Connect your WhatsApp Business number so WhatsApp messages arrive in the shared inbox next to email and live chat, and your team can reply from Kora Reply. WhatsApp is in beta, available on the Starter and Team plans, and works with your own WhatsApp Business Cloud API number (bring your own number).
What you need
Kora Reply connects to the official WhatsApp Cloud API from Meta, using your own WhatsApp Business account. Before you start, set up these in your Meta Business account (Meta's developer dashboard walks you through it):
- a WhatsApp Business Account with a phone number added to it,
- the phone number ID and the WhatsApp Business Account ID,
- a permanent access token (a system user token) with WhatsApp messaging permission,
- your Meta app's app secret.
A number that is already used in the regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business phone app must be moved to the Cloud API first. Meta explains how in its own documentation.
Connect the number
- In your workspace, open WhatsApp in the sidebar (owners and admins only).
- Enter the phone number ID, the WhatsApp Business Account ID, the access token and the app secret, then choose Check with Meta and connect. Kora Reply checks the details with Meta before saving them.
- Kora Reply shows a callback URL and a verify token for this inbox. In your Meta app, open the WhatsApp webhook settings, paste both, and subscribe to message events.
- Send a WhatsApp message to your business number from another phone. It should appear in the inbox as a new ticket.
Your token and app secret are stored encrypted, and only the last four characters are ever shown again. Every message Meta sends us is checked against your app secret, so nobody else can post fake messages into your inbox.
The 24 hour window
WhatsApp has its own rule for businesses: you can reply freely for 24 hours after the customer's last message. After that, you can only send a pre-approved message template until the customer writes again. Kora Reply shows when the window is open, and offers your approved templates once it has closed.
Good to know
- Internal notes are never sent to WhatsApp.
- The AI agent can answer WhatsApp messages from your help center, with the same handoff rules as live chat. See How the AI agent works.
- Meta charges for some WhatsApp conversations directly to your Meta account. Those charges are separate from your Kora Reply plan.
If you get stuck with the Meta side of the setup, message us on WhatsApp and we will walk you through it.