WhatsApp Integration Guide

SwiftChat uses the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API. This guide walks through onboarding and everyday operations.

Prerequisites

• A verified Meta Business account
• A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
• A phone number that is NOT already used on any WhatsApp app
• A System User with whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management scopes

1. Create a WABA

• Go to Meta Business Suite → WhatsApp Accounts → Create
• Add your phone number and complete OTP verification
• Note the WABA ID and Phone Number ID

2. Generate a System User token

• Business Settings → System Users → Add
• Grant asset access to your WABA
• Generate a permanent access token — copy it once, it's not shown again

3. Connect to SwiftChat

• Settings → WhatsApp → Add Number
• Paste WABA ID, Phone Number ID, and the System User token
• Click Test connection — SwiftChat pulls your templates and phone numbers

4. Configure the webhook

SwiftChat auto-registers its webhook, but if you use a custom domain:

• Callback URL: https://<your-domain>/api/public/whatsapp/webhook
• Verify token: copied from the connection screen
• Subscribe to: messages, message_status, message_template_status_update, account_update

5. Message templates (HSM)

• Templates → Create — write the copy, add variables, pick a category
• Submit for approval — Meta reviews in minutes to 24 hours
• Approved templates appear instantly in the composer

Media

• Inbound media is downloaded, virus-scanned, and stored in encrypted storage
• Outbound media is uploaded to Meta's media API and cached for reuse
• Max sizes follow Meta's limits: 16 MB video, 5 MB image, 100 MB doc

Rate limits

SwiftChat enforces Meta's tier automatically (1K → 10K → 100K → unlimited). Watch the tier under Monitoring Center → WhatsApp Provider Health.