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The WhatsApp 24-hour rule explained
The WhatsApp 24-hour rule decides what a business can send and when. Meta calls it the customer service window. Inside it, your team can reply freely. Outside it, you can only send a template that Meta has approved. Here is how the window works on the WhatsApp Business Platform and how to plan your replies around it.
What the 24-hour customer service window is
When a WhatsApp user messages or calls your business, a 24-hour timer starts. Meta calls this the customer service window. If the customer writes or calls again before it runs out, the timer goes back to 24 hours.
While the window is open you can send any service message: text, images, documents, audio, video, location requests, reply buttons, lists and WhatsApp Flows. When the window closes, you can only send pre-approved template messages. In all cases you may only message people who have opted in to hear from you.
What you can send, inside and outside the window
| Message | Window open | Window closed |
|---|---|---|
| Free-form text, media, buttons, lists | Yes | No |
| Marketing template | Yes | Yes, to opted-in contacts |
| Utility template | Yes | Yes, to opted-in contacts |
| Authentication template | Yes | Yes, to opted-in contacts |
A typical conversation under the 24-hour rule
The customer writes first
A question about a product opens a 24-hour window. Your agent answers with text and photos.
The customer replies the next morning
The window resets to 24 hours from that new message, so the agent can keep replying freely.
Two days of silence
The window has closed. To follow up, the agent sends an approved template, for example a reminder about the open order.
The customer answers the template
Their reply opens a new 24-hour window and the free-form conversation continues.
What the window means for cost since 1 October 2026
The window used to make replies free. That changed on 1 October 2026. Service messages, the free-form replies you send inside the window, are now charged at the market's service rate after 1,000 free service messages per business phone number per month. Utility templates sent inside an open window are charged again too.
There is one exception. When a customer writes from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad on the Android or iOS app and you reply within the window, a free entry point window opens and can stay open for up to 7 days. During it, marketing, utility, authentication and service messages are free.
Tips for working with the 24-hour rule
- Answer fast. Most questions can be settled while the window is open.
- Ask the question that keeps the conversation going, so the customer's reply resets the timer.
- Prepare approved templates for follow-ups you send often: order updates, reminders, quote follow-ups.
- Watch the window timer before promising to get back to someone later.
- Do not use marketing templates to get around the window. Unwanted messages hurt your quality rating.
The 24-hour rule in BelloSend
BelloSend syncs your approved Meta templates into the workspace. When a WhatsApp conversation's window has closed, the agent picks one of them to restart the conversation, and the customer's reply opens a new window. Instagram has its own 24-hour window, and there is no template to reopen it, so BelloSend only lets you reply to people who wrote first on Instagram.
Facts checked on 2026-10-05. https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/send-messages · https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing · https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing/non-template-messages · https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/embedded-signup/onboarding-business-app-users
Frequently asked questions
What is the WhatsApp 24-hour rule?
After a customer messages or calls you, you have 24 hours to reply with free-form messages. After that, only approved templates can be sent.
Does the window reset?
Yes. Every new message or call from the customer resets the timer to 24 hours.
Can I message a customer after 24 hours?
Yes, with an approved template, as long as the customer has opted in to receive messages from your business.
Are replies inside the window free?
Since 1 October 2026, only the first 1,000 service messages per business phone number per month are free, plus messages in a free entry point window from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad.
Does the WhatsApp Business app follow the same rule?
No. Meta says messages sent from the WhatsApp Business app are not subject to the customer service window. The rule applies to the Cloud API.