To change to WhatsApp Business, back up your chats, install the WhatsApp Business app, and verify the same phone number you use on WhatsApp now. The app finds your number and can bring over your chat history and media. Save any contacts stored only inside WhatsApp to your phone first, or they will be lost.
This guide covers what changes when you switch, what to do before you start, the exact steps for Android and iPhone, what to set up first, and how to switch back if you need to.
Key Takeaways
- WhatsApp Business is free to download and works like normal WhatsApp, with extra tools for customers.
- You can keep your number and your chats. You can't use the same number on both apps at the same time.
- Up to four linked devices can share one business number, so staff can reply from a computer.
- Set up your business profile, greeting message, away message and quick replies on day one.
- Switching back is possible, but your catalog does not move back to normal WhatsApp.
What changes when you switch to WhatsApp Business?
When you switch to WhatsApp Business, your chats and number can stay the same, but you get tools built for selling: a business profile, labels to sort chats, quick replies, greeting and away messages, and a catalog. Everything you already do on WhatsApp, like messaging and sending photos, still works the same way.
| Feature | WhatsApp Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Price to download | Free | Free |
| Business profile (address, email, website) | No | Yes |
| Labels to sort chats | No | Yes |
| Quick replies, greeting and away messages | No | Yes |
| Product catalog | No | Yes |
| Paid marketing messages | No | Yes, in some countries |
According to WhatsApp's page about WhatsApp Business, the app was built for small business owners and is meant to feel just like normal WhatsApp. If you only chat with friends and family, you don't need it.
What should you do before you switch?
Before you switch, back up your chats, save your WhatsApp contacts to your phone's address book, and decide which number you will use. These steps only take a few minutes and protect you from the two most common problems: lost contacts and lost chat history.
1. Back up your chats
Go to Settings, then Chats, then Chat backup. Android backs up to your Google Account and iPhone backs up to iCloud.
2. Save your WhatsApp contacts to your phone
WhatsApp Business does not support contacts saved only inside WhatsApp yet. In normal WhatsApp, turn off WhatsApp contacts in your settings and choose to save all contacts to your phone's address book.
3. Decide which number to use
One phone number can only be used on one of the two apps at a time. If you want to keep a personal WhatsApp as well, you need a second number for one of them.
4. Update WhatsApp
Update your current WhatsApp before installing WhatsApp Business, so the move goes smoothly.
How to change to WhatsApp Business on Android
To change to WhatsApp Business on Android, download the app from Google Play, accept the terms, pick the number it detects, and allow it to access your chat history and media. Then enter the six-digit code WhatsApp sends by SMS and create your business profile. The steps below follow WhatsApp's official guide.
- Update WhatsApp and download WhatsApp Business from the Google Play Store.
- Open WhatsApp Business, read the Terms of Service and tap Agree and continue.
- The app shows the number you use on WhatsApp. Tap it to continue, or tap Use a different number.
- Tap Continue, then Allow, so the app can access your chat history and media.
- Enter the six-digit code from the SMS to verify your number.
- Create your business profile and tap Next. You can edit it anytime later.
These steps come from WhatsApp's guide to moving your account to WhatsApp Business, which also has the iPhone version.
How to change to WhatsApp Business on iPhone
To change to WhatsApp Business on iPhone, download it from the App Store, accept the terms, choose the number it detects and verify it with the SMS code. If iCloud Keychain is on and you verified this number on the same phone before, you can skip the code. Then allow or deny address book access and create your profile.
- Update WhatsApp and download WhatsApp Business from the App Store.
- Open WhatsApp Business, read the Terms of Service and tap Agree & continue.
- Tap the number the app detects, or tap Use a different number.
- Enter the six-digit code from the SMS. You may not need it if iCloud Keychain is on.
- Tap Continue to allow address book access, or Don't Allow to skip it.
- Create your business profile and tap Next.
What should you set up first?
Set up your business profile first, then a greeting message, an away message and a few quick replies. These four don't take long and change how customers experience your business: they see who you are, get an instant hello, and know when you will reply after hours.
Business profile
Add your business name, address, opening hours, email and website. Customers often check this before they trust a new number.
Greeting and away messages
A greeting message welcomes a customer who messages you for the first time. An away message tells customers when you will reply, for example outside office hours. WhatsApp explains both in its guides to greeting messages and away messages.
Quick replies and labels
Quick replies save answers you send again and again, such as your delivery days or how to place an order. Labels sort chats, for example "new enquiry" or "follow up", so nothing gets missed. If enquiries grow beyond what quick replies can handle, an assistant such as SalesHeroAI can help you reply to customers.
A click-to-chat link
Put a click-to-chat link on your website, Facebook page and name card so customers can message you in one tap. You can make one with a free WhatsApp link generator.
Illustrative scenario: a hardware wholesaler in Penang moves the company number to WhatsApp Business. The owner sets an away message for after 6pm, adds quick replies for "delivery schedule" and "how to order", and labels chats "quotation sent". Customers get faster answers, and the team can see at a glance which enquiries still need a reply.
Can staff use the same WhatsApp Business account?
Yes. WhatsApp Business lets you use up to four linked devices and one phone at a time, so several staff can reply from WhatsApp Web or Desktop on the same business number. Linked devices keep working without your phone online, but they log out if the phone is unused for more than 14 days.
According to WhatsApp's page on linked devices, a few features don't work on linked devices yet, including broadcast lists, live location and adding status updates. Check your linked devices regularly and remove any you don't recognise.
How do you switch back to normal WhatsApp?
To switch back, back up WhatsApp Business, download normal WhatsApp, verify the same number and restore the backup. Your chats come back, but features unique to WhatsApp Business, such as your catalog and collections, do not transfer. Android uses a Google Account backup and iPhone uses iCloud.
- Back up WhatsApp Business to your Google Account (Android) or iCloud (iPhone).
- Update WhatsApp Business and download normal WhatsApp.
- Open WhatsApp, agree to the terms and enter the number you used on WhatsApp Business.
- Verify the number with the code WhatsApp sends.
- Tap Restore when WhatsApp finds your backup, then finish your profile.
WhatsApp covers this in its guide to moving from WhatsApp Business to WhatsApp.
What mistakes should you avoid when switching?
The most common mistakes are switching without a backup, forgetting to save contacts to your phone, and treating WhatsApp Business as a tool for mass messaging. A missing backup or unsaved contacts can lose data. Mass messaging can get your number banned, because sending bulk messages that people did not ask for breaks WhatsApp's rules.
- No backup: always back up first, even though the move normally keeps your chats.
- Sharing one phone between staff: use linked devices instead, so the main phone stays in one place.
- Blasting customers: WhatsApp Business is not a mass-messaging tool. If your number does get banned, here is how to unban WhatsApp.
For promotions to many customers, check whether WhatsApp's paid marketing messages are available in your country. WhatsApp charges for each message delivered, and the feature is still limited to some countries.
Conclusion
Knowing how to change to WhatsApp Business takes most of the worry out of the switch: back up, save your contacts to your phone, install the app and verify the same number. Your chats come with you, and you gain tools that make every customer conversation easier to manage.
Spend your first day on the basics, your profile, greeting, away message and quick replies, and use the app the way customers expect: they message you, and you reply quickly and clearly.
Frequently asked questions
Is WhatsApp Business free?
Yes. WhatsApp Business is free to download on Android and iPhone, and its main tools, like the business profile, quick replies and greeting messages, are free to use. The only paid option is marketing messages, which charge per delivered message and are available only in some countries.
Will I lose my chats if I change to WhatsApp Business?
No, not if you use the same number and allow the app to access your chat history during setup. Back up first to be safe. The one thing that does not carry over is contacts saved only inside WhatsApp, so save those to your phone's address book before you switch.
Can I use WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business on the same number?
No. WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business are two separate apps, and one phone number can only be active on one of them at a time. To use both, for example one for personal chats and one for work, you need two different phone numbers.
How many devices can use one WhatsApp Business account?
You can use up to four linked devices and one phone at a time. Linked devices include WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop, so several staff can reply on the same business number. Linked devices log out if your main phone is unused for more than 14 days.
Do I need a new phone number for WhatsApp Business?
No. Most businesses simply move their current WhatsApp number to WhatsApp Business and keep their chats. A second number is only worth getting if you want to keep a separate personal WhatsApp, for example on a dual SIM phone, while the business number runs on WhatsApp Business.