How to apply for a Twilio WhatsApp Account

Owned by SUPPORT
Last updated: Sept 13, 2024
3 min read

Each WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) ID account can only be tied to one Twilio Account SID.

This guide will take you through the process of applying for a WhatsApp account with Twilio. The entire process can take two to four weeks.

Prerequisites: What you need before applying

  1. A Twilio account. You can create one here for free: https://www.twilio.com/try-twilio

  2. A Twilio phone number. You can purchase one here; it will cost you a minimum of $1 per month, depending on your region https://www.twilio.com/console/phone-numbers/search

  3. A verified Facebook Business Manager ID. You can obtain this from your Facebook Business settings. (Please note: This is not the same as your Facebook page ID).If your Facebook Business ID is not verified, follow the following instructions to obtain verification. The process takes about one week: How to Get Verified on Facebook and Instagram | Meta Business Help Center fb.com)

Step 1: Request Access with Twilio

To apply for a new WhatsApp account, fill in this form on https://www.twilio.com/whatsapp/request-access :

You will need the following information for the form:

  • Your Twilio Account SID, which you can find in your main https://www.twilio.com/console

  • Your Facebook Business Manager ID. You can obtain this from your Facebook Business settings. (Please note: This is not the same as your Facebook page ID).

  • For "I wish to provision this account with a 3rd party vendor”, select No.

Step 2: Submit WhatsApp Business profile information

For this step, you'll need to make sure you have a Twilio number. You can purchase one: https://www.twilio.com/console/phone-numbers/search

Once you have a number, navigate to Programmable Messaging → WhatsApp Senders: https://www.twilio.com/console/sms/whatsapp/senders

Click on “+” and add the number you wish to use, along with your WhatsApp profile information (name, address, logo, etc.) Please ensure that you follow the guidelines mentioned on-screen:

You may also apply for message templates on the same page. These will be submitted for review alongside your WhatsApp account. 

Step 3: Approve Messaging Request in FB Business Manager

Once Twilio has submitted your profile for review to Facebook, you will receive an email and a message in your Facebook Business Manager to approve a “messaging on behalf of” request. This typically happens anywhere from 1 day to 1 week after submission.

You can view and approve this request through this link: https://business.facebook.com/settings/requests/received_requests

Or navigate to your Facebook Business Manager → Business Settings → Requests, as shown below:

Step 4: Twilio completes your account registration

Once step 3 is complete, Twilio will take over to process the rest of your application. After your account has been approved, Twilio will register your number, and they will send you a confirmation email.

Your account is now ready to be connected to CX platform.