Migrating to Mumble: Moving your Number from the App to the API
For growing businesses, there comes a tipping point where the standard WhatsApp Business app simply isn’t enough. Your message volume spikes, multiple team members need access simultaneously, and manual replies become a bottleneck. Upgrading to the Mumble API is the natural next step for scaling your communication. Historically, this meant deleting your number from the app, losing chat histories, and starting fresh. Today, thanks to Meta’s WhatsApp Coexistence (CoEx) feature, your WhatsApp Migration is completely seamless.
As a Customer Success Manager here at Mumble, I’ve helped countless businesses navigate their API Onboarding. This guide will walk you through exactly how CoEx works, what to expect during the transition, and how to successfully move your Business App to API without dropping a single customer conversation.
What is WhatsApp Coexistence (CoEx)?
WhatsApp Coexistence is Meta’s onboarding solution that allows your existing WhatsApp Business app to securely connect to Mumble’s Cloud API platform. Instead of choosing between the app and the API, CoEx bridges the gap. It allows you to retain your existing phone number, preserve your valuable chat history, and automatically sync your contacts straight into your Mumble dashboard.
Pre-Migration Checklist
Before initiating the migration, ensure your setup meets Meta’s technical requirements to guarantee a frictionless transition.
- Update Your App: Ensure you are running the latest version of the WhatsApp Business app (version 2.24.17 or newer). Standard personal WhatsApp accounts are not supported for this specific flow.
- Admin Permissions: Verify that you have full Admin access to the Facebook Business Page associated with your company.
- Disable Two-Step Verification: If you have an existing PIN set up for Two-Step Verification on the WhatsApp Business app, temporarily disable it inside your Meta account settings.
- Check Country Eligibility: Note that Meta currently restricts CoEx onboarding for numbers originating from a few select regions, such as Nigeria and South Africa. If your number falls into this category, reach out to Mumble Support for an alternative migration route.
The Migration Process: Step-by-Step
Connecting your number to Mumble using CoEx takes just a few minutes. Here is the exact path you will follow during your API Onboarding.
1. Initiate the Connection
Inside your Mumble Onboarding page, begin the embedded setup and select the option to connect your existing WhatsApp Business app. You will be prompted to log into your Facebook Business account and select your Business Portfolio. We highly recommend keeping your existing Business Account Name exactly as it is to avoid triggering any secondary Meta reviews.
2. Link via QR Code
Once your portfolio is linked, Mumble will display a connection QR code. Simultaneously, Meta will send a direct message to your WhatsApp Business app. Open this message on your phone, click Connect to the Business Platform, and scan the QR code on your Mumble screen.
3. Sync Your History
After scanning, you will be given the option to import your past chats into Mumble. Do not skip this step if you want to keep your data; if skipped, you would have to completely offboard and restart the onboarding process to recover it later.
| Data Type | What gets imported? | Sync Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | All saved contacts are imported automatically. | Immediate |
| Recent Chats | 1:1 chat history from the last 24 hours. | Real-time |
| Historical Chats | Keep chat on phone, start fresh on Mumble. | Background sync (begins immediately) |
| Group Chats | Group chats are not supported on the API and will remain exclusively in your Business app. | N/A |
Pro-tips for a Flawless API Transition
- Turn Off App Automations: The WhatsApp Business app features basic automations, such as simple greeting or away messages. Turn these off immediately before migrating. Leaving them on can cause them to clash with the advanced routing workflows you will be building in Mumble.
- Preserving the Blue Tick: If your brand is already Meta Verified and holds an Official Business Account checkmark, CoEx ensures this badge transfers over to Mumble seamlessly.
- Companion Devices Will Disconnect: Moving to the API automatically unlinks any existing companion devices, such as WhatsApp for Windows. Moving forward, your team will handle all incoming conversations directly from the Mumble dashboard, removing the need for localized desktop apps.
What Now?
Once your contacts and chat histories have fully populated inside Mumble, the real work begins. Your immediate next step is to head over to the Automations Builder in your Mumble dashboard. Recreate your old away messages using Mumble’s advanced routing, set up your team’s inboxes, and configure your business hours. Monitor your conversation analytics over the first 48 hours to ensure all inbound queries are routing correctly to your agents. If you need any help mapping out your new automated flows, our Mumble Documentation has detailed templates to get you started.
