New in SOVA: Keep WhatsApp on Your Phone, and Take Over Any Chat From the AI

Quick answer

In September 2026 SOVA shipped three changes that let people and the AI share one WhatsApp number. First, a per-customer AI on/off switch in the Conversations inbox (16 September). Second, "Keep using WhatsApp on my phone": connect a number that is already on the WhatsApp Business app by scanning a QR code, with contacts and up to six months of history synced (23 September). Third, replies sent from the phone now reach SOVA and pause the AI for that customer, which resumes after 30 minutes without phone replies (30 September).

Key takeaways

• 16 Sept 2026 — Per-customer AI switch: pause the AI for one conversation from the inbox; everyone else stays on autopilot.
• 23 Sept 2026 — Keep using WhatsApp on your phone: connect with Coexistence by scanning a QR code; contacts and chat history come with it.
• 30 Sept 2026 — Replying from your phone pauses the AI for that customer; it resumes after 30 minutes without phone replies.
• Existing customers can switch to the phone-friendly connection from Settings → Reconnect WhatsApp.

Why we built this

The question we heard most from business owners before they signed up was not about price or features. It was: "Can I still use WhatsApp on my phone?" The second was: "What if the bot answers when I am already talking to the customer?" This release answers both.

Per-customer AI switch in the inbox

Every conversation in Conversations now shows AI on or AI off, with a switch in the list and in the chat header. Turn it off and the assistant stays silent for that customer only while you reply; turn it back on to hand the chat back. The pause lasts until you switch it back — no timer. Full guide: human handover on WhatsApp.

Keep using WhatsApp on your phone

When you connect WhatsApp you can now choose "Keep using WhatsApp on my phone". Instead of moving your number off the WhatsApp Business app, you scan a QR code inside the app, and the number works in both places. Your contacts and up to six months of chat history are synced at connect time.

Meta disables a few app features on connected numbers — broadcast lists, disappearing messages and the app's own catalog and greeting tools among them — and asks you to open the app at least once every 14 days. The full list is in can I keep using WhatsApp on my phone with AI automation.

The AI pauses when you reply from your phone

SOVA now receives the replies you send from the WhatsApp Business app. When you reply to a customer from your phone, the AI pauses for that customer, so they never get two answers. After 30 minutes without another phone reply, the AI resumes on its own.

We also moved incoming WhatsApp messages onto a queue with its own worker, so message handling keeps up when a history sync delivers hundreds of chats at once.

How to turn it on

New accounts see both options when connecting WhatsApp. Existing accounts on an API-only connection can reconnect from Settings and choose "Keep using WhatsApp on my phone". The per-customer AI switch is already in your inbox — no setup needed.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to reconnect to use the per-customer AI switch?

No. The switch is already on every conversation in your inbox.

Can I move my existing SOVA number to the phone-friendly connection?

The phone-friendly connection is for numbers that are on the WhatsApp Business app. Open Settings, choose Reconnect WhatsApp, then "Keep using WhatsApp on my phone", and scan the QR code in the app.

What if I need the AI off for longer than 30 minutes?

Use the switch on that conversation in the inbox. A pause set there stays until you switch the AI back on.