Overview
WhatsApp Catalog supports two channel types:- WhatsApp Cloud API
- WhatsApp Business App (connected via Coexistence (Coex))
Before you start
- Open Products.
- Make sure at least one WhatsApp channel is connected in Integrations.
- Make sure your Meta Business Account (MBA) is linked — the catalog toggle cannot turn ON without it.
What the banner tells you
A notification banner always appears at the top of the Products table. It changes based on your connection state.| Banner | When it appears | Action available |
|---|---|---|
| Orange — “Connect WhatsApp to enable catalog” | No WhatsApp channel connected | Connect Channel |
| Green — “Catalog active.” | One channel connected and catalog is ON | None |
| Blue — “Catalog Source: [Channel Name]“ | Two channels connected and catalog is ON | Switch Channel |
| Hidden | One channel connected but catalog has not been turned ON yet | None |
First-time setup with two channels connected
If you have both WhatsApp Cloud API and Coexistence (Coex) connected and have not yet activated a catalog:- Open Products.
- Toggle any product ON for WhatsApp Catalog (or click Add products to WhatsApp Catalog).
- The Enable WhatsApp Catalog modal opens — no channel is pre-selected.
- Choose the channel to use as your Primary Catalog Source.
- Confirm. The system activates the catalog on that channel.
- The banner updates to Blue, showing your active source and a Switch Channel option.
Switch your active catalog channel
If you already have an active catalog and want to move it to the other channel:- On Products, find the Blue banner at the top.
- Click Switch Channel.
- The Select Active Catalog Channel modal opens. Your current channel is pre-selected with a Current badge.
- Choose the other channel.
- Confirm. The system deactivates the catalog on the old channel, then activates it on the new one.
- The banner updates to reflect the new source.
First-time setup with one channel
If only one WhatsApp channel is connected:- Toggle any product ON for WhatsApp Catalog.
- If your MBA is not yet linked, you are prompted to connect it before continuing.
- The catalog activates on your single connected channel automatically.
- The banner turns Green.
If no WhatsApp channel is connected
If no channel is connected when you try to toggle a product ON, a redirect modal appears pointing you to Integrations. After connecting a channel, return to Products — the Orange banner will be shown.Scenario reference
| Scenario | System state | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| New user | No WA channel connected | Redirected to Integrations; Orange banner on return |
| Single channel, no catalog | 1 channel connected, catalog OFF | Catalog activates on that channel; Green banner |
| Dual channel, no catalog | 2 channels connected, catalog OFF | Enable Catalog modal (no pre-selection); Blue banner after choice |
| Switching | 2 channels connected, catalog ON | Choose Channel modal (current pre-selected); Blue banner updated |
| Legacy | Both channels connected before this feature shipped | Enable Catalog modal forced to establish Primary Source |
Important notes
- MBA is required. Even if a channel is connected, the catalog toggle cannot turn ON until your Meta Business Account is linked.
- Closing the modal cancels the action. If you close the Enable Catalog modal without choosing a channel, the product toggle returns to OFF.
- The banner persists. Once a primary channel is set, the banner remains visible as a permanent way to switch sources — except on the single-channel Green state.
- Switching deactivates the old channel first. To prevent duplicate catalog data in Meta, the system always deactivates the old channel before activating the new one.