# Default WhatsApp numbers

Use default numbers to send supported WhatsApp templates without connecting a number or completing Meta setup. You can see them on the [**Numbers**](https://bird.com/dashboard/w/whatsapp/numbers) page, marked **Bird-managed** in the **WABA** column.

## Available numbers

| Number      | Used for                                                                                     |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Bird Verify | Authentication codes.                                                                        |
| Authifly    | Authentication codes sent with the [authifly.com](https://authifly.com) brand and templates. |
| Bird Notify | Notifications sent with supported default templates.                                         |

The template and your region determine the sending number. Recipients see the number's business name, such as **Bird Verify**, rather than your business name.

## Send with a default number

Choose a supported [default template](/docs/guides/whatsapp/templates), whose slug starts with `bird_`. Omit `from` in the send request: Bird selects the number, and a `from` value is rejected for these templates. See [Sending WhatsApp](/docs/guides/whatsapp/sending-whatsapp) for the request format.

## When to connect your own number

[Connect your number](/docs/guides/whatsapp/numbers/connect) to send under your own brand, use your own templates, receive messages, or send free-form replies during a customer service window. Default numbers do not receive messages for your workspace or send free-form content.

## 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)