Who this applies to#
- This reply rule belongs to the WhatsApp Business Platform's customer service window
What WhatsApp 24-hour window requires#
- Outside the 24-hour window, the Business Platform permits only approved message templates
- Each new user message resets the window
WhatsApp Business Platform
Operator advice: calculate reply eligibility from the latest incoming user message, not from the time your support team last replied
What this does not require#
- A reply within the window does not require a template, but other messaging policies still apply
Common mistakes#
- Restarting the clock when the business sends an outbound reply
- Checking the window when a reply is drafted but not when it is sent
- Treating a reply-window check as the entire messaging-policy review
WhatsApp 24-hour window checklist#
- Find the latest message sent by the user
- Check whether the reply will be sent within its 24-hour window
- Review delayed and queued replies before they leave the sending process
- Prepare an approved template for a follow-up that falls outside the window
OnVoard's take#
Queues change the answer. Timing matters. Start with the reply that waits overnight. A timestamp checked when an agent opens the chat can be stale by the time the message leaves. Put the final window check near sending, and make the next step clear when a template is needed.