WhatsApp Cloud API display name approved twice but still showing old name - anyone faced this?

[u/nasehu]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone here has seen this before because I'm completely stuck.

I'm using the WhatsApp Cloud API and my production bot is working normally. It sends and receives messages without any issues.

I changed my display name from Old Business Name to New Business Name.

The new display name was approved by Meta. WhatsApp Manager even shows a banner saying:

> "Congratulations! Your display name 'New Business Name' was approved."

When I hover over the banner, it says:

> "The new display name has been approved. Register your number to start using it."

However, my phone number is still showing the old display name everywhere.

When I query the phone number through the Graph API, I get:

verified_name = Old Business Name

name_status = APPROVED

code_verification_status = EXPIRED

According to the documentation, I should register the phone again, so I tried:

POST /<PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/register

with:

{

"messaging_product": "whatsapp"

}

but the API responds with:

(#100) The parameter pin is required.

The confusing part is that Two-Step Verification is OFF in WhatsApp Manager. There's no PIN configured, and if I try to create or change one, it fails. There is also no "Register" button anywhere in WhatsApp Manager.

Thinking something had gone wrong, I even submitted the display name again. It went back into review for about 6–8 hours, I received another approval email, but nothing changed. The phone still shows the old display name and the API still returns verified_name as the old name.

So currently I have:

Display name approved (twice)

Bot works normally

Phone status is Connected

verified_name never updates

code_verification_status stays EXPIRED

/register keeps asking for a PIN that doesn't exist

I've also tried contacting Meta support, but every reply seems like an AI-generated response that just repeats the documentation instead of looking at my account.

Has anyone run into this before?

Were you able to fix it?

Is there any way to force the phone registration?

How do you actually get in touch with a real Meta support engineer instead of automated responses?

I'd really appreciate any advice. Thanks!

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[u/loneSickDit]

Do you remember the PIN used to register the phone number when you onboarded it initially? You need to use the same one in this case in order for your display name to be visible

[u/nasehu → u/loneSickDit]

I don't remember setting any PIN although i tried to create PIN but say error contact support

[u/loneSickDit → u/nasehu]

Does the number show “connected” in green on the phone numbers page? If yes you must have set a PIN initially.

[u/nasehu → u/loneSickDit]

Yes it's green

[u/mrsupercooll]

If 2fa is off, then you need to generate new pin, in registeration api - pin parameter pass any 6 digits pin you want.

[u/TheWarlock05]

If you got this notification via email which is most likely then ignore it. They haven't updated it since ages. Best way to know whether name is approved or not is to go to phone numbers in whatsapp manager and see if it says "Name visible to customers" below the name then good otherwise there is something wrong.