WhatsApp Co-existence
Use your WhatsApp Business App and Gallabox on the same number — simultaneously.
Already using the WhatsApp Business App on your phone? With co-existence, you can connect that same number to Gallabox without giving up the app.
WhatsApp Business App — continue personal, 1:1 conversations from your phone
Gallabox — run shared inbox, automation, campaigns, and chatbots for your team
Both work on the same phone number. Messages stay in sync.
WhatsApp Co-existence is not enabled by default. It must be activated for your Gallabox workspace by our support team before you can set it up. Contact support to get started.
Why use Co-existence with Gallabox?
Before co-existence, businesses had to pick one:
WhatsApp Business App — simple and free, but limited for teams and automation
WhatsApp Cloud API — powerful, but required disconnecting the app entirely
Co-existence removes this trade-off.
With Gallabox Co-existence, you can:
Keep the same number your customers already know
Retain recent chat history and context
Give your team a shared inbox with assignments and collaboration
Run campaigns, journeys, and automations at scale
Let founders or managers still reply directly from their phone
Who is this best suited for?
Co-existence works best if:
You actively use the WhatsApp Business App today but need team access
You want automation and campaigns without disrupting live conversations
You are an SMB or growing brand moving gradually toward Cloud API
Common scenarios:
Founder-led sales — founder handles high-touch deals from the app; team manages follow-ups and bulk campaigns in Gallabox
Support teams scaling up — support moves into Gallabox with assignments, SLAs, and automation, while agents can still respond from their phone when needed
Gradual migration — test Cloud API features first, then decide later if you want to go fully API-first
How to enable
Co-existence is set up in four stages. Reach out to Gallabox support to begin.
Contact Gallabox support
Email [email protected] with:
Your WhatsApp Business App phone number
A brief note on how you plan to use co-existence
Eligibility check
The Gallabox team will verify:
Your number is registered on the WhatsApp Business App (not already on Cloud API)
Your country is supported
There are no existing partner or credit-line conflicts on your number
Embedded Signup
Once eligible, you will complete onboarding through Gallabox:
Start the signup flow in Gallabox and choose to connect your existing WhatsApp Business App number
A verification code will appear on screen — copy it
On your phone, open the WhatsApp Business App. You'll receive a message from the official Facebook Business Account — tap Connect. If you don't see the message, go to Menu (or Settings) > Account > Connect to Business Platform
Choose whether to share up to 6 months of chat history with Gallabox — this decision cannot be changed later
Enter the verification code and tap Connect to the Business Platform
The chat history sharing decision cannot be changed later. If you want to change it, you must disconnect and reconnect — and history sharing will not be available again on reconnect.
Sync can take a few minutes depending on your message history size and internet speed. Keep the WhatsApp Business App open during this time.
Start using Co-existence
Once connected:
Chats and contacts begin syncing into Gallabox
Your team can work from the Gallabox shared inbox
You can continue replying directly from the WhatsApp Business App
What you can do after enabling
From Gallabox (Cloud API):
Send campaigns and broadcast messages (standard WhatsApp Cloud API pricing applies)
Use the shared inbox with assignments, tags, and team collaboration
Build automation flows triggered by events — new leads, form fills, conversation status changes, and more
From the WhatsApp Business App:
Continue 1:1 conversations directly from your phone
Use app-only features like catalog, status, labels, and quick replies (these stay in the app and are not mirrored to Gallabox)
Message and contact sync:
Up to 6 months of recent 1:1 chat history can be synced into Gallabox (with your consent during onboarding)
New eligible 1:1 messages are mirrored between the app and Gallabox so your team stays in sync
Contacts with WhatsApp numbers can be synced into Gallabox, reflecting your existing customer base
Features and limitations
Co-existence comes with platform-level rules from Meta. Here is what changes and what stays the same once enabled.
1:1 chats
Continues as usual — but edit and revoke are no longer supported
Supported. Up to 6 months of history synced; future messages mirrored in both directions
Chat history
No change in the app
Last 6 months synced (if you approved sharing during setup)
Contacts
No visible change
WhatsApp contacts can be synced into Gallabox
Disappearing messages
Turned off for all 1:1 chats
Not supported
View once messages
Disabled for all 1:1 chats
Not supported
Live location
Disabled for all 1:1 chats
Not supported
Broadcast lists
Cannot create new lists — existing lists become read-only
Not synced; use Gallabox campaigns instead
Messaging tools (greeting, away messages, quick replies, labels)
Remain available in the app
Not synced; Gallabox has its own routing, tags, and automation
Group chats
No change
Not synced — group conversations stay on the phone only
Voice & video calls
No change
Not available via Cloud API
Catalog, orders, status
No change
Not synced
Business profile & WhatsApp Channels
No change
Channels not supported via Cloud API
Technical requirements, limits & pricing
Requirements:
WhatsApp Business App version 2.24.17 or higher
Phone number from a supported country (see below)
Embedded Signup with session logging enabled
Gallabox webhooks enabled
Throughput:
Co-existence numbers are limited to approximately 20 messages per second
Customer service window:
A 24-hour messaging window opens only when a user messages you after Cloud API onboarding
Messages received before onboarding can be replied to only using templates
Unsupported countries:
Co-existence is not available for phone numbers from:
Nigeria
South Africa
Pricing:
Messages sent from the WhatsApp Business App remain free
Messages sent via Gallabox follow standard WhatsApp Cloud API pricing
Linked devices
After connecting, all linked companion devices (WhatsApp Web, tablets, etc.) will be unlinked automatically. You can re-link them after setup is complete.
How to disconnect
To stop using co-existence, open the WhatsApp Business App and go to:
Settings > Account > Business Platform > Disconnect Account
This disconnects your number from Gallabox. Your WhatsApp Business App will not be affected.
If you need help disconnecting or want to understand the impact on your account, contact Gallabox support.
Keeping your co-existence connection active
Once co-existence is set up, the connection between your WhatsApp Business App and Gallabox needs to stay active. If it breaks, Gallabox will be automatically removed from your WhatsApp Business Account and you will need to re-onboard.
Why is Gallabox automatically removed?
Meta can remove a connected partner like Gallabox without warning in the following situations:
Number offline for more than 14 days — if your WhatsApp Business App is inactive or unreachable for over 14 days, the co-existence link is severed automatically. This is expected Meta platform behaviour.
Device changes or app reinstalls — switching phones, resetting your device, or uninstalling and reinstalling the WhatsApp Business App can break the connection.
Compliance or integrity issues — if Meta flags your WhatsApp Business Account for policy violations, low trust score, or integrity concerns, the partner connection may be removed.
Backend offboarding events — unresolved financial associations or system-level offboarding processes on Meta's side can also trigger removal, even if you did not take any action.
If Gallabox stops receiving messages or your shared inbox goes silent unexpectedly, your co-existence connection may have been broken. Contact Gallabox support to confirm and re-onboard.
Best practices to avoid unexpected disconnections
Keep the WhatsApp Business App active — open and use the app regularly. Avoid leaving the number dormant for more than a few days at a time.
Avoid frequent device changes or app reinstalls — if you do need to change devices, contact Gallabox support first so they can guide you through safely.
Stay compliant with Meta's business policies — ensure your messaging practices, business profile, and account remain in good standing.
What to do if you are automatically disconnected
If Gallabox is removed from your account unexpectedly, the fix is to re-onboard:
Make sure the WhatsApp Business App is active and registered on your phone.
Check your WhatsApp Business Account for any compliance or integrity flags that may need to be resolved first.
Contact Gallabox support — they will walk you through the Embedded Signup process again to restore the connection.
Note that re-onboarding follows the same steps as the initial setup. The option to share chat history will not be available again on reconnect.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my existing WhatsApp chats? No. Up to 6 months of recent 1:1 chats can be synced into Gallabox if you approve history sharing during onboarding.
Can I still reply from my phone? Yes. The WhatsApp Business App continues to work normally for 1:1 conversations.
Are group chats available in Gallabox? No. Group chats remain only in the WhatsApp Business App and are not synced.
Is the WhatsApp Business App removed? No. It continues to work alongside Gallabox.
Are messages free? Messages sent from the app are free. Messages sent through Gallabox follow WhatsApp Cloud API pricing.
Can I disable Co-existence later? You can disconnect via the WhatsApp Business App settings. Contact Gallabox support for guidance on your specific setup.
Why are my linked devices disconnected after setup? Meta automatically unlinks companion devices during Cloud API onboarding for security and compatibility reasons. You can re-link them after setup.
What if my number was previously connected to another API provider? Existing credit-line or partner connections can block onboarding. Gallabox support will help resolve this during the eligibility check.
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