Before you start
- A Pro or Business plan
- A Meta Business portfolio (business.facebook.com) where you're an admin
- A WhatsApp number set up on the WhatsApp Cloud API with a Meta developer app (developers.facebook.com)
Steps
Find your phone number ID and WhatsApp Business Account ID
On developers.facebook.com, open your app → WhatsApp → API Setup. Copy the Phone number ID and the WhatsApp Business Account ID shown for your number.
Create a system user
In business.facebook.com go to Settings → Users → System users → Add. Name it Handyva with the Admin role.
Give it access to your app and WhatsApp account
Select the system user → Assign assets. Add your app with full control, and your WhatsApp account with full control.
Generate a permanent token
Click Generate token, choose your app, set expiry to Never, and tick whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management. Copy the token (it starts with
EAA).Copy your app secret
Back on developers.facebook.com, open your app → App settings → Basic → App secret → Show, and copy it. Handyva uses it to check that incoming messages really come from Meta.
Paste everything on handyva.com
Go to handyva.com/connect/whatsapp_business (or open WhatsApp Business from the dashboard's Connections page) and paste the details into the form. Never paste keys into the Telegram chat; Handyva will tell you to change them if you do.
Handyva checks the number with Meta, then shows you a Callback URL and a Verify token.
Point WhatsApp messages at Handyva
In your app on developers.facebook.com go to WhatsApp → Configuration → Webhook → Edit. Paste the Callback URL and Verify token from Handyva, tap Verify and save, then under Webhook fields subscribe to messages.
All set
You're sent back to handyva.com and Handyva confirms in Telegram that WhatsApp Business is connected. Try asking it something straight away.
Send your business number a test message from another phone and ask Handyva “any new WhatsApp messages?”.
What Handyva can access
- Receive messages customers send to your business number
- Send replies you've approved from your business number
- Read your number's details
Handyva only uses this access to do what you ask, never shares it, and always shows you messages, replies and posts before they go out.
Disconnect
In Handyva: dashboard → Connections → Disconnect, or tell the bot “disconnect my account”. On the platform: business.facebook.com → Settings → System users → Handyva → revoke the token or remove the user, and remove Handyva's Callback URL under WhatsApp → Configuration.
Troubleshooting
“Verify and save” fails in Meta
Copy the Callback URL and Verify token again from Handyva's page; both must match exactly with no spaces.
Handyva says the token is invalid
Check the system user has your WhatsApp account assigned and the token includes both whatsapp_business permissions. Generate a new one if unsure.
Messages arrive in WhatsApp but Handyva doesn't see them
Make sure messages is subscribed under Webhook fields and your app is in Live mode.
Questions
Can Handyva message customers who haven't written to me?
No. WhatsApp only allows free-form replies within 24 hours of the customer's last message. Outside that window Meta requires approved message templates.
Is there a simpler way?
One-click WhatsApp signup is coming once Meta approves Handyva as a Tech Provider. The steps above work today.
Does this work with the WhatsApp Business app on my phone?
Only if your number is also connected to the Cloud API (Meta's coexistence feature). Numbers used only in the app can't be connected yet.