Which number does a message go from?
Updated 20 October 2026
The Short Answer
With two WhatsApp numbers, a message starts on the number that person last messaged you on, or on your main number if they have never messaged either. PropKaki never picks the other number for you: in the Inbox, in Prospecting and in an automation, you can switch the number before it goes.
The default follows the client, so the conversation stays on the number they already know.
What decides the number a message starts on?
Two rules, in order:
- The number they last messaged you on.
- If they have never messaged either number, your main number.
Every WhatsApp send starts there, and every one lets you switch. With one number nothing changes and there is nothing to pick.
How do I switch numbers in the Inbox?
In the conversation, open the reply pill. It lists WhatsApp · Work and WhatsApp · Personal and starts on the number they last wrote to. The line under each tells you what you need to know — Marcus messaged you here today, or Last message 14 days ago — Meta approves this first.
Switch to a number they have not written to in 24 hours and the box says so at once: Marcus last wrote to your Personal number 14 days ago, so Meta approves this first — usually within a day. Reply on Work Instead takes you back to the number they last wrote to.
How do I pick the number in Prospecting?
When you message people from Prospecting with Via set to WhatsApp, a From row sits under Via.
- One person: your numbers, starting on theirs. The line under it says why — Marcus last messaged you on Work.
- Many people: Each Person’s Usual (the default) or one of your numbers for everyone.
The check before it sends splits the count by number — 14 go from Work — the number they last messaged you on — and Change takes you back to the From row.
Which number does an automation send from?
A WhatsApp step has Send From:
- Each Person’s Usual Number — the default: The one they last messaged you on, else Work.
- Always Work ·4567 or Always Personal ·2211 — everyone hears from that number.
If you disconnect the number a step is set to, the step sends from each person’s usual number instead, and the automation’s row says Number Disconnected — Sends From Each Person’s Usual.
Why would Meta need to approve my message first?
The 24 hours are counted per number. If Marcus messaged Work this morning and you reply from Personal, he has not messaged Personal in 24 hours — so Meta approves the wording first. It then goes from Personal the moment it’s approved, usually within a day, and you are charged when it goes.
Message someone from a number they never wrote to walks through it step by step.
Where can I see which number was used?
- In the Inbox, each person is one conversation across both numbers, in time order, with a WhatsApp · Work or WhatsApp · Personal divider where the number changes. Each row in the list carries its number’s tag.
- In Sent Logs, each WhatsApp message carries the name of the number it went from, and a waiting one says Goes from Personal the moment Meta approves it. Messages from before you had two numbers have no tag.