WhatsApp Coexistence Mode: Keep Your App and Add the API
For years, connecting a number to the WhatsApp Cloud API meant giving up the WhatsApp Business app on that number. Coexistence changed that. It is a Meta feature that lets the app and the API run on the same number at the same time, so a team can add a shared inbox and automation without losing the familiar app or their chat history. This page explains how it works and why it removes the biggest reason teams hesitated to upgrade.
Short answer
Coexistence is a Meta feature that lets you use the WhatsApp Business app and the Cloud API on the same number at the same time, without losing your chats. Connecting the API used to deactivate the app; Coexistence keeps both live, so your team keeps the familiar app for one-to-one chats while a shared inbox handles team messaging on the same number. This is how Marv connects you, so you keep your number and history.
Why teams search for this
The problem Coexistence solves
The old all-or-nothing choice between the app and the API kept many teams stuck on a single phone. Coexistence ends that trade-off.
- ▲Before Coexistence, connecting the Cloud API deactivated the WhatsApp Business app on that number.
- ▲Teams feared losing their number, their chat history, and the simple app their staff already knew.
- ▲Coexistence keeps both live on one number, so the app and a shared inbox work side by side.
Workflow
How Coexistence works with Marv
Connect your existing WhatsApp Business app number to the Cloud API in Coexistence mode through Marv.
Keep using the app for one-to-one chats while the shared inbox handles team messaging, assignment and reporting on the same number.
Messages stay in sync and your history is not wiped, so the team gains structure without a disruptive migration.
What the better setup should include
Why Coexistence matters
Keep your number and app
No new number, no lost app. The same number serves both the WhatsApp Business app and your shared inbox.
No lost history
Connecting in Coexistence mode does not wipe your chats, so you do not start from zero when you add the API.
Add a team layer safely
Marv adds ownership, assignment and manager visibility on top, without forcing the team off the app they know.
Best fit
Who Coexistence is for
- Teams that already run on the WhatsApp Business app and want a shared inbox without switching numbers.
- Businesses nervous about losing chat history or disrupting staff during an upgrade.
- Managers who want app simplicity for some staff and full inbox structure for the team, on one number.
Questions teams ask before changing the workflow
What is WhatsApp Coexistence mode?+
Coexistence is a Meta feature that lets you use the WhatsApp Business app and the Cloud API on the same number at the same time, without losing your chats. It replaces the old all-or-nothing choice between the app and the API.
Do I lose my chat history with Coexistence?+
No. Connecting in Coexistence mode keeps your existing chats and number. Your team keeps the WhatsApp Business app while a shared inbox handles team messaging on the same number.
Can I use the WhatsApp Business app and API at the same time?+
Yes, that is exactly what Coexistence enables. The app handles one-to-one chats and the API powers software like a shared inbox, both on one number, with messages kept in sync.
How does Marv use Coexistence?+
Marv connects your number in Coexistence mode so you keep your number, app and history, and the team gains a shared inbox with ownership, assignment and manager visibility on top.
See whether this workflow fits your team
Explore the product, then request a walkthrough if you want help mapping channels, ownership, automation, or rollout.