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Setup Guide

Connect Your Own WhatsApp

Run your AI sales agent on your own WhatsApp Business number, so customers see your brand instead of a shared number.

Overview

AutoManus can run your AI agent on a shared number or on your own WhatsApp Business number. Connecting your own number gives you a direct, professional presence with your customers.

Shared Number

  • Customers see an AutoManus number
  • A router asks who they want to reach
  • Good for testing and quick starts

Your Own Number

  • Customers see your own brand number
  • A direct connection, no router
  • Professional and trusted

Prerequisites

  • A phone number not currently registered with WhatsApp
  • A Meta Business account (an existing Facebook account works best)
  • About 15 to 30 minutes to complete setup

Phone Number Options

You need a dedicated phone number for your WhatsApp Business account. Here are two common ways to get one.

Option A: Physical SIM card

Buy a prepaid SIM from any carrier. You only need it to receive the verification code once.

  • UK: EE, Vodafone, Three, giffgaff (~£10)
  • US: T-Mobile, AT&T prepaid (~$10-20)
  • Any country: Any prepaid SIM works

Keep the SIM active long enough to receive the verification code by SMS or voice call.

Option B: Twilio virtual number

Buy a virtual number from Twilio. This works well if you do not want a physical SIM.

  1. Go to twilio.com/try-twilio and create an account
  2. Verify your email and add a payment method
  3. Go to Phone Numbers, then Buy a Number
  4. Search for a number in your country with SMS capability
  5. Buy the number (typically about $1 to $5 per month)
  6. Note the number for use during WhatsApp setup

A Twilio number can receive the SMS or voice verification code that Meta sends.

Note: If you want to use an existing number, you must first delete WhatsApp from the phone using that number.

Setup Steps

1

Get a phone number

Buy a prepaid SIM or get a Twilio virtual number (see options above). Make sure the number is not currently registered with WhatsApp.

2

Create a WhatsApp Business Account

Go to Meta Business Suite, then WhatsApp Accounts and:

  1. Log in with your Facebook account (use an existing account, not a brand new one)
  2. Open Business Settings, then WhatsApp Accounts
  3. Click Add to create a WhatsApp Business Account
  4. Add your phone number and verify via SMS or voice call
Important: New Facebook accounts may be restricted from creating business accounts. Use an existing Facebook account if possible.
3

Connect to AutoManus

Once your WhatsApp Business Account is ready, connect it to AutoManus:

  1. Go to AutoManus, then AI Agent, then select your agent
  2. Click Connect Your Own WhatsApp
  3. Click Continue with Facebook
  4. Authorize AutoManus to access your WhatsApp Business Account
4

You are live

After authorization, your WhatsApp account will show as Connected in AutoManus. Your AI agent is now live on your WhatsApp Business number.

Testing

Send a message to your WhatsApp Business number from another phone. Your AI agent should reply automatically within a few seconds.

Costs

  • User-initiated conversations (customer messages first): Free for 24 hours
  • Business-initiated (you message first): about $0.005 to $0.05 per conversation
  • Typical small business: $10 to $30 per month

Troubleshooting

Connection failed

The connection through AutoManus did not complete.

Solution: Complete Step 2 first, set up your WhatsApp Business Account directly in Meta Business Suite, then return to AutoManus and connect.

Cannot create a business account

Meta blocks you from creating a WhatsApp Business Account.

Solution: Use an existing Facebook account instead of creating a new one. If you must use a new account, wait 24 to 48 hours before trying again.

URL or link blocked

If a setup link is blocked, open it in a different browser or disable browser extensions that block third-party scripts, then try again.

Number already registered

Solution: Delete WhatsApp from the phone using that number, then try again. Or use a different number.

No reply from the AI agent

Incoming messages arrive but the AI agent does not respond.

  • Make sure an AI agent is deployed to your WhatsApp account (AI Agent, then Deploy)
  • Check if the agent has AI Auto-Reply enabled in its configuration
  • Verify the webhook is receiving messages (check logs)

Phone number not found

The phone number needs to be registered with Meta's Cloud API after verification. This is done automatically when you connect via AutoManus, but if using manual setup:

curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID/register" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"messaging_product": "whatsapp", "pin": "123456"}'

FAQ

Can I use my personal number?

You can, but you must first remove WhatsApp from that number. We recommend a dedicated business number instead.

Will I lose my chat history?

Connecting a new number starts fresh. Existing chats on a personal WhatsApp app are not migrated.

Can I switch back to the shared number later?

Yes. You can disconnect your own number and route the agent through the shared number at any time.

How long does verification take?

Usually a few minutes. The verification code arrives by SMS or voice call to the number you are connecting.

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