Move Your Existing WhatsApp Number to the API
How to keep your current phone number when moving from the WhatsApp Messenger app or the WhatsApp Business app to the WhatsApp Cloud API: Messenger numbers must delete their WhatsApp account first; Business app numbers can either delete the account (chat history is lost, so back it up, and the app can't be used again unless the number is deregistered from the API) or connect through Coexistence to keep the app and the history. Covers the delete steps (Settings > Account > Delete my account, up to 3 minutes before the number is free, messages queued meanwhile), banned numbers, going back to the app, and switching providers under Meta's new account model (numbers are shared with the new provider, not migrated).
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Yes, you can keep your number. But a number can't be in a normal WhatsApp app and on the Cloud API at the same time, so you have to free it up first. How you do that depends on which app the number is in today:
- WhatsApp Messenger (the regular WhatsApp app): you must delete the WhatsApp account on the number first.
- WhatsApp Business app: you can delete the account, or connect the number through a WhatsApp provider (BSP) that supports Coexistence, which keeps the Business app working and keeps your chat history.
Your two options with a WhatsApp Business app number#
| Delete the account, then register | Connect with Coexistence | |
|---|---|---|
| Keep using the Business app? | No. You can't use the number in the Business app again unless you deregister it from the API. | Yes, the app and the API work side by side. |
| Existing chat history | Lost. Back it up first. | Kept, and kept in sync between the app and the API. |
| Who can do it | Anyone | Only through a provider that supports Business app number onboarding |
If the Business app matters to you, read Coexistence before deleting anything.
Delete the WhatsApp account and move the number#
Open the app's account settings
In WhatsApp Messenger or the WhatsApp Business app on your Android phone or iPhone, go to Settings → Account.
Delete the account
Tap Delete my account and follow the steps for that phone number. Messages sent to the number in the meantime are queued.
Wait a few minutes
It can take up to 3 minutes before the disconnected number is available.
Add, verify and register the number on the API
Add the number to your WhatsApp Business Account, verify it with an SMS or voice code, and register it with a 6-digit PIN. See Business Phone Numbers: Eligibility, Registration & Two-Step PIN.
After registration, the number still works for normal calls and SMS, but not in the WhatsApp Messenger app.
Going back to the WhatsApp Business app#
A number you deleted from the app and registered on the API can't be used in the Business app again unless you deregister it from the Cloud API. Deregistering takes the number off the API but doesn't delete it or its message history from your account. Deregistering is limited to 10 requests per number in 72 hours. See Deregistering vs deleting a number.
Moving a number that is already on the API#
To a new provider (BSP)#
Under Meta's new WhatsApp account model (rolling out from September 23, 2026), a number is not migrated from one provider to another any more. Instead, you share the WhatsApp account that holds your number with the new provider:
- The number doesn't move and conversations aren't interrupted. There is nothing to migrate.
- Sharing is additive: you can keep your previous provider on the number, or remove it later. Neither is required before the new provider can onboard you.
- If you try the old-style migration, Meta rejects it: disconnecting the number from its current account doesn't make it available to another one.
Within your own business portfolio#
To regroup numbers between WhatsApp accounts in the same business portfolio, link and unlink them in Meta Business Suite: Settings → Accounts → WhatsApp Accounts → select the primary WhatsApp account → Linked WhatsApp accounts tab. Use Unlink number to move a number out, or Link WhatsApp account → Existing WhatsApp account to bring one in. The number stays connected and keeps its conversations.
- A number can't be moved to another business portfolio.
- Providers with access to a WhatsApp account can use every number in it, so moving a number changes which providers can use it.
- You need permission to manage phone numbers on every account involved, and the number must be connected.
- Linking and unlinking are rolling out gradually and may not be available to every business yet.
Frequently asked#
Can I use my current WhatsApp number for the WhatsApp API?
Yes. If the number is in the regular WhatsApp app, delete the WhatsApp account on it first, then add, verify and register it on the API. If it's in the WhatsApp Business app, you can either delete the account or connect it through a provider that supports Coexistence and keep using the app.
Will I lose my WhatsApp chats if I move my number to the API?
If you delete the account in the app and then register the number, yes, your existing message history is lost, so back it up first. If you connect a WhatsApp Business app number through Coexistence instead, your history is kept.
Do I have to delete WhatsApp from my phone?
For a regular WhatsApp Messenger number, yes: delete the WhatsApp account on that number (in Settings → Account → Delete my account). For a WhatsApp Business app number, not if you use Coexistence.
Why does it say my number is already in use with WhatsApp?
A number that is still active in a WhatsApp app can't be registered on the API. Delete the WhatsApp account on that number, wait up to 3 minutes, then try again. Or use Coexistence if it's a WhatsApp Business app number.
What happens to messages people send me while I'm switching?
When you delete the account, messages sent to the number in the meantime are queued.
Can I move my number back to the WhatsApp Business app later?
Yes, but you must first deregister the number from the Cloud API. Until then it can't be used in the Business app.
How do I move my WhatsApp API number to a new provider?
Under Meta's new account model, numbers are no longer migrated between providers. You share the WhatsApp account that holds your number with the new provider. The number stays where it is, conversations continue, and you can keep or remove the old provider whenever you like.
Can I move my number to a different business portfolio?
No. Meta lets you move a number only between WhatsApp accounts inside the same business portfolio, by linking and unlinking them in Meta Business Suite.
Gotchas & common mistakes#
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