WhatsApp Coexistence: Use the Business App and API on the Same Number

• Coexistence lets a business use the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business Platform on the same phone number at the same time.
• Conversations, contacts and up to six months of one-to-one chat history sync between the app and Convrs; group chats do not sync.
• With Convrs, Coexistence is designed for one-to-one messaging. The handset owner can reply through the app or Convrs, while supervisors can monitor conversations. Campaigns, chatbots, automation, and multi-agent handling require a standard Cloud API setup.
• Moving a number to a standard Cloud API setup means it can no longer be used in the WhatsApp Business App.
• Meta also switches some app features off under Coexistence (listed separately below), and Meta decides, per number, whether a number is eligible.

For a lot of businesses, WhatsApp already works — just in a narrow way. For forex brokers and prop trading firms for example: The number is on a company phone. A relationship manager answers from it, or someone in sales does. Traders have it saved, which is exactly why nobody wants to change it.

The difficulty is what happens around that phone. If a manager or compliance colleague needs to review what was said, there isn't a central place to look. Following a customer conversation can mean relying on the person who has access to the phone.

That is the problem Coexistence is meant to solve, without asking a business to give the number up.

Coexistence means the WhatsApp Business App stays in use on the phone while the same number is also connected to the WhatsApp Business Platform through the Cloud API, and to a platform such as Convrs. Messages continue in the app as before and are mirrored in Convrs, where authorized supervisors can view and monitor conversations.

This post explains, in order:

What is WhatsApp Coexistence?

WhatsApp Coexistence allows a business to use the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business Platform on the same phone number at the same time.

Without Coexistence, connecting a number to the Platform through the Cloud API normally means managing conversations through the connected platform instead of the Business App. With Coexistence, the app can remain active on the phone while the number is also connected.

For example, a relationship manager could reply to a customer from a company phone while away from their desk. Their conversations would also appear in Convrs, allowing a supervisor to review the exchanges and follow the context without needing access to the phone itself.

In simple terms: WhatsApp Business App + WhatsApp Business Platform + the same phone number.

The three setups, at a glance:

*An eligible existing WhatsApp number can be used with a standard Cloud API setup, but it can no longer remain active in the WhatsApp Business App.

Why the choice used to be either-or

Before Coexistence, a business had to choose for each phone number: keep it on the WhatsApp Business App or connect it to the WhatsApp Business Platform through the Cloud API.

Moving to the Platform gave a business broader tools for managing WhatsApp at scale. It also meant the number could no longer be used in the Business App. For a team used to replying from a phone, that was a change in how they worked every day, not just a technical change behind the scenes.

The app alone has limits of its own:

• It runs on one primary phone, with up to four linked devices
• Broadcast lists are capped at 256 contacts, and only reach people who have saved your number
• There is no assignment, and no central record of who answered what
• It does not connect to the systems the rest of the business works in

For a regulated business, that last point matters. If a conversation cannot be found again, it is difficult to treat it as a record at all.

Coexistence removes the either-or part. But it does not remove every limit. The sections below are specific about what changes.

How does WhatsApp Coexistence work?

With Coexistence, an existing WhatsApp Business App number can be connected to the WhatsApp Business Platform through the Cloud API without giving up access to the Business App.

Once connected, the same number can be used in both places:

• On the phone: The person using the WhatsApp Business App can continue sending and receiving one-to-one messages as usual.
• Through Convrs: That same person can also reply through Convrs when working at their desk. Supervisors can view and monitor conversations.
• Across both: Conversations stay synced. A message sent from the Business App appears in Convrs, and a message sent through Convrs appears in the Business App.

What syncs with WhatsApp Coexistence?

• New one-to-one messages sync both ways.
• Contacts, synced to Convrs when the number is connected.
• Up to six months of one-to-one chat history, synced during setup, provided the business agrees to share its history during setup.
• Recent media can also be brought across. Historical media is available for messages from up to 14 days before the connection. Older messages may sync without their media attachments.

Group chats don't sync. They remain available in the WhatsApp Business App but are not synchronized with Convrs.

What changes in the WhatsApp Business App?

While Coexistence allows businesses to continue using the WhatsApp Business App, some features and behaviors change once the number is connected to the Cloud API. These are Meta platform rules, separate from what Convrs supports:

• Broadcast lists: Existing lists become read-only, and new broadcast lists cannot be created.
• Disappearing messages, view-once media, and live location: These features are disabled for one-to-one chats.
• Linked devices: Companion devices are disconnected during setup. Supported devices can be linked again afterward.
• App activity: The WhatsApp Business App must be opened on the primary phone at least once every 14 days to maintain the connection.
• Messaging throughput: Coexistence has a lower API sending throughput limit than a standard Cloud API setup.
• Voice and video calls: These remain available through the WhatsApp Business App but they are not synchronized with Convrs.

Who is WhatsApp Coexistence useful for?

Businesses that already rely on the Business App for one-to-one conversations and want to maintain their existing workflow while gaining better visibility into customer communications may find Coexistence useful. In particular:

1. Sales teams and relationship managers — They can continue communicating with customers through the Business App while allowing supervisors to view and monitor those conversations through Convrs.
2. Businesses that want to keep their existing WhatsApp number — Connect that same number to Convrs without giving up the Business App or changing the customer-facing number.
3. Teams that need greater visibility and oversight — Conversations are captured centrally in Convrs, where authorized supervisors can search and review customer exchanges. Conversation history also remains available to the business if an employee leaves.
4. People working between mobile and desktop — Continue using the Business App while away from your desk and access the same conversations through Convrs when working at your computer, subject to your account permissions.

What are the limitations of WhatsApp Coexistence?

With Convrs, Coexistence is designed primarily for one-to-one messaging. The following are not supported on Coexistence-connected numbers:

• Campaigns and bulk messaging
• Chatbots — Automated chatbot conversations and flows are not available with this setup.
• Messaging automation — Automated messages and workflows cannot be run through a Coexistence-connected number in Convrs.
• Shared team inbox — Supervisors can view and monitor Coexistence conversations through Convrs, but other agents cannot take over or respond. Only the agent assigned to the handset can reply through Convrs.

Businesses that need campaigns, chatbots, messaging automation, or a shared team inbox where multiple agents can handle customer conversations can opt for a standard Cloud API setup to access the full Convrs feature set.

The trade-off is that the number can no longer be used through the WhatsApp Business App. Instead, conversations are managed through the connected platform, such as Convrs.

Coexistence vs. a standard Cloud API setup: Which should you choose?

*Moving an existing number to a standard Cloud API setup means it can no longer be used in the WhatsApp Business App.

Choose Coexistence if you want to keep using the WhatsApp Business App with your existing number while giving supervisors visibility into one-to-one customer conversations through Convrs.

Choose a standard Cloud API setup if you need campaigns, chatbots, automation or broader integrations, and you are ready to manage that number through Convrs instead of the Business App.

Need help choosing the right setup?

Talk to our team

Frequently asked questions about WhatsApp Coexistence

Can I use the same WhatsApp number for the Business App and API?

Yes. WhatsApp Coexistence allows you to connect an existing WhatsApp Business App number to the WhatsApp Business Platform through the Cloud API while continuing to use the Business App on your phone.

This means you can manage supported conversations through both the Business App and a connected platform such as Convrs, using the same number.

Will I lose my existing WhatsApp conversations when I enable Coexistence?

No. You can continue accessing your conversations in the Business App. With your permission during setup, up to six months of one-to-one chat history can also be synced to Convrs. Historical media is available for messages from up to 14 days before the connection; older messages may sync without their media attachments.

Can I continue using the WhatsApp Business App and Convrs at the same time?

Yes. You can use the WhatsApp Business App on your phone or Convrs to communicate with customers, and your conversations will be mirrored in both environments.

Can I send WhatsApp campaigns or use chatbots with Coexistence?

Not through the current Convrs Coexistence – one-to-one messaging only. Those need a standard Cloud API setup, which means the number can no longer remain active in the Business App.

Can I switch from WhatsApp Coexistence to a standard Cloud API setup later?

Yes, if you later need campaigns, chatbots or automation — that means managing the number through Convrs rather than the Business App. Our team can explain the requirements and what the transition involves.

Can every WhatsApp Business App number use Coexistence?

No. Eligibility is decided by Meta for each number when it is connected, and it cannot be confirmed in advance. If a number is not eligible, the alternatives are to keep using it in the Business App, or to connect it through a standard Cloud API setup instead.