---
title: "WhatsApp Business App Coexistence"
description: "Connect your WhatsApp Business App number to Bird while keeping the app. Follow the QR code setup for small businesses using coexistence."
canonical: "https://bird.com/docs/guides/whatsapp/numbers/connect-business-app"
---

# WhatsApp Business App Coexistence

Coexistence is for small businesses that use the WhatsApp Business App and want to keep using it after connecting their number to Bird. For numbers outside the Business App, follow [Connect your number](/docs/guides/whatsapp/numbers/connect).

<WhatsAppSignupStep
  image="/images/docs/dashboard-whatsapp-number-coexistence-light.png"
  darkImage="/images/docs/dashboard-whatsapp-number-coexistence.png"
  alt="The WhatsApp Numbers page with New number open, Keep using the Business app selected, and Connect WhatsApp."
  number={1}
>

## Start in Bird

On [Numbers](https://bird.com/dashboard/w/whatsapp/numbers), choose **New number**, then **Keep using the Business app**. Enter a name and select **Connect WhatsApp**.

</WhatsAppSignupStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="welcome" number={2}>

## Continue with Meta

Select **Continue** to start connecting your business to Bird.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="phone" number={3}>

## Enter your phone number

Choose **Enter a new phone number**, select your country, and enter the number you use in WhatsApp Business. Select **Next**.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="profile" number={4}>

## Check your business profile

Check the business name and phone number, then select **Next**. Use **Back** to correct the number.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="business" number={5}>

## Choose your business portfolio

Select an existing **Business portfolio**, or choose **Create a Business portfolio** and select **Next**.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="business-details" number={6}>

## Add your business details

For a new portfolio, enter your business name, email, category, country, and website. Check the time zone, then select **Next**.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="share" number={7}>

## Continue on your phone

Keep the QR code open while you continue in WhatsApp Business.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep
  image="/docs-replays/whatsapp-coexistence/assets/phone-settings.png"
  alt="WhatsApp Business Settings with the Account option."
  alternative={{ image: "/docs-replays/whatsapp-coexistence/assets/phone-account-menu.png", alt: "The Account menu in WhatsApp Business, including Business Platform." }}
  number={8}
>

## Open Business Platform

In WhatsApp Business, open **Settings** > **Account** > **Business Platform**.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep
  image="/docs-replays/whatsapp-coexistence/assets/phone-business-platform-qr.png"
  alt="WhatsApp Business introducing the Business Platform connection."
  alternative={{ image: "/docs-replays/whatsapp-coexistence/assets/phone-scan-qr-code.png", alt: "The Scan QR code instructions with an OK button to open the camera." }}
  number={9}
>

## Scan the QR code

Tap **Connect to the Business Platform**. On **Scan QR code**, tap **OK** to open your camera and scan the code in your desktop popup.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep
  image="/docs-replays/whatsapp-coexistence/assets/phone-share-all-chats.png"
  alt="Share chat history with Share all chats selected."
  number={10}
>

## Choose whether to share history

Choose **Share all chats** or **Don't share chats**, then tap **Confirm**.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep
  image="/docs-replays/whatsapp-coexistence/assets/phone-connecting.png"
  alt="WhatsApp Business connecting the account, with a message that this could take up to 45 seconds."
  number={11}
>

## Wait for the connection

Keep WhatsApp Business open while it connects. This can take up to 45 seconds.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep phone="connected" number={12}>

## Return to the desktop popup

When WhatsApp Business confirms the connection, tap **OK** and continue setup on your computer.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="waba" number={13}>

## Confirm your WhatsApp account

Check the account name and time zone, then select **Next**.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="review" number={14}>

## Review access

Review the permissions Bird requests, then select **Confirm**.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppCoexistenceStep step="connected" number={15}>

## Finish Meta's setup

Meta confirms your account is connected. Select **Continue to feature setup** to open WhatsApp Manager.

</WhatsAppCoexistenceStep>

<WhatsAppSignupStep
  image="/images/docs/dashboard-whatsapp-numbers-light.png"
  darkImage="/images/docs/dashboard-whatsapp-numbers.png"
  alt="The WhatsApp numbers list in Bird showing a Connected number."
  number={16}
>

## Wait for Connected

Return to **Numbers** in Bird and wait for **Connected** before sending. **Pending** means Bird is still completing setup with Meta.

</WhatsAppSignupStep>

<WhatsAppSignupStep
  image="/images/docs/dashboard-whatsapp-number-coexistence-detail-light.png"
  imageHeight={768}
  darkImage="/images/docs/dashboard-whatsapp-number-coexistence-detail.png"
  alt="A connected WhatsApp Business app number showing its status, sending limits, and completed history and contact imports."
  number={17}
>

## Check your number

Open the connected number to check its status and sending limits. The **Coexistence** card shows your chat history and contact imports.

</WhatsAppSignupStep>

See [Manage your numbers](/docs/guides/whatsapp/numbers/overview) for number settings.

## Related resources

- [Connecting WhatsApp to Bird: from buying a number to a live channel](/learn/whatsapp/connecting-whatsapp-to-bird) (video)
- [What is the 24-hour customer service window on WhatsApp?](/explained/whatsapp/what-is-the-24-hour-customer-service-window) (answer)
- [WhatsApp message builder](/tools/whatsapp-message-builder) (tool)
- [WhatsApp](/whatsapp-api) (product)

[Get an implementation brief](/learn/workspace?topic=whatsapp)