Create a WhatsApp Cloud API app
- Go to developers.facebook.com, create a Business app, and add the WhatsApp product to it
- Open WhatsApp -> API Setup, add or pick a phone number, and copy its Phone Number ID
- Create a permanent access token (through a System User in Business Settings) — the temporary token shown on the API Setup page expires after 24 hours, so use a permanent one for production
- Copy your App Secret from App settings -> Basic
Connect to Chatonio
- Go to Projects -> your project -> Channels
- Click Add channel, choose WhatsApp as the channel type, give it a name and press Create
The new channel appears in the list below the form. Open its Settings and fill in the WhatsApp (Cloud API) card — Phone Number ID, Access token and App secret — then click Connect.
Chatonio then shows a Callback URL and a Verify token. In your Meta app under WhatsApp -> Configuration, paste both into the webhook settings and subscribe to the "messages" field. Nothing reaches your inbox until you do — this step is easy to skip and is the usual reason a freshly connected number stays silent.
That is it! Messages sent to your WhatsApp number will now appear in your Chatonio inbox, and the AI will respond automatically.
The 24-hour window
WhatsApp only lets a business send free-form messages within 24 hours of the customer’s last message. Because your AI and operators always reply to an incoming message, everyday support works normally — the customer messages first, and you reply. If a customer has been silent for more than 24 hours, an outbound message will not be delivered and the operator sees a “24-hour window closed” note; the customer just needs to message again to reopen the conversation.
Good to know
- WhatsApp is a 1:1 messaging channel — like the Telegram and Viber bots, each customer chats with your business number privately. Available on the Advanced plan and above
- You bring your own Meta app and phone number, and Chatonio connects to the official WhatsApp Cloud API — you pay Meta directly for messaging. Meta offers a free test number so you can try it before going live
- You can send and receive text and attachments (images, files, video)
- Your access token and App Secret are stored encrypted