This is an operating guide for your team using WhatsApp in Message Pro, not a replacement for Meta policies. Sources were reviewed on October 17, 2026. Recheck the official references when changing a sending scenario.
Consent and opt-outs
Contact people who supplied their number or username and opted in to your messages. Honor opt-outs received on or off WhatsApp and avoid spam or deception. Review business-category and sensitive-data restrictions, and provide a clear escalation route from automation to support.
Official WhatsApp Business policyService window and templates
| Situation | Appropriate action |
|---|---|
| Customer message received | A 24-hour service window opens and resets with each new customer message. Check the last inbound timestamp. |
| Reply within the window | Use a relevant conversational reply under current rules. |
| Initiating contact or sending outside the window | Use the approved-template flow available in your account with appropriate consent and purpose. |
| An existing order update | Choose a suitable Utility template for the actual update; do not add a promotional offer to an order-status notice. |
Permission and cost are separate
Check official pricing for the message category and recipient market. A service window or pricing exemption does not create unrestricted sending permission. Message Pro subscriptions and campaign allowances are separate from Meta charges and acceptance rules.
Meta pricing and service windowSuggested team process
- 1
Keep a usable record
Record the consent source, date, and selected purpose in a system the team can consult.
- 2
Review recipients
Exclude people who opted out before preparing the campaign, and match the audience to the message purpose.
- 3
Check the template and variables
Use an authorized test recipient and verify language, order reference, and links before expanding.
- 4
Investigate before retrying
Check rejection or delivery errors and template and number status. Do not repeatedly resend a rejected message without diagnosis.
Example
For a customer who agreed to order updates, prepare a message about that order and verify the available sending route at execution time. A discount coupon changes the purpose; handle it through an appropriate marketing process instead of adding it to a service notice.
Manage WhatsApp templatesConnect WhatsApp Business PlatformApply the rules to chat, AI, and workflows
- 1
Before a manual reply
Review the last inbound message, customer context, and purpose. Use an available sending route consistent with the rules above.
- 2
In AI instructions
Avoid repeated retries after rejection and do not treat a human-reply allowance as automation permission. If the route is unavailable, use handover or internal follow-up.
- 3
In a workflow
Check eligibility at the sending step, especially after Wait or scheduling. Permission at workflow start does not prove permission after time passes.
- 4
After sending
Inspect acceptance, delivery, and the customer reply. Handle opt-outs before campaigns or reminders and retain the failure reason for the team.
Team test example
Prepare an order update with a suitable template, then check variables, consent, and delivery with an authorized recipient. Also test an opt-out and an unavailable template. Ineligible cases should stop sending and move to follow-up, not retry indefinitely.