WhatsApp Initial Setup

Setting up the WhatsApp integration in your Social WiFi panel takes just a few minutes. This guide walks you through the requirements, the activation process, and the steps you’ll complete inside Meta’s embedded sign-up window.

You can start by reading our explainer PDF:

WhatsApp - How to Get Started

What you need before activation

To activate WhatsApp messaging, prepare the following:

1. Access to your company in Meta Business Suite

You must have administrator access to the company’s portfolio in Meta Business Suite. Business verification is recommended, but you can complete it later - it is not required to begin the setup.

2. A phone number for WhatsApp Business

You can use an existing phone number or create a new, dedicated one. The number must not already be connected to the standard WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app. If it is, you will be asked to remove it from the app or choose another number.

3. A payment method in Meta Business Suite

Meta (owner of WhatsApp) bills you directly for outgoing messages. Make sure a valid payment method is added to your Business Suite account.

4. (If applicable) Update to your networking hardware

Customers who installed Social WiFi before December 2025 must update their networking hardware configuration to add two WhatsApp domains to the walled garden.

Please refer to the “walled garden” or “pre authentication access” sections for the appropriate hardware vendor for instructions:

Installation Guides

Once you have everything prepared, follow these steps:

Log in to your Social WiFi Client Panel.
Select WhatsApp from the left-hand menu.
Click Activate WhatsApp Integration.

A new window will appear - this is Meta’s Embedded Signup flow. All remaining configuration is completed inside this window.

The embedded sign-up process is controlled by Meta and consists of several small steps. Below is what you can expect.

Step 1: Choose or create a Meta Business account

You will be asked to:

Select an existing Meta Business Account or
Create a new one if you don’t already have one

If your business is not verified yet, Meta may invite you to verify it later, but you can continue the setup without completing verification immediately.

Step 2: Select or create a WhatsApp Business profile

Next, you will choose:

An existing WhatsApp Business profile or
Create a new profile for your company

You will enter details such as the display name and business category. Some display names may require Meta approval if they do not clearly match your Business Account.

Step 3: Add or confirm a phone number

You will then select:

An existing eligible phone number or
Add a new number to be used exclusively for WhatsApp Business API

Meta will send a verification SMS or voice call to confirm ownership of the number. Enter the verification code in the setup window to continue.

Meta will ask you to approve access for Social WiFi to manage your WhatsApp Business API account, including:

Sending messages
Receiving incoming messages
Managing templates and phone numbers

Accept the permissions to finalize the connection.

Once the Meta setup is complete, the embedded window will close and the Social WiFi panel will refresh.

Post-setup checks

After the embedded signup completes, Social WiFi automatically checks your WhatsApp Business configuration. Depending on the results, you will see one of the following:

1. Business verification required

If your Meta Business Account is not verified, we will notify you. Verification is required for sending WhatsApp messages to users.

You will see a button linking directly to Meta’s verification process. Complete the verification in Meta Business Suite, then return to Social WiFi - we will detect the updated status automatically.

Meta documentation on verifying your business: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2058515294227817

2. Add payment method

WhatsApp requires an active payment method on your WhatsApp Business Account to send any messages - including the verification message used during the Social WiFi setup.

If no valid payment method is configured, you will see a notification inside Social WiFi prompting you to update your billing details.

You must add a payment method in WhatsApp Manager (https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/home/) for the WhatsApp Business Account you selected during the embedded signup. Once added, return to Social WiFi and refresh the page - we will automatically detect the updated billing status.

Meta documentation on payment setup: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/488291839463771

3. Send a WhatsApp test message

If everything appears ready, Social WiFi will guide you through a final confirmation step:

Enter a mobile phone number you can access.
Click Send Test Message.

We will send a short verification code via WhatsApp to that number.
Enter the code back into the panel to confirm successful delivery.

If the verification is successful, the WhatsApp integration is activated.
If we detect issues (for example, missing payment method or insufficient permissions), we will display an error message explaining how to resolve the problem.

Once your WhatsApp integration is active, you can offer guests a more convenient login experience.

To add the WhatsApp login widget:

Open your Social WiFi Client Panel.
Navigate to Login Page settings.
Add the WhatsApp login widget to the page.

Users will then be able to log in to your WiFi network using WhatsApp instead of email, improving both convenience for guests and verified contact collection for your business.

If you need assistance with templates, marketing campaigns, or troubleshooting, feel free to contact Social WiFi Support through email or chat.