Inbox
Read and answer the conversations of your number from Connect, with text inside the 24 hour window and approved templates outside it.
On this page
Each connected number has its inbox in Numbers and inbox. Messages arrive in real time.
Conversations
- The list shows the 50 most recent contacts.
- A conversation shows its last 200 messages, with the time and the status of each one: received, sent, delivered, read or failed.
- Edits and deletions update the original message. A deleted one shows "Message deleted".
- Media shows its caption or its type. For now files are not displayed in Connect.
If you also use the WhatsApp Business app on your phone, what you send from there shows up as From the phone.
Reply
| Situation | What you can send |
|---|---|
| The contact wrote in the last 24 hours | Free text, up to 4,096 characters, or a template |
| More than 24 hours since their last message | Approved templates only |
The 24 hour window counts from the contact's last message. Your replies from the phone do not open or extend it.
Templates
- Create and get your templates approved in Meta.
- Click Sync templates in the inbox. Connect brings up to 100.
- Choose Template in the composer and pick one.
Only approved templates appear in the picker.
Note
For now the inbox sends templates without variables. Use templates whose text does not need parameters.
Who sees what
Every member of the account can open the inbox, reply and sync templates. The text of the assistant's replies is only visible to owners and admins. Members see that the assistant answered, with its time and status.
Errors when sending
| Error | What to do |
|---|---|
Payment problem (131042) | Meta rejected the send because there is no card, the card was declined or a limit was reached. Check the payment method of your WhatsApp Business account in Meta. |
| Outside the window | Send an approved template. |
| Unsupported message | Some messages do not come through the API. Check them in the WhatsApp Business app. |