Glossary
WhatsApp Business account ID (WABA ID): what it is and where to find it
The numeric ID of the account that holds your WhatsApp templates and billing, the four places to find it, and how it relates to Meta's new Messaging account.
By Broadchat teamPublished 4 min read
Definition
WhatsApp Business account ID (WABA ID): A WhatsApp Business account ID (WABA ID) is the long numeric ID Meta assigns to the account that holds a business's message templates, billing and webhook subscriptions on the WhatsApp Business Platform. Under Meta's new account model the same value now identifies the Messaging account, and the waba_id field name is unchanged. Developers use it to manage templates and list phone numbers; messages are sent with the phone number ID instead.
Also called: WABA ID, waba_id, Messaging account ID, WhatsApp Business Account ID
Where to find your WhatsApp Business account ID
Your WhatsApp Business account ID is a long number such as 102290129340398. There are four reliable places to find it. Use whichever matches how you work:
| Where | Path | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Business Suite | Settings (gear icon) → Accounts → Messaging accounts → click the account or its Details link | Business owners and agencies |
| Meta App Dashboard | WhatsApp → API Setup panel of your Meta app | Developers using the Cloud API directly |
| Webhooks | The entry[].id field of every messages webhook | Systems that already receive webhooks |
| Embedded Signup | The waba_id value in the WA_EMBEDDED_SIGNUP / FINISH session event | Platforms onboarding clients |
In Meta Business Suite
- Sign in at business.facebook.com and pick the right business portfolio from the top-left menu if you have more than one.
- Open Settings (the gear icon) and go to Accounts.
- Open Messaging accounts. If your portfolio still shows the older layout, the same list is called WhatsApp Business accounts.
- Select the account. The details panel on the right shows its name and ID; from the Summary tab you can also open WhatsApp Manager for that account.
Note that Business Suite now lists WhatsApp accounts and Messaging accounts separately. The ID you want for templates and the API is the Messaging account's ID. Meta says separate WhatsApp account IDs become available in a later phase of the rollout.
In the App Dashboard
If you set up the Cloud API yourself, open your app in the Meta App Dashboard and go to WhatsApp → API Setup. The panel shows the account ID next to the phone number ID of the number you are testing. Meta's getting-started guide asks you to save both for later API calls.
Example and common mix-ups
Arjun manages WhatsApp for Sunrise Clinic. He needs three numbers to finish an integration, and they look alike:
| ID | Sunrise Clinic's value (illustrative) | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Business portfolio ID | 498765432109876 | Sharing assets with partners, Business Suite settings |
| WhatsApp Business account ID | 102290129340398 | Templates (/{waba-id}/message_templates), listing numbers (/{waba-id}/phone_numbers), account details |
| Phone number ID | 106540352242922 | Sending messages (/{phone-number-id}/messages), number status |
His first template request failed because he used the portfolio ID. A quick check of the account data confirms the right one:
GET https://graph.facebook.com/{version}/102290129340398?fields=name,status,currency,country
Authorization: Bearer <access token>If the response returns the clinic's account name and "status": "ACTIVE", it is the WhatsApp Business account ID. The customer's own identifier, the WhatsApp ID (wa_id), is a fourth, unrelated value.
What changed with the new account model
Meta is splitting the old WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) into a WhatsApp account, which holds one business phone number and your business identity, and a Messaging account, which holds templates, billing and webhook subscriptions. Meta's documentation states that your existing WABA ID now identifies your Messaging account and that the value and the waba_id field name are unchanged, so existing API calls keep working. When you share access with a partner, Meta now asks you to share both account types. The broader account itself is explained on the WhatsApp Business Account page.
Is the WABA ID secret?
No. It identifies the account, it does not grant access. Anyone who wants to read or change the account also needs an access token with the right permissions, such as a system user access token. Share the ID with your developer or platform freely, and keep tokens private.
Where to find it in Broadchat
When you connect a number through Embedded Signup, Broadchat saves the account ID automatically. To copy it, go to Channels → All Channels, open the menu (⋮) on the channel card and choose Access Token. The API Details window lists the WABA ID, Phone Number ID and business ID, each with a copy button, along with the API URL for Broadchat's Graph-compatible proxy. Broadchat is built on the official WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta. For the bigger picture, read what the WhatsApp Business API is.
Related terms
Sources
- WhatsApp accounts and Messaging accounts — Meta for Developers, checked 30 October 2026
- WhatsApp Cloud API: Get started — Meta for Developers, checked 30 October 2026
- Text messages webhook reference — Meta for Developers, checked 30 October 2026
- Embedded Signup implementation — Meta for Developers, checked 30 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
How do I find my WhatsApp Business account ID quickly?
In Meta Business Suite, open Settings, then Accounts, then Messaging accounts, and click your account; the details panel shows the ID. Developers can also read it in the App Dashboard under WhatsApp, API Setup, or from the entry id of any messages webhook.
Is the WABA ID the same as the Meta Business ID?
No. The business portfolio (Meta Business) ID identifies your whole company in Meta Business Suite. The WhatsApp Business account ID identifies the account inside it that holds your WhatsApp templates and billing.
Can one business have more than one WABA ID?
Yes. A business portfolio can own several accounts, for example one per brand or country, and each has its own ID and its own templates. Make sure you copy the ID of the account your number belongs to.
Did my WABA ID change with Meta's new account model?
No. Meta says the existing WABA ID now identifies your Messaging account, with the same value and the same waba_id field name, so integrations keep working without changes.