Connect WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger
Connecting Meta-family channels through the message-channels gateway: import inboxes in a few clicks, and know what platform review can gate.
WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger are Meta-family channels. Unlike a Telegram bot, they run on Meta's business infrastructure, so connecting them involves your Meta assets (Business Manager, Pages, phone numbers) — and some capabilities depend on Meta's platform approvals.
Where to connect
All four channel cards in Settings → Integrations — WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and TikTok — lead to the same Message channels page: channels are connected through a messaging gateway.
- Connect the channels inside the gateway (Chatwoot) account: Inboxes → Add Inbox for Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, or TikTok.
- In Ikigai, fill in the Chatwoot URL, Access token, and Account ID, then click Load inboxes.
- Pick the inboxes to import — Ikigai registers its webhook in the gateway automatically.
Incoming messages appear in Messages as native conversations, and replies are delivered back through the gateway.
Native per-channel connection pages (Meta's official Embedded Signup; for WhatsApp, a manual fallback with Phone Number ID, Access Token, and App Secret) exist in the product but are not reachable from navigation today — they may become available later.
After connecting
- Incoming messages land in the Messages section and attach to the client's card and deal.
- The Message channels page lists the imported inboxes with their connection status.
- Set up chat distribution — until rules exist, incoming DMs are not routed to anyone.
Platform prerequisites to know about
- Outbound replies depend on Meta's approvals. A Meta app that has not passed the relevant platform review may receive inbound messages while outbound sends are rejected by Meta. If replies fail on a fresh connection, check the review status of the connected app before debugging anything else.
- WhatsApp has a 24-hour window: as the composer hints, WhatsApp may require an approved template if the client has not written in the last 24 hours.
- Client avatars for these networks depend on the permissions Meta grants your connection (Telegram, by contrast, always provides them).
Tip: right after connecting, message the channel from a personal account and answer from Messages — a two-way test takes a minute and confirms both directions work.
Continue with The Messages section in the Chat channels category.
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