Once your Kanal account is created, an onboarding checklist guides you through connecting your WhatsApp number. Until it is complete, Kanal automatically redirects you to the onboarding page.
It has 6 steps:
Good to know before you start
Connect your Meta account
WhatsApp profile
Test sending and receiving
Billing setup
Setup complete
Before you start, check that you are an admin of your Business Manager: Being an admin of your Business Manager. During onboarding, you can also book a free call with a Kanal expert from the banner shown on screen.
Kanal lists the conditions Meta requires to accept your account:
a Business Manager with a valid website, for a business allowed on WhatsApp;
no products prohibited by Meta (CBD, alcohol, weapons, gambling, nudity);
do not use the display name or the number suggested by Meta during the connection.
Confirm that you understand to move on to the next step.
Click the Connect my Meta account button. A secure window managed by Meta opens: log in with your usual Facebook credentials, then follow the steps below.
Business Manager: select the business portfolio to use for WhatsApp, or create one.
WhatsApp Business Account (WABA): choose an existing account or create a new one. This account will hold your templates.
Click "Next" to move to the next step.
Display name: the name your customers will see. It must match your brand. Do not use the name suggested by Meta.
Category: Kanal pre-fills the Shopping and retail category, recommended for e-commerce stores.
Website: check that your store's address is correct. It is an important trust signal for Meta.
Click "Confirm".
Enter a clean number: it must not have an active account on the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app. Do not use the number offered by Meta. If your number is already used on WhatsApp, see this article.
Choose to receive the verification code by SMS or by phone call.
Enter the 6-digit code you received in the Meta window.
Confirm the last permissions so Kanal can manage your communications. The Meta window closes and you are back in Kanal.
Coexistence with the WhatsApp Business app is not supported: a number connected to Kanal cannot be used in the WhatsApp Business app at the same time.
Kanal shows a failure screen with two options: one to try the connection again, and one to book a call with our team.
Expert tip: if the verification code does not arrive within 2 minutes, check that your phone is not in "Do not disturb" mode and that no blocking of unknown calls or SMS is active. You can also choose the other delivery method.
Fill in the profile your customers will see on WhatsApp: profile photo, description and website. Each field is detailed in Set up your WhatsApp profile.
You can also click Later to skip this step. You then complete the profile in Settings (click your team name, then Settings), WhatsApp Profiles section.
Kanal checks that your number sends and receives messages properly:
From your personal WhatsApp, send the code shown by Kanal to your new number.
Your number replies with a 4-digit code.
Enter this code in Kanal to complete the step.
Choose your plan (Pro, Scale or Business) and add a bank card. This card is also used to pay for the WhatsApp messages billed by Meta, which Kanal pays on your behalf.
If your Kanal subscription is billed through Shopify, the subscription is paid on your Shopify invoice: the card added at this step is then only used to pay for messages.
Pro is the entry plan. From the Scale plan, you get the advanced features: segments, conditions and AB Testing in automations, the Klaviyo integration, the AI Agent. Compare the offers in What are the Kanal plans, and message prices in How much do WhatsApp conversations cost.
Your number is connected and your account is ready. You land on the Kanal Home page and can:
turn on your first automations (abandoned cart, order tracking). Templates are created directly in the automation or campaign builder;
get your Business Manager verified to go beyond the starting limit of 250 contacts per 24 hours: Verify your Business Manager account on Meta;
prepare your first campaigns.
To organize your first month, follow our plan My first 30 days on Kanal.
