

## What you get once connected

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Send campaigns" icon="bullhorn">
    Broadcast approved templates to thousands of opted-in contacts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Unified team inbox" icon="inbox">
    Multiple agents handle incoming chats from one shared view.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Automated replies" icon="robot">
    Keyword bots, visual flows, and template-based follow-ups.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Template library" icon="file-lines">
    Create and submit message templates for Meta approval without leaving Xobito.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Delivery analytics" icon="chart-bar">
    Track sent, delivered, read, and replied rates per campaign.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API & webhooks" icon="code">
    Trigger messages from your own apps and push events to your stack.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How the pieces fit together

Here's the big picture. Connecting creates a direct pipe between Meta and Xobito.

```
  ┌─────────────┐       ┌────────────┐       ┌────────────┐       ┌──────────┐
  │   Your      │       │            │       │            │       │  Your    │
  │   Customer  │◀─────▶│   WhatsApp │◀─────▶│    Meta    │◀─────▶│  Xobito  │
  │   (phone)   │       │   App      │       │  Cloud API │       │  Account │
  └─────────────┘       └────────────┘       └────────────┘       └──────────┘
                                                    ▲
                                                    │ webhook
                                                    │ (auto-configured)
                                                    ▼
                                            ┌───────────────┐
                                            │    Xobito     │
                                            │    Server     │
                                            └───────────────┘
```

1. A customer messages your WhatsApp number (or you send first via a template).
2. Meta receives and routes the message.
3. Meta **pushes** the event to Xobito via webhook.
4. Xobito shows the message in your inbox and runs any matching automations.
5. When you reply, Xobito calls Meta's API to **send** the outbound message.

<Info>
  Xobito never sees the contents of your customer's phone or their WhatsApp app. We only see the messages Meta forwards to us, for your WABA, through the official API.
</Info>

## What Xobito stores

When you connect, Xobito saves the minimum it needs:

| Stored                          | Why                                                                                        |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Meta access token**           | To call the Cloud API on your behalf (send messages, create templates). Encrypted at rest. |
| **WABA ID and Phone Number ID** | To address the right account/number when making API calls.                                 |
| **Your webhook subscription**   | So Meta knows where to forward events.                                                     |
| **Messages & conversations**    | Your inbox history, so you can see and search chats.                                       |
| **Templates**                   | Synced from Meta so you can browse and edit them.                                          |

We do **not** store your Meta Business Manager password. Login happens via Meta's own OAuth-style dialog — your password never touches Xobito.

## What connecting does NOT do

<Warning>
  Common misconceptions to avoid:
</Warning>

* It does **not** move your phone number off the WhatsApp app — you have to remove it from the phone app first (Meta's rule).
* It does **not** grant Xobito access to your personal WhatsApp or your Messenger.
* It does **not** auto-send anything. You're in full control of when messages go out.
* It does **not** charge you separately from Xobito — Meta bills you directly for conversations.

## How long does connecting take?

<Steps>
  <Step title="Prerequisites in place">
    Meta Business Manager + verified business + clean phone number = \~15 minutes if it's all fresh, or already done if you have one.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Embedded signup">
    About **2–5 minutes** once you click "Connect WhatsApp" — you click through Meta's dialog, pick your WABA, verify the phone via OTP, and you're done.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Display name approval">
    If this is a new number, Meta reviews your display name. Usually **minutes to a few hours**; occasionally up to 2 business days.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ready to send">
    Once approved, you can immediately send template messages and receive replies.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## The connection lifecycle

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="1. Prepare" icon="clipboard-check" href="/whatsapp/prerequisites">
    Confirm you have everything needed — Business Manager, verified business, available number.
  </Card>

  <Card title="2. Connect" icon="link" href="/whatsapp/connect-meta-business">
    Walk through Meta's embedded signup from the **Setup → Connect WhatsApp** page.
  </Card>

  <Card title="3. Manage" icon="phone" href="/whatsapp/phone-numbers">
    View phone numbers, check quality and messaging tier, update display names.
  </Card>

  <Card title="4. Webhooks" icon="bolt" href="/whatsapp/webhook-setup">
    Verify that inbound events are reaching Xobito.
  </Card>

  <Card title="5. Disconnect" icon="plug-circle-xmark" href="/whatsapp/disconnect">
    Know how to cleanly unlink and what happens to your data.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Most users get from "never heard of WABA" to "first test message sent" in under 30 minutes. The [Quickstart](/quickstart) condenses it.
</Tip>

## Where to go next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Prerequisites" icon="list-check" href="/whatsapp/prerequisites">
    The checklist of what you need before connecting.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect Meta Business" icon="facebook" href="/whatsapp/connect-meta-business">
    The full walkthrough with screenshots and troubleshooting.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>