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WhatsApp Cloud API — Setup Guide

~10 min setup

Connect Your WhatsApp Business

Follow these steps to generate your Access Token from Meta. That's the only thing you need — Yield.ai auto-detects everything else. No coding required.

Before You Start

1

Create a Meta Developer Account

Skip this if you already have one

  1. Open developers.facebook.com
  2. Click "Get Started" in the top-right corner
  3. Log in with your Facebook account
  4. Accept the Terms & Conditions
  5. If asked, create a Meta Business Portfolio — just give it your company name
2

Create a Facebook App

This app connects to WhatsApp's Cloud API

  1. Go to Create a new app
  2. Select "Other" as the use case, then click Next
  3. Select "Business" as the app type, then click Next
  4. Give your app a name (e.g., "My WhatsApp Bot")
  5. Select your Business Portfolio from the dropdown
  6. Click "Create App"

You must choose "Business" type. Other types won't have WhatsApp access.

3

Add WhatsApp to Your App

Enable the WhatsApp Cloud API product

  1. On your app's dashboard, scroll down to "Add products to your app"
  2. Find "WhatsApp" and click "Set up"
  3. If prompted, select your Business Portfolio and click "Continue"
4

Verify Your Phone Number

Make sure a phone number is connected

  1. In the left sidebar of your app, click WhatsApp → API Setup
  2. You'll see a section called "Send and receive messages" with a test phone number
  3. The test number works for development. To use your own business number, click "Add phone number" and verify it

✨ You do NOT need to copy the Phone Number ID or WABA ID. Yield.ai auto-detects both from your Access Token. Just make sure at least one phone number is connected to your app.

5

Generate Your Access Token

Choose temporary (quick test) or permanent (production)

Option A

Temporary Token (for testing — expires in 24 hours)

  1. On the same API Setup page, find the "Temporary access token" section
  2. Click "Generate" (you may need to click "Copy" if a token already exists)
  3. Copy the long token string — it starts with EAA...

⚠️ This token expires in 24 hours. For production use, follow Option B below.

Option B — Recommended

Permanent Token (never expires)

  1. Go to Business Settings → System Users
  2. Click "Add" to create a new System User
  3. Give it a name (e.g., "Yield Bot") and set role to "Admin"
  4. ⚡ Assign your app to this System User (CRITICAL STEP):
    1. Click on your newly created System User in the list
    2. Click the "Add Assets" button
    3. In the popup, select the "Apps" tab
    4. Find your app (e.g., "Yield Engine") in the list
    5. Toggle "Full Control" ON
    6. Click "Save Changes"

Stuck on "No permissions available"?

This happens when the System User hasn't been assigned to your app yet. Go back and complete step 4 above — click the System User → Add Assets → Apps → select your app → Full Control → Save. Then try generating the token again.

  1. Now click "Generate New Token"
  2. Select your App from the dropdown
  3. Check these two permissions:
    whatsapp_business_messaging whatsapp_business_management
  4. Click "Generate Token"
  5. ⚠️ IMPORTANT: Copy the token immediately! It will never be shown again.
6

Set Up Your Webhook

So WhatsApp messages reach your Yield.ai engine

How to find your Webhook Settings (Choose one):

Option A: The Fast Way

Paste your Meta App ID below to go directly there (App ID is at the top of your Meta dashboard)

Go to Settings ↗
Option B: The Manual Way
  1. Go to your Meta App Dashboard
  2. Click on your app
  3. In the left sidebar, click Use cases → Customize
  4. Click the "Step 2. Production setup" tab
  1. Once you are on the page, expand the "Configure Webhooks" section
  2. Enter your webhook details (copy and paste these exactly):

    Callback URL

    Loading...

    Verify Token

    12345

  3. Click "Verify and Save"
  4. Under "Webhook fields", click "Manage" and check the box for messages
✓

Paste Into Yield.ai & Activate

You're done — just paste and go

  1. Go back to the Yield.ai Setup Page
  2. Fill in your Business Name, AI Instructions, and Knowledge Vault
  3. Paste only your Access Token — Yield.ai will auto-detect your Phone Number ID and WABA ID
  4. Click "Activate WhatsApp Engine"
  5. If you see "Connected & Live" — congratulations, your AI agent is operational! 🎉
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