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Preparation · Meta

Pick the right phone number for WhatsApp

The costliest decision to undo in the whole setup. Five minutes of reading before you touch anything keeps you from losing WhatsApp on your office number.

This happens outside OrkasaThe steps in this guide happen on Meta’s screens, not in Orkasa.
Read firstBefore you start: the map of your Meta accounts
6 steps·6 minStart free
  1. 1

    It all comes down to one question: is the number you want to use already in use in the WhatsApp app?

    WhyIt does not matter whether it is regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business. What matters is whether that number has live conversations today.
  2. 2

    Find your case. The answer decides the mode, and the mode is chosen in Orkasa before Meta’s window opens.

    Find your case
    Is the number already in use in the WhatsApp app?
    • Yes — it is the number clients already message me on
      Choose coexistence
      You keep using the app on your phone exactly as you do today, and Orkasa works alongside it on the same number. You lose neither your conversations nor your contacts.
    • No — it is a fresh line with no WhatsApp
      Choose dedicated
      Orkasa takes full control of the number. It is the cleanest option if you are launching a new business line for the bot.
    • Yes, but I still want dedicated
      You will lose the app on that number
      You must delete the WhatsApp account from the phone before connecting, and the phone’s history goes with it. Only do this if you are certain.
  3. 3

    In coexistence, when you reply from your phone, Orkasa sees it and silences the bot. They do not talk over each other.

    WhyThat is why nearly every agent wants coexistence: it changes nothing about their day and adds the bot for when they are away.
  4. 4

    Whichever mode you choose, you will need to receive a code on that number, by SMS or call. Keep the phone within reach.

    ShortcutIf the number is an office landline, choose voice verification: the SMS will never arrive.
  5. 5

    What will not work: a number already connected to another WhatsApp API tool, or a virtual number that receives neither SMS nor calls.

  6. 6

    The mode is chosen in Orkasa, under Settings → Connections, right before Meta’s window opens. By then you know which one is yours.

    CarefulSwitching modes later forces you to redo the entire connection, number verification included. That is why this tutorial comes before, not after.

Done!