# WhatsApp {% hint style="info" %} Publish to WhatsApp with the Lite plan and above. {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} Requires [Meta Developer](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/register/) and [Meta Business](https://business.facebook.com/settings) accounts. {% endhint %} Publishing an AI agent to WhatsApp allows your audience to interact with the agent—and [subsequently with live agents](https://documentation.proto.cx/docs/modules/ai-agents/workflows-and-actions/human-handoff)—in a WhatsApp thread. In the agent's **Publish** tab, [create a WhatsApp channel](https://documentation.proto.cx/docs/modules/ai-agents/publishing/..#add-a-channel) or select an existing one from the table to open its settings. *** ## Basic Settings In the **Basics** accordion, the following options are available: * **Name** — the internal name of the channel, used to distinguish from any other WhatsApp channels the agent is published to. * **Default chat language** — the language used by the AI agent at the start of a new chat. Available languages are set in the agent's [General](https://documentation.proto.cx/docs/modules/manage-ai-agents#general) settings. * **Icon** — the channel's avatar seen by live agents in the [Inbox](https://documentation.proto.cx/docs/modules/inbox) dashboard. Press **Save** to confirm edits. *** ## Connecting to WhatsApp In the **Configuration** accordion, four values are required from your Meta Developer account: * **App ID** * **App secret** * **User access token** * **Phone number ID** Then, you'll need to integrate a Proto webhook with Meta Developer. Follow the guides below for each step. *** ### App ID and App Secret Meta Developer provides the app ID and secret: 1. Login to your [Meta Developer account](https://developers.facebook.com/). 2. If you don't already have a Meta app for this connection: 1. Go to **My Apps**. 2. Select **Create App**. 3. Fill in the required details and press **Create app**. 3. Go to **My Apps** and select the one you want to connect to Proto. 4. In its **Dashboard** tab, scroll down to WhatsApp and select **Set up**. 5. Create or choose a **Meta Business Account** and press **Continue**. At this stage: * Your App is associated with the Meta Business Account. * A WhatsApp test phone number is made available, to prevent having to register or migrate a real number. Test numbers can send unlimited messages to up to five recipients, anywhere in the world. 6. In the **Settings > Basic** tab, copy the **App ID** and **App secret** and paste them into Proto's respective WhatsApp configuration fields. *** ### User Account Token Meta Business provides the user account token: 1. Login to [Meta Business](https://business.facebook.com/settings) with the same Meta Business account used earlier. 2. Select the **business** connected to your Meta App and WhatsApp account. 3. If there's no **System User**, select **Add** to apply an **ADMIN** system user to the Business Account. 4. In the System Users screen, ensure the Meta App is listed under **Assigned Assets**. If not, select **Add Assets** and add the app for system users. 5. Select **Generate Token** and choose the **Meta App**. 6. Before generating the token, you must enable the business\_management permission for your app: 1. In a new tab, go to [Meta Developer](https://developers.facebook.com/) > **My Apps** > select your app. 2. Navigate to **Permissions and features** (under Use cases > Customize). 3. Find business\_management in the permissions list. 4. Select **Add to App Review** to enable it for your app. 5. Return to the System User token generation screen in Meta Business. 7. After choosing the app, a list of available permissions appears. Select the following: * **whatsapp\_business\_management** * **whatsapp\_business\_messaging** * **business\_management** 8. Press **Generate Token**, and paste it into Proto's WhatsApp **User access token** field. *** ### Phone Number ID Connect a chosen phone number to your WhatsApp account by getting its phone number ID. Starting in Meta Business: 1. Login to [Meta Business](https://business.facebook.com/settings) with the same Meta Business account used earlier. 2. Go to **Business Manager** and select your **business**. 3. Select **三** (3 lines) in the top left corner. 4. Go to the **Engage customers** section. 5. Select **WhatsApp Manager**. 6. Select the **WhatsApp Business account** that you want to set up the phone number for. 7. Navigate to the left-most menu and select **Phone Numbers**. 8. Press **Add Phone Number**. 9. In the Business profile section, enter your **WhatsApp Business display name** and the **category** of your business, and proceed with **Next**. Your customers will see the display name when they receive messages from you. 10. Enter the **phone number** for your business, choose how you'd like to verify, and proceed with **Next**. 11. Enter the **verification code**. 12. Add the new phone number to your phone number list. The certificate for this phone number will be provided based on your current business account status: * If verified, your display name is ready and the certificate is available for download immediately. * If unverified, your phone number will be pending review. Once approved, use the **View** button to see the available certificate for the phone number. Then, in Meta Developer: 1. Login to [Meta Developer](https://developers.facebook.com/). 2. Go to **My Apps** > **WhatsApp** > **Getting Started**. 3. Copy the **Phone Number ID,** and paste it into Proto's WhatsApp **Phone Number ID** field. *** ### Proto Webhook For Proto to send and receive message from WhatsApp, a webhook integration is required. 1. Login to [Meta Developer](https://developers.facebook.com/). 2. Go to **My Apps** > **WhatsApp** > **Configuration**. 3. Under Webhooks press **Edit**, which prompts for the following: * **Callback URL** — copy in the **Webhook URL** from Proto's WhatsApp **Webhook** accordion. * **Verify Token**: copy in the **App secret** from Proto's WhatsApp **Setup** accordion. 4. Press **Verify and Save**. 5. Go back to **My Apps > WhatsApp** > **Configuration**. 6. Under Webhooks press **Manage**. 7. In the Webhooks table, locate the messages field and enable its subscription toggle. This allows Proto to exchange messages with WhatsApp. {% hint style="warning" %} Business must [receive opt-in](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/overview/getting-opt-in) before messaging a person on WhatsApp. {% endhint %} *** ## WhatsApp Messaging Incoming messages are unlimited, but there are limits for outgoing messages. See WhatsApp's [messaging limits](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/messaging-limits#messaging) for more information on messaging tiers. Use WhatsApp's [message templates](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/cloud-api/guides/send-message-templates) to send business-initiated messages to people who've opted into notifications or customer care messages. *** ## WhatsApp Pricing Businesses are charged [per conversation](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing) by Meta, completely independent of Proto. The first 1,000 conversations each month are free, and [credit card must be added](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/488291839463771) to your Meta Business account for more. *** ## Using WhatsApp Add the WhatsApp account's phone number to your contacts, then start a new WhatsApp chat with that contact. This will begin a thread with the AI agent.