Channel Setup
Configure your own SMS, WhatsApp, and RCS sender for production use.
What you'll accomplish: Select phone number → Connect WhatsApp → Enable RCS → Configure billing
⏳ Time required: ~5 minutes
Just exploring? You don't need this step to start sending. Light onboarding gives you API access and 6 pre-built templates with just a verified email and phone number. Come back here when you're ready to send from your own number.
Prerequisites
- Completed KYC verification
- Meta Business Portfolio account (for WhatsApp)
- Payment method on file
Start Channel Setup
From your Sent Dashboard, click the "Continue Channel Setup" button.
Select Your Phone Number
Choose a phone number that will be your business identity across SMS, WhatsApp, and RCS:
Important considerations:
- Recipients will see this number on all communications
- Choose a number local to your target market
- This number cannot be changed easily later
- We recommend using the same number for SMS, WhatsApp, and RCS
Connect WhatsApp Business
Link your WhatsApp Business account:
Steps:
- Log in with your Facebook/Meta account
- Select or create a WhatsApp Business account
- Grant Sent permission to manage messages
- Add payment details to your Meta Business account
Don't have a Meta Business Portfolio? You can create one during this process.
We strongly recommend using the same number for SMS, WhatsApp, and RCS to ensure smooth operation.
Enable RCS
RCS (Rich Communication Services) delivers carrier-native rich messages — suggestion chips, rich cards, carousels, and branded sender identity — to Android (Google Messages) users without requiring a separate app install.
Key points:
- RCS is delivered over carrier networks to Android (Google Messages) users
- Messages display your company logo, name, and a verified checkmark instead of a phone number
- Rich features (images, carousels, branded sender identity, suggestion chips) require an approved RCS sender profile
- Falls back to SMS automatically for devices or carriers without RCS support
RCS setup is not self-service. Unlike SMS and WhatsApp, RCS requires a one-time approval process with carriers before you can send. Contact Sent to initiate your RCS onboarding. Once approved, your RCS Agent (branded sender) will appear in the dashboard.
RCS availability depends on carrier support in the recipient's region. Sent automatically handles fallback to SMS when RCS is unavailable. Use "channel": ["rcs", "sms"] in your API requests to enable this pattern explicitly.
Add Billing Details
Configure your billing information:
WhatsApp messages require a payment method on file with Meta (separate from Sent billing).
Add Payment Method
Add your payment details (optional but recommended):
You can always add payment details later in the Billing section.
Complete Setup
Wait for the channel setup to complete (usually takes a few seconds):
🎉 Congratulations! Your account is now ready to send messages.
Copy your API credentials from this page, or access them later in the API Keys section.
Security reminder: NEVER share your Sender ID and API Key(s) with anyone. Store them securely in environment variables.
API Credentials
You'll receive two credentials:
x-sender-id: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx
x-api-key: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxFor the current v3 API, you only need the x-api-key header. The x-sender-id is for legacy v2 API.
What's Next?
Now that your channels are configured:
- Create your first template - Prepare message content
- Send your first message - Make your first API call
- Explore the dashboard - Learn dashboard features
Troubleshooting
WhatsApp connection failed?
- Ensure your Meta Business account is verified
- Check that your phone number is not already registered with WhatsApp
- Verify you have admin access to the Meta Business Portfolio
SMS not working?
- Verify your KYC is fully approved
- Check that your payment method is valid
- Contact support@sent.dm