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Connect WhatsApp

Link your WhatsApp Business number to AethenoxAI so you can start sending and receiving messages. There are two ways to connect — pick the one that matches how you use WhatsApp today.

On this page
  1. 1. Prerequisites
  2. 2. Two ways to connect
  3. 3. Standard connection
  4. 4. Coexistence connection
  5. 5. Verify connection

Prerequisites

  • • A Meta Business Account (create one at business.facebook.com if you do not have one)
  • • Admin access to that Meta Business Account
  • • A WhatsApp Business phone number — one you can verify (standard), or one already running on the WhatsApp Business app (coexistence)

Two ways to connect

Standard — "Connect with Facebook"

Your number runs fully on AethenoxAI's platform (the WhatsApp Cloud API). Best for new numbers, or numbers not already in daily use on a phone. The number is managed entirely from AethenoxAI.

Coexistence — "Use my WhatsApp Business app"

Keep using the WhatsApp Business app on your phone and connect the same number to AethenoxAI. No account deletion, no lost chats. Best if your team already chats from the app every day and wants to keep doing so.

Standard connection

1
Go to WhatsApp → Channels
In the dashboard sidebar, click "WhatsApp", then select "Channels".
2
Click "Connect"
Open the connect dialog, then click "Connect with Facebook".
3
Complete the Meta popup
A Meta sign-up window opens. Sign in, create or choose a WhatsApp Business Account, then select and verify the phone number you want to use, and grant AethenoxAI the requested permissions.
4
Done — the number activates automatically
AethenoxAI registers the webhook and activates the number. It appears on the Channels page with a green "Active" status.
Info
With the standard method your number runs on the WhatsApp Cloud API, so it can no longer be used in the consumer WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app on a phone at the same time. If you want to keep using the app on your phone, use Coexistence below instead.

Coexistence connection

Coexistence lets you connect a number that is already live on the WhatsApp Business app on a phone — without deleting the account or losing your chats. You keep messaging from the app, and those conversations also flow into AethenoxAI.

1
Go to WhatsApp → Channels → Connect
Open the connect dialog as above.
2
Click "Use my WhatsApp Business app"
Choose the second option, "Use my WhatsApp Business app", instead of "Connect with Facebook".
3
Choose "Connect a WhatsApp Business App"
In the Meta popup, pick your Business portfolio. Then, in the "WhatsApp Business account" dropdown, select "Connect a WhatsApp Business App" (not "Create a WhatsApp Business account").
4
Enter your WhatsApp Business number
Type the phone number that is currently running on the WhatsApp Business app on your phone.
5
Confirm on your phone
Approve the connection from your phone — in the WhatsApp Business app, go to Settings → Linked devices and confirm / scan the code when prompted.
6
Done — connected in coexistence mode
The number appears on the Channels page as "Active" with a "Coexistence" badge. It stays fully usable on your phone.
Tip
Messages you send to customers from the WhatsApp Business app on your phone also appear in your AethenoxAI inbox, so your whole team stays in sync.
Info
Keep the WhatsApp Business app installed and the number active on the phone. A few WhatsApp limits apply to coexistence numbers (for example, group chats don't sync). Some regions and number types aren't eligible yet — if "Connect a WhatsApp Business App" doesn't appear, your number may not be supported.

Verify connection

1
Check the channel status
On the Channels page your number should show a green "Active" status (coexistence numbers also show a "Coexistence" badge).
2
Send a test message
Go to WhatsApp → Inbox and send a message to a contact. If it's delivered, your connection is working.
Tip
If you run into issues, check the WhatsApp → Debug Log page to see incoming webhook events and troubleshoot connectivity.
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