WhatsApp Business Setup

    Connect your WhatsApp Business number through your own app in Meta for Developers. Incoming WhatsApp messages appear in WeblioHub Messages, the chatbot AI can answer them, and you can reply from the dashboard. No approval from WeblioHub or Meta App Review is needed; setup usually takes 10–15 minutes.

    Watch the WhatsApp setup guide

    See every step in about two minutes: create the Meta app, copy your IDs, token and secret, connect WeblioHub and add the webhook.

    Before you start

    • A Facebook account with access to your Meta business portfolio (Business Manager).
    • A phone number for WhatsApp Business. To try it first, Meta gives you a free test number.
    • Access to WeblioHub Dashboard → Settings (or Settings in the WeblioHub Shopify app).

    1. Create a Meta app

    1. Open Meta for Developers → Create App.
    2. Enter an app name (for example "My Store WhatsApp") and continue.
    3. Use case: choose "Connect with customers through WhatsApp".
    4. Select your business portfolio (an unverified portfolio is fine), then Create app.

    Meta shows "No requirements" for this app: it only accesses your own WhatsApp account.

    2. Get the WhatsApp Business Account ID and Phone number ID

    In your app open Use cases → Connect on WhatsApp → Step 1. Try it out and click Continue. Meta shows your test number with two IDs:

    • Phone Number ID — the numeric ID under the number (not the phone number itself).
    • WhatsApp Business account ID

    To test, add your own phone in the Recipient field and enter the code WhatsApp sends you. For real customers, add your business number under Step 2. Production setup.

    3. Create a permanent access token

    The token from "Generate token" in Try it out expires after about 24 hours. WeblioHub refuses it unless you tick "Temporary test token". For real use create a never-expiring token:

    1. Open Business Settings → System users and add a system user (role: Admin).
    2. Assign assets: your Meta app and your WhatsApp account (full control).
    3. Generate a token for your app, expiry Never, permissions whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management.
    4. Copy the token — Meta shows it only once.

    4. Copy the App secret

    Open Meta for Developers → My Apps, select your app, go to App settings → Basic and click Show next to App secret (Meta may ask for your password). WeblioHub uses it only to verify that incoming messages really come from your app.

    5. Connect WhatsApp in WeblioHub

    Go to Dashboard → Settings → Chatbot → WhatsApp (in the Shopify app: Settings → Chatbot → WhatsApp). Paste the four values and click Connect WhatsApp. WeblioHub checks them with Meta and stores the token and secret encrypted.

    6. Add the webhook to your Meta app

    1. After connecting, WeblioHub shows a Callback URL and a Verify token with copy buttons.
    2. In your Meta app open Use cases → Connect on WhatsApp → Step 2. Production setup → Configure Webhooks.
    3. Paste both values and click Verify and save.
    4. In Webhook fields, subscribe to messages.

    If you disconnect and reconnect, WeblioHub creates a new webhook URL; paste the new values into Meta again.

    7. Publish your Meta app

    Meta delivers messages from real customers only when the app is published. Open Publish in your app's left menu and publish it before you use the number with customers. Test recipients you added in Try it out work without publishing.

    8. Show a WhatsApp button on your website

    In the WhatsApp settings enable Show on website. Choose position, size, tooltip and an optional first message that is prefilled in the visitor's WhatsApp. If your chatbot uses the same corner, Group shows one button that opens chat, WhatsApp (and Telegram); Stack shows separate buttons. No second script is needed.

    9. Test

    • Send a message from your phone to the WhatsApp number.
    • Open Dashboard → Messages (filter WhatsApp) and check the conversation and the AI reply.
    • Reply from Messages and confirm it arrives on the phone.

    Troubleshooting

    • "Temporary token" error — create a never-expiring System User token (step 3), or tick Temporary test token for testing.
    • Phone number ID rejected — use the numeric Phone number ID from Try it out, and the WhatsApp Business account ID of the same number.
    • Messages do not arrive — check the webhook (step 6), the messages subscription, and that the app is published (step 7).
    • Replies stopped — the token expired or was revoked; reconnect with a new System User token.

    More details: Meta — WhatsApp Cloud API get started.