WhatsApp Business numbers & virtual numbers guide (2025)
Learn how to get, verify, and manage your WhatsApp Business number using the WhatsApp Business App or Platform. Explore types of numbers, setup steps, best practices, troubleshooting, and how Infobip helps scale your messaging.
Customers today want to connect with businesses quickly and easily through messaging apps they already use. With over 3 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is a key channel for brands to build trust and provide support.
To use WhatsApp effectively, you need a dedicated WhatsApp Business number or a virtual number. This is a phone number linked to your business account that keeps personal and customer chats separate and unlocks important business features.
Whether you run a small business looking for a free solution, or a large enterprise needing a virtual number for scale, knowing how to set up and manage your WhatsApp Business number is essential. This guide explains the different types of numbers you can use, how to get a virtual number, and how to verify them on the WhatsApp Business App or API.
Let’s start by defining what a WhatsApp Business number is and why it’s designed specifically for business communication.
What is a WhatsApp Business number?
A WhatsApp Business number is a dedicated phone number linked to either the WhatsApp Business App or the WhatsApp Business Platform (API). You use it to send and receive messages with customers, manage your brand identity, and track quality and limits. Unlike a personal number, a business number allows you to access features like business profiles, catalogs, and automation.
Understanding the definition is only the first step. The real value comes from how a dedicated number supports your business goals.
Why your business needs a dedicated WhatsApp number
Using a personal number for business is risky and unscalable. A dedicated WhatsApp Business number is essential because it:
- Separates professional and personal communication.
- Is required to access the WhatsApp Business API (WABA).
- Builds trust through verified business profiles and branded presence.
- Improves customer experience by enabling features like catalogs, message templates, and analytics.
Once you decide to use a dedicated WhatsApp Business number, the next step is choosing the right type of number for your setup.
Types of numbers you can use for WhatsApp Business
You can use mobile, landline, or virtual numbers, provided they can receive an OTP (One Time Password) via SMS or voice call.
| Number Type | Description | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile numbers | Standard SIM-based numbers commonly used by individuals. |
– Quick setup – Low cost – Easy to dedicate to business |
– Tied to a physical SIM/device – Hard to share across teams |
Small businesses and sole traders |
| Landline numbers | Fixed-line numbers associated with a physical location. |
– Stable business identity – Not tied to a mobile SIM |
– Requires voice OTP – Ensure call routing is reliable – Lacks flexibility for remote work |
Local businesses with an established office line |
| Virtual numbers | Digital numbers that work over the internet without a physical SIM card. |
– Maximum flexibility – Scalable for teams – Global reach |
– Eligibility varies – Unsupported VoIP leads to failures or bans – Must use a compliant provider |
Growing startups and enterprises |
Let’s take a closer look at what a WhatsApp virtual number is and how it works.
What is a WhatsApp Virtual number?
A WhatsApp virtual number is a telephone number that operates over the internet rather than being tied to a specific physical phone line or SIM card. These numbers are cloud-based, meaning they can be managed from anywhere in the world.
For companies needing privacy, global reach, or multi-agent access, virtual numbers are the superior choice. They are widely considered the most scalable option for the WhatsApp Business API, as they allow you to manage high volumes of conversations without relying on physical hardware.
Virtual numbers unlock several advantages that go beyond what traditional SIM-based numbers can offer.
Benefits of using a Virtual number for WhatsApp Business
Switching to a virtual number offers distinct advantages over standard mobile SIMs:
- Privacy: Keep personal numbers private and employee data secure.
- Cost Savings: Avoid expensive roaming charges and hardware costs.
- Multi-Device Access: Enable multiple agents to manage support tickets simultaneously.
- Global Communication: Easily acquire local numbers in different countries to build local trust.
- Easy Scalability: Add new lines instantly as your team grows without buying new phones.
- Advanced Features: Ready for CRM integrations, call routing, and automation.
While virtual numbers offer significant advantages, they’re not without considerations.
Pros and cons of Virtual numbers
Before choosing a virtual number, it is important to weigh the trade-offs:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Verification Challenges: Some free or low-quality virtual number providers are blocked by WhatsApp. | |
| Provider Quality: Not all VoIP providers support the necessary SMS/Voice OTP for verification. | |
| Country Restrictions: Certain countries have strict regulations on virtual number usage. |
Getting a WhatsApp Business number is straightforward, but the process differs depending on your business size.
For WhatsApp Business App
- Download the WhatsApp Business App on Android or iOS.
- Enter your dedicated business number and verify it with OTP by SMS or voice.
- Complete your business profile: display name, category, hours, description, email, and website.
- Optional setup: add product catalog, quick replies, greeting and away messages.
- Start messaging. Device limits apply: one phone and up to four companion devices.
For WhatsApp Business Platform, API or WABA
- Create or verify your Meta Business Manager.
- In WhatsApp Business Manager, add your phone number and request display name approval.
- Verify the number by OTP using SMS or voice call.
- Choose a Business Solution Provider and hosting. Connect with Infobip to handle onboarding, hosting, security, and compliance.
- Configure templates for business-initiated messages, set up opt-in capture, routing, agent seats, and chatbot flows.
- Integrate your stack. Connect CRM, CDP, analytics, and your team inbox. Visit our WhatsApp sales blog for more on these topics.
- Know the rules. You can reply to customer-initiated chats freely within the 24-hour service window. Use approved templates for outbound messages outside that window.
- Cloud contact center solution team inbox for agents
- Chatbot building platform for AI chatbots and automation
- Customer engagement solution for orchestration and campaigns
- Customer data platform for profiles, preferences, and analytics
What happens when you change or delete a number?
- Changing numbers triggers re-verification. You may need to re-map templates and update opt-in references.
- Deleting a number can permanently remove chat history on that number and reset messaging limits and quality signals.
- Migrating a number between providers is supported with the right steps. Infobip manages safe cutover to avoid downtime.
To avoid challenges, keep these best practices in mind when choosing and managing your business number.
Best practices for choosing your WhatsApp Business number
- Use a dedicated number for business to keep ownership stable and auditable.
- Centralize ownership. Do not tie numbers to a single employee’s device or SIM.
- Secure OTP access. Document who can receive OTP and store access procedures in your IT runbook.
- Monitor quality and limits. Keep opt-ins clean, avoid high block and report rates, and warm up outbound sends.
- Avoid reusing numbers with a public personal history that could confuse customers.Note that WhatsApp does not support short codes. Use standard long numbers.Avoid reusing numbers with a public personal history that could confuse customers.
- Confirm portability. Ensure you can migrate the number to another provider in the future.
- Match your display name to your brand. Localize sender names if you plan regional numbers.
- Note that WhatsApp does not support short codes. Use standard long numbers.
Even with the best practices in place, issues can arise. Here are common problems and how to resolve them.
Common issues and troubleshooting
Number already in use
- The number is already registered with WhatsApp. Remove it from the existing account or choose a new number. If migrating from App to API, follow the official migration steps.
OTP not delivered
- Try voice call instead of SMS. Check DND settings, spam filters, carrier formatting, and international prefixes. Confirm the number can receive calls or texts.
Unsupported VoIP or virtual numbers
- If the provider is not compliant, registration may fail or the number may be banned later. Validate eligibility with Infobip before you commit.
Number flagged or banned
- Common causes include policy violations, lack of opt-in, poor template use, or high block rates.
- Pause outbound sends. Improve opt-in clarity. Fix template content. Appeal via Meta and work with Infobip to remediate and restore quality rating. For a potential quick solution, have a look at our Why is your WhatsApp Business Account blocked blog.
Template or display name rejected
- Align display name with brand legal name and public presence. Adjust template language to be clear, expected, and policy-compliant.
For a smooth and compliant experience, partnering with a trusted provider like Infobip can make all the difference.
How Infobip helps you set up and scale with a WhatsApp Business number
Armed with the right knowledge and the right partner, you’re ready to build a powerful WhatsApp presence that drives growth. Let’s examine the perks of having Infobip as a trusted provider.
Onboarding
- Register and verify numbers inside Infobip’s platform.
- Get guided display name approvals and fast template set up.
- Migrate existing numbers from the App or another provider with a safe cutover.
Compliance
- Capture opt-in, manage template approvals, and follow policy guardrails by design.
- Built-in audit logs and data processing agreements for regulated industries.
Scale
- Cloud contact center gives you a multi-user team inbox with routing, SLAs, and agent assist.
- Chatbot building platform powers AI chatbots and workflow automation on WhatsApp.
- Customer engagement solution orchestrates cross-channel campaigns, segmentation, and triggers.
- Customer data platform is a customer data platform for profiles, preferences, and analytics.
- Integrate with your CRM, helpdesk, and data tools. Enable failover to SMS, email, and RCS to protect delivery.
Global reliability
- 9,700+ global connections and direct telco relationships.
- 40+ data centers and low latency.
- 75+ local offices with 24/7 support and network monitoring.
The proof is in our clients success:
- Tawseel saw a 42x increase in ROI with just one WhatsApp campaign with Infobip.
- Unilever received an astounding 290,000 messages exchanged in seven days from 12,000 unique customers during a WhatsApp Business campaign.
A WhatsApp Business number is essential for trusted and effective customer conversations. Choose the right number type, register and verify it correctly, and manage compliance from day one. Small businesses can start quickly with the WhatsApp Business App, while larger enterprises benefit from the scalable Business Platform.
WhatsApp policies evolve, so always check the latest Meta guidelines and work with Infobip to ensure eligibility and compliance. Beyond that, Infobip offers end-to-end onboarding, seamless number migration, built-in compliance, and scalable tools like team inboxes, AI bots, and campaign orchestration, all backed by global reliability and 24/7 support.
Get your WhatsApp Business number with Infobip or request a demo to build and scale your WhatsApp presence with confidence and ease.
FAQs for WhatsApp Business number
You can migrate a personal number to a business account, but it must not be active on WhatsApp during registration. Back up any needed chat history first. A number can only be registered on one WhatsApp application at a time.
Yes. Many brands use regional or use case specific numbers. Manage them under one Meta Business Manager and route them in Infobip.
The blue tick is Official Business Account status. It is granted based on brand notability and compliance, and it is separate from basic business verification. It is not guaranteed.
Stop sending, review policy compliance and opt-in approach, and appeal through Meta. Infobip can help diagnose the cause and guide remediation to restore quality.
Yes. Provider migration is supported with the right sequence of steps. Infobip handles planning and cutover to avoid downtime.
No. A number can be linked to only one of the WhatsApp Business App or the WhatsApp Business Platform at a time.
Timelines vary by region and documentation. It can take days to weeks. Start early if you plan an API launch.
You can if it can receive OTP by SMS or voice and is eligible in your region. Check eligibility with Infobip before you register.
