Webhook (WhatsApp Business)
A WhatsApp webhook is the HTTPS address that receives the number's events from Meta in real time: new messages, delivery status, templates and alerts.
Also known as: WhatsApp webhook · Meta webhook · WhatsApp webhook event · WhatsApp event
Try CRPRO free for 7 daysA WhatsApp webhook is an HTTPS address, run by the business or by its CRM, that Meta calls whenever something happens with the number connected to the official API. It is how the system learns, without asking, that a message arrived or a delivery changed status.
Most common events
- messages: a new customer message (text, image, audio, document, location, sticker) and status changes of sent messages (sent, delivered, read, failed).
- message_template_status_update: a template approved, rejected or paused.
- account_alerts and business_capability_update: account notices and changes to the messaging limit.
How it works
- The webhook URL is registered in the Meta app.
- For each event, Meta sends an HTTPS POST to that URL.
- The system acknowledges quickly and processes the payload: creates the contact, shows the message, triggers the automation.
- If the address does not respond, Meta retries for a while; an endpoint down for long loses events.
Security
Meta signs every call with HMAC-SHA256 using the app secret; the system should verify the signature before trusting the content. The address needs HTTPS with a valid certificate.
Who takes care of it
On a platform such as CRPRO, the webhook is managed by the platform — the business does not need to set anything up. Whoever integrates the Cloud API directly has to implement, monitor and keep the endpoint up, because a stopped webhook means messages that never arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What is a webhook on WhatsApp?
It is the HTTPS address that receives from Meta, in real time, the events of the number connected to the official API: new messages, delivery status, template approval and account alerts.
Do I need to set up a webhook to use CRPRO?
No. When you connect from the channels screen, the platform takes care of the webhook. Setting it up is the job of whoever integrates Meta's API directly, without a platform.
What happens if the webhook goes down?
New messages and statuses stop reaching the system, and the automations that depend on them stop. Meta retries for a while, but an endpoint down for long loses events — which is why monitoring matters.
How do I know the call really came from Meta?
By checking the HMAC-SHA256 signature Meta sends in the header of each call, computed with the app secret. A call without a valid signature should be discarded.
Related pages
Related glossary terms
WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business API is Meta's official connection that links a business number to CRMs, chatbots and support platforms, billed per message.
WhatsApp cloud connection
The WhatsApp Cloud API (cloud connection) is the version of the official API hosted by Meta itself, with no server of the business's own.
Conversation Pricing (per-conversation billing)
Conversation pricing is the old per-conversation billing model of the WhatsApp API; since 2025 Meta charges per delivered message, by category and country.
API
An interface that lets two systems exchange data and commands, without either needing to know how the other works internally.
REST API
An API architecture style that uses HTTP's own methods and status codes to operate on resources identified by a URL, with no state kept between calls.