Coexistence (Meta's term) lets you connect the number you already use in the WhatsApp Business app to the Nuvia platform, keeping both running in parallel. You keep handling conversations on your phone while Nuvia sends campaigns, scales conversations and runs your Smart Funnels (all on the same number).
Available on: All plans.
Who can do it: account administrators.
What coexistence is
Before, connecting WhatsApp to a platform meant choosing: either you stayed in the WhatsApp Business app, or you moved to the API and gave up the app. Coexistence ends that trade-off.
With it, your number works on two fronts at the same time:
-
WhatsApp Business app: one-to-one (1:1) conversations on your phone, the traditional way of using the WhatsApp Business app.
-
Nuvia (via Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform / Cloud API): campaigns at scale, centralized handling in Conversations and automation with Smart Funnels.
Messages are mirrored on both sides: what comes in or goes out through the app shows up in Nuvia, and vice versa.
Why use it
| Benefit | What changes in practice |
|---|---|
| Keep your number | No number change, no starting your contacts from scratch |
| Keep your history | Up to 6 months of one-to-one conversations are synced to Nuvia |
| Scale without losing 1:1 | Nuvia handles the volume; you keep handling specific cases on your phone |
| Continuous service | Conversations pick up where they left off, with AI replying and qualifying 24/7 |
What gets synced
| Status | Item | Behavior with coexistence |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ | One-to-one (1:1) conversations | Synced, up to 6 months of history; messages mirrored on both sides |
| ✅ | Contacts | Synced, all contacts with a WhatsApp number |
| ❌ | Group conversations | Not synced. |
| ⚠️ | Older media messages | Synced; media files only from the last 14 days before connecting. |
Requirements
-
A number already registered in the WhatsApp Business app (coexistence only works in this direction; a number that's already on the Platform/API can't go back to the app).
-
WhatsApp Business app version 2.24.17 or later.
-
Administrator access in Nuvia to complete the channel connection.
How to turn on coexistence with Nuvia
Activation starts in Nuvia and finishes on your phone, inside the WhatsApp Business app. Have the phone with the app at hand before you start.
Step 1: Turn on coexistence in Nuvia
-
In the side menu, click the 3 dots on your profile;
-
Select “Settings”;
-
In the side menu, go to “Channels”;
-
On the Channels page, find the number you want to enable;
-
On that number, click the 3 dots and then “Edit”;
-
On the edit page, turn on the “WhatsApp Coexistence (pilot mode)“ toggle;
-
Click “Save”.
Step 2: Activate it in the WhatsApp Business app
On your phone, you'll get a message from the official Meta (Facebook) account inside WhatsApp Business. Then:
-
Tap Connect in the message you received
-
Tap Connect to the Business Platform (the option's name in English)
-
Tap Confirm to authorize sharing your conversation history with Nuvia
-
Paste the verification code you copied in Nuvia
Step 3 – Wait for the sync
-
The WhatsApp Business app updates on its own and shows that the number is connected to the Platform;
-
Keep the app open during the sync; it may take a few minutes, depending on the size of your history.
What changes in the WhatsApp Business app after connecting
To stay compatible with the Platform, some app features are adjusted after you turn on coexistence:
| WhatsApp Business app feature | What happens after turning on coexistence |
|---|---|
| Broadcast lists | Turned off; you can't create new ones and existing ones become read-only |
| Disappearing messages | Turned off in 1:1 conversations |
| Live location | Turned off in 1:1 conversations |
| Voice and video calls | No change, they keep working in the app |
| Business tools (catalog, orders, status) | No change in the app |
| Messaging tools (greeting, away message, quick replies, labels) | No change in the app |
Best practices to keep the connection
-
Don't leave the app idle. If the main phone stays inactive for about 14 days, Meta automatically disconnects the number from the Platform.
-
Keep the app open during the initial sync, which may take a few minutes depending on the size of the history.
-
Linked (companion) devices: you can link up to 4. When you turn on coexistence, all of them are unlinked and you can reconnect the compatible ones. WhatsApp for Windows and for WearOS are not supported.
Coexistence costs
-
Messages sent from the WhatsApp Business app remain free.
-
Messages sent from Nuvia follow the billing model set in the plans.
-
The 24-hour window applies to messages sent from Nuvia; outside it, you need an approved template to reopen the conversation.
-
Messages sent from the app don't open or extend the service window.
How to disconnect
You disconnect from the WhatsApp Business app itself, not from Nuvia:
-
Open WhatsApp Business
-
Go to Settings > Account > Business Platform
-
Tap Disconnect account