Inbox and auto-replies

Inbox

Every conversation — messages in and out, including bulk sends, sequences and automated replies — appears in Inbox, newest first, with unread counts and search.

• There's one chat per person, whichever of your numbers they use. If more than one number is involved, each message shows which number it went through.
• The header shows whether the 24-hour reply window is open, whether the person opted out, and whether a chatbot flow handed them over (Wants a person).
• Reply with free text while the window is open; afterwards the reply box switches to templates. The window belongs to the number they wrote to, so free text only goes from that number.
• With more than one number, pick one under Send from. It defaults to the number they last wrote to. If you disconnect a number, reply from your new one with a template.
• Replying yourself stops any chatbot flow for that chat and clears the "wants a person" flag.

Start a new chat

Click New chat in the Inbox, or Message next to anyone on the Contacts page. Enter their number, choose which of your numbers to send from, and pick an approved template. WhatsApp only lets a business start a chat with a template. Once they reply, you can message freely for 24 hours.

From chat: list_conversations, get_conversation, reply_to_conversation, and send_message to start a chat. Each takes an optional whatsappAccountId to choose the sending number.

Numbers connected with Continue with Facebook receive messages automatically. If you connected your own Meta app with a token, the Connect WhatsApp page shows the callback URL and verify token to add in Meta. To handle incoming messages in your own app, add a webhook endpoint.

Auto-replies

On Auto-replies (or update_auto_replies / add_keyword_reply in chat):

• Welcome message — sent once, the first time someone ever messages your number.
• Away message — sent when someone writes outside your business hours (days, opening and closing time, time zone), at most once every 12 hours per person.
• Keyword replies — instant answers when a message matches a keyword: whole message (e.g. exactly "PRICE") or contains.

Order of precedence: STOP/START → chatbot flows → keyword replies → away → welcome. At most one automatic reply per incoming message.

STOP and START (always on)

A message that is exactly STOP, STOP ALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, OPT OUT marks the person opted out and sends your confirmation text. Opted-out numbers are refused by every template send, skipped by bulk sends, and never enrolled in sequences. START, SUBSCRIBE or UNSTOP opts them back in. These words can't be used as keywords elsewhere.

Auto-replies are free-form messages sent right after the person wrote to you, so they're inside the 24-hour window. Meta counts them as service messages: the first 1,000 a month per business phone number are free, then Meta charges (Meta pricing page, checked 23 Oct 2026).