Phone number ID
The Meta-side identifier for a registered WhatsApp number, used in every Cloud API call.
Not the phone number itself but a numeric ID Meta assigns when the number is registered to a WABA. API calls to send messages reference this ID rather than the dialling number.
Worth knowing mainly when debugging: a message failing with an unexpected error is often being sent against the wrong phone number ID, particularly in a workspace with more than one number connected.
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Related terms
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WABA (WhatsApp Business Account)
The Meta-side account that owns your phone numbers, message templates, quality rating and messaging limits.
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Webhook
An HTTP callback Meta or your platform sends when something happens — a message arrives, a status changes.
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Cloud API
Meta-hosted version of the WhatsApp Business Platform, and the route essentially everyone uses today.