Migrate a Coexistence Number
If a phone number is already connected to the WhatsApp Business App through Meta’s Coexistence feature (often via another BSP or provider), it cannot be moved to a different WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) — including yours in Bread Crumbs — while Coexistence is still active.
There is no alternate or smoother migration path. The number must first be disconnected from the WhatsApp Business App, then registered on the new WABA.
When this applies
Use this guide when:
- The number is live on the WhatsApp Business App and Cloud API (Coexistence) under another provider or WABA
- You want to connect that same number to Bread Crumbs under a new WABA
- Migration fails or Meta blocks registration because the number is still linked to Coexistence
What you must do first
Before you can migrate the number to a new WABA:
- Disable Coexistence for that number, or remove / log out of the WhatsApp Business Account on the mobile device so the number is no longer linked to the WhatsApp Business App.
- Confirm the number is no longer connected to the WhatsApp Business App.
- Then start migration / registration on the new WABA (for example through WhatsApp channel setup in Bread Crumbs).
Until steps 1–2 are complete, Meta will not allow the number to move to another WABA.
Active ads and campaigns
If the number has an active ad campaign (or similar Meta setup that depends on it), wait until the customer is ready to proceed. Disconnecting Coexistence can interrupt that setup.
Plan a maintenance window so ads, messaging, and the Business App are not disrupted unexpectedly.
After the number is free
Once Coexistence is off and the number is disconnected from the WhatsApp Business App:
- Open Channels in Bread Crumbs.
- Add WhatsApp and complete Meta authorization for the target WABA.
- Select the phone number and finish onboarding.
See WhatsApp for the full connect flow, including optional Coexistence with Bread Crumbs if you want the Business App and Cloud API on the same number again under your new WABA.
Summary
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Number on Coexistence under another provider / WABA | Disconnect from the WhatsApp Business App first (disable Coexistence or remove the account on the phone) |
| Coexistence still enabled | Migration to a new WABA is blocked — no workaround |
| Active ads on the number | Wait until ready; disconnecting may impact campaigns |
| Number no longer on Business App | Register / migrate it to the new WABA, then connect in Bread Crumbs |
Bread Crumbs cannot bypass Meta’s Coexistence rules. If migration is blocked, the blocker is almost always that the number is still linked to the WhatsApp Business App under the previous setup — not a Bread Crumbs configuration issue.