Configuration · Part 1 of 2
What to set up on Meta before you connect WhatsApp
Before you press Connect with Facebook in Tiram, four things need to exist on Meta's side: a Meta Business account for your shop, your existing WhatsApp Business number with the app up to date, business verification if you want higher sending limits, and a payment method — because Meta bills you for messages directly rather than through Tiram. None of this needs a developer, and you do not need to create a Meta app of your own: Tiram is a Meta-verified Tech Provider, so our app is the one Meta reviewed.
- Time needed
- About 15 minutes, plus Meta's review time if you submit business verification
- Who this is for
- The owner or an admin who can act for the business on Meta
- What you will need
- A Facebook account, your business documents, and the phone your WhatsApp Business app runs on
Before you start
Nothing here requires a developer or a Meta app of your own — Tiram's verified Tech Provider app handles the technical side.
A personal Facebook account you can sign in with. It authorises the connection; it does not become your business identity.
Your shop's existing WhatsApp Business app number, with the app updated to 2.24.17 or newer, on a phone that can receive an SMS or call. Quick connect runs Meta's coexistence flow, so the number you already use is the number you connect — you do not delete anything. (Only the manual setup path needs a number that is not on WhatsApp at all.)
Your business details as you want customers to see them — legal name, address, website, and category.
A card or other payment method to add to Meta for message charges. Meta bills you directly; this is not part of your Tiram subscription.
The Meta-side setup, step by step
Create or claim your Meta Business account
Meta Business settings
Sign in with your Facebook account and create a business portfolio for your shop if you do not have one, using your real business name.
If someone on your team already made one, ask them to add you as an admin rather than creating a second. Duplicate business accounts are the most common cause of confusion later, because a WhatsApp number can only live under one of them.
Use your actual registered business name. It has to match the documents you upload for verification, and a mismatch is the usual reason verification gets rejected.
Get your WhatsApp Business number ready
The WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app on your phone
Open WhatsApp Business on the phone that runs your shop number and update it from the app store if needed — coexistence needs version 2.24.17 or newer. That is the whole job: the number stays exactly where it is, and your chats stay with it.
If your shop number is on the ordinary WhatsApp app rather than WhatsApp Business, switch it to the free WhatsApp Business app first. Switching keeps your conversations; it is not the same as deleting the account.
You can still choose a separate, dedicated number for automated sending if you prefer to keep the two apart — that path uses Tiram's manual setup, and it does need a number not currently on WhatsApp.
Do not delete your WhatsApp Business account to "make the number free" — with coexistence that destroys the history you would otherwise keep, for no benefit.
Submit business verification
Meta Business settings → Security centre
Upload a document that proves your business exists and that its name and address match what you entered — a GST registration certificate, a utility bill in the business name, a bank statement, or a certificate of incorporation are all commonly accepted. Meta reviews it and responds, usually within a few working days.
You can connect and send messages before verification finishes, but an unverified business sits on the lowest sending tier and can register fewer phone numbers. Verification is what lifts both limits.
Submit this early. It is the only step in either guide with a waiting period you do not control.
Add a payment method for message charges
Meta WhatsApp Manager → Billing
Meta charges per conversation, and under the Tech Provider model it charges you directly rather than billing Tiram and having us pass it on. Add a card so sending does not stop once any free allowance is used.
Utility messages — an invoice or receipt the customer is expecting — are the cheap category. Marketing messages cost more. Tiram shows an estimated cost before a campaign is sent, and once you are connected you can set your own spend ceiling.
Set your public business profile
Meta WhatsApp Manager → Phone numbers → Profile
Set the display name customers will see next to your messages, along with your business category, description, address, and logo. The display name is reviewed by Meta and should be recognisably your business — a customer who cannot tell who a message is from is a customer who reports it as spam.
With a complete profile and a verified business you become eligible over time for higher messaging tiers, and separately for the green Official Business Account tick.
Display-name changes go through review, so get it right before you start messaging customers rather than after.
How to tell Meta's side is ready
Check these four before moving on to Part 2. Each one is visible in Meta's own dashboards, so you are not guessing.
- Your business portfolio exists and you are an admin
- In Business settings your business name appears, and your own user shows the Admin role.
- Your WhatsApp Business app is current
- WhatsApp Business on that phone reports version 2.24.17 or newer, and your shop number is signed in and working as usual.
- Verification is submitted or approved
- The Security centre shows your business as Verified, or as In review with your documents uploaded.
- A payment method is on file
- WhatsApp Manager → Billing lists a card, with no outstanding payment warning.
When Meta's side goes wrong
These failures all happen before Tiram is ever involved, so they are worth ruling out first — none of them can be fixed from inside Tiram.
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
This phone number is already registered | The number is bound to another provider's API setup, or you are using the manual path, which needs a number not on WhatsApp | A number can be connected to only one provider at a time — disconnect it at the old provider first. On the manual path, pick a number not on WhatsApp, or use Quick connect instead so coexistence keeps your existing number. |
Business verification rejected | The uploaded document's business name or address does not match what you entered | Correct the details in Business settings so they match the document exactly, then resubmit. Watch for abbreviations — Pvt Ltd against Private Limited. |
Display name rejected | The name does not read like a real business name, or it is a generic word | Use your recognised business name rather than a description of what you sell, then resubmit. |
Stuck on a low sending limit | The business is not verified, or message quality is still being established | Finish business verification, then send steadily to customers who expect your messages. Tiers rise on their own as quality holds. |
You already have two business accounts | Someone else at the business created one earlier | Have the existing account's admin add you, and register the number there. Do not split assets across both. |
Messages fail with a billing error | No payment method on file, or a card that was declined | Add or replace the card in WhatsApp Manager → Billing. Meta pauses sending until it can charge successfully. |
Which Tiram plan includes WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is included from the Gold plan and on Platinum. The Silver plan does not include WhatsApp.
Everything in this guide happens on Meta's side, so you can do it on any plan — but you will need Gold or above to complete Part 2 and connect the number to Tiram. Meta's per-conversation message charges are billed to you by Meta and stay separate from your Tiram subscription.
Common questions
- Do I need to create a Meta developer app?
- No. Tiram is a Meta-verified Tech Provider, so our reviewed app handles the connection. You only need a Meta Business account and a free phone number.
- Can I use my existing shop WhatsApp number?
- Yes — that is exactly what Quick connect is for. It runs Meta's coexistence flow, which onboards the number already on your WhatsApp Business app, so nothing is deleted and your staff keep replying in the app.
- How long does Meta's business verification take?
- Usually a few working days once your documents are uploaded. You can connect and send before it completes, but on the lowest sending tier.
- Does Tiram charge me for WhatsApp messages?
- No. Meta bills you directly at its own conversation rates. Your Tiram subscription is separate and does not change with message volume.
- Which document works best for business verification in India?
- A GST registration certificate is the most commonly accepted, provided the business name and address match exactly what you entered on Meta. A utility bill or bank statement in the business name also works.
- Can I skip business verification?
- You can connect without it, but you stay on Meta's lowest sending tier and can register fewer numbers. For any real campaign volume, verify.
Background reading
Ready for Part 2?
With Meta's side sorted, connecting inside Tiram is a login popup that takes about two minutes. Start a 30-day free trial — no card needed.
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