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Coexistence is Meta’s official way to let one WhatsApp Business number work in two places at once: the WhatsApp Business app on your phone, and a platform like Ciarem through the API. In Ciarem you activate it from Channels > WhatsApp with the Keep using your phone — connect via coexistence option.

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What it means day to day

  • A customer messages your number. The message arrives on your phone and in Ciarem’s Inbox.
  • Ciarem’s AI agent replies. The reply appears in the customer’s chat and in your app’s conversation thread.
  • You answer someone manually from your phone. Ciarem sees it, so the agent knows a human already responded and does not talk over you.
Your number, your app, and your customer relationships stay exactly where they are. The AI is added on top.

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What carries over when you connect

  • Chat history: the last 6 months of your conversation history sync into Ciarem after activation, so the agent has context on existing conversations. Anything older than 6 months stays only in your phone’s app.
  • Your app keeps its own features: greetings, away messages, labels, and broadcast lists you set up in the app keep working there, though they apply only to the app side.

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Limitations to know

  • Group chats are not visible to Ciarem. Humans can keep using groups from the app; the agent ignores them.
  • Broadcast lists and Status stay app-only.
  • Reaching out to a customer more than 24 hours after their last message requires an approved message template, which is an API feature. See WhatsApp costs and the 24-hour window.

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Can I switch to a full API line later?

Yes. If your volume grows and the platform becomes your team’s main workspace, you can connect the number as a dedicated line instead (the Connect WhatsApp Business option). Keep in mind that a full API line means the number no longer lives in the Business app.