Send your first message in 5 minutes

Once your WhatsApp number is connected, here's how to send your first message.

Understanding message types

WhatsApp has two types of conversations:

• Business-initiated — You start the conversation using a pre-approved template message
• User-initiated — Customer messages you first, opening a 24-hour window for free-form replies

To send the first message to a customer, you MUST use a template.

Step 1: Create or sync a template

Option A: Sync from Meta (if you already have templates)

1. Go to Settings → Templates
2. Click "Sync from Meta"
3. Your approved templates will appear in the list

Option B: Create a new template

1. Go to Settings → Templates
2. Click "New Template"
3. Fill in:
   • Name: hello_world (lowercase, underscores only)
   • Category: Utility or Marketing
   • Language: English
   • Body: Hello {{1}}! Welcome to our service. How can we help you today?
4. Click Save — the template is submitted to Meta for approval
5. Wait for approval (usually 1-60 minutes)

Step 2: Add a contact

1. Go to Contacts in the sidebar
2. Click "New Contact"
3. Enter the phone number (with country code, e.g., +919876543210)
4. Add a name (optional)
5. Click Save

Step 3: Send the template message

1. Go to Chat in the sidebar
2. Click the "New Chat" button (or find your contact)
3. Click the 📋 Template button in the message input area
4. Select your approved template
5. Fill in any variables (e.g., the customer's name for {{1}})
6. Click Send

What happens next?

• The message is sent via WhatsApp Business API
• You'll see delivery status: ✓ Sent → ✓✓ Delivered → ✓✓ Read (blue)
• If the customer replies, a 24-hour window opens for free-form messaging
• During this window, you can send text, images, videos, documents, and voice notes without templates

Tips

• Start with the hello_world sample template that Meta provides — it's pre-approved
• Always include a clear call-to-action in your first message
• Personalize with the customer's name using template variables
• Don't send marketing messages to people who haven't opted in

Troubleshooting

"Template not approved yet" — Wait up to 24 hours. Most templates are approved within minutes, but some take longer.

"Message failed" — Check that the phone number is valid and has WhatsApp installed. Also verify your account connection is active.

"Outside 24-hour window" — You can only send template messages outside the window. Wait for the customer to reply, or send another template.