WhatsApp Coexistence: Now Global — Everything That's Changed Since Launch
WhatsApp Business App users can register for the Cloud API using their business app account and operate both accounts together.
What’s the WhatsApp Coexistence Upgrade about?
"Since we first covered this launch in March 2025, WhatsApp Coexistence has gone from a limited beta to a globally available feature. Here's what's changed — and what's still relevant."
When WhatsApp first launched Coexistence in February 2025, it was a limited beta. Since then, it's expanded to become a globally available feature — including the EU, UK, and Australia. We've updated this guide to reflect everything that's changed.
This feature is called Coexistence, it allows existing Business App users to operate their WhatsApp Business API accounts simultaneously. You can register for the WhatsApp Business API using your WhatsApp Business App account with official WhatsApp solution providers like Chakra WhatsApp. A solution like this will allow you to scale up your customer engagement and interactions using features such as a Shared Chat Inbox, Automated Broadcast Messages, Chatbots, Drip Campaigns, AI settings, and more.
How the Coexistence upgrade can help WhatsApp Business Users?
This coexistence upgrade has been a long-awaited one by millions of business app users to enable them with seamless registration to WhatsApp Cloud API.
Deleting a WhatsApp Business App account is Not Required: Previously, to register for WhatsApp Cloud API (Business API) with the same number as the WhatsApp Business app, one had to delete the Business App account/profile before registering for the WhatsApp API. With the new WhatsApp API coexistence upgrade, you no longer need to delete the WhatsApp business app account to register on WhatsApp API.
Maintain access to both WhatsApp Business App and API accounts together: Using the Coexistance upgrade WhatsApp Business App users can use both their business app and Cloud API accounts.
Easy Migration from Business App to Business API account: For WhatsApp Business App users, migration to a WhatsApp API account got easier. They can use the Whatsapp Business app phone or account to register for the WhatsApp Business API. This was earlier not possible and WhatsApp business app users had to delete their account to use the same number to register for WhatsApp API.
Automate interactions using CRM + WhatsApp API: With WhatsApp API, business app users can leverage the potential of key features like automating messaging and incoming chats with Chatbot. Businesses can operate at scale and automation which is not feasible in the WhatsApp Business App.
Sync chats between the WhatsApp business app and Business API: Users can sync all chats and messages over the past 6 months. There is also a real-time sync between both the Cloud API and WhatsApp Business App.
Read Chakra Chat FAQ blog about WhatsApp Coexistence for more details.
Will Coexistence limit features of WhatsApp Business App?
Disappearing messages: Post the onboarding to WhatsApp API, Business App users won’t have the feature of disappearing messages available to them
View once message: WhatsApp features allow users to send photos, videos, or voice messages to disappear once the recipient has opened it once. This feature would no longer be available for 1:1 individual chat with WhatsApp coexistence onboarding.
Live location message: Live location feature enables users to share their live location on WhatsApp chat. This feature is not available for WhatsApp Business users who onboard for WhatsApp API using the coexistence capability.
Broadcast lists: Broadcast lists are saved contacts on WhatsApp where you can send messages to the entire list instead of selecting individual contacts. With WhatsApp Coexistence, the broadcast list will be disabled. Also, no new list can be created by business app users. The existing lists will remain as read-only.
Refer to the feature comparison from Meta Coexistence Documentation
Unsupported Countries for WhatsApp Coexistence mode
Update (May 2025): WhatsApp Coexistence has now gone globally available. The list of unsupported countries has significantly to NIL. Check Chakra's live coexistence checker for the latest status.
Pricing for WhatsApp Coexistence
After onboarding to WhatsApp Cloud API using the coexistence mode, WhatsApp Business App users will continue to be Free as earlier. However, they will have to pay for chats and business-initiated messages in the Cloud API as per the standard conversion-based pricing model.
What's New Since Launch
Insert a new section near the top (after the intro) titled something like "Coexistence in 2025: What's Changed Since Launch" covering:
- Global rollout including EU, UK, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, South Korea, Phillippines, etc
- Now enabled by default (no manual opt-in required)
- Single-number restriction: Each WhatsApp Business App account can only have one number under Coexistence.
Features Comparison after CoExistence
How to Register WhatsApp Business Phone for WhatsApp API?
Engage a WhatsApp Solution Provider who has enabled this capability to onboard to Cloud API using the existing Business App details. Chakra is a leading WhatsApp Solution provider (Meta Tech Partner). Using Chakra you can add an existing WhatsApp Business App connection using the Coexistence embedded flow in the standard WhatsApp API. Below is the flow of connecting your WhatsApp business phone with the cloud API.
Step 1: Choose the option to connect your existing WhatsApp Business App
Step 2: Once the Business App number has been shared, a QR code with instructions to share contact and chat history.
Step 3: A message is sent on the WhatsApp Business App with a confirmation code and a click to scan the QR code option.
Step 4: Tapping the Scan QR code provides an option to share their WhatsApp Business app messaging history with you:
Step 5: Tapping the Scan QR code opens a page asking you to give the business permission to share its chat history with you.
Step 6: Once the Business App is connected with the Cloud API, the standard WhatsApp API flow takes over to complete the registration
Conclusion:
The addition of coexistence can be a real game-changer for businesses that can leverage advanced features of the cloud API, such as Shared Chat Inboxes, Broadcast messaging, Chatbots, Automated Lead Assignment, AI settings, etc. This would be ideal for businesses looking for more automated and high-scale operations. They can also connect their CRM with the WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API) to connect their WhatsApp Sales funnel with other channels.
Business App users who prefer to use the business app can continue to operate without much change in its core feature capability. This gives them the flexibility to operate in an omnichannel fashion as per preference.
Chakra WhatsApp, an Official WhatsApp Solution Provider can help you with many of the capabilities for WhatsApp Business App users desire in their Cloud API solution. Shared Chat Inbox, Automated Chat Assignment, Messaging Flow Sequences, Chatbot, AI Conversations, expansive CRM, a Mobile App to manage conversation on the go, and more.
Last Updated: May 2026
