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Legacy WhatsApp API vs WhatsApp Cloud API How to migrate

Carlo Morandi

Meta has introduced since 2025 the WhatsApp Cloud API, a newer and more powerful way to connect WhatsApp numbers to platforms like Callbell. This article explains the differences between the Legacy WhatsApp API and the WhatsApp Cloud API, how to identify which integration you are using, and how to migrate safely.

 

Differences Between Legacy WhatsApp API and WhatsApp Cloud API

Compared to the Legacy WhatsApp API, the Cloud API unlocks several features:

  • 📞 WhatsApp Calls: Support for WhatsApp voice calls directly from Callbell. 
  • 🔁 Reply to Specific Messages: Agents can reply to individual messages, highlighting the message they refer to.
  • 😍 Message Reactions: Ability to react to messages with emojis. 
  • 🌐 Meta Conversions API: Improved tracking and attribution for marketing and conversion events.

These features are not available on the Legacy WhatsApp API.

 

How to Check Which WhatsApp Integration You’re Using

You can verify your current WhatsApp integration directly from Callbell:

  1. Go to Settings → Channels 
  2. Locate your WhatsApp number

If the number appears under the second “WhatsApp” option, you are using the Legacy WhatsApp API If the number appears under “WhatsApp Cloud”, you are already using the WhatsApp Cloud API

 

Mandatory Requirements to Migrate

The following requirements are mandatory in order to be able to migrate the phone number:

  1. Access to the Facebook Business Manager: You must have admin access to the Facebook Business where the WhatsApp number is currently connected. 
  2. Access to the Phone Number: You must be able to receive an OTP code via SMS or phone call from Meta.
  3. Display name approved by Meta: The display name is approved by Meta, and it needs to remain the same after the migration
❗Without all of these requirements, it is not possible to migrate the number.

 

How to Migrate Your WhatsApp Number

⚠️  We highly recommend completing this process with assistance from the Callbell support team.

Step-by-Step Migration:

  1. Go to Facebook Business Manager 
  2. Navigate to Settings → WhatsApp Accounts 
  3. Find the WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) connected to your number and click WhatsApp Manager
  4. Open Phone Number Settings
  5. Go to Two-Step Verification and disable 2FA
  6. Once disabled, go to Callbell → WhatsApp Channels  
  7. Click the three dots (⋮) next to the WhatsApp number and select Migrate
  8. Follow the steps in the Meta popup Confirm the phone number using the OTP code 
  9. Add the phone number and complete the connection 
  10. Finally, contact Callbell Support via WhatsApp and request to connect your credit line, so you can send WhatsApp templates with the newly migrated number

 

What Happens to Existing WhatsApp Templates?

During the migration, Callbell will request Meta to migrate all existing templates to the WhatsApp Cloud API. However, Meta re-reviews all templates, and the ones with low quality scores may not be migrated.

Any missing templates can be recreated manually after migration

Don't hesitate to contact our support team so we can guide you and help you complete the migration smoothly.