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Connecting WhatsApp is quick — if you have the prerequisites in place. This page is a careful checklist so you don’t get halfway through the signup and hit a wall.
Most “stuck connecting” support tickets trace back to one of these prerequisites being missed. Please go through each section carefully.

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The short checklist

A Meta Business Manager account (sometimes called “Business Suite”).
A Meta business verification (required to go beyond the trial tier).
A phone number that is NOT currently in use on the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app.
A display name for that number that complies with Meta’s rules.
Your Facebook login (personal) with admin access to the Business Manager.
Access to receive SMS or a phone call on the number you’re connecting.
A website and business email matching your display name (recommended for approval).
Now the details on each.

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1. Meta Business Manager

Meta Business Manager (at business.facebook.com) is the free Meta tool that holds your ad accounts, Pages, Instagram accounts, and WABAs. You need at least one.
1

Go to business.facebook.com

Log in with your personal Facebook account.
2

Click 'Create Account'

If you don’t already have a Business Manager, click Create Account in the top-right.
3

Fill in business details

Enter your business name (exactly as on your legal docs), your own name, and work email.
4

Confirm your email

Click the confirmation link Meta sends.
If you already run Facebook/Instagram ads for this business, you already have a Business Manager. Check at business.facebook.com/overview.

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2. Meta business verification

Verification is Meta’s review of your business documents — it confirms you’re a real company.

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Who needs it?

  • Everyone eventually — the un-verified trial tier caps you at 250 unique contacts per day.
  • Required before you can send at scale, use a custom display name freely, or unlock higher messaging tiers.
You can connect and test Xobito before you’re verified. But you’ll be limited to 250 contacts/day until Meta finishes verification.

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How to start verification

1

Open Security Center

In Business Manager, go to Settings → Security Center.
2

Click 'Start Verification'

Meta guides you through uploading documents.
3

Upload required documents

Typically: business registration certificate, utility bill showing the business address, or tax registration.
4

Wait for review

Reviews take anywhere from a few hours to ~2 weeks depending on region and demand.
Documents tips: use color scans (not photos), make sure the business name matches exactly across all documents, and ensure your Business Manager name matches the legal name on the documents.

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3. A clean phone number

This is the one people stumble on most. The phone number you want to connect to Xobito must satisfy all of the following:
It is a real, reachable number — landline or mobile — that can receive SMS or an international phone call.
It is not currently active on the regular WhatsApp app or the WhatsApp Business app.
It has not been used on the WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) in the last 60 days, unless you’re reconnecting your own.
It hasn’t been banned from WhatsApp previously.

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How to free up a number

If your number is currently on the WhatsApp/Business app:
1

Back up any chats you want to keep

On the old phone: Settings → Chats → Chat Backup.
2

Delete the WhatsApp account on that number

Settings → Account → Delete My Account. Enter the number. This removes the number from WhatsApp.
3

Wait at least a few minutes

Give Meta’s systems time to free the number.
4

Now it's eligible for the Cloud API

You can use it in Xobito’s connect flow.
Deletion is irreversible — all chat history tied to that number on the regular WhatsApp app is gone forever. Back up first.

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Can I buy a new number just for Xobito?

Absolutely, and many businesses prefer to. A fresh SIM or VoIP number (Twilio, Plivo, Vonage) works well as long as it can receive at least one verification SMS or phone call.
Once verified through Meta, the number doesn’t need a physical SIM anymore. You could connect via a VoIP number, verify it once, and never need it again (except for the occasional re-verification).

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4. Display name rules

Your display name is what appears in your customer’s WhatsApp chat list — e.g. “Xobito Support” or “Acme Store”. Meta’s rules (summary):
Must relate to your actual business name shown in your Business Manager and on your website.
Must not be misleading (no “Official [Brand]” if you’re not the brand).
Must not use only a generic word (“Support”, “Team”) — add your business name.
Must not contain slogans, emoji, or ALL CAPS marketing phrases.
Minimum 3 characters, maximum 25.
Good: Acme Store, Acme Support, Acme Bookings. Bad: Best Deals Ever, SUPPORT, 🔥 Acme 🔥.

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What if my display name is rejected?

You can retry with a compliant alternative. Repeated rejections can temporarily block you from retrying for 30 days, so review Meta’s display name guidelines carefully first.

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5. Facebook login with admin access

Xobito’s connect flow opens Meta’s login dialog. You need to log in with a Facebook account that:
Is an Admin of the Business Manager.
Has WhatsApp Business Account permissions (usually granted to admins automatically).
Is not locked for security review.
If you’re the founder setting this up, you’re almost certainly already an admin. If you’re an agency setting this up for a client, make sure the client has added you as an admin before the connect flow.
Meta reviews the online presence tied to your display name. Having:
  • A working website with your business name, contact info, and privacy policy
  • A business email on your own domain (e.g. contact@acme.com, not @gmail.com)
…significantly speeds up display name approval and reduces the chance of a Red quality rating later.

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Troubleshooting prerequisites

Meta allows sole proprietors and freelancers to verify too, but you’ll need documentation that ties your name to the business (tax registration, invoice, or similar). If you don’t have any business documentation, the Cloud API may not be for you yet — Meta specifically requires business use.
Check the Security Center for a “More info needed” prompt — Meta sometimes requests additional docs silently. If there’s no prompt, open a case via Business Manager’s Help Center.
Try switching from SMS to “Call me” option in the Meta dialog. Some carriers block automated SMS from Meta. Also confirm the number is written in full international format.
The number is still active in WhatsApp/Business app or was recently removed and Meta hasn’t released it yet. Delete it from the app if you haven’t, then wait 15–30 minutes and retry.
You can create a dedicated Facebook account for business use, add it as an admin of the Business Manager, and log in with that. Meta requires a Facebook personal account to own a Business Manager — this is Meta’s design, not Xobito’s.

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Ready?

Once all the checkboxes above are ticked, you’re set.

Connect Meta Business

Walk through the embedded signup with screenshots.

Overview

Revisit the big picture of how connection works.