How to Keep WA Coexistence Connected (and What to Do If It Disconnects)
Coexistence can disconnect after app updates, reinstalls, phone changes, 14+ days without opening the WhatsApp Business app, or 30+ days without sending from Strive. Keep the app updated, open it regularly on the main phone, keep using the channel in Strive, turn off battery optimisation (Android) or allow Background App Refresh (iPhone), and avoid reinstalling, restoring backups, switching phones or changing numbers. If it disconnects, check the phone, reconnect using the same steps as How to Connect WA Coexistence, and send Strive support the date/time/time zone with screenshots, failed messages, sync direction, and phone model, OS and app version.
WhatsApp Coexistence lets you use the same number on the WhatsApp Business app and in Strive. To keep that link working, Meta needs to see the number active on your phone and in Strive. A Coexistence connection can drop when the app is updated or reinstalled, when the number moves to another phone, when the app hasn't been opened for 14 days or more, or when nothing has been sent through the number from Strive for 30 days or more.
Before you start
This guide is for numbers connected to Strive through WA Coexistence. To connect a number for the first time, see How to Connect WA Coexistence.
Keep the main phone that has the WhatsApp Business app with you. Most of the steps below happen on that phone.
How to keep it connected
Keep the WhatsApp Business app updated. Turn on automatic updates in the Google Play Store or App Store, or check for updates every week or two.
Open the app regularly. Open the WhatsApp Business app on your main phone at least once every few days, and never go 14 days without opening it. Keep the phone switched on and connected to the internet.
Keep using the number in Strive. Send messages from this WhatsApp channel in Strive regularly, at least once every few weeks, so it doesn't go 30 days without activity. Any message sent from this channel in Strive counts, including Inbox replies, broadcasts and flow messages.
On Android, turn off battery optimisation for the app. Open your phone's Settings, find Apps > WhatsApp Business > Battery, and choose Unrestricted (or Don't optimise). Also make sure background data is allowed. Menu names vary by phone brand, so search Settings for "battery optimisation" if you can't find it.
On iPhone, allow Background App Refresh. Open Settings > General > Background App Refresh, make sure it's on, and turn it on for WhatsApp Business. Turn off Low Power Mode when you can, because it pauses background refresh.
Don't reinstall or move the app. Avoid deleting and reinstalling the WhatsApp Business app, restoring it from a backup, switching to a new phone, or logging in to the app with a different number. Each of these can disconnect Coexistence. If you must change phones, plan it for a quiet time and be ready to reconnect.
What to do if it disconnects
Strive doesn't show a disconnected alert. Signs it may have disconnected: new WhatsApp messages stop arriving in the Strive Inbox, or messages you send from Strive don't show on your phone.
Check your phone first. Open the WhatsApp Business app on your main phone, make sure it's updated and online, and check that you're still logged in with the same number.
Reconnect in Strive. Connect the number again by following the same steps as the first time in How to Connect WA Coexistence (Inbox > Chat Channels > Connect Now under WA Coexistence). When you confirm on your phone, choose Share chats so your chat history syncs again.
If it keeps disconnecting, contact Strive support through our WhatsApp support line and send these details for each affected number:
The date, time and time zone of each disconnection, with screenshots.
Which messages failed to sync or send (screenshots of the chats are fine).
Whether sync fails in one direction (for example, messages sent from the app don't show in Strive) or in both directions.
The phone model, its operating system version (Android or iOS), and the WhatsApp Business app version (in the app, go to Settings > Help > App info).
The more of these details you send, the faster the cause can be found.
Common questions
Will I lose my chats if it disconnects? No, as long as you choose Share chats when you reconnect. Your chats stay in Strive, and your chat history syncs again after reconnecting. If you choose Don't share chats, earlier messages won't sync to Strive.
Do I need to open the app if my team only replies from Strive? Yes. Open the WhatsApp Business app on the main phone regularly, and never go 14 days without opening it, even if all replies are sent from Strive.
Does updating the app disconnect me? An update can sometimes cause a disconnection, but staying on an old version is riskier. Keep the app updated, then open it after updating and check that your Strive chats still sync.
I'm changing phones. What should I do? Expect to reconnect. When you register the number on the new phone, keep the option to reconnect your business platform ticked if WhatsApp offers it, then check the connection in Strive.
Can I also scan this number into WA Personal? No. WA Personal and Coexistence can't be used together on the same number.