---
url: /zoho-payments-whmcs/faq.md
description: >-
  Common questions about Zoho Payments for WHMCS — India vs US data centre, the
  embedded widget, refresh tokens, card data, license lapses, Payment Links, and
  updates.
---

# FAQ

Common questions from buyers evaluating or running Zoho Payments for WHMCS. See
[Troubleshooting](/zoho-payments-whmcs/troubleshooting) for problem-and-fix steps.

## Does it work with both the India and US Zoho data centres?

Yes. The gateway supports both **India (.in)** and **US (.com)** regions:

* Set **Data Center** to `IN` or `US` to match your Zoho account.
* OAuth credentials and Widget API Key must originate from the selected region.

## Is the checkout an embedded widget or a redirect?

It uses an **embedded widget**:

* Clicking **Pay Now** opens the Zoho Payments modal directly on the invoice.
* Customers complete payment without leaving your WHMCS site.
* See [Widget checkout](/zoho-payments-whmcs/features/widget-checkout).

## What is the refresh token and why do I need one?

Zoho requires OAuth2 authentication. The **refresh token** allows WHMCS to automatically generate short-lived access tokens to verify transactions:

* Authorise once during initial configuration.
* Generate it using the **"Click Here to Generate Token"** helper link.
* See the [Zoho OAuth setup guide](/zoho-payments-whmcs/guides/zoho-oauth).

## Do I ever need to regenerate the refresh token?

Regenerate only when credentials change or access is revoked:

* If OAuth errors appear in the Gateway Log, generate a new token via the helper link.
* Paste the updated token into the gateway configuration and save.

## Is card data stored in WHMCS?

No card numbers are stored in WHMCS:

* Customers enter payment details securely inside the embedded Zoho widget.
* Zoho processes transactions and manages PCI compliance.
* WHMCS records transaction IDs, gateway fees, and payment status only.

## How does the gateway know a payment really succeeded?

Payments use dual verification:

* **Widget checkouts:** Verified directly against the Zoho API before marking invoices paid.
* **Payment links:** Received via HMAC-SHA256 signed webhooks and re-verified via API.

## What happens if my license lapses?

* **New checkouts:** Blocked with *"Online payment is temporarily unavailable. Please contact us to complete your order."*
* **In-flight payments:** Completed Zoho transactions continue to verify and mark invoices paid.
* **Recovery:** Renew or re-enter an active key to restore checkouts immediately. See [Licensing](/zoho-payments-whmcs/licensing).

## Does a lapsed license lose payments customers already made?

No. Payments completed at Zoho while a license is inactive are verified and applied to invoices. Only new checkout initializations are blocked.

## Does it support Payment Links?

Yes. Payment Link transactions are received asynchronously via webhooks, verified against Zoho's API, and applied to invoices. See [Webhooks and Payment Links](/zoho-payments-whmcs/features/webhooks-and-payment-links).

## Why does the webhook need SSL?

Zoho requires a secure HTTPS endpoint to deliver webhooks. A valid, trusted SSL certificate is mandatory for webhook delivery and signature validation.

## How do I update the gateway?

* **Download:** Get the latest release from the **relyweb.co client area**.
* **Upload:** Overwrite module files in `modules/gateways/`.
* **License access:** Leased licenses include all updates; Lifetime licenses require active Support & Updates. See [Updating](/zoho-payments-whmcs/updating).

## Where do I see gateway activity and errors?

Review the **Gateway Log** at **Utilities → Logs → Gateway Log**. It records all checkout attempts, OAuth token exchanges, webhook payloads, and error messages.

## Related pages

* [Widget checkout](/zoho-payments-whmcs/features/widget-checkout) — the in-page payment experience
* [Zoho OAuth setup](/zoho-payments-whmcs/guides/zoho-oauth) — app, refresh token, webhook
* [Licensing](/zoho-payments-whmcs/licensing) — what the license gates
* [Troubleshooting](/zoho-payments-whmcs/troubleshooting) — problem and fix