Guides· 1 min read
The WhatsApp 24-hour customer service window, explained
Why you can reply freely to a customer for a day after they message you, what happens when the window closes, and how to plan around it.
Every time a customer sends your business a message on WhatsApp, a 24-hour customer service window opens. It is the single most important rule to understand before you plan any WhatsApp workflow.
What you can do inside the window
While the window is open you can send any kind of message, and replies are free:
- Plain text, emojis and links
- Images, videos, documents and voice notes
- Interactive buttons and lists
- Templates, if you prefer a ready-made format
What happens when it closes
After 24 hours without a new customer message, you can only reach that customer with an approved template. Templates are charged by Meta according to their category. The window restarts the moment the customer writes again.
How to use it well
- Reply fast. Answering within minutes keeps the conversation inside the free window.
- End support chats with a question so customers reply and the window stays open.
- Use a bot after hours so customers get an answer before the window runs out.
- In the Wapify inbox, each conversation shows whether the window is open, so agents know when a template is needed.