Move your WhatsApp number from another provider

Open Admin → Communications → Settings → WhatsApp. First confirm which Meta account model your business uses. For Meta's newer model, connect the existing WhatsApp account that owns the number; do not create a replacement account or try to move its number. Choose the connection option for another provider and select the existing account in Meta.

The Legacy transfer between WhatsApp accounts section is for accounts that your current provider or JollyBee support has confirmed still support the previous migration process. The steps below describe that legacy flow. Only the community owner or JollyBee platform support can manage it.

If you use the number directly in the WhatsApp Business app, follow the Business app connection option in Connect your WhatsApp Business number. App coexistence and moving a number between Cloud API providers are different setup flows.

Preparing a migration plan does not move your number. The flow prepares a destination, shows both accounts for review and requires your separate confirmation before JollyBee starts registration. A finished Meta popup does not mean the migration is complete.

1. Coordinate with your current provider

Contact SendPulse or your current provider before starting. Confirm their requirements for moving the number, arrange a suitable change window and ask them to disable the number's existing two-step verification as required for migration. Check whether they need to make any account or billing changes on their side.

Coordinate the release sequence with SendPulse or your current provider. If they require removing their bot or connection before re-onboarding, arrange that step and any billing release with them; keeping the bot connected until after testing may not be possible. JollyBee does not release the provider's connection, cancel its contract or settle its bill. Do not delete the WhatsApp account or deregister the number as an experiment.

Back up the conversation history, contact data, automation settings and other records you need through the current provider's supported tools. This migration does not import historic conversations or recreate provider-specific campaigns, automations and templates. Review those separately before retiring the old service.

Make sure you can receive an SMS or voice call on the business number if Meta asks to verify it. You also need a Meta login that can manage the original business portfolio and approve access to the destination WhatsApp Business Account.

2. Prepare the migration plan

Enter the current details in Prepare your current number:

• Current provider: the service currently handling the number, for example SendPulse.
• Business phone number: the number customers dial, including + and the country code, with no spaces. For example, +27821234567.
• Current business portfolio ID: the numeric ID of the original Meta business portfolio.
• Current WhatsApp Business Account ID: the numeric ID of the source WhatsApp account, often called a WABA.
• Current Phone number ID (optional): Meta's API identifier for this number, if available. It is different from the telephone number.

Copy these IDs from Meta business settings or ask the current provider to confirm them. The business portfolio, WABA and Phone number IDs refer to different assets; do not use one ID in every field.

If this community uses JollyBee's shared platform number, leave Provider → Platform number enabled. JollyBee keeps that sender active while you prepare, register and test the imported number, and while destination templates await approval. It switches the community's sender only when you explicitly activate the tested number. Do not choose Disabled to prepare the plan. An existing direct Meta connection needs a support-assisted handover; do not disable it to bypass a refusal.

Confirm each readiness statement: coordination with the old provider, source two-step verification disabled, your business's own Meta billing arranged, access to phone verification, and any required backups. These are your confirmations, not a claim that JollyBee has inspected the old provider's account.

Select Prepare migration plan. If Meta signup is unavailable, ask JollyBee support to complete platform setup before proceeding. You do not need to create a new developer app or provide JollyBee's app secret.

3. Authorize the destination through Meta

Select Prepare Meta sign-in, then Connect destination with Meta. Complete the Meta popup using the account that manages your business.

For the confirmed legacy flow, choose the original business portfolio and a new destination WhatsApp Business Account. The destination WABA must differ from the source account and belong to the intended business. Follow Meta's account and phone-verification prompts. If Meta shows the newer account model, stop this legacy flow and connect the existing owning account instead.

Enter any temporary SMS or voice verification code only in Meta's popup. The JollyBee migration form does not request that one-time code. Keep the migration page open while JollyBee verifies the returned destination details.

This flow supports the standard signup that returns a business portfolio, WABA and phone number. If Meta offers Business app coexistence, a WABA-only completion or another migration mode, stop and ask support to confirm the correct route. Do not keep selecting other modes to bypass an error.

If the destination needs Meta business or account approval, the plan remains Needs review. Complete the outstanding requirements in Meta, then use Check saved status. There is no cutover button until the destination passes the required checks.

4. Review both accounts and confirm cutover

Compare Current provider with Destination in JollyBee. Check the phone number, business portfolio, WhatsApp Business Account and destination business name carefully.

When the plan is ready, choose a new six-digit two-step verification PIN for the number. Keep this PIN securely. It is different from the temporary SMS or voice code used during Meta signup, and JollyBee does not display it again after submission.

Type the full international phone number exactly as shown and select the acknowledgment authorizing the move now. Then select Start the move to JollyBee. This asks Meta to register the imported number and can interrupt service at its old provider. If this community currently uses JollyBee's shared sender, that sender remains active; registration does not activate the imported number for the community's ordinary messages.

Opening the Meta popup, preparing the plan or viewing the review screen does not submit this final JollyBee cutover action. If you are not ready, leave the plan for later. Cancel this plan is available only before cutover starts and does not cancel the old provider's account.

5. Verify incoming messages and a test reply

Wait until registration is confirmed, then follow Test incoming and outgoing messages:

1. Use a different WhatsApp number to send the exact test text displayed on the page to your business number. It must be a new message sent after registration.
2. Select Check saved status. Wait for Fresh incoming test to show that JollyBee received and verified the message.
3. Select Send one test reply. JollyBee sends a fixed message only to the number that sent the verified incoming test; you do not enter another recipient.
4. Check the test phone, then select Check saved status until Meta confirms the reply as delivered or read. A sent or accepted status alone is not proof of delivery.
5. For a community keeping the shared sender active, review Templates on the destination account. Use WhatsApp Manager to create or correct the listed templates on the destination WABA, wait for Meta's approval and select Check saved status again. Approvals on the shared account do not carry across automatically.
6. Confirm that you received the test reply and checked the conversation. For a preserved shared sender, select Activate this number for JollyBee when the destination templates are ready. JollyBee checks them again before switching. A migration that began with the channel disabled still uses Confirm migration complete.

The move is confirmed only after registration, a fresh verified incoming test, the test reply's delivery receipt and your acknowledgment. A community keeping its shared sender also needs matching approved templates on the destination account before activation. JollyBee checks the community's approved templates, configured notices and queued-message requirements; a blocked check leaves the shared sender active. You can open the community Inbox to review the test conversation.

If a test reply was already requested but its outcome is unclear, check status or ask support to review it. The flow does not replay an uncertain send automatically.

Retry test reply appears only when JollyBee confirms the previous attempt was not sent. For an interrupted preparation, wait at least two minutes and select Check saved status. If a retry is offered, select it once to send the fixed test reply; this does not repeat registration. A pending send or a delivery failure after Meta accepted the message requires status checks or support review instead. A failed status alone does not make another send safe.

6. Review AI, billing and your old service

After the move is confirmed, return to Communications → Settings and review the WhatsApp AI assistant card, your approved answers, commerce permissions and wallets. Follow Set up the WhatsApp AI assistant before enabling automatic replies.

Your business remains responsible for applicable Meta WhatsApp charges through its own Meta billing. JollyBee's message fee and AI usage are separate wallet charges. Moving the number does not pay the old provider's account balance or replace Meta's template and customer-service-window requirements.

Finish the old provider's offboarding and billing steps in the sequence agreed with them. A required bot or connection release may happen before testing; do not confuse that release with deleting the Meta account or number. After JollyBee works in both directions and the community's sender is activated, confirm that remaining provider subscriptions and obligations have been handled.

Recover from an interruption or Needs review

Use Check saved status after an interrupted request, timeout or unexpected result. This checks the saved state and available Meta status; it does not repeat registration, subscribe the account again or send another test message.

Before cutover, Start Meta authorization again can clear the prepared destination authorization so you can complete a fresh sign-in. Use it only when you intend to restart that preparation. After cutover has started, keep the existing plan and let support review an uncertain outcome rather than trying another transfer.

For support, provide the community, business number, current provider, approximate attempt time and any displayed support reference. Hide PINs, verification codes and access tokens in screenshots. Never delete the number or repeatedly press transfer to test whether the previous attempt succeeded.