How to create a WhatsApp Business catalog, and how a Shopify store should handle it
To create a WhatsApp catalog, open the WhatsApp Business app, go to Tools > Catalog > Add new item, add up to 10 photos or videos, a name and the country of origin, then save. Shopify stores can instead connect the Meta catalog that Shopify already syncs. Below: steps, fields, collections, sharing, cart and the trade-offs.
By Mousa Alhelo, founder, E-SAFQA · Updated · 9 min read · How we write and test these guides
What a WhatsApp catalog is, and what it is not
A WhatsApp catalog (or catalogue) is a list of your products or services shown on your business profile in the WhatsApp Business app. Customers browse it without leaving the chat, ask about an item, and can send you a cart of the items they want.
It is a shop window, not a checkout. A WhatsApp Business app catalog does not take payment and does not create a Shopify order. When a customer sends a cart, you agree on payment and delivery in the chat.
| Item field | Required? | Notes (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Name (title) | Yes | Each item needs a unique title |
| Photos or videos | At least one image | Up to 10 images or videos per item; a video can be up to 50 MB |
| Country of origin | Yes | Required when you add a new item or edit an existing one |
| Price and sale price | Optional | Prices are only available in certain countries |
| Description | Optional | Sizes, materials, what is included |
| Website link | Optional | Usually the product page on your store |
| Product or service code | Optional | Use your Shopify SKU so you can match items quickly |
How to create a catalog in the WhatsApp Business app
The catalog is a WhatsApp Business app feature; the regular WhatsApp app does not have it. The steps below follow WhatsApp's help article as of October 2026.
- On WhatsApp Web and the desktop app, open the menu at the top of your chat list, choose Catalog and click Add new item. You can upload up to 10 images from your computer.
- To take an item out of view without deleting it, open it and choose Hide (Android) or turn on Hide this item (iPhone). Hidden items stay in your catalog manager.
- Open the WhatsApp Business app and go to the Tools tab, then tap Catalog.
- Tap Add new item, then Add photos and videos.
- Android: tap Gallery to choose images and videos, or Camera to take new ones. iPhone: tap Photo & video library, select your media and tap Next, or tap Camera.
- Enter the product name.
- Tap Country of origin, pick the country where the item was made and tap Save.
- Add the optional details: price, sale price, description, website link and product code.
- Tap Save. Repeat for each product.
Reviews and limits to know before you start
- Every item is reviewed. WhatsApp checks each image, video, product or service against the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, and customers only see an item once it is approved.
- Rejected items show a red exclamation icon. Tap the item, then Request another review, and give your reason.
- Collections are reviewed too, against the WhatsApp Commerce Policy. WhatsApp says this should take no more than 24 hours.
- Prices depend on your country. WhatsApp says the ability to add prices is only available in certain countries, so some stores can only list items without a price.
- Item count: WhatsApp's current help article does not publish a maximum number of items. Large stores usually find a hand-built catalog hard to keep up anyway, so check the next sections before uploading hundreds of products.
Collections, sharing links and the cart
Once items are in, three tools turn the catalog into something customers actually use: collections to group items, links to share them, and the cart to collect an order in one message.
- A collection cannot be shared as a single link. Share the catalog link and ask the customer to open the collection, or share its items one by one.
- Catalog and item links are generated automatically and cannot be customised; WhatsApp warns they may break if you edit them.
- Customers reach your catalog from the shopping button next to your business name in the chat or on your profile. They add items, change quantities, and send the cart to you as a WhatsApp message.
- A change to the cart setting can take up to 24 hours to apply, so you may still receive carts for a day after turning it off.
- For a printed flyer or Instagram bio, a wa.me chat link or QR code is often simpler than a catalog link. Our free generator at /tools/whatsapp-link-generator creates both.
- Collections: go to Tools > Catalog, tap More (the three dots) > Collections > Add, name the collection, tap Next, select the items and tap Done.
- Share an item or the whole catalog: go to Tools > Catalog, select the item and tap Share. Choose Send link via WhatsApp Business, Add to my status, Copy link, or Share link to send it by email or another app.
- Cart: go to Tools > Catalog, tap More > Settings and turn on Show add to cart button (Android). On WhatsApp Web it is the Add to cart setting under Catalog > Settings.
Shopify stores: build the catalog by hand, or connect your Meta catalog
A Shopify store has two ways to get products into WhatsApp. You can type them into the WhatsApp Business app, or you can connect a Meta catalog from Commerce Manager. Shopify's free Facebook & Instagram by Meta sales channel already syncs your products into a Meta catalog, so the second route reuses work you may have done for Facebook and Instagram.
| Manual WhatsApp catalog | Connected Meta catalog | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you edit items | In the WhatsApp Business app | In Shopify (synced to Commerce Manager); not editable in the app |
| Price and detail changes | You retype them in WhatsApp | Edited in Shopify; WhatsApp says updates appear within 24 hours |
| What you need | The WhatsApp Business app | A Meta catalog in Commerce Manager and the catalog's Facebook Page linked to your WhatsApp Business account |
| Collections | Built in the app | Shopify syncs collections to Meta only for US stores; elsewhere create them in Commerce Manager |
| Best for | A few products that rarely change | Larger or changing ranges already on Facebook and Instagram |
| Availability | All WhatsApp Business app users | WhatsApp says the feature may not be available to you yet |
How to connect your Shopify products to the WhatsApp catalog
As of October 2026, WhatsApp's help article lists two requirements: an existing Meta catalog in Commerce Manager, and the Facebook Page associated with that catalog linked to your WhatsApp Business account.
- Connecting archives the catalog you built in the app; customers no longer see it. If you later tap Disconnect in Catalog settings, the old catalog comes back.
- You cannot add, edit, hide or delete connected items in the WhatsApp Business app. Do it in Shopify, or in Commerce Manager for items that are not managed by Shopify.
- Shopify's channel uses one Meta catalog for Facebook Shop, Instagram Shopping and Facebook Marketing, so a product you make available appears across all of them.
- In Shopify, add the Facebook & Instagram by Meta sales channel from the Shopify App Store and complete its setup with your Facebook Page and business portfolio. Your products start syncing to a Meta catalog.
- Make the products you want available to the Facebook channel. Shopify only syncs products that require shipping (not digital), are not free, have a Google Product Category, and meet Meta's title, description, image and Commerce Policy rules; you also need a return policy.
- Link your WhatsApp Business account to the same Facebook Page that is associated with the catalog.
- In the WhatsApp Business app, go to Tools > Catalog, tap More > Catalog settings, tap Connect catalog (and Continue if asked), then Confirm.
- From now on, edit products in Shopify. Shopify says product changes usually sync to Meta within a few minutes, and WhatsApp says updates to a connected catalog appear within 24 hours.
Catalog in chat or your store checkout: the honest trade-offs
A WhatsApp catalog suits customers who like to see a few items and ask before buying. It is weaker as the place where the sale is completed, because the cart is only a message: there is no payment, no shipping calculation and no Shopify order until you create one.
- The biggest risk is an out-of-date price or a sold-out item still showing. If you keep a manual catalog, set a weekly reminder to check it against Shopify, and hide items the day they sell out.
- Put the store link in every item's website link field, so customers who prefer to pay online can finish on your checkout.
- Before a customer pays, confirm the price, variant and delivery cost in writing in the chat.
| Browsing in the WhatsApp catalog | Sending shoppers to your Shopify checkout | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer effort | Stays in the chat | Opens your store in the browser |
| Prices and stock | Can lag behind the store, by hand or up to 24 hours when connected | Always what Shopify shows now |
| Variants (size, colour) | Each variant is often a separate item or a note in the chat | Full variant picker |
| Payment and shipping | Agreed in the chat | Calculated and paid at checkout |
| Order record | You create the order yourself | Created in Shopify automatically |
| Good for | Small ranges, made-to-order, cash on delivery, regulars | Larger ranges, card payments, discounts and taxes |
Where WhatsApp Pilot fits
WhatsApp Pilot does not build, host or sync WhatsApp catalogs. It works from the other direction: it brings shoppers from your Shopify storefront into a WhatsApp chat with the product details already written, so the price and variant come from your store, not from a copy in WhatsApp.
- Smart Product WhatsApp Button (Pro): on the product page it follows the variant the shopper selects. If it is available, it reads Order via WhatsApp and opens a message with the product, variant, price, SKU and link. If it is sold out, it reads Notify me when back in stock.
- Back-in-stock alerts (Pro): when the shopper sends that request, WhatsApp Pilot records it for that exact variant and messages them on WhatsApp when Shopify shows it available again.
- Floating WhatsApp widget: a chat-style panel where the shopper types a question and Send opens WhatsApp with their message. Free shows it on your homepage; Pro adds every page.
- Pro costs USD 15 every 30 days and connects your own WhatsApp number by QR code as a linked device. WhatsApp Pilot does not use the WhatsApp Business API, does not send broadcasts, and has no live inbox.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a catalog on WhatsApp Business?
Open the WhatsApp Business app, go to Tools > Catalog > Add new item, add up to 10 photos or videos, enter the name and country of origin, add optional details such as price and website link, then tap Save.
Can I connect my Shopify products to my WhatsApp catalog?
Yes, where the feature is available. Sync your products to a Meta catalog with Shopify's Facebook & Instagram by Meta channel, link the catalog's Facebook Page to your WhatsApp Business account, then go to Tools > Catalog > More > Catalog settings > Connect catalog in the app.
Does my WhatsApp catalog update when I change a price in Shopify?
Only if it is a connected Meta catalog. Shopify syncs product changes to Meta, and WhatsApp says connected catalog updates appear within 24 hours. A catalog built by hand in the app never updates on its own.
Can customers pay through the WhatsApp catalog?
Not in the WhatsApp Business app catalog. Customers send you a cart as a message, and you agree on payment and delivery in the chat or send them a link to your checkout.
Why can't customers see an item I added?
WhatsApp reviews every item against its Business Messaging Policy, and items are hidden until approved. Also check that you have not hidden the item yourself. A rejected item shows a red exclamation icon, and you can request another review.
Does WhatsApp Pilot create or sync a WhatsApp catalog?
No. WhatsApp Pilot adds a product-page button that opens WhatsApp with the product, variant, price, SKU and link from your store, back-in-stock alerts for sold-out variants, and a floating chat widget.
Ready to put WhatsApp to work on your store?
Start with the free widget. Upgrade to Pro for order and shipping messages, cart recovery, repeat-purchase codes, the smart product button, back-in-stock alerts and Product Demand.