Hey everyone, I’m hitting a wall with setting up the Whatsapp Business API. I’ve done all the usual steps: made a developer account, set up a business profile for my company in the Netherlands, and created an app. But when I try to get the API going for testing, I get this weird message:
Onboarding Failure
Your business is prohibited from advertising, including app sharing.
That’s all it says! No explanation, no next steps, nothing. I’m totally stumped. Has anyone else run into this? Any ideas on what might be causing it or how to fix it? I’m scratching my head here and could really use some help!
ugh, that sucks man. i’ve had similar issues with whatsapp biz API before. have u tried reaching out to their support? sometimes they flag accounts for weird reasons. might be worth double-checking ur business info too, make sure everything’s legit. good luck!
I encountered a similar issue when setting up the WhatsApp Business API for a client last year. In our case, the problem stemmed from inconsistencies in the business verification documents. We resolved it by submitting additional proof of business registration and a formal letter explaining our intended use of the API.
Have you verified that all your business details match exactly across platforms? Sometimes even minor discrepancies can trigger these vague error messages. It might also be worth checking if your business category is one that WhatsApp has restrictions on. Certain industries face more scrutiny.
If those steps don’t help, I’d recommend escalating to WhatsApp’s business support team. They can often provide more specific insights into account flags or restrictions.
I’ve been through this exact headache with the WhatsApp Business API setup. It’s frustrating, but don’t lose hope. In my experience, this error often pops up when there’s a mismatch between your business info and what WhatsApp expects.
Here’s what worked for me: I did a deep dive into my business profile, making sure every detail was spot-on. Pay special attention to your business category - some are more scrutinized than others. Also, double-check your website and social media links. WhatsApp sometimes flags accounts if these don’t align perfectly with your business info.
If that doesn’t do the trick, try reaching out to WhatsApp’s business support directly. They’re usually more helpful than you’d expect and can often pinpoint the exact issue. Just be prepared to provide additional documentation to prove your business legitimacy.
Hang in there - it’s a pain, but once you get past this hurdle, the API is worth it.