WhatsApp COEX: You Can Now Enable WhatsApp Business Coexistence in Oct8ne

If you use WhatsApp Business in your day-to-day operations, you have probably asked yourself more than once: Should I use the WhatsApp Business mobile app to maintain direct contact with my customers, or should I use the API to manage team conversations from the Oct8ne dashboard?

Until recently, making the leap to the WhatsApp Cloud API meant saying goodbye to your WhatsApp Business app, losing your history on your phone, and forgetting about replying directly from your handset. You had to choose one option or the other.

However, Meta has launched a new feature called WhatsApp COEX (coexistence), and the good news is that you can now activate and use it on your Oct8ne account.

What Exactly Is WhatsApp COEX?

COEX is an official Meta feature that allows you to use the WhatsApp Business app on your mobile phone and the WhatsApp Cloud API in Oct8ne simultaneously, using the same phone number.

It is not a tool created by Oct8ne, but rather a change in WhatsApp’s infrastructure that we have fully integrated. Now you don’t have to choose: you maintain the personal touch of the mobile app while simultaneously leveraging the multi-agent capabilities and scaled management of our platform.

What Advantages Does This Compatibility Offer?

• One Single Number, Two Environments: Keep your WhatsApp Business account on your mobile phone and connect it to Oct8ne without losing your usual phone number.
• Real-Time Synchronization: New messages sent from the mobile app will be logged in Oct8ne so your entire team has complete visibility over all conversations.
• Your History Saved: Keep your old conversations in the mobile app, and from the moment of linking onward, Oct8ne will start recording all new chat history. Important: Coexistence syncs new messages starting from the integration based on Meta notifications, but it does not export old contacts or history prior to the connection. It is not retroactive.
• Hybrid and Flexible Support: Reply to specific cases from your mobile phone while on the go, and let your customer support team handle the primary volume using Oct8ne’s tools.

Checklist Before Activating It on Your Account

For coexistence between WhatsApp and Oct8ne to work smoothly, there are certain technical requirements and usage rules set by Meta:

1. Phone and App Requirements

• Active Line: The number must be registered in the WhatsApp Business app and in continuous use (Meta may require a few days of active app usage before allowing connection to the API).
• Do Not Uninstall the App! The mobile phone remains the primary hub. If you delete the app or unlink the number, the connection with Oct8ne will be disconnected immediately.
• Keep the App Updated: You will need the latest version of WhatsApp Business on your mobile, as activation is completed by scanning a QR code.
• Regular Mobile Use: You must open the app on your phone at least once every 13 days so Meta does not disconnect the COEX feature.
• Single API: If your number was already connected to another provider’s API, you will need to migrate it first (COEX only supports one active API integration).

2. Meta Access Permissions

The person performing the setup must have Admin permissions in Meta Business Manager to authorize the connection with Oct8ne.

3. Costs and Messaging Policies

• Dual Rate Structure: Messages you reply to manually from the mobile app carry no extra cost. Messages sent from the Oct8ne panel are subject to WhatsApp Cloud API commercial per-conversation rates.
• Use of Templates: Broadcast or automated messaging from Oct8ne must use Meta-approved templates and adhere to the 24-hour customer service window.

Internal Management Recommendation

Because you will have two active environments (the mobile app and the Oct8ne panel), we advise establishing a clear protocol with your support team. Defining when to respond via mobile and when to use the platform will avoid duplicate answers or inconsistent information being sent to the customer.

Finally, here is a summary table where you can quickly see which features are available in each format (WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Cloud API):

Feature	App	API	Remarks
1-on-1 Chats	Yes	Yes	New outgoing messages are mirrored in both the App and Oct8ne.
WhatsApp Groups	Yes	No	Groups are managed from the App. The API Groups feature is not available for COEX numbers.
Voice and Video Calls	Yes	No	Calls are made from the App. The API Calling feature is not available for COEX numbers.
Catalog, Orders, and Statuses	Yes	No	Management available from the App. There is no automatic sync with the API.
Broadcast Lists	Limited	No	Switch to read-only mode in the App. Bulk API campaigns must be sent using approved templates.
Disappearing & View-Once Messages	No	No	Features are completely disabled in individual chats after activating COEX.
Live Location	No	No	Disabled in 1-on-1 chats. Only static location sharing is available.
Linked Devices	Limited	N/A	Sessions are closed after activation, with the option to relink supported devices (WhatsApp for Windows and Wear OS are not supported).

Want to Get Started?

If you’d like to take advantage of WhatsApp coexistence with Oct8ne or have questions about Meta’s requirements, reach out to us and we will guide you through the setup process.