Set up WhatsApp for your AI receptionist

On a Frontivo.io number

1. 1Subscribe to Growth or WhatsApp Only. Both open soon, once Meta's approval is through - until then you can reserve one at no charge on Plan & Billing.
2. 2Open Integrations and click the WhatsApp tile (under Channels). On its card, click Turn on WhatsApp. No Frontivo.io number yet? The button says Turn on WhatsApp + get a number and gets one at the same time.
3. 3The card shows Setting up WhatsApp. It's usually Connected within a few minutes - click Check now to refresh.

Only for your own number: save your WhatsApp chats first

Using your existing number and it's on the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app today? Deleting that WhatsApp account erases every chat in the app and its Google Drive or iCloud backup, and they can't be recovered. Save the chats you want to keep first. WhatsApp saves one chat at a time (about 1 minute each) - there's no button to save them all at once.

Tip: save to Google Drive or Files rather than email. A chat with lots of photos can be too big to email.

1. 1Android: open the chat, tap the three dots (top right) > More > Export chat.
2. 2iPhone: open the chat, tap the contact or group name at the top, scroll down and tap Export chat.
3. 3Choose Include media (iPhone: Attach Media) to keep photos, videos and voice notes, or Without media (smaller, text only).
4. 4Pick where to save it - Drive or Save to Files is safest, or email it to yourself.
5. 5Repeat for every chat you want to keep, then check the files open on your computer before you delete anything.

Each chat saves as a text file (plus a zip of photos if you included media) that you can read on any computer. It's a copy for your records - it can't be loaded back into WhatsApp or into your Frontivo.io Inbox.

WhatsApp saves up to the latest 10,000 messages per chat with media, or 40,000 without. For a very long chat, choose Without media.

Your phone contacts aren't affected - only the WhatsApp chats are erased.

On your existing number

WhatsApp only allows a number in one place. If your number is on the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app today, you delete that WhatsApp account first - save your chats first (see above), because deleting erases them and their backup. Calls and texts on the number aren't affected. Allow about 10 minutes, plus about 1 minute for each chat you save.

After setup you can't use WhatsApp on this number yourself, and you're no longer in your WhatsApp groups on it. Every WhatsApp message to it - from customers, family or friends - is answered by your AI and shows in your Inbox, where you can reply. Also use this number for family and friends? Use a Frontivo.io number for WhatsApp instead.

1. 1On the WhatsApp card, click Use my existing number and type the number.
2. 2Answer Is this number on WhatsApp right now? If it is, open WhatsApp on that phone, tap Settings (Android: the three dots, then Settings) > Account > Delete account (some versions say Delete my account), type the number and confirm, wait about 3 minutes, and then tick I've deleted the WhatsApp account on this number.
3. 3Choose how to get your code - Text message, or Phone call (for landlines) - and click Set up WhatsApp on this number.
4. 4The pop-up closes by itself. On the WhatsApp card, type the 6-digit code WhatsApp sends in Type the code here and click Confirm - never in the WhatsApp app. No code after a minute? Click Text me again or Call me instead.
5. 5The card changes to Connected, usually a few minutes later.

Want to keep using the WhatsApp Business app on your number at the same time? That isn't available yet - use a Frontivo.io number for WhatsApp instead.

Test and share it

1. 1Send hello to your business number from another WhatsApp number - a friend's or a staff member's phone - and check your AI replies. The chat appears in your Inbox. No second WhatsApp? Use the WhatsApp tab in the Channel tester.
2. 2Click Copy your WhatsApp link and add it to your website, Google Business Profile and social pages.

Customers may see your number instead of your business name at first - see Customers see my number instead of my business name below. Messages work normally either way.

Customers can send voice messages - your AI listens, replies in text, and the transcript appears in your Inbox. Click Take over on any chat to reply yourself.

Customers can send photos and files too. They appear in the chat in your Inbox - click a photo to open it full size. Your AI can't see photos, so it tells the customer your team will take a look, and the chat moves to Needs reply.

Edit your WhatsApp profile

Your WhatsApp profile is what customers see when they tap your name in WhatsApp: your picture, a short About line, a description, your category, address, email and websites. You edit it right here in Frontivo.io - no WhatsApp Business app, Meta or Facebook login needed. Takes about 3 minutes. You need: WhatsApp showing Connected, and your logo as a picture file.

1. 1Open Integrations and click the WhatsApp tile.
2. 2Click Edit WhatsApp profile. The pop-up shows what WhatsApp has now.
3. 3Click Choose picture and pick your logo. A square image at least 640 x 640 pixels looks best - we crop it to a square for you.
4. 4Fill in what you want customers to see: Category, About (one short line, up to 139 characters), Description, Address, Email and up to 2 Websites. Empty fields? Click Use my business details to copy them from Settings > Profile.
5. 5Click Save to WhatsApp.

Your changes show on WhatsApp within a few minutes. Customers may need to close and reopen your chat to see a new picture.

Changing your Display name sends it to WhatsApp for review first, usually 1 to 3 days. Your current name keeps showing until the new one is approved, and WhatsApp allows only a few name changes a month - so use your real business name, as it appears on your signs or website.

During the free trial

WhatsApp is set up once you subscribe. When it's connected, you can test it on the WhatsApp tab in the Channel tester. Until then, use Website chat there to check your AI's answers.