---
schema_version: "1"
id: ed82827afb4da5bc12ccf796f60f7c3c08021d87e1a73c321d1b5f5f341295cd
title: Create or Migrate to an Enhanced WhatsApp Channel
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/messaging_whatsapp_enhanced.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_whatsapp_enhanced.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: b2a011f804a0ea8e7eb6bc5af1f8b6003671d2331fe6d9b494fa91911d1d484f
description: Set up an enhanced WhatsApp channel in Agentforce Service (formerly Service Cloud) to let your support team help customers over WhatsApp. This article also explains how to move a number from an external business service provider to your enhanced WhatsApp channel.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Digital Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Create or Migrate to an Enhanced WhatsApp Channel

Set up an enhanced WhatsApp channel in Agentforce Service (formerly Service Cloud) to let your support team help customers over WhatsApp. This article also explains how to move a number from an external business service provider to your enhanced WhatsApp channel.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_editions.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">View supported editions.</a></td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <a name="messaging_whatsapp_enhanced__d1271e1627"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_whatsapp_enhanced__d1271e1627" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/checkmark.png" alt="Checkmark"></span>
              <strong>This article applies to:</strong>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced WhatsApp channels</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/crossmark.png" alt="X icon"></span>
              <strong>This article doesn’t apply to:</strong>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced In-App Chat, Enhanced Web Chat v1, Enhanced Web Chat v2, Enhanced
              Facebook Messenger, Standard and Enhanced SMS, Enhanced Apple Messages for Business,
              Enhanced LINE, and Bring Your Own Channel</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table> <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d163993e98">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d163993e98 ">To set up WhatsApp channels:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d163993e98 ">Configure Messaging AND View Setup and Configuration</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d163993e98 ">To create WhatsApp channels:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d163993e98 ">
              <p>System Administrator AND Configure Messaging</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">OR</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Configure Messaging AND Customize
                Application AND Manage Auth. Providers AND View Setup and Configuration AND Modify All
                Data</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

- [Step 1: Prepare to Create Your Channel](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_whatsapp_enhanced.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To get started, review key considerations and configure the Service Console, user access, and routing. For channel upgrades and migrations, turn off two-step verification to make your number available.")
- [Step 2: Create Your Channel in Setup](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_whatsapp_enhanced.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "These steps apply whether you’re using a new number, a number that’s in use in a standard channel, or a number that’s in use with an external BSP. ")
- [Step 3: Activate Your Channel](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_whatsapp_enhanced.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Within 14 days of creating your enhanced WhatsApp channel, activate your channel to start the flow of messaging traffic. If you’re migrating from an external business service provider, we recommend activating during a low-traffic time to avoid interruption to ongoing messaging sessions.")

Each enhanced WhatsApp channel in Salesforce is linked to a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA). When you set up your channel, we walk you through creating a WABA that's associated with your phone number.

To minimize downtime that can occur during a migration from an external business service provider to an enhanced WhatsApp channel, use a test or low-traffic phone number at first. After you set up and test your routing configuration, channel settings, message templates, and customer experience, you can then create your enhanced channel with your desired number and apply your already-tested customizations.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_note.png)

Note If you have the Agentforce Contact Center Digital add-on, you must purchase message credits to create a WhatsApp channel. During channel creation, we'll let you know if they're missing. Message credits determine the quantity and nature of messages that your business can send, and allow you to access the full WhatsApp feature set. They appear in Digital Wallet under the [Salesforce Message Credits - WhatsApp card](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.service_cloud_billable_usage_types.htm&type=5&language=en_US).

![Active WhatsApp conversation from Service Console](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_whatsapp_images.png)

## Step 1: Prepare to Create Your Channel

To get started, review key considerations and configure the Service Console, user access, and routing. For channel upgrades and migrations, turn off two-step verification to make your number available.

1. Review our WhatsApp phone number criteria, account criteria, channel limitations, and migration considerations. See the resources linked at the end of this article.
2. If you’re migrating your number from another business service provider (BSP) and can’t access your original WhatsApp Business account, ask the BSP to turn off two-step verification for your number. Contact WhatsApp if you’re not sure who your previous BSP was. If you do have access to your original account, do it yourself:
    1. Log into Meta Business Manager as an admin.
    2. Select your WABA and enter WhatsApp Business Manager.
    3. In the settings of the phone number that you’re migrating, turn off two-step verification.
    4. Click the link in the email verification sent by WhatsApp.
3. Complete the steps in [Get Started with Messaging](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_prepare.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Ready to set up a Messaging channel in Salesforce? First, turn on Messaging in Setup and give service reps and supervisors access. Then, configure your routing preferences and add Messaging to the Service Console.").

## Step 2: Create Your Channel in Setup

These steps apply whether you’re using a new number, a number that’s in use in a standard channel, or a number that’s in use with an external BSP. 

To speed up channel setup, use the [service\_de\_headless\_channel\_configure](https://github.com/forcedotcom/sf-skills/tree/main/skills) skill in Claude.

1. In Setup, enter Messaging in the Quick Find box, and then select **Messaging Settings**.
2. Click **New Channel**, and then click **Start**.
3. Click **WhatsApp**, select **Enhanced**, and then click **Next**.
4. Review and accept the terms and conditions, and then click **Next**.
5. Disable any pop-up blockers. Then, click **Connect to WhatsApp**.
    
    ![Connect to WhatsApp screen](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_whatsapp_enh.png)
6. In the window that appears, enter your Facebook login credentials.
7. Follow the prompts to:
    1. Create or select a Meta Business Account.
    2. Create a WhatsApp Business account (WABA). A few things to note: 1) We don’t support associating a single WABA with more than one Salesforce org. A sandbox and a production org are considered two separate orgs. 2) If you’re migrating, make sure the account name exactly matches the name of your original account.
        
        We don’t support associating a single WABA with more than one Salesforce org. A sandbox and a production org are considered two separate orgs.
    3. Create or select a WhatsApp Business profile. If you’re upgrading or migrating, create a new one whose profile name exactly matches the name of your original profile.
    4. Select your WhatsApp Business phone number or register a new one, and verify it by text or voice call.
8. When a message notifies you that you’re almost ready to chat, click **Finish**.
9. In Salesforce Setup, the channel setup flow shows that your WhatsApp account is connected. Click **Next**. If you selected a WhatsApp Business account that can’t be used, we let you know here.
10. Select your WhatsApp number and click **Next**.
11. Enter your chat acknowledgment message and click **Next**. If needed, you can edit this auto-response and others later in your channel settings.
12. Choose how to route incoming messages to service reps.
    1. To set up a basic routing solution from scratch, select **Create a new queue**. The flow walks you through creating a queue and routing configuration and adjusting service rep messaging workload.
    2. To use an existing queue or an Omni-Channel flow, which supports more complex routing logic and lets you route to bots, select **Set up routing later**.
13. Complete and exit the flow.
14. If you selected **Set up routing later**, finish configuring your routing.
    1. On the Messaging Settings page, find your new channel and click **Edit** in its action menu.
    2. If you want to route to an Omni-Channel flow: In the Routing section, select the **Omni-Flow** routing type. Select your Omni-Channel flow in the Flow Definition field, and select a fallback queue to receive any messaging sessions that the selected flow can’t route.
    3. If you want to route to a queue: In the Routing section, select the **Omni-Queue** routing type, and select a queue to receive this channel’s incoming messages.
    4. Save your changes.

![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_important.png)

Important After you create your channel, you might be tempted to log into the WhatsApp mobile or desktop application with this number. Don’t! Otherwise, you won’t be able to activate the channel in Salesforce.

## Step 3: Activate Your Channel

Within 14 days of creating your enhanced WhatsApp channel, activate your channel to start the flow of messaging traffic. If you’re migrating from an external business service provider, we recommend activating during a low-traffic time to avoid interruption to ongoing messaging sessions.

1. Review the steps in the [Enhanced Messaging Channel Activation Checklist](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_wa_channel_activation.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "After you create or upgrade to an enhanced Facebook Messenger, Apple Messages for Business, WhatsApp, or LINE channel, you can’t yet message with customers in the channel. Run through this checklist to verify that your channel is ready for business. Then, activate the channel to start helping customers in your channel.") to make sure that your channel is ready for business.
2. In Setup, go to the Messaging Settings page and click your channel’s name.
3. At the top of the page, click **Activate Channel**.

After a channel is activated, it shows as active in the channel list. You can [deactivate](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_activate_deactivate.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Several types of enhanced Messaging channels in Agentforce Service include the option to activate, deactivate, or refresh the channel. These options give you more control over when a channel goes live. Review tips for activating a channel, deactivating a channel, and refreshing a channel’s connection to an external messaging app such as WhatsApp.") it at any time to pause messaging traffic.

If you don’t activate your channel within 14 days of creating it, you must reverify your number with WhatsApp in one of two ways:

- Log into Meta Business Manager, go to your number’s settings, and reverify it.
- Repeat the New Channel setup flow on the Messaging Settings page using the same phone number.

Then, try activating the channel again.

Need help with WhatsApp? Review [WhatsApp Business Platform Support Considerations.](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000679217&type=1&language=en_US)