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How to obtain Whatsapp API?


### ✅ Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- A **Meta Business Account**
- A **Facebook Developer Account**
- A **Verified Business**
- A **Phone Number** to link to WhatsApp
- Access to **Meta's Graph API Explorer** or **Meta for Developers portal**

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### 🪜 STEP 1: Create a Meta App

1. Go to [https://developers.facebook.com/apps](https://developers.facebook.com/apps)
2. Click **“Create App”**
3. Choose **"Business"** as the app type, then click **Next**
4. Give your app a name and enter a contact email
5. Choose your Business Account (or create one)
6. Click **Create App**

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### 🪜 STEP 2: Add WhatsApp Product

1. In your app dashboard, scroll down to **"Add a Product"**
2. Find **"WhatsApp"** and click **“Set Up”**
3. Link your **Business Manager Account**

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### 🪜 STEP 3: Create a WhatsApp Business Account (if needed)

1. If you haven’t already, go to [https://business.facebook.com/](https://business.facebook.com/)
2. Click **“Create Account”**, and complete your business information
3. Go to **Business Settings > Accounts > WhatsApp Accounts**
4. Add a **Phone Number** (you'll receive a verification code)

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### 🪜 STEP 4: Generate a Temporary Access Token (for development)

1. In the **App Dashboard**, go to **WhatsApp > Getting Started**
2. Choose your test phone number
3. Copy the **temporary access token** (valid for 24 hours)
4. Copy the **Phone Number ID** and **WhatsApp Business Account ID**

✅ Save these 3 values:
- **Access Token**
- **Phone Number ID**
- **WABA ID**

📝 Tip: For production, you will later need to create a **permanent token** (see step 7).

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### 🪜 STEP 5: Set Up a Webhook URL (n8n)

1. In n8n, set up a **Webhook node** (or use the `WhatsApp Trigger` node)
2. Copy the webhook URL
3. In the Meta Developer Dashboard:
   - Go to **WhatsApp > Configuration**
   - Click **“Edit Callback URL”**
   - Paste your n8n webhook URL and add a random **verify token**
4. In n8n, configure your webhook to respond to the verification request

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### 🪜 STEP 6: Subscribe to Webhook Fields

1. Still under **WhatsApp > Configuration**, click **"Manage Subscriptions"**
2. Enable:
   - `messages`
   - `message_status`
   - (Optionally `message_template_status_update`)

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### 🪜 STEP 7: (Optional but recommended) Generate a Permanent Token

1. Go to [https://developers.facebook.com/tools/access_token/](https://developers.facebook.com/tools/access_token/)
2. Select your app
3. Click **Get Token > System User Token**
4. Select the permissions:
   - `whatsapp_business_management`
   - `whatsapp_business_messaging`
   - `business_management`
5. Click **Generate Token**
6. Copy and securely store this token

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### 🪜 STEP 8: Configure Credentials in n8n

1. Go to **n8n > Settings > Credentials**
2. Create new credentials of type **HTTP Header Auth**
   - **Name:** WhatsApp
   - **Header Name:** `Authorization`
   - **Value:** `Bearer <your_access_token>`
3. Save

Then, in your workflows:
- Use the HTTP Request node or WhatsApp node
- Set the `phone_number_id` in the node parameters
- Connect it to your WhatsApp credential

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### 🧪 STEP 9: Test the Connection

1. Use a WhatsApp number to send a message to your business phone
2. Your n8n workflow should be triggered
3. You can now send and receive messages programmatically 🎉