Announcing WhatsApp business-scoped user IDs in Zendesk and the Sunshine Conversations API

Announced on | Rollout starts
August 13, 2026 | August 12, 2026

We're announcing the general availability of WhatsApp business-scoped user IDs (BSUIDs) in Zendesk and the Sunshine Conversations API.

This release enables Zendesk to support WhatsApp users who are identified by a BSUID instead of a phone number as Meta rolls out WhatsApp username functionality.

This announcement answers the following questions:

What’s changing?

Why is Zendesk making this change?

What do I need to do?

What’s changing?

Zendesk now supports WhatsApp BSUIDs for customers using WhatsApp with Sunshine Conversations.

With this release:

BSUIDs can appear in Sunshine Conversations API responses and events.

WhatsApp client records can use BSUIDs as part of the updated user identity model.

Zendesk can process messages from WhatsApp users whose phone number is unavailable and who are identified through a BSUID.

Meta controls the rollout and availability of WhatsApp username functionality, which may vary by country.

Why is Zendesk making this change?

Meta is changing how WhatsApp users are identified as part of its rollout of WhatsApp usernames. Supporting BSUIDs ensures Zendesk can continue processing WhatsApp conversations when users are identified by a BSUID rather than a phone number.

What do I need to do?

If you use custom APIs, webhooks, Marketplace apps, or workflows that depend on WhatsApp phone numbers or user identifiers, see Business-scoped user IDs in the WhatsApp BSUID migration guide and complete any required tasks.

If you've already made the required changes described in the migration guide, no further action is needed.

If you use Zendesk's standard WhatsApp integration without custom integrations or custom code, no action is required. Zendesk will handle the transition automatically.

For more information, see the WhatsApp BSUID migration guide.

If you have questions about this announcement, visit our community forum, where we collect and manage customer product feedback. For general assistance with your Zendesk products, contact Zendesk Customer Support.