{"id":123,"date":"2026-10-25T12:57:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T12:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vectalk.com.br\/blog\/typebot-whatsapp-business-api\/"},"modified":"2026-10-25T13:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T13:09:37","slug":"typebot-whatsapp-business-api","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vectalk.com.br\/blog\/en\/typebot-whatsapp-business-api\/","title":{"rendered":"Typebot with the official WhatsApp Business API: how to set it up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated on October 25, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typebot has a native integration with the official WhatsApp Business API: you connect your own Meta app and phone number in the bot’s Share<\/strong> tab, and the flow starts answering incoming messages. Typebot doesn’t provide numbers or bill Meta’s messages; it works on a “bring your own Meta app” model. On WhatsApp, the bot has limits that don’t exist on the web version, such as a maximum of 3 buttons per message, and it can only send free-form messages inside the 24-hour window opened by the customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide covers the prerequisites, the setup, the limits that change how you design the flow, and an alternative through Typebot’s chat API for teams using a WhatsApp API provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Typebot’s WhatsApp integration works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Typebot’s documentation<\/a>, the integration connects the bot to your own WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta’s official service. The flow is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The customer messages your number.<\/li>\n\n\n
  2. Meta sends the event to Typebot’s webhook.<\/li>\n\n\n
  3. Typebot runs the flow and replies through the Cloud API, using your app’s credentials.<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    You can connect as many numbers as you like, and even several bots to the same number, using a Start bot condition<\/strong> on each bot to decide which one handles the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Prerequisites on Meta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Typebot describes the steps to create the Meta app<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Create (or use) a business portfolio at business.facebook.com. Meta may restrict newly created portfolios until you verify your identity.<\/li>\n\n\n
    2. At developers.facebook.com\/apps, create an app, choose Other<\/strong> and the Business<\/strong> type, link it to the portfolio and enable the WhatsApp<\/strong> product.<\/li>\n\n\n
    3. Follow the instructions in the bot’s Share tab to connect the app to Typebot.<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      For production, use a token that doesn’t expire. Typebot’s self-hosting configuration, for example, asks for a system user token with expiration set to Never<\/strong> and the whatsapp_business_messaging<\/code> and whatsapp_business_management<\/code> permissions. The full walkthrough is in the permanent system user token guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Setting up the bot on WhatsApp<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Test before publishing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      In the editor, click Test<\/strong> and switch the runtime to WhatsApp<\/strong>. Typebot sends the initial preview message to the number you type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A common pitfall: Typebot warns that the number you type must match exactly what appears in your WhatsApp profile settings. In Brazil, for example, some numbers show up with 8 digits and others with 9 after the area code; if you type the other version, you receive the first message but the bot doesn’t answer after that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Integration options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Under Configure integration<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Option<\/th>What it does<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
      Session expiration timeout<\/td>Hours without interaction (0 to 48, default 4) before the session expires. After that, a new customer message starts a new chat<\/td><\/tr>
      Start bot condition<\/td>Condition evaluated on the first message. If it isn’t met, the bot isn’t triggered<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      To capture contact data, use a Set variable<\/strong> block with WhatsApp’s system values for name and phone number. To ask for a location, a plain text input block receives the position the customer shares in the format <LAT>, <LONG><\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Typebot limits on WhatsApp<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Typebot’s documentation lists what changes compared to the web bot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Limit<\/th>Effect on the flow<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
      GIF and SVG aren’t displayed<\/td>Use JPEG or PNG<\/td><\/tr>
      Only .mp4<\/code> videos<\/td>Convert other formats first<\/td><\/tr>
      At most 3 buttons per message<\/td>Typebot splits extra options into additional “…” messages<\/td><\/tr>
      Cards with at most 3 buttons per card<\/td>Simplify cards<\/td><\/tr>
      Button text up to 20 characters<\/td>Longer text is truncated; write short labels<\/td><\/tr>
      Incompatible blocks are skipped<\/td>Payment, Chatwoot, Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, Cal.com, and Script or Set Variable with Execute on client<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      These numbers come from the Cloud API itself: reply button messages<\/a> accept up to 3 buttons with titles of up to 20 characters. For more options, the API offers list messages<\/a>, with up to 10 rows of up to 24 characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The 24-hour window: the limit the flow doesn’t see<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Typebot’s editor allows long waits and sessions of up to 48 hours, but Meta’s rule sits on top: free-form messages (text, images, buttons) can only be sent up to 24 hours after the customer’s last message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In practice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n