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WhatsApp

How to fix the "this number is registered to an existing WhatsApp account" error

The number is still active in a WhatsApp app (personal or Business) or with another provider. Delete the account in the app under Settings › Account › Delete account (or ask the other provider to release the number), wait up to 3 minutes and retry the connection in Settings › WhatsApp.

Updated on

Before you start

  • WhatsApp only allows a number to be active on one account at a time. While it's tied to an app on a phone or to another provider, it can't be connected to Elooo System through the standard path.
  • Usual causes: the number is active on personal WhatsApp; it's on the WhatsApp Business app; it was connected with another provider and hasn't been released yet; it was deleted recently and Meta is still processing it.
  • If you want to keep using the app on your phone alongside Elooo System, don't delete the account: use the option to connect your existing WhatsApp Business app instead.
  • Deleting the account erases that number's chat history in the app. Back it up first if you need it. The phone number and SIM card are not affected.
Where to find it

Settings › WhatsApp › Connect WhatsApp › phone number entry

Step by step

If the number is on an app on a phone

  1. On the phone where the number is active, open WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business.
  2. Go to Settings › Account › Delete my account.
  3. Pick the country code, enter the number and confirm the deletion.
  4. Uninstalling the app isn't enough: the account must be deleted from the settings.

If the number is with another WhatsApp provider

  1. Contact your current provider and ask for a full release (or deletion) of the number from their platform.
  2. Wait for confirmation that the number has been released.

Wait and retry the connection

  1. Wait up to 3 minutes for Meta to release the number. In some cases it takes a bit longer.
  2. Don't retry several times in a row: that can delay the release even more.
  3. In Elooo System, open Settings › WhatsApp and go back to Connect WhatsApp.
  4. Enter the number again with the country code and request the verification code by SMS or call.
  5. Confirm the code and finish the connection.

Tips

  • To connect to Elooo System, prefer a new or unused number; avoid reusing numbers that were on WhatsApp recently.
  • Never start the connection while the number is still active in a WhatsApp app.
  • Let your team know before deleting the account: between deletion and the CRM connection, the number has no WhatsApp for a few minutes.

Common problems

  • I deleted the account and after 3 minutes it still errors → Wait 10 to 15 minutes and try again. Make sure the number isn't active on any other phone.
  • The number came from another provider and isn't accepted → The other provider hasn't released it yet, or the number sits in another Meta business portfolio. Request the release and check in Meta which portfolio it belongs to.
  • I don't get the verification code → Make sure the number can receive SMS and calls; if the SMS doesn't arrive, choose verification by call.
  • It still fails after all of this → Contact Elooo System support with the number (with country code), a screenshot of the error and, if you have it, your Meta business portfolio ID.

Frequently asked questions

Is this an Elooo System outage?

No. It's a WhatsApp safeguard to make sure each number is tied to a single account. Once the number is released, the connection completes normally.

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