How do I make my own Meta app for the Inbox?

The Inbox gets your Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp messages through your own Meta app. Make the app at developers.facebook.com, add the products you need, copy its App secret into Inbox settings, and give Meta the Callback URL and Verify token shown there.

Where to find it

In the panel: Admin › CRM › Inbox › Inbox settings. You use three parts of it: 2. Rules (Meta app secret), 3. Connected pages, and the For the Meta app (webhook) card.

Saving the app secret in Inbox settings is for the store owner (Super Admin) only. The Admin sees whether a secret is saved, never the secret itself.

Step by step

Meta changes its developer screens often, so the menu names on Meta's side may look different. Follow the idea of each step.

Go to developers.facebook.com and sign in with the Facebook account that is an admin of your page.
Create a new app. Pick the type Meta offers for business messaging, and link it to your business if asked.
Add the products you need: Messenger for your Facebook page, Instagram for Instagram messages, WhatsApp for a WhatsApp number.
In the app's basic settings, find the App secret, show it and copy it.
In the panel, open Inbox settings › 2. Rules, paste it into Meta app secret and press Save rules. It now says saved.
From the For the Meta app (webhook) card, copy the Callback URL and the Verify token.
In your Meta app, open the webhook settings for each product. Paste the callback URL and verify token, and verify. Subscribe the fields the card lists: for a page messages, messaging_postbacks, messaging_referrals, message_echoes, message_reads, message_deliveries and feed; for Instagram messages and comments; for WhatsApp messages.
Make a long-lived page access token for your page in the app, then connect the page in 3. Connected pages.

Good to know

Your store's own app. Each store uses its own Meta app (a second one, for example only for WhatsApp, can be added: see Can I use a second Meta app (WhatsApp only) with the Inbox?). The panel never uses anyone else's app.
The app secret is a must. Every message Meta sends is checked against it. Until it is saved, messages are refused.
The page is subscribed for you. When you connect a Facebook page, the panel checks the token with Facebook and asks Facebook to send that page's messages to your app.
Comments need the permissions pages_read_user_content and pages_manage_engagement on your app.
Development mode. While the app is in development mode, Meta usually sends only messages from people who have a role on the app. Switch it to live, and finish any review Meta asks for, before you rely on it.

Common problems

Meta says the callback URL could not be verified. Copy the verify token again exactly. Check that the store opens at the callback address in a browser.
"Last calls from Meta" shows "Signature did not match". The app secret in 2. Rules is not the secret of this app. Copy it again and press Save rules.
"Facebook did not accept this page token". Make a new page access token and try again.

Still need help? Ask in our Facebook group — the team and other shop owners answer there.

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