Glossary
What does the WhatsApp phone number status mean?
The state Meta reports for each WhatsApp Business API number, from Connected and Pending to Flagged, Restricted or Banned, and the right response to each.
By Broadchat teamPublished 2 min read
Definition
Phone number status: Phone number status is the state Meta reports for a WhatsApp Business API number, telling you whether it can send and receive messages. Common values include Connected (working normally), Pending (registration not finished), Flagged (quality warning), Restricted (sending limited), and Disconnected, Banned, Deleted or Migrated, where the number can no longer send from that account. It is separate from, but often caused by, the quality rating.
Also called: Number status, Phone number health, Connection status
How WhatsApp phone number status works
Every business number registered on the Cloud API has a status field that Meta updates. Your platform reads it through the Graph API using the number's phone number ID. The table shows the values you are most likely to meet and the usual response.
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| CONNECTED | Registered and able to send | Nothing; keep quality high |
| PENDING | Added but registration not complete | Finish registration (PIN, verification code) |
| FLAGGED | Quality has dropped | Reduce sends, review targeting and templates |
| RESTRICTED | Meta has limited sending | Stop campaigns, find the cause, wait it out |
| DISCONNECTED | No longer connected to the account | Reconnect the number |
| BANNED | Removed for policy violations | Read Meta's notice; appeal if you believe it is wrong |
| DELETED / MIGRATED | Removed or moved to another account | Use the account the number now belongs to |
Status vs quality rating
The quality rating is a score (green, yellow, red). The status is the consequence. A number can be green and still Pending because registration was never finished, or Restricted after repeated policy problems. Check both together.
Worked example
On a Monday morning Priya, who handles WhatsApp for a Surat textile wholesaler, sees that campaign sends are failing. The number's status shows FLAGGED and the rating is red. Over the weekend a new staff member had sent a price list to a bought contact list. Priya pauses every scheduled campaign, keeps answering customers who write in, and removes the bought list. She restarts marketing a week later with a small segment of buyers who ordered in the last three months, watching the status before each send.
Phone number status in Broadchat
Under Channels → All Channels, each number's card shows its status, quality rating and messaging limit, all read live from Meta. A green dot means the number is healthy; when Meta reports a problem, the card shows a status badge and a banner, such as a restricted notice or a display-name review notice, with the reason in plain words. Use Refresh status on the card after you fix something to fetch the latest state instead of waiting for the next automatic check. The connect a WhatsApp number article covers finishing a Pending registration.
Sources
- Business phone numbers — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
- Messaging limits — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
Broadchat team · Product and partner success team
The people who build and support Broadchat, the white-label WhatsApp Business API platform. We write from what we see while onboarding partners and their clients on the official WhatsApp Cloud API, and we check every article against Meta's current documentation.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a flagged number still send messages?
Usually yes, but it is a warning. Keep replying to customers, pause promotional campaigns and fix whatever caused the negative feedback, or the number can move to a restricted state.
What should I do if my number shows Pending?
Pending means registration was not completed. Finish the connection steps, including the verification code and the two-step verification PIN, then refresh the status.
Is a banned WhatsApp API number recoverable?
Only Meta can reverse a ban. Read the notice in WhatsApp Manager and request a review if you believe it was a mistake. No platform or partner can lift a ban on your behalf.