Official WhatsApp

1. Have a number ready that is not in use on WhatsApp (neither the normal app nor Business), to receive an SMS or a call.
2. On the screen, click Connect my WhatsApp → («Conectar mi WhatsApp →»). Meta's registration opens.
3. Sign in with your company's Facebook and choose your Meta portfolio (or create it on the spot).
4. Enter the name your customers will see and verify the number with the code.
5. Add your card in Meta: it is the one you pay for messages with.
6. When you finish, you come back here. If it does not show as connected, click I have already connected it («Ya lo he conectado»). The registration takes about 5 minutes.

If you see We still do not see your number connected («Aún no vemos tu número conectado»), wait a minute and click I have already connected it again. If you see The registration was not completed («El alta no se completó»), you can try again: nothing has been charged.

Once connected, the screen shows three items:

• Number («Número»): your phone and the name your customers see.
• Quality («Calidad»): high (🟢), medium (🟡) or low (🔴). If there is no data yet, it says no data yet. If it is low, review your texts and slow down your sending. In the Inbox the channel's card changes to Check.
• Sending limit («Límite de envío»): how many different people you can write to in 24 hours (for example, "1,000 / 24 h").

Messages for this number are not read on this screen: they are in the Inbox. At the top there is a card, Your official number's messages are in the Inbox («Tus mensajes del número oficial están en la Bandeja»), with the Open the Inbox → («Abrir la Bandeja →») button that takes you straight to that channel.

Templates are the only way to write first to someone, or to someone who has not written to you for more than 24 hours. They are created in the Approved texts for writing first («Textos aprobados para escribir el primero») section.

1. Under New template (Meta reviews it) («Nueva plantilla (Meta la revisa)»), give it an Internal name («Nombre interno», for example "october offer").
2. Choose the category: Marketing for promotions, or Utility (notice) («Utilidad (aviso)») for notices about something the person already has or asked for. If Meta sees that yours is advertising, it will move it to Marketing.
3. Choose the Header («Cabecera»): None («Nada»), Text («Texto»), 🖼️ Image («🖼️ Imagen»), 🎬 Video («🎬 Vídeo») or 📄 PDF. For an image, video or PDF, click Upload file («Subir fichero»).
4. Write the Message («Mensaje»). B, I and S give you bold, italic and strikethrough. + variable adds a gap ({{1}}, {{2}}...) that is filled in later with the name or other data. The limit is 1024 characters.
5. If you like, add a Footer («Pie») in small print and up to 10 Buttons: + Quick reply («+ Respuesta rápida»), + Link («+ Enlace»), + Call («+ Llamar»), + Copy coupon («+ Copiar cupón») or + Unsubscribe button («+ Botón de baja»). The unsubscribe button stops sending to whoever clicks it.
6. On the right you see How it will look on their phone («Así lo verá en su móvil»).
7. Click Send for review («Enviar a revisión»). If something breaks Meta's rules, the panel tells you before sending it.

Meta usually approves it within minutes; if it takes longer, up to 24 hours. Below, under Your texts («Tus textos»), you see each template with its status: approved («aprobada»), under review («en revisión») or rejected («rechazada»). If it is rejected, you will see the reason after "Meta says:" («Meta dice:»). Only approved ones can be used to write.

This is what people see when they tap your chat's name: photo, info, description, websites, email, category and address. It is in the WhatsApp screen, inside Your numbers and write to someone new → WhatsApp profile («Perfil de WhatsApp»). Click Change photo («Cambiar foto», square JPG or PNG, up to 5 MB), edit what you want and click Save profile («Guardar perfil»). It can take a few minutes to show on phones. Statuses (stories) cannot be published with the official channel.