Errors during WhatsApp Business API Embedded SignUp Flow: Complete list with suggested steps
New users of WhatsApp Business API commonly face errors during the embedded signup flow during Facebook Business, WhatsApp Business, or Phone setup or verification. We aggregated the commonly known issues and their resolution steps
Setting up a WhatsApp Business Account using Meta’s Embedded Signup Flow enabled a streamlined onboarding. However, users frequently face errors during Business Manager setup, WhatsApp account creation, or phone verification leading to frustrating delays.
Whether it’s a business verification rejection, a phone number conflict, or an expired authentication code, these roadblocks disrupt the setup, delay the go-live for businesses, and place their customer engagement plans in disarray. In this guide, we’ll break down the most commonly encountered errors during the Embedded Signup, explain the error, suggest proper solutions, and also tips to avoid such errors preemptively.
By understanding these major errors upfront, businesses can ensure a seamless setup process and get started with their WhatsApp Business API or Cloud API in a jiffy.
Errors during Account Creation for Facebook Business Manager
Facebook Business Manager new account creation
Error Code / Message
Explanation
Suggested Resolution
Meta requires Business Verification before granting WhatsApp API access
The Business Manager account needs to be verified before proceeding with the WhatsApp API signup.
Complete the Business Verification process in Meta Business Manager under the Security Center.
Business Manager not found
The provided Business Manager ID is invalid or does not exist.
Ensure the correct Business Manager ID is used. Check Meta Business Manager settings to confirm.
You don’t have admin permissions
The logged-in user lacks admin access to the Business Manager account.
Log in with an account that has an Admin Role in Business Manager.
Business already linked to another WABA
The Business Manager is already associated with another WhatsApp Business Account (WABA).
Either use the existing WABA or create a new Business Manager account for a fresh setup.
Invalid business details
The provided business information is incorrect or missing the required fields.
Ensure all business details (name, website, address, industry) are correctly filled in.
Business Manager creation blocked
Meta has restricted the creation of new Business Manager accounts for this user.
Contact Meta Support to check for restrictions and use an existing Business Manager account if possible.
Too many Business Manager accounts created
The logged-in user has exceeded the limit of allowed Business Manager accounts.
Try using a different account with Admin access or request access from an existing Business Manager.
Error linking Business Manager to WhatsApp
Meta failed to link the Business Manager account to the WhatsApp Business API.
Retry after some time, ensure the Business Manager is verified, or contact Meta Support.
Business Manager in a restricted state
The Business Manager is restricted due to policy violations or pending verification.
Review Meta’s policy guidelines, complete verification, or appeal the restriction via Meta Support.
Your Facebook account is too new to create a business account. Try again in an hour.
New Facebook accounts have to wait for some time to create a Business Manager account.
Use an existing active Facebook account or wait for a few hours before using your new account. The new Facebook account can be actively used during the wait period.
A User Can Only Create One Business User At One Time
You can only create a single Business Account within a given period.
Use an existing Business Account to onboard.
The name you chose for your business isn’t valid.
Invalid business name.
Add a valid name that matches the name of your business.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) Not Enabled
Meta mandates 2FA for accessing the WhatsApp API
Enable the 2FA from the Facebook Security Settings using SMS or Authenticator App
Too many failed login/verification attempts
Multiple failed login/verification attempts trigger a temporary block
Wait for 24-48 hours before trying again. Use a different device or IP if feasible
Number Banned or Flagged
Your number was previously banned for spam or policy violations.
Request a review with Meta support or consult your Solution Provider. If the ban seems permanent, use a new number
App Not Approved for WhatsApp
Your Facebook Developer App isn’t approved for WhatsApp
Go to App Dashboard → WhatsApp → Submit for Approval. Provide your business details. Wait 3 to 5 days for Meta to review and approve
Invalid or Missing Permissions
The Facebook account doesn’t have access to the Business Manager
Ensure an Admin accesses the Account or get Business Manager Access if you don’t have one
Business Policy Compliance Rejection
The business category is on the restricted list (gambling, Alcohol, Medical, etc.)
Check the restricted category list from WhatsApp Business Policy or appeal in case of wrong flagging.
Tip and best practices to avoid Errors during Facebook Business Manager Account Creation
Use an Active & Verified Facebook Profile: Make sure the personal Facebook account is active, verified, and doesn’t face any account restrictions. It is suggested to avoid newly created accounts or a dummy account as Meta will flag such accounts.
Ensure that you verify Facebook Business: Verify your business before creating the account using valid business documents–business certificate, tax ID, utility ID, etc
Use a valid business email & other details: Ensure you register with a valid business email and provide accurate business details for proper verification
Account Creation by an Admin with complete access: For seamless access and permissions during account creation, an admin with full access should drive the setup
Enable 2FA (2-factor authentication): For admin access 2FA is mandatory. Use SMS or an authenticator app for 2FA.
Provide a proper Business Name: Use your valid business or brand name and avoid generic or names with copyright issues
Gradually Add Multiple Assets: Meta scrutinizes new Business Managers so adding new pages and ad accounts should be done over time, not instantly
Limit the number of admins to start with: Limit your number of admins handling the account to 1 or 2 to ensure any potential policy violation
Avoid Masking IP address by using VPN/Proxy: Meta may flag suspicious logins
Errors during Account Creation of WhatsApp Business Account
New WhatsApp Business Account creation
Error Message
Explanation
Suggested Resolution
Failed to create a WhatsApp Business Account
The system couldn’t generate a new WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) possible due to unverified business manager, some policy violation or other technical glitches
1. Check verification of business manager
2. Retry after a 15-30 minutes.
3. Check Compliance or contact Meta support
Business Manager verification required
The Business Manager Account (BM) linked to the WABA is not verified. Verification is needed before processing
Complete Business Verification under Meta Business Manager → Security Center before retrying. Submit business documents or contact Meta support if the issue persists
WABA creation blocked
The Meta system has restricted the creation of a new WABA for this Business Manager.
Check if your BM is restricted due to policy violations. If so, request a review from Meta Support.
This business already has a WABA
The Business Manager account is already linked to an existing WABA, and creating another is not allowed.
Use the existing WABA or create a new Business Manager to register a separate WABA.
Invalid business details provided
Some required fields (business name, website, industry) are incorrect or missing.
Double-check and update the business details in the Business Manager settings before retrying.
User does not have permission to create WABA
The logged-in user lacks admin privileges in the Business Manager account.
Log in with a Business Manager Admin account or request Admin access from an existing admin.
WhatsApp Business Account is restricted
The newly created WABA is flagged or restricted due to policy violations.
Review Meta’s Commerce & Messaging policies, appeal the restriction via Meta Support or create a new WABA with compliant details.
WABA setup failed
The system encountered an issue while finalizing the WABA setup.
Retry after a while. If the issue persists, check for any incomplete steps in Meta Business Manager.
Business Manager is not allowed to create a WABA
Meta has disabled WABA creation for this Business Manager due to compliance or fraud concerns.
Contact Meta Support for further clarification or try using a different verified Business Manager.
Tips to avoid errors during WhatsApp Business Account creation:
Complete business verification: Business verification is mandatory for WhatsApp Business Account to prevent the account from getting blocked.
Use 2FA on your Meta account: For accessing the WhatsApp Business API, 2FA is mandatory
Use valid phone number format: Use a proper country code and follow the phone number format avoiding spaces and special characters like “-”
Wait before multiple attempts during verification
Other practices like sharing valid business details, no use of VPN during setup, etc are suggested as well.
Errors during Phone Setup and Verification in WhatsApp Business API
WhatsApp Business API - New Account Creation in Chakra
Error Message
Description
Suggested Steps
Phone Number has been blocked.
If a phone number is blocked by WhatsApp it cannot be added to a WABA.
Check the alert prompt in WhatsApp Manager Overview or follow instructions in Business Support Home.
You have already linked the maximum number of phone numbers allowed for this Business Account.
There is a limit of phone numbers across all WhatsApp Business Account creation.
Delete a phone number to continue or request additional numbers.
The phone number is linked to WhatsApp Personal or another Business Account
You may be trying to add a phone number already existing in your WhatsApp Business Account.
You need to go back to the flow or restart the flow to select the existing phone number. To use this number, disconnect it from the existing account. Then, return to this page and re-enter the number. Note: It may take up to 3 minutes for the number to become available.
This number is registered to an existing WhatsApp account.
The phone number is already registered on the Meta platform (WhatsApp Messenger, Business App, or Business API).
2. Provide business documentation 3. Get a new number, if the ban is permanent and the appeal is unsuccessful
WhatsApp Business isn't available in your country
Local regulations may be blocking WhatsApp API service. The number is from a restricted region
Confirm from WhatsApp's supported countries. Use a number from one of the supporting countries or try alternative business messaging tools
Phone number ownership is already verified.
This phone number has already been verified.
<no action needed>
The code couldn't be verified
WhatsApp Business APIs only allow a limited number of phone number OTP verification attempts.
You tried to register this number too many times. Try again later.
Your phone number doesn't appear to be valid. Please double-check it, or try again after 5 minutes.
An incorrect phone number was entered or we do not support numbers of this format.
Make sure the number is operational and verified by a telecom provider. We do not currently support Interactive Voice Response (IVR) numbers.
There was an error verifying this phone number.
There was a problem with the verification code.
Please retry again later.
You have guessed too many times.
Exceeded the allowed number of verification attempts for a phone number within a short period
You have to wait for about 12 hours before retrying. After this waiting period, come back to the flow and select existing accounts and phone numbers to verify again.
You have requested your code too many times.
To block spam, the system only allows a limited number of verification tries.
Meta limits the number of times you can request a code within a certain time frame. Come back to the flow after the specified time and select existing accounts and phone numbers to request a code again.
General tips to avoid phone setup issues:
Use mobile numbers for verification (No VOIP or landlines)
Input a valid phone number (with country code and proper format)
Complete the phone setup in a single flow (No verification delays)
Contact WhatsApp Support or your solution provider for any issues
Try a new phone number for legacy compliance issues
Conclusion:
Navigating the Embedded Signup Flow errors—from Business Manager verification to WhatsApp account creation and phone setup—can be complex and time-consuming for business users to handle all by themselves. A single issue in documentation, phone number linking, or some compliance flags can delay your business communications setup for days or even weeks.
Why struggle alone? Chakra’s WhatsApp API experts simplify the process for you. We support businesses in setting up their WhatsApp Business API and support them during implementation and change management:
✅ Assisted WhatsApp Business API setup ✅ Dedicated Support for issue resolution ✅ Subject Matter Expertise and Guidance
Skip the guesswork—launch faster! Use the link below to get started.
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