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Agent WhatsApp Replies

Production behavior for sending agent-console replies directly to WhatsApp conversations.

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Audience: Support managers, channel admins, QA, and production operatorsRead Time: 7 minUpdated: May 2026

What is supported

Agents can reply from Dashboard -> Bots -> Conversations when the conversation channel is WhatsApp.
The reply is sent through the configured WhatsApp Cloud API phone number for that bot.
A delivery ledger is created for every WhatsApp agent reply with queued, sending, sent, delivered, read, or failed status.
Inbound WhatsApp status webhooks update the delivery ledger when Meta reports sent, delivered, read, or failed.

Required conditions

The bot must have an active WhatsApp channel configuration with access token and phone number ID.
The conversation must have a channel session mapping for the WhatsApp user number.
The conversation must be open, not CLOSED.
If the conversation is assigned, only the assigned agent can send replies.
Free-form WhatsApp replies are allowed only within 24 hours of the latest customer message.

Failure handling

If Meta rejects the send request, the agent message is not written into the visible transcript.
The failed attempt remains in the outbound delivery ledger with the provider error reason.
Retrying from the UI sends a new idempotency key so duplicate browser submissions do not create duplicate provider sends.
If the same idempotency key is replayed after a successful send, the API returns the existing delivery instead of sending again.

WhatsApp policy limits

After the 24-hour customer-care window, agents cannot send free-form text through this path.
Outside that window, use an approved WhatsApp template message flow.
Template fallback is intentionally separate from agent free-text replies because Meta approval, variables, and category rules differ by business.

Operational checks

Confirm webhook messages and status callbacks are subscribed in Meta.
Send a customer test message, claim the conversation, and reply from the agent console.
Verify the customer receives the WhatsApp message.
Verify the outbound delivery row moves from SENT to DELIVERED or READ after Meta status callbacks arrive.
For failed sends, inspect provider error text and channel credentials before retrying.

Operational Checklist

OKWhatsApp channel test connection passes.
OKAgent can claim the WhatsApp conversation before sending.
OKRecent customer message exists within the 24-hour service window.
OKAgent reply appears in the customer WhatsApp app after API success.
OKDelivery status callbacks are visible in backend delivery records.

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What is supported

Agents can reply from Dashboard -> Bots -> Conversations when the conversation channel is WhatsApp.

The reply is sent through the configured WhatsApp Cloud API phone number for that bot.

A delivery ledger is created for every WhatsApp agent reply with queued, sending, sent, delivered, read, or failed status.

Inbound WhatsApp status webhooks update the delivery ledger when Meta reports sent, delivered, read, or failed.

Required conditions

The bot must have an active WhatsApp channel configuration with access token and phone number ID.

The conversation must have a channel session mapping for the WhatsApp user number.

The conversation must be open, not CLOSED.

If the conversation is assigned, only the assigned agent can send replies.

Free-form WhatsApp replies are allowed only within 24 hours of the latest customer message.

Failure handling

If Meta rejects the send request, the agent message is not written into the visible transcript.

The failed attempt remains in the outbound delivery ledger with the provider error reason.

Retrying from the UI sends a new idempotency key so duplicate browser submissions do not create duplicate provider sends.

If the same idempotency key is replayed after a successful send, the API returns the existing delivery instead of sending again.

WhatsApp policy limits

After the 24-hour customer-care window, agents cannot send free-form text through this path.

Outside that window, use an approved WhatsApp template message flow.

Template fallback is intentionally separate from agent free-text replies because Meta approval, variables, and category rules differ by business.

Operational checks

Confirm webhook messages and status callbacks are subscribed in Meta.

Send a customer test message, claim the conversation, and reply from the agent console.

Verify the customer receives the WhatsApp message.

Verify the outbound delivery row moves from SENT to DELIVERED or READ after Meta status callbacks arrive.

For failed sends, inspect provider error text and channel credentials before retrying.

Operational Checklist

OKWhatsApp channel test connection passes.

OKAgent can claim the WhatsApp conversation before sending.

OKRecent customer message exists within the 24-hour service window.

OKAgent reply appears in the customer WhatsApp app after API success.

OKDelivery status callbacks are visible in backend delivery records.

Agent WhatsApp Replies

What is supported

Required conditions

Failure handling

WhatsApp policy limits

Operational checks

Operational Checklist

Related Guides

Next Action

Agent WhatsApp Replies

What is supported

Required conditions

Failure handling

WhatsApp policy limits

Operational checks

Operational Checklist

Related Guides

Next Action