Send a WhatsApp template

WhatsApp only takes free-form replies within 24 hours of a customer’s last message, and a business can’t write to someone first with a free-form message at all. Both take a template: a message Meta approved ahead of time, with blanks you fill in. When the customer answers, you can reply freely for another 24 hours.

Reply after the 24 hours

1. Open the conversation’s thread. The bar over the box says the 24 hours are up.
2. Click Send a template.
3. Pick a template, fill in each blank, and check What they’ll see.
4. Click Send template. It shows in the thread as your message, with whether it was delivered and read.

Write to a customer first

1. Open Inbox and click Message on WhatsApp.
2. Type their WhatsApp number with its country code, and their name if you like.
3. Pick a template, fill it in and click Send template.

Their conversation opens as a thread in the WhatsApp inbox’s channel. Only write first to customers who agreed to hear from you on WhatsApp: Meta can limit numbers that people block or report.

Make a template (owners and admins)

1. Open Workspace settings → Phone → Messaging. Templates are listed under the WhatsApp number.
2. Click New template, give it a lowercase name like restock_alert, and pick its language.
3. Pick Updates for messages about something the customer did or asked for, or Marketing for offers and news.
4. Write the message with {{1}}, {{2}} for the parts that change, give an example for each, and click Send for review.

Meta usually reviews a template within a day. It’s listed as In review until then, and as Approved or Turned down (with Meta’s reason) after. Until the number is connected to WhatsApp, sample templates stand in, and sending one is a test.

Templates are charged per message by Meta, on your WhatsApp Business account, not on your Freesbe bill. See Customer inbox for more.