Whatsapp cloud api – Hello World Message Works with Test Number but Fails for Real Phone Number

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Summary

The issue at hand involves the WhatsApp Cloud API, where a “Hello World” message successfully sends using the default test phone number provided by Meta, but fails when using a real phone number. Despite having a verified WhatsApp Business Account and an approved business name in Meta for the real phone number, the process fails during access token generation. The error message received is “Unsupported post request. Object with ID ‘id’ does not exist, cannot be loaded due to missing permissions, or does not support this operation.”

Root Cause

The root cause of this issue can be attributed to several factors, including:

  • Incorrect phone number formatting: The phone number might not be formatted correctly according to the WhatsApp Cloud API requirements.
  • Insufficient permissions: The business account might not have the necessary permissions to send messages using the real phone number.
  • Incomplete business verification: Although the business account is verified, there might be additional verification steps required for the specific phone number.

Why This Happens in Real Systems

This issue occurs in real systems due to:

  • Misconfiguration of API settings: Incorrect configuration of the WhatsApp Cloud API settings, such as phone number formatting or permissions, can lead to this error.
  • Lack of understanding of API documentation: Not thoroughly reading and understanding the Graph API documentation can result in missing crucial steps or settings required for successful message sending.
  • Inadequate testing: Insufficient testing with real phone numbers can lead to unexpected errors and issues.

Real-World Impact

The real-world impact of this issue includes:

  • Delayed application development: The inability to send messages using real phone numbers can significantly delay the development and deployment of applications that rely on the WhatsApp Cloud API.
  • Increased costs: Additional time and resources spent on troubleshooting and resolving the issue can increase costs and affect project budgets.
  • Poor user experience: If the issue is not resolved, users may experience difficulties or failures when trying to send messages, leading to a poor user experience and potential loss of customers.

Example or Code

import requests

# Replace with your actual phone number and API credentials
phone_number = "+1234567890"
api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"
api_secret = "YOUR_API_SECRET"

# Set up the API request
url = "https://graph.facebook.com/v13.0/messages"
headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}
data = {
    "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
    "to": phone_number,
    "type": "text",
    "text": {
        "body": "Hello World"
    }
}

# Send the request
response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)

# Check the response
if response.status_code == 201:
    print("Message sent successfully")
else:
    print("Error sending message:", response.text)

How Senior Engineers Fix It

Senior engineers fix this issue by:

  • Thoroughly reviewing API documentation: Ensuring that all settings and configurations are correct and up-to-date.
  • Verifying phone number formatting: Double-checking that the phone number is formatted correctly according to the WhatsApp Cloud API requirements.
  • Checking permissions and access tokens: Ensuring that the business account has the necessary permissions and access tokens to send messages using the real phone number.
  • Testing with real phone numbers: Conducting thorough testing with real phone numbers to identify and resolve any issues.

Why Juniors Miss It

Junior engineers may miss this issue due to:

  • Lack of experience with API integrations: Inadequate experience with integrating APIs, such as the WhatsApp Cloud API, can lead to misunderstandings and misconfigurations.
  • Insufficient knowledge of API documentation: Not thoroughly reading and understanding the Graph API documentation can result in missing crucial steps or settings required for successful message sending.
  • Inadequate testing and debugging: Insufficient testing and debugging can lead to unexpected errors and issues going unnoticed.