> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cura.so/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# WhatsApp connection issues

> WhatsApp number won't connect, connects but stays silent, or drops days later? Here's what each WhatsApp (Meta) message means, which limits are set by Meta vs fixable in Cura, and the exact steps to get your number receiving in the Cura Inbox.

WhatsApp is run by Meta, and most connection problems are **Meta rules about the phone number itself** — not something Cura controls. Cura connects your number through WhatsApp's official Embedded Signup, so once Meta is happy, messages flow into your Inbox automatically.

This article covers the account- and number-level issues you hit when connecting or running WhatsApp. Each item is labelled **Meta side** (you fix it in WhatsApp Manager / the WhatsApp Business app — we give the exact path) or **Cura side** (we fix it, or a Cura setting does).

<Note>
  Cura replies to inbound WhatsApp chats inside Meta's **24-hour service window** and does **not** send templates or broadcasts. If your issue is "the window closed" or "reply blocked after 24 hours", that's a different topic — see [Messaging windows by channel](/faqs/messaging-windows-by-channel).
</Note>

***

## "This number is already registered to an existing WhatsApp account"

**What you see:** During connect, the WhatsApp signup popup rejects your number with *"already registered to an existing WhatsApp account"* or *"linked to WhatsApp Personal or another Business Account"*.

**Why it happens (Meta side):** A phone number can live on **only one** WhatsApp at a time. If the number is still active on the consumer **WhatsApp** app or the free **WhatsApp Business** app, Meta won't let the API claim it until you either bring the app along (Coexistence) or free the number.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Decide: keep the app, or move the number">
    If you still want the front-desk staff to use the **WhatsApp Business app** on that number, choose **Coexistence** — it keeps the app *and* connects Cura to the same number (see the Coexistence section below). If you don't need the app, free the number instead.
  </Step>

  <Step title="To free the number: delete it from the app">
    On the phone, open **WhatsApp** (or **WhatsApp Business**) → **Settings → Account → Delete my account**. Back up chats first if you need them — deletion is permanent.

    <Warning>
      Deleting the account removes the number from the app for good. Only do this if you've chosen the non-Coexistence path and don't need the app on that number.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait, then reconnect in Cura">
    It can take **up to \~3 minutes** for Meta to release the number. Then run **Add Channel → WhatsApp** again in Cura.

    <Check>The signup popup now accepts the number and moves on to selecting the WhatsApp Business Account.</Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If the number was previously live on a **different provider's** Cloud API (not the app), this isn't a delete-from-app situation — it's a migration. See the next section.
</Tip>

***

## "This number isn't allowed to connect" — it's tied to another provider or credit line

**What you see:** The number is already on another provider (BSP), and connecting to Cura fails — often with a message about the WhatsApp Business Account already having a **payment method** or credit line, or asking you to **create a new WhatsApp Business Account**.

**Why it happens (Meta side):** When a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) already has a provider's **credit line** or **payment method** attached, Meta blocks connecting that same WABA to a second provider — this stops duplicate billing. Two Meta quirks make this stickier than it looks:

* A payment method, once added to a WABA, can be **revoked but never fully deleted**.
* A shared **credit line** from the old provider keeps the WABA locked to them until it's revoked.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Ask the old provider to unshare the credit line">
    The losing provider (or you, in their dashboard) must **revoke / unshare** the credit line from the WABA. Until that's done, Meta keeps messaging tied to them.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn off two-step verification on the old WABA">
    In [WhatsApp Manager](https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/) → **Phone numbers** → the number's **settings (gear)** → **Two-step verification → Turn off**. A migration can't re-register the number while a PIN you don't control is set. (More on the PIN in the next section.)
  </Step>

  <Step title="If Meta still blocks it: onboard under a NEW WABA">
    When a WABA is permanently tangled with an old payment method, the clean fix is to move the **number** onto a **new WhatsApp Business Account** during Cura's signup popup — the popup lets you create one. The number keeps its display name and history; only the account wrapper changes.

    <Check>The number connects to Cura and appears under **Integrations → Channels**.</Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Once your number is on Cura, **billing is on Cura's side** — you don't manage a separate WhatsApp credit line for inbound replies. If the old provider won't release the credit line, email **[support@cura.so](mailto:support@cura.so)** with the number and the old provider's name.
</Note>

***

## Two-step verification PIN and the 7-day lockout

**What you see:** Migrating your number into Cura fails at the verification step, or you're told to wait **7 days** before you can try again.

**Why it happens (Meta side):** Every WhatsApp number can have a **two-step verification PIN** (a 6-digit code). To move a number to a new provider, the number has to be re-registered — and that's blocked if an old PIN is still set. Enter the wrong PIN too many times and Meta **locks re-registration for 7 days** as an anti-abuse measure. There's no way to shorten the 7 days.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Disable two-step verification on the old WABA first">
    Before migrating, turn the PIN **off** on the losing side: [WhatsApp Manager](https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/) → **Phone numbers** → **settings (gear)** → **Two-step verification → Turn off**. If the old provider owns the account, ask **them** to disable it. Disabling it does **not** interrupt your current messaging.
  </Step>

  <Step title="If you're already locked out, wait the 7 days">
    There's no expedite. After the lockout clears, disable the PIN (step 1) and retry the connection in Cura.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  For a **brand-new** number (not a migration), Cura sets and manages the Cloud API PIN for you — you never have to pick or remember one. This section only bites when you're **bringing a number in from another provider**.
</Tip>

***

## "Too many attempts" — the 72-hour registration lockout (error 133016)

**What you see:** Connecting or re-registering fails with *"too many attempts for this phone number in a short period"* — often after several quick retries.

**Why it happens (Meta side):** Meta allows a number **10 register/deregister attempts per rolling 72-hour window**. Hit the 11th and Meta blocks registration for the number for **72 hours** (error **133016**). The window is rolling — it does **not** reset at midnight.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Stop retrying">
    Every extra attempt extends the pain. Don't keep clicking **Reconnect**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait out the 72-hour window">
    Once the oldest attempts age past 72 hours, registration frees up on its own. Then reconnect **once**, cleanly.
  </Step>

  <Step title="If you just deleted the number, wait ~5 minutes">
    A **recently deleted / deregistered** number needs a few minutes to become available again (Meta error 133015) — try once, then wait 5 minutes before a second try, rather than hammering it into a 133016 lockout.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  If a real lockout is blocking a live clinic, email **[support@cura.so](mailto:support@cura.so)** with the number — we can see the registration state from our side, but we **cannot** shorten Meta's 72-hour window.
</Warning>

***

## Business and display-name verification

**What you see:** WhatsApp asks you to verify your business, or your **display name** is declined, or a **Start verification** button is greyed out.

**Why it happens (Meta side):** Meta reviews your **display name** (the name customers see) against its naming rules, and separately runs **Business Verification** on your company. For Cura's use — receiving and replying to inbound chats inside the 24-hour window — you can usually **start receiving messages before full verification finishes**. Verification mainly matters for lifting Meta's number caps and the official badge, not for answering customers.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Fix a declined display name">
    Names are declined for using **generic words only**, a bare location, ALL CAPS, a URL, or restricted words like *Official*, *Verified*, *WhatsApp*, *Facebook*, or *Messenger*. Edit it in [WhatsApp Manager](https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/) → **Phone numbers → the number → Name**, and resubmit. Review takes \~1–3 business days.
  </Step>

  <Step title="If Start verification is greyed out, finish Business Info first">
    Meta won't let verification start until every **Business Info** field is filled and you have **Admin** access to the Business portfolio. Complete the profile, then the button activates.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Match your documents exactly">
    Verification documents (and your business website, if asked) must **exactly match** the legal name and address in Business Info, be official and unexpired. Thai-language documents are supported.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Cura never sends marketing templates or broadcasts, so you don't need template approval or higher messaging tiers just to answer customers. If Meta later takes a number offline for a **mismatched business website** after a migration, make the site live and matching, then re-check status.
</Note>

***

## Coexistence: keep the WhatsApp Business app open (or the connection drops)

**What you see:** WhatsApp connected fine, then **days or weeks later inbound messages silently stop** — no error, the Inbox just goes quiet.

**Why it happens (Meta side):** If you connected using **Coexistence** (the number stays on the WhatsApp Business app *and* on Cura at the same time), Meta keeps that link alive only while the app is used. Two rules:

* **Don't uninstall** the WhatsApp Business app — uninstalling disconnects the number.
* **Open the app at least once every \~13 days.** Left untouched longer, Meta can drop the connection.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Reinstall / open the Business app">
    On the front-desk phone, make sure the **WhatsApp Business** app is installed and open it. That re-activates the Coexistence link.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set a recurring reminder">
    Have staff open the app on a schedule (every week or two is plenty). This is the single most common cause of a healthy WhatsApp channel going quiet after a good setup.
  </Step>

  <Step title="If it's still silent, reconnect in Cura">
    Go to **Integrations → Channels**, open the WhatsApp channel, and use **Reconnect**. See [A channel shows as disconnected](/faqs/channel-disconnected).

    <Check>Send a test message from another phone — it should land in the Cura Inbox.</Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Coexistence also has fixed Meta limits: only \~6 months of chat history syncs, companion/linked devices are unlinked at onboarding (messages sent from an unsupported linked device won't reach Cura), and a Coexistence number can't later do the official-badge flow or move to a different WABA. These are Meta's terms, not Cura's.
</Note>

***

## Quality rating and whether it can block your replies

**What you see:** WhatsApp Manager shows your number's quality as **yellow** or **red**, or a **Flagged** status, and you're worried your customer replies will stop.

**Why it happens (Meta side):** Meta scores each number **green / yellow / red** from the last 7 days of customer signals — mostly **blocks and spam reports**. Here's the part that matters for Cura:

* Meta's **messaging limits** (250 / 1K / 10K…) only cap **business-initiated** conversations. Cura only sends **replies inside the 24-hour window** (customer messaged first), so those limits essentially never bite you.
* So a yellow/red rating rarely stops you answering customers **on its own**. What *can* stop everything is enough complaints pushing the number into a **Restricted** or **Banned** state — then even replies halt.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Keep complaints low">
    Reply promptly, answer what people actually asked, and don't message people who didn't contact you. Since Cura is inbound-reply, you're already on the healthy side of Meta's signals.
  </Step>

  <Step title="If Flagged, you have ~7 days">
    A **Flagged** number has roughly a 7-day window to recover before Meta lowers its tier. For an inbound-only clinic the tier drop is mostly harmless, but treat Flagged as a nudge to reduce complaints.
  </Step>

  <Step title="If Restricted or Banned, appeal it">
    Go to **Business Support Home → Request Review** and appeal. Only Meta can lift a restriction; Cura can't. See also [I can't connect a channel](/faqs/cant-connect-a-channel).
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Connected, but no messages are coming in

**What you see:** WhatsApp shows as connected in Cura, but the Inbox **never receives customer messages** — even a test you send yourself.

**Why it happens:** A WhatsApp number can deliver its inbound messages to **only one place at a time**. The usual causes:

* **The number is still live on another tool, BSP, or app**, which is quietly receiving the messages instead of Cura *(Meta side)*.
* On **Coexistence**, the message came from an **unsupported linked/companion device**, which doesn't fire the webhook Cura listens on *(Meta side)*.
* A **fresh (non-Coexistence) number finished connecting but its Cloud API registration didn't complete** — it can receive on Meta's side but Cura shows it needs a re-register *(Cura surfaces this)*.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Remove the number from every other tool">
    Deactivate the number on any other chatbot, BSP, or the plain WhatsApp app so Cura is the only destination. This is the number-one cause — see [This channel is already connected](/faqs/channel-already-connected).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send the test from a normal phone">
    Message the number from a different phone's **standard** WhatsApp, not from a linked desktop/companion device. Coexistence only mirrors messages from supported surfaces.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reconnect to refresh registration">
    In **Integrations → Channels**, open the WhatsApp channel and use **Reconnect**. If Cura flagged the number as *needs re-register*, reconnecting re-runs registration.

    <Check>A test message from another phone now appears in the Cura Inbox.</Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  If WhatsApp still receives nothing after the number is free of every other tool, email **[support@cura.so](mailto:support@cura.so)** — the number's message subscription may need to be re-registered on our side.
</Note>

***

### Related articles

* [I can't connect a channel](/faqs/cant-connect-a-channel)
* [This channel is already connected](/faqs/channel-already-connected)
* [A channel shows as disconnected](/faqs/channel-disconnected)
* [Messaging windows by channel](/faqs/messaging-windows-by-channel)