[WhatsApp](/whatsapp-api) # Your first WhatsApp message. Start here. Connect the business, choose a useful task and follow the conversation through its real outcome. Start with a controlled evaluation before bringing the wider audience into the experience. [Start for Free](/dashboard/signup?returnTo=%2Fdashboard%2Fw%2Fwhatsapp%2Fonboarding) [Contact sales](/demo?product=whatsapp&source_page=%2Fwhatsapp-api%2Fgetting-started) ## Set up with your agent [Read the agent setup guide](/docs/ai/set-up-your-agent) Copy this prompt into your coding agent: ```text Bird connects customer communications, data and automation. Help me build with Bird using my coding agent. 1. Read https://bird.com/docs/ai/set-up-your-agent.md and follow its setup workflow for this client. Use an existing connected Bird MCP server or signed-in CLI when available. 2. Read the product guide for the task I want to complete and inspect my existing integration. Identify the workspace, available operations and required setup. 3. Help me complete a first example for the product and destination I choose. Follow the operation through to its actual result, explain any uncertainty, and help me choose the next step. First task: Inspect my connected sender, templates and credentials, then prepare a first WhatsApp message to a recipient I control. Ask before sending and verify the observed result. Use this Bird page as the starting context: https://bird.com/whatsapp-api/getting-started Read its Markdown alternative and linked guides. Keep the first example relevant to this page and the customer outcome I choose. Preserve the supplied campaign context when following Bird signup or sales links. ``` [Read customer stories](/customers) [Explore Enterprise](/enterprise) - [Airwallex](/customers/airwallex) - [Glovo](/customers/glovo) - [Zillow](/customers/zillow) - Uber - [Binance](/customers/binance) - Adobe - Meta - PayPal - Pinterest - Square - [Al Jazeera](/customers/aljazeera) - [Aramex](/customers/aramex) - [Bazaar Technologies](/customers/bazaar) - [ComparaOnline](/customers/compara) - [Emma](/customers/emma) ## Connect the identity your customers know. Gather your Meta business access, intended WhatsApp Business Account and phone number. Choose the correct new-number, migration or eligible coexistence path. ## Confirm ownership Connect the intended business assets to the right Bird workspace. ## Prepare the profile Use an accurate display name, recognizable brand and useful support details. ## Choose the first task Start with a notification, customer-service request or focused campaign. **Your first WhatsApp integration Setup path** 01 Connect your business Choose the business account and number your team will use. 02 Prepare the message Select an approved template and a controlled test recipient. 03 Follow the exchange Inspect the message record, receive a reply and confirm the next step. ## Follow the message beyond acceptance. Prepare the approved template or service reply, the recipient and the destination. Inspect the native experience and the application state it changes. ## Send a controlled example Use an eligible test recipient and the correct language and parameters. ## Receive the reply Check the incoming event, interactive choice and conversation context. ## Record the outcome Confirm the actual booking, order or resolved case in its owning system. ## Give the journey an owner. Review consent, suppression, sender quality, response handling and billing before expanding traffic. Rehearse an unavailable integration or a request that needs a person. ## Watch the right signals Review delivery, reads, responses and business outcomes separately. ## Reconcile the costs Use the published rates and billing records for Bird and Meta charges. ## Keep a recovery path Define team assignment, escalation and what the customer sees when an action cannot complete. ## Follow the detailed setup - [WhatsApp developer overview](/docs/guides/whatsapp/overview): Understand the channel and its connected resources. - [Connect a phone number](/docs/guides/whatsapp/phone-number-setup): Choose the business account and onboarding path. - [Author a template](/docs/guides/whatsapp/authoring-templates): Prepare content, languages and approval. - [Complete resource library](/whatsapp-api/resources): Find every guide and explained answer. ## Connect your business and try the first exchange. Start in the guided setup, prepare an eligible recipient and check what happens after the request is accepted. [Read the setup guide](/docs/guides/whatsapp/phone-number-setup) ## Related resources - [Connecting WhatsApp to Bird: from buying a number to a live channel](/learn/whatsapp/connecting-whatsapp-to-bird) (video) - [Sending WhatsApp messages](/docs/guides/whatsapp/sending-whatsapp) (docs) - [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) [Get an implementation brief](/learn/workspace?topic=whatsapp)