Chat API WhatsApp

Chat API is not an Official WhatsApp Partner. Chat API should only be used as a temporary solution while you are waiting for WhatsApp API account approval.
To use a Chat API you will need to make an account here.
Chat API allows you to connect your current WhatsApp account to our platform. Instructions for setting it up are below.
Setting Up WhatsApp via Chat API
In order to connect WhatsApp to your space via Chat API, you will need the following:
A WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business account
The WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app installed on your phone
A Chat API account (you can get started with a 3 days trial account)
Step 1: Login to Chat API
If you do not already have a Chat API account, visit their registration page and fill out the required fields. You may proceed to login if you have an account with Chat API. 
Step 2: Create a new Instance
Once you are logged in, you will have to create a new Instance. In doing so, you will be asked to scan your WhatsApp Web code to connect your WhatsApp account to Chat API. 
Connecting Chat API to WhatsApp
Connecting Chat API
Step 1: Navigate to Channel Settings
From Settings Module, navigate to the menu item, Channels
Step 2: Add Channel
Press Add Channel and choose WhatsApp. Select Chat API on the second step
Step 3: Sign in to Chat API
Sign in with your user credentials at Chat API
Step 4: Locate the Instance ID and Token
Locate the Instance ID and token and add it to the corresponding fields at respond.io platform. 
Step 5: Key in WhatsApp Phone Number
Add WhatsApp Number to connect the channel
Step 6: Complete the setup at respond.io
Press DONE to complete the setup
Once you completed the setup, any messages sent to your Chat API WhatsApp Number will now be received in your Space.
Channel Configuration
Chat API WhatsApp channel can be configured with a unique channel name
Step 1: Navigate to Channel Settings
From Settings Module, navigate to the menu item, Channels
Step 2: Locate the Chat API WhatsApp channel
Once you have located the Chat API WhatsApp channel, press Configure
Step 3: Make the necessary configuration
You can configure the following:
Channel name - Name used internally to identify the account
Important: As for the other details, take extra note while updating as it might fail to receive messages from your Chat API WhatsApp account. 
Step 4: Update the configuration
Press Done to update the channel configuration
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to keep my phone ON for this integration to work? 
Yes. You will need the device where WhatsApp is installed to remain connected to the internet for the integration to work, functioning similarly to WhatsApp Web. If the device is disconnected, the messages received while inaccessible won't be available on the respond.io platform.
Can I have WhatsApp open in a web browser at the same time?
No. If you open WhatsApp on a web browser the connection with Chat API will be interrupted and you will have to go back to your Chat API account and reconnect it by scanning the code once again.
Are there any limits or charges associated with Chat API?
Chat API provides a free 3 days trial which you can use to test the integration. After that, a paid subscription will be necessary. The current price for Chat API is $39 and includes 6,000 messages per day. Note that the Chat API prices are excluded from the respond.io  subscription.
Can I used WhatsApp Web & Chat API at the same time?
No. Chat API uses the WhatsApp Web interface to pass messages between WhatsApp & respond.io. Since you can only have one WhatsApp Web open at a time, using WhatsApp Web after connecting to Chat API will break the connection between your phone and Chat API.
Can I send videos over Chat API?
Yes, you can send and receive videos in Chat API. To ensure you are receiving videos, turn on video uploading in the Chat API dashboard.
Video Uploading Toggle
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Troubleshooting The Chat API Integration
The Chat API WhatsApp integration relies on receiving WhatsApp messages from your mobile phone and passing them to respond.io. Since this process is reliant on a mobile phone which may be on the move and may not have have a consistent internet connection, there may be some troubleshooting required.
If No Messages Are Being Passed
If no messages are being passed to respond.io you should check the following items:
​The Mobile Phone is on & connected to the internet.​
​Chat API is successfully connected to your phone.​
​The respond.io Webhook is present in the Chat API dashboard.​
If messages are arriving in respond.io delayed, you should check the following items:
​The phone is connected to a stable internet connection.​
​The mobile phone is not optimising apps for battery life.​
Mobile Phone Is On And Connected To The Internet
This may seem simple, but there are several situations where a mobile phone may seem to be connected to the internet when it is not. For example, you may be connected to Wifi, but the Wifi is not connected to the internet. Use Speedtest to ensure you have a strong and stable internet connection.
Something more difficult to check is if the internet connection is stable. Generally, to ensure you have a stable connection, you will want to have a dedicated phone that is always connected to a stable Wifi. Using a personal phone that you carry around will reduce your reliability.
Chat API Is Successfully Connected To The Phone
When your phone is successfully connected to the Chat API dashboard you will see this banner.
If this message is not shown, it may be that you have WhatsApp Web open in another location. If this is the case, you may connect your WhatsApp to Chat API once again by scanning the QR code & refrain from using WhatsApp Web in other places. Remember WhatsApp Web cannot be used while you are using Chat API.
Check That respond.io Webhook Is Present In The Chat API Dashboard
Chat API uses a webhook as part of their integration with respond.io. When connecting to Chat API in respond.io settings this automatically added to Chat API.
If the webhook is not present in your Chat API dashboard, please add webhook URL below.
1
https://app.respond.io/whatsapp/webhook/<instancenumber>
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respond.io Webhook URL
Ensure Mobile Phone Is Not Optimising WhatsApp for Battery Life
Android phones can optimise apps for battery life. This will affect your Chat API integration as the phone may pause WhatsApp when your phone has been inactive for a long time. To turn off battery optimisation for WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App:
1.Go to Settings
2.Navigate to Battery
3.Navigate to Battery Optimisation
4.Find WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App in the list
5.Select Don't Optimize
Having trouble with the channel? Contact us here!