Error Signals

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Deprecation extension announcement: We will extend the migration deadline until October 15, 2026. On this date, the PendingIntent-based handshake method for authentication templates will be deprecated. If you are currently using PendingIntent to initiate handshakes or verify app identity, the OTP Android SDK is the preferred way to migrate.

The OTP Android SDK features a simplified workflow for implementing one-tap and zero-tap authentication templates. You can learn how to use it below.

This document describes Android-only error signals that can help you debug one-tap autofill authentication templates and zero-tap authentication templates.

If your message fails the eligibility check, WhatsApp replaces the one-tap autofill button with a copy code button. In addition, there may be device or WhatsApp client settings that prevent message notifications. To help with debugging, our apps surface some error information via the com.whatsapp.OTP_ERROR intent. In these situations you will receive an error key and message instead of the user's one-time passwords or verification code.

Note that some of these error signals will only surface if you are running WhatsApp in the Android emulator.

Key	Description
ambiguous_delivery_destination Emulator only	Ambiguous delivery destination There are multiple active OTP requests for the packages specified by this template, and we could not determine which package to deliver the code to. This can happen when multiple applications specified in the template's supported_apps array have initiated the handshake (sent the com.whatsapp.otp.OTP_REQUESTED intent) within the past 10 minutes.
incompatible_os_version	Incompatible Android version This can happen when you initiate the handshake (send the com.whatsapp.otp.OTP_REQUESTED intent) but the device is running a version of Android older than v19.
incorrect_signature_hash Emulator only	Incorrect signature hash This can happen when you initiate the handshake (send the com.whatsapp.otp.OTP_REQUESTED intent) and our app receives an authentication template message that uses a one-tap autofill button, but the package name in the message does not produce the message's signature hash.
missing_handshake_or_disorder	Missing handshake / Order of operations This can happen when our app receives an authentication template message with a one-tap autofill button but the handshake was not initiated.
otp_request_expired	OTP request expired This can happen when an authentication template that uses a one-tap autofill button is delivered to the user but more than 10 minutes (or the number of minutes indicated in the template's code_expiration_minutes property, if present) have passed since you initiated the handshake. In this situation, we display the copy code button instead.
whatsapp_message_notification_disabled Emulator only	Message notification disabled in WA settings This can happen when you initiate the handshake (send the com.whatsapp.otp.OTP_REQUESTED intent) but the user has disabled notifications in the WhatsApp app or WhatsApp Business app (within our app settings).
whatsapp_notification_disabled Emulator only	WA notification disabled in device level This can happen when you initiate the handshake (send the com.whatsapp.otp.OTP_REQUESTED intent) but the user has disabled app notifications for our apps (device level settings).

Integration

The error signals are delivered via broadcasted intent so you must implement BroadcastReceiver⁠ to listen for error signals.

In manifest.xml

<receiver  
 android:name=".app.otp.OtpErrorReceiver"  
 android:enabled="true"  
 android:exported="true" >  
   <intent-filter>  
       <action android:name="com.whatsapp.otp.OTP_ERROR"/>  
   </intent-filter>  
</receiver>

Receiver class - using the SDK (preferred)

Implement onReceive and use a WhatsAppOtpIncomingIntentHandler object to process the debug signals.

public class OtpErrorReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {

 @Override
 public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
     WhatsAppOtpIncomingIntentHandler whatsAppOtpIncomingIntentHandler = new WhatsAppOtpIncomingIntentHandler();
     whatsAppOtpIncomingIntentHandler.processOtpDebugSignals(
                          intent,
                          // your function to handle the signal
                          (debugSignal) -> handleSignal(debugSignal),
                          // your function to handle any error
                          (error, exception) -> handleError(error, exception));
 }
}

Receiver class - Without the SDK

public class OtpErrorReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
 public static final String OTP_ERROR_KEY = "error";
 public static final String OTP_ERROR_MESSAGE_KEY = "error_message";

 @Override
 public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
   String otpErrorKey = intent.getStringExtra(OTP_ERROR_KEY);
   String otpErrorMessage = intent.getStringExtra(OTP_ERROR_MESSAGE_KEY);
   // Handle errors
 }
}