These are common issue that you might face while connecting your WhatsApp Business number to Take App:
Phone Number Is Linked to Another Business Asset
A WhatsApp phone number can only be connected to one WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) at a time.
During onboarding, merchants may encounter issues if the phone number is already linked to another business asset, such as:
Another WhatsApp Business Account
A different Meta Business Manager
A previous WhatsApp Business API provider (BSP)
A test WABA created earlier
When this happens, the system cannot connect the phone number to the new WABA because Meta detects that the number is already assigned elsewhere.
Typical symptoms include:
The phone number cannot be selected during onboarding
Connection attempts fail
The onboarding process shows that the number is already in use
Solution:
The phone number must be unlinked from the existing business asset before it can be connected to the new WhatsApp Business Account.
Option 1 — Remove the Number from the Previous WABA
Log in to Meta Business Manager
Go to Business Settings
Select WhatsApp Accounts
Choose the WhatsApp Business Account currently linked to the phone number
Navigate to Phone Numbers
Select the phone number
Remove or disconnect the number from the account
Once removed, the phone number can be used again during onboarding.
Option 2 — Request Access from the Existing Business Manager
If the number belongs to another Business Manager:
Ask the owner of that Business Manager to grant access to your business
Or request them to remove the phone number from their WhatsApp Business Account
Option 3 — Contact Your Previous BSP
If the phone number is still linked to a previous provider:
Contact the previous BSP
Request them to release or migrate the phone number
Complete the migration or reconnection process
After the phone number has been successfully unlinked, you can retry the onboarding process and connect the number to your WhatsApp Business Account.
Business Verification Not Completed
Before a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) can be fully activated, the business must complete Meta Business Verification. This process confirms the legal identity of the company using official documents.
If the business is not verified, merchants may experience issues such as:
Unable to connect their WhatsApp phone number
WhatsApp Business Account is not being approved
Messaging features are being restricted
Display name approval delays
Business verification may remain pending, rejected, or not started, which prevents the WhatsApp onboarding process from completing.
Solution
Follow these steps to complete business verification:
Log in to Meta Business Manager
Go to Business Settings
Navigate to Security Center
Locate Business Verification
Click Start Verification
Prepare the following documents before submitting:
Business registration certificate
Utility bill or bank statement
Proof of business address
Website domain verification (if required)
After submission:
Meta typically reviews the verification request within 1–5 business days
If the verification is rejected, review the rejection reason and upload the corrected documents
Once the business verification is approved, you can continue the WhatsApp onboarding process.
OTP Verification Not Received
During the WhatsApp onboarding process, a One-Time Password (OTP) is sent via SMS or voice call to verify ownership of the phone number.
In some cases, merchants may not receive the OTP due to the following reasons:
Incorrect phone number format
Carrier blocking verification messages
The phone number cannot receive international SMS
Network connectivity issues
Temporary verification request limits
The phone number cannot be successfully registered for the WhatsApp Business API without completing the OTP verification step.
Solution
Try the following steps to resolve the issue:
Confirm the phone number is entered with the correct country code.
Example format:
+65XXXXXXXX
Ensure the phone number is able to receive:
International SMS
Automated voice calls
Request the OTP again and choose the voice call option if SMS is not received.
Disable any SMS filtering, call blocking, or spam protection settings on the phone.
Wait a few minutes before requesting another OTP to avoid temporary verification limits.
If the OTP is still not received, contact your telecom provider to ensure that verification messages from Meta are not blocked.
Display Name Rejected
Each WhatsApp Business phone number must have a display name, which is the name shown to customers when they receive messages from your business.
Meta reviews display names to ensure they accurately represent the business and follow WhatsApp’s naming guidelines. A display name may be rejected if it does not comply with these rules.
Common reasons for rejection include:
The display name does not match the official business name
The name contains promotional or marketing phrases
The name includes generic terms that do not identify the business
The name does not match the business website or brand identity
The name contains excessive punctuation, emojis, or special characters
If the display name is rejected, the phone number may not be able to send messages until a compliant name is submitted and approved.
Solution
Update the display name to follow Meta’s display name guidelines and submit it again for review.
Recommended best practices:
Use the official business name
Ensure the name matches the business website or brand
Avoid promotional phrases or marketing language
Avoid emojis or special characters
Keep the name clear and identifiable
Examples
Approved examples:
ABC Electronics
FreshMart Grocery
GreenLeaf Café
Rejected examples:
Best Electronics Deals
Cheap Pizza Delivery
Super Sale Store!!!
After updating the display name, submit it again for approval. Meta typically reviews display names within 24–48 hours.
Phone Number Status Pending After WABA Approval
In some cases, a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) may be successfully approved, but the phone number status remains "Pending". This means the phone number has been added to the WABA but is still under review by Meta.
During this review period, the phone number may not yet be fully activated for messaging. As a result, merchants may experience the following symptoms:
Unable to send WhatsApp messages
Phone number shows Pending status in WhatsApp Manager
Messaging features are temporarily restricted
Display name review is still in progress
This situation typically occurs because Meta is reviewing the phone number configuration, including the display name and compliance checks.
Solution
If your phone number status is showing as Pending, follow these steps:
Log in to Meta Business Manager.
Go to WhatsApp Manager.
Select your WhatsApp Business Account.
Navigate to Phone Numbers.
Check the status of the phone number.
If the status is Pending, it usually means the phone number is undergoing review.
Recommended actions
Wait for Meta to complete the review process.
Ensure the display name follows WhatsApp guidelines.
Confirm that the business information and website are correctly set up.
Avoid repeatedly modifying the phone number configuration during the review.
Meta typically completes phone number reviews within a few hours to 24 hours, but in some cases it may take longer.
Phone Number Keeps Getting Disconnected
In some cases, a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) may appear to be successfully connected, but the phone number repeatedly becomes disconnected after the initial setup.
Although WhatsApp allows simultaneous use of the WhatsApp Business mobile app and a third-party integration, the connection may become unstable if the phone number is re-registered or activated in another WhatsApp client environment.
Common causes include:
The phone number is re-registered in WhatsApp Messenger or WhatsApp Business App, triggering a new verification process
The phone number is used to activate WhatsApp Desktop (Windows/Mac) as a primary device
The number is connected to another WhatsApp Business API provider (BSP)
The phone number migration process from another BSP was not fully completed
The WhatsApp account session was reset due to reinstallation or device change
When these actions occur, WhatsApp may invalidate the existing API connection, causing the integration to disconnect.
Typical symptoms include:
The phone number connects successfully during onboarding
The status later changes to Disconnected
Messaging suddenly stops working
The integration requires reconnection
Solution
Option 1 - Avoid Re-Registering the Phone Number
If the phone number is already connected to a WhatsApp Business Account through your integration:
Do not verify or re-register the number again in WhatsApp Messenger or WhatsApp Business App
Avoid entering a new verification code for the same number on another device
Re-registration may reset the WhatsApp session and disconnect the API integration.
Option 2 - Do Not Activate WhatsApp Desktop as a Primary Setup
If merchants try to activate the WhatsApp Windows or Desktop app using the phone number directly, it may create a new WhatsApp session and disrupt the integration.
Instead, if WhatsApp Desktop is needed:
Install the app
Use the Linked Devices feature from the WhatsApp Business mobile app
Connect the desktop client by scanning the QR code
This ensures the desktop client runs as a linked session, not a new WhatsApp registration.
Option 3 - Confirm the Number Is Not Connected to Another BSP
If the phone number was previously used with another provider:
Contact the previous BSP
Request them to release or migrate the phone number
Ensure the migration process has been fully completed
Option 4 - Reconnect the Integration
If the phone number has already been disconnected:
Log in to WhatsApp Manager in Meta Business Manager
Go to Phone Numbers
Select the disconnected phone number
Reconnect the number through the onboarding process
Once the phone number is no longer being re-registered or activated in other WhatsApp environments, the connection should remain stable.