Overview
This article explains how direct customers can upgrade to the WhatsApp Self Sign Up experience from Guided Onboarding. It also explains the benefits of upgrading and addresses common questions related to the upgrade process.
What You Need To Know
Customers who started using the WhatsApp Business API with Twilio prior to mid-late 2022 require assistance from Twilio support to onboard new WhatsApp Senders and do not have access to view their WABAs within their Meta Business Portfolio (formerly called Business Manager). This is known as Guided Onboarding. Contrast this to the newer Self Sign Up flow which allows direct customers (see here for an explanation of direct customers versus ISVs) to onboard WhatsApp Senders in minutes through the Twilio console as well as enabling them to access their WABAs within Meta’s platform.
As of January 27th 2024, direct customers still on Guided Onboarding can access the benefits of Self Sign Up by initiating the upgrade process in the WhatsApp Senders page of the Twilio console.
To upgrade to Self Sign Up:
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Ensure you have admin access to the Meta Business Portfolio used to create your WABA
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Navigate to the WhatsApp Sender Page of the Twilio console
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Click on the “Upgrade now” button to start the upgrade process
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Click on the “Log in to upgrade” button
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A Facebook log in modal will open and guide you through the rest of the upgrade process
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When the upgrade is finished, refresh your browser and you will now have access to WhatsApp Self Sign Up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of upgrading to Self Sign Up?
Your Meta Business Portfolio will now have access to your WABA within Meta’s Platform. In addition, you will be able to onboard new WhatsApp Senders, including non-Twilio phone numbers, yourself in minutes compared to taking multiple days, as you no longer need to rely on Twilio’s onboarding team to manually register your WhatsApp Sender.
Being able to access your WABA within Meta’s Platform also gives you the ability to request Official Business Accounts, view Meta’s provided template insights, use your WhatsApp Sender for Meta Ads, and more.
Can anyone in my business trigger the upgrade to Self Sign Up?
To trigger the upgrade, a user must be an admin on the Meta Business Portfolio used to create the WABA. Twilio does not have access to your Meta Business Portfolio information and cannot restore or update access to your Meta Business Portfolio.
Once I’ve upgraded to Self Sign Up, can I go back to Guided Onboarding?
No, the upgrade is permanent and cannot be reversed once the process is complete. Meta has deprecated the type of WABA that supports Guided Onboarding, and all customers will need to migrate to Self Sign Up at a later date.
Do I have to upgrade to Self Sign Up?
You do not need to upgrade right now. However, Meta has deprecated the type of WABA that supports Guided Onboarding, and all customers will need to migrate to Self Sign Up at a later date. When Meta stops supporting this type of WABA, we will reach out to any customers still using the deprecated WABAs to inform them.
Will the upgrade cause any downtime for my WhatsApp Senders?
No down time is expected. However, we recommend completing the upgrade during off peak times in case of any unexpected issues within Meta’s system, while transferring your WABA to your Business Portfolio.
Can I submit templates and register phone numbers within Meta’s platform once I’ve upgraded?
No. While upgrading to Self Sign Up gives you the ability to make changes in your WABA within Meta’s platform, please do not create additional templates or register phone numbers (i.e. WhatsApp Senders) within Meta’s platform directly, as your WABA will become out-of-sync with Meta.