syniriaCustomer
Service Agent
Start free

When Meta's AI agent or another app answers first

How Meta decides which app gets new WhatsApp chats, what Syniria shows meanwhile, and how to let Syniria answer.

Updated

A WhatsApp number can have more than one app answering it, such as Meta's own AI agent alongside Syniria. Meta then gives each new chat to one of them, following the number's Conversation routing settings in Meta Business Suite. Switching on Meta's AI agent makes it the app that answers new chats. Connecting Syniria to a number that already uses another app can set this up too.

While another app answers new chats on your number:

  • Syniria doesn't get them. They reach your Inbox only if Meta shares them, and Syniria's AI never answers them.
  • WhatsApp refuses a reply from Syniria in a chat the other app holds. The Inbox labels such a chat Another app, and Take over and Send reply explain instead of sending.
  • Chats Syniria already has stay with it until the customer is quiet for 24 hours. Campaigns still send.
  • Syniria checks with Meta every hour. A warning on every dashboard page names the number, and on the Channels page it reads Another app answers new chats.

To let Syniria answer new chats, do one of these in Meta Business Suite:

  1. Turn off Meta's AI agent for the number, then check that Conversation routing gives new chats to Syniria.
  2. Or open Conversation routing and choose Syniria for Customer sends a message.
  3. Or keep Meta's AI agent and make Syniria your escalation partner, with conversation visibility on.

With Syniria as your escalation partner, the other app's chats show in your Inbox as Meta shares them, read-only. Your team can step into any of them by replying, which moves that chat to Syniria, and chats Meta's agent hands to a person come to your Inbox as Waiting for reply, with Meta's summary when it sends one.

Conversation routing also decides which app gets replies to your marketing and utility messages. On the Channels page, Manage on your number shows where they go.

These settings belong to your business in Meta, and only you can change them. Syniria's warning goes away within an hour of the change. Instagram, Messenger and website chat aren't affected.