> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sitegpt.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Connect WhatsApp
> Connect a WhatsApp number to your chatbot so it answers your customers on WhatsApp, collects leads with an in-chat form, and lets your team take over.
Connect a WhatsApp number to your chatbot. The chatbot answers the messages that people send to that number. Your team can reply from the SiteGPT dashboard, or from the WhatsApp Business app if you keep your app number.
WhatsApp is an add-on. The chatbot owner buys it on the **Billing** page. For the price, see [sitegpt.ai/pricing](https://sitegpt.ai/pricing).
## Before you start
* The chatbot owner has a SiteGPT subscription, on any plan. See [Plans and limits](/docs/reference/plans-and-limits).
* The chatbot owner has the **WhatsApp (Addon)**. See [Buy the WhatsApp add-on](#buy-the-whatsapp-add-on).
* You have the Manager, Admin, or Super Admin role on the chatbot.
* For **Get a free number** or **Connect a dedicated number**: a Facebook login. Meta asks you to sign in during the setup.
* For **Keep your WhatsApp Business app number**: the WhatsApp Business app on your phone, with that number. You scan a QR code from the app.
* Your chatbot is not in a HIPAA workspace. Integrations are not available there. See [HIPAA](/docs/account/hipaa). WhatsApp for a HIPAA workspace is scoped as part of an Enterprise package. Talk to us through [sitegpt.ai/pricing](https://sitegpt.ai/pricing).
## Buy the WhatsApp add-on
Only the chatbot owner can buy the add-on, because the add-on belongs to the owner's account. One add-on unlocks WhatsApp for every chatbot that the owner has.
In SiteGPT, go to **Advanced** > **Integrations** > **All Integrations**. On the **WhatsApp** card, click **Get Started**. You can also select **WhatsApp** in the sidebar.
Without the add-on, the owner goes to the **Billing** page. Other team members see the message "The WhatsApp add-on is added by the account owner from the Billing page."
The **Billing** page opens the dialog **Add WhatsApp to your plan?**. It tells you when you are charged. Select the **Subscribe** button in the dialog.
To buy from the **Billing** page directly, find **WhatsApp (Addon)** and select **Subscribe**.
The page shows "Activating WhatsApp…". When the add-on is active, the WhatsApp dialog of your chatbot opens. If the activation takes longer, you see "WhatsApp add-on purchased. Connect your number from the Integrations page." and the Integrations page opens.
During a free trial, the add-on is not billed. It starts to bill with your plan when the trial ends. After the trial, the add-on is charged right away for the time left in your billing period, then renews with your plan. See [Manage your plan and billing](/docs/guides/account/billing#buy-or-remove-an-add-on).
## Choose how to connect
The WhatsApp dialog shows three options. Pick the one that fits how you use WhatsApp today.
| Option | What you get | What you need |
| - | - | - |
| **Get a free number** (marked **Easiest**) | A new US (+1) number that only the chatbot answers. No SIM card needed. It works for your customers anywhere in the world. | A Facebook login |
| **Keep your WhatsApp Business app number** | The chatbot answers on the number that you already use in the WhatsApp Business app. You keep using the app. | The WhatsApp Business app on your phone |
| **Connect a dedicated number** | A separate number that only the chatbot answers. | A spare number that is not on WhatsApp yet, and a Facebook login |
With **Keep your WhatsApp Business app number**, a reply that you send from the app pauses the AI in that chat. See [Reply from the WhatsApp Business app](#reply-from-the-whatsapp-business-app).
Meta does not bill you for WhatsApp conversations with any of the three options. The add-on covers them. Messages on WhatsApp use your plan's monthly message allowance, like messages on your website. See [How messages are counted](/docs/reference/plans-and-limits#how-messages-are-counted).
## Connect WhatsApp
Go to **Advanced** > **Integrations** > **All Integrations**. On the **WhatsApp** card, click **Get Started**. The **Connect WhatsApp** dialog opens.
Select one of the three options. The selected option shows more details.
Click **Continue**. SiteGPT opens a secure setup page, where you finish the setup with Meta.
Follow the steps for your option:
Sign in with Facebook. On the phone number screen, open the phone number list and pick a number marked **Verified**. Do not enter a new phone number. You can set your business name after you connect.
Scan the QR code with the WhatsApp Business app on your phone.
Sign in with Facebook. Meta asks for your business name and website. Enter a number that is not on WhatsApp yet. The number gets a one-time code by SMS or call.
You come back to SiteGPT. The dialog shows "Connected to WhatsApp number" and your number.
Each WhatsApp number connects to one chatbot. Each chatbot connects to one WhatsApp number.
If you connected before and want to use a different number, select **Connected before? Start over with a different number** below **Continue**. This link does not show for **Get a free number**.
## Check that it works
1. From another phone, send a text message to your WhatsApp number.
2. The chatbot replies with an answer from your content.
3. In SiteGPT, open **Chat History**. The conversation shows there. See [Review conversations](/docs/guides/monitor/review-conversations).
The WhatsApp dialog also shows the state of your number under the green banner:
* **Number healthy**: the number can send messages. It can also show the quality rating from Meta.
* **Setup is completing on Meta's side**: a new number is limited, or Meta confirms delivery with the first message. You do not need to do anything.
* **This number may not be able to send messages**: a check failed. The card lists the failed checks. If this does not go away, contact support.
## Set the display name
For **Get a free number** and **Connect a dedicated number**, set the business name that your customers see on WhatsApp.
1. Open the WhatsApp dialog.
2. Under **WhatsApp display name**, enter your business name.
3. Click **Save**.
Meta reviews each change, usually within 24 to 48 hours. The dialog shows when the name waits for review. If Meta declines the name, the dialog shows the reason. Try a name that matches your public branding.
With **Keep your WhatsApp Business app number**, this setting does not show. Change the name in the WhatsApp Business app.
## How the chatbot works on WhatsApp
### Answers
The chatbot answers each text message from your content, like on your website. If you show sources, they show as plain links under the answer.
The chatbot reads text only. A photo or file with a caption is read as the caption. For voice notes, stickers, and media without a caption, the chatbot replies "Sorry, I can only read text messages right now. Please type your question."
### Buttons
The chatbot shows your follow-up suggestions and its own suggested questions as buttons at the end of the answer. The first answer in a new conversation also shows your conversation starters. See [Follow-up suggestions](/docs/guides/widget/follow-up-suggestions).
* Up to 3 buttons with short labels (20 characters or fewer) show as reply buttons.
* More buttons, or longer labels, show as a list that the person opens. The list shows up to 10 items.
* A tap on an **Escalate** button hands the conversation to your team. A tap on a link button sends the link.
An answer that hands the conversation to your team shows no buttons.
### Lead form
If lead collection is on, the chatbot collects leads with a WhatsApp form. The person taps **Share details**, fills in the form, and sends it. The form has the same fields as your website lead form. Field labels are cut to 20 characters.
* With **When user shows interest (Recommended)** or **When unable to answer**, the AI decides when to send the form.
* With **After N messages**, the chatbot sends the form after its answer to the person's Nth message. If the conversation is already past that number, it sends the form after the next answer. It sends the form one time per conversation. It does not send the form if the person already gave their details.
* After the person sends the form, the chatbot replies "Thanks! We've received your details."
* If you turned on booking and set a **Booking System URL**, the chatbot then sends "You can also pick a time that works for you here:" and your booking link.
The lead shows in **Leads** > **Leads Dashboard**. See [Collect leads from conversations](/docs/guides/leads/collect-leads).
WhatsApp shows in-chat forms only for verified Meta businesses. Until your business is verified, the AI asks for the details in a plain message, and the **After N messages** trigger sends nothing. The WhatsApp dialog shows **Lead forms need Meta business verification**. Verify your business in Meta Business Suite under **Settings**, then **Security Center**. Forms start to work automatically after the verification.
## Hand-off to your team
A conversation goes to your team when:
* The person taps an **Escalate** button.
* The chatbot decides that the person needs a human. This needs human support to be on. See [Set up human support](/docs/guides/human-support/set-up-human-support).
* A team member replies or takes over in the SiteGPT dashboard. See [Reply to and take over conversations](/docs/guides/human-support/reply-and-take-over).
* With **Keep your WhatsApp Business app number**, you reply from the WhatsApp Business app.
While a human has the conversation, the chatbot saves new messages but does not reply.
### Reply from the dashboard
Replies that you send from **Chat History** go to the person on WhatsApp. WhatsApp delivers them only within 24 hours of the person's last message. After 24 hours, the reply stays in the transcript, and you see "Saved to the transcript, but WhatsApp couldn't deliver it: more than 24 hours since the visitor's last message."
### Reply from the WhatsApp Business app
This works only with **Keep your WhatsApp Business app number**. When you reply to a customer from the app, SiteGPT shows your reply in the conversation and pauses the AI for that conversation. The AI stays paused until you resolve the conversation or release it to the AI in the SiteGPT dashboard.
Replies from the app to a person who has no open SiteGPT conversation do not start one. Replies that contain only media do not pause the AI.
### Getting the chatbot back
* Select **Release to AI** in the dashboard. The chatbot answers the next message in the same conversation.
* Resolve the conversation in the dashboard. The person's next message starts a new conversation.
See [Conversations and hand-off](/docs/concepts/conversations-and-handoff).
## Webhook verification
After you connect, the **Webhook verification** section on the Integrations page shows a **WhatsApp** row. You do not need to set anything. SiteGPT sets up and checks the webhook signatures for you.
## Disconnect WhatsApp
Go to **Advanced** > **Integrations** > **All Integrations**. On the **WhatsApp** card, click **Manage**.
Click **Disconnect**. The dialog tells you what happens to your number.
For **Get a free number**, select the checkbox "I understand this number is released permanently and cannot be recovered". Then click **Disconnect and release**.
The chatbot stops answering on the number immediately. Your conversations, chat history, leads, contact details, and analytics stay in SiteGPT.
What happens to the number depends on how you connected:
| Option | After you disconnect |
| - | - |
| **Get a free number** | The number is released permanently. You do not get it back. People who message it get no reply. A new connection gets a different number. The number can still show in your Meta Business Manager. You can remove it there. |
| **Keep your WhatsApp Business app number** | Your WhatsApp Business app keeps working on the number. Only the chatbot's replies stop. To connect again, you scan the QR code again. |
| **Connect a dedicated number** | The number stays yours, but it is off WhatsApp until you set it up again. People who message it get no reply. To connect again, you go through the Meta setup again. |
## Remove the WhatsApp add-on
You must disconnect WhatsApp from every chatbot before you can remove the add-on.
In the top navigation, select **Billing**.
On **WhatsApp (Addon)**, select **Remove addon**.
If a number is still connected, the dialog **Disconnect WhatsApp first** lists the chatbots. Select a chatbot to open its WhatsApp dialog, and [disconnect](#disconnect-whatsapp). After the disconnect, SiteGPT brings you back to the **Billing** page and opens the dialog again.
The dialog **Remove the WhatsApp add-on?** opens. Select **Remove addon**.
The removal takes effect immediately. Your chatbots cannot connect a WhatsApp number until you buy the add-on again. Your WhatsApp conversation history stays in SiteGPT. The unused time of your billing period becomes a credit on your next invoice. During a free trial, there is nothing to credit.
### If the add-on ends while a number is connected
If the add-on ends in another way, for example when your subscription ends, the number stays connected but the chatbot stops. People who message the number get no reply, and replies from the dashboard are not sent. The WhatsApp card shows **Connected — not answering**, and the WhatsApp dialog shows **WhatsApp is not answering.**
To start again, buy the add-on again. The chatbot answers the next message. To stop for good, disconnect the number.
## Troubleshooting
The chatbot owner does not have the WhatsApp add-on. Buy it on the **Billing** page. See [Buy the WhatsApp add-on](#buy-the-whatsapp-add-on).
You are not the chatbot owner. Ask the owner to buy the add-on on their **Billing** page. Your own **Billing** page does not unlock WhatsApp for chatbots that someone else owns.
* Check the WhatsApp card. If it shows **Connected — not answering**, the add-on is not active. Buy it again.
* Check the health line in the WhatsApp dialog. If it shows **This number may not be able to send messages**, contact support.
* Check that the conversation is not in human mode. Release it to AI, or resolve it.
* Check that the chatbot owner's subscription is active. See [Billing](/docs/guides/account/billing).
WhatsApp delivers replies only within 24 hours of the person's last message. The reply stays in the transcript. Wait until the person writes again. If you see "Saved to the transcript, but this WhatsApp number is disconnected.", connect the number again.
Meta shows forms only for verified businesses. Open the WhatsApp dialog. If it shows **Lead forms need Meta business verification**, verify your business in Meta Business Suite. If it shows **Lead forms could not be set up**, SiteGPT tries again automatically. Forms are created the first time the chatbot asks for details.
A number connects to one chatbot only. Disconnect it from the other chatbot first, then connect again.
Click your connection option again. The setup continues where you left off.
If you closed the setup page or Meta stopped the setup, the WhatsApp dialog shows "Your last connection attempt didn't finish." Pick your option and try again. If a number from an earlier setup is ready, the dialog names it. Pick your option to finish the connection. If you see "No WhatsApp number was connected. Please run the connection flow again.", run the setup again.
A number is still connected. The **Disconnect WhatsApp first** dialog lists the chatbots. Disconnect each number, then remove the add-on.