WhatsApp is the premier OTT (Over-The-Top) messaging app for smartphones. It is free to download and is nearing two billion users. It uses the internet to send messages, images, audio, or video.

A verifiable mobile phone number is required to subscribe. WhatsApp has expanded to offer three ways to communicate:

WhatsApp
WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business API

The platform uses the WhatsApp Business API. Specific usage rules apply. WhatsApp Business API works best for medium and large enterprises.

It has both advantages and limitations. The following points summarize these characteristics:

WhatsApp Business Account approval from Meta is required
Message Template must be approved by WhatsApp (response generally in 24 hours)
Best for automation of processes via API
Mainly for central support and call centers at medium to large companies
Used in automated systems
Does not have a real mobile interface
It is not free, although some free messaging is available based on the reply patterns
API can send messages through session and message template messaging
No calling capabilities
API broadcasts are not limited

You now have an overview of WhatsApp Business API and how to plan its use for your enterprise. You review the WhatsApp Business Policy and WhatsApp Commerce Policy at the links below: WhatsApp Business Policy and WhatsApp Commerce Policy.

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Setting Up WhatsApp
WhatsApp is a messaging broadcast that must be properly configured and enabled before it can be used.
To configure a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and assign phone numbers (senders), we offer two setup options: Partner-Initiated Request and Embedded Sign-Up.
The following table outlines the key differences between these two processes, including how each WABA is created and how phone numbers are managed:

Method Description Adding Phone Number Limitations
Partner-Initiated Process The WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) is created after the customer receives an invitation sent by the their Account Manager. The customer reviews and accepts the invitation, optionally adds a phone number (sender), and confirms. Once accepted, the WABA is created under the customer's Meta Business account and shared with the BSP.
Phone numbers can be added and verified directly within the platform using the WABA Phone Numbers feature, once the WABA is active.
Once your WABA is verified, you can add up to 25 phone numbers per WABA, subject to Meta's policies and verification status..
Embedded Sign-Up This self-service method allows the customer to create or link their own WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) through the Embedded Sign-Up flow available in the platform. They must authenticate with Meta and complete the entire setup, including assigning a phone number and business profile information.
During the WhatsApp Embedded Sign-Up process, only one phone number can be registered as part of the initial onboarding flow.
Once your WABA is verified, you can add up to 25 phone numbers per WABA, subject to Meta's policies and verification status..
.

Method	Description	Adding Phone Number Limitations
Partner-Initiated Process	The WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) is created after the customer receives an invitation sent by the their Account Manager. The customer reviews and accepts the invitation, optionally adds a phone number (sender), and confirms. Once accepted, the WABA is created under the customer's Meta Business account and shared with the BSP.	Phone numbers can be added and verified directly within the platform using the WABA Phone Numbers feature, once the WABA is active. Once your WABA is verified, you can add up to 25 phone numbers per WABA, subject to Meta's policies and verification status..
Embedded Sign-Up	This self-service method allows the customer to create or link their own WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) through the Embedded Sign-Up flow available in the platform. They must authenticate with Meta and complete the entire setup, including assigning a phone number and business profile information.	During the WhatsApp Embedded Sign-Up process, only one phone number can be registered as part of the initial onboarding flow. Once your WABA is verified, you can add up to 25 phone numbers per WABA, subject to Meta's policies and verification status.. .

You find a detailed explanation of message status in the WhatsApp Status section. The first part covers the sequence of status values for outbound messages. The second part covers the three potential final statuses once a message is sent.

Sending WhatsApp

You arrive at the WhatsApp Broadcast creation section after selecting New Broadcast/Automation, entering the name, and selecting WhatsApp. The section includes the following steps:

Detail
Recipients
Message
Summary

Detail

In the 'Detail' step,

In the Sender WhatsApp Business Account dropdown, choose from the list of available WhatsApp senders configured in your Workspace. Each sender is listed by its alias and associated phone number.

Once you select a sender, a WhatsApp Sender Information panel appears automatically below the dropdown. You see real-time information about the selected sender, including:
- Status: Indicates the current connectivity state of the sender with the platform. A status of CONNECTED means the sender is actively linked and can send and receive messages.
- Quality Rating: Reflects the performance level of the sender, based on user engagement and message quality as determined by Meta. A High rating suggests good message delivery performance and user experience.
- Tier: Displays the messaging tier level assigned to the sender, which determines the maximum number of business-initiated conversations allowed per day. For example, a Tier value of 1,000 allows up to 1,000 customer-initiated conversations daily using approved message templates.
You confirm that the selected sender is active and compliant with Meta's quality and messaging volume requirements.\

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IMPORTANT
If the following message is displayed:
"Meta access has been revoked for this number. Please restore the permissions or contact support."
It means that the platform no longer has permission to access your WhatsApp Business Account in Meta.
In this scenario, the selected sender may still appear in the list, but its information (such as Status, Quality Rating, or Tier) may not load correctly or reflect real-time data.
As a result, the platform cannot validate the sender's connectivity or allow message delivery.
This situation occurs when access to your WhatsApp account has been removed or modified in your Meta Business Manager.
To resolve this issue, please contact your Account Manager to restore access to your WhatsApp Business account.

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NOTE
The ability to proceed with a WhatsApp messaging automation is contingent upon the operational status of the selected sender. If the sender is assigned any of the following statuses — RESTRICTED, PENDING, DISCONNECTED, UNKNOWN, DELETED, or BANNED — it will be considered ineligible for automation execution.
Senders in these states are not authorized to dispatch WhatsApp messages or Message Templates, as they fail to meet the connectivity or compliance requirements established by Meta.
Consequently, the platform will prevent progression to subsequent configuration steps, such as selecting recipients or composing the message, until a sender with a valid status is selected.
For a detailed explanation of Tier levels, Quality Rating values, and Status definitions, please refer to the corresponding documentation section: WhatsApp Sender Quality Rating & Status.

Select Next.

Recipients

Your account starts at Tier 1 when you begin using WhatsApp. Four Tiers are available, each with different sending limits:

Tier 1: to 1,000 unique customers in a rolling 24-hour period.
Tier 2: to 10,000 unique customers in a rolling 24-hour period.
Tier 3: to 100,000 unique customers in a rolling 24-hour period.
Tier 4: unlimited customers in a rolling 24-hour period.

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NOTE
WhatsApp tiers (also known as messaging limits) apply per phone number (sender), not per WABA.
Although a WABA (WhatsApp Business Account) can have multiple senders (verified phone numbers), each sender has its own independent tier, determined by its reputation and activity level.

When you specify contacts, their numbers fall within the limits of your current tier. Further details are available at the link below: here.

You define recipients in one of three ways:

WhatsApp engagement policies are specific and affect your Tier level. You choose the recipient definition method that best fits your needs. Each method serves a different purpose.

You find the full details for defining recipients in Define Contacts. The basic steps are:

In the Contacts list dropdown menu, choose one of the options.
Optionally apply a filter if the broadcast requires it
After selecting the Recipients, click Next to continue.

Message

The 'Message' step is context-dependent. It varies between two scenarios throughout your use of the service.

You create a WhatsApp broadcast message in one of two ways:

Using a Message Template
Without a Message Template

Using a Message Template

When initiating contact with a customer, you use a WhatsApp-approved message template. You see your WhatsApp-approved message templates at the top of the Message screen. You must use one of those message templates.

The sample screenshot below shows two preapproved message templates. You add more message templates after they complete the WhatsApp approval process. You scroll through all message templates using the left and right arrows on each side of the section.

You follow these steps to send a message in this scenario:

Select the message template to be used. The platform fills the WhatsApp Message box with the template content. You see a preview on the emulated device.
If the WhatsApp Message Template chosen includes a Header with a media file, upload the required media file (image, video, document) in the message template. (Editable for multimedia content, such as images, videos, or documents)\
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NOTE
When preparing to test or send an approved WhatsApp message template with a header that includes a multimedia file, you must upload a media file (image, video, or document) as part of the process. Initially, when choose the message template at the top displays the original media file configured when the message template was created, allowing the user to review what was initially set.
For testing or actual message sending, META requests to re-upload the media file. This upload can be either the original file or a different file, depending on the user's preference. This ensures that the correct media file accompanies each message sent, whether it's a test message or a live message.
It is recommended that users read these policies to ensure that all content used in WhatsApp message templates adheres to platform guidelines. Understanding these rules can help avoid rejections and ensure that images, videos, and other media align with WhatsApp's standards for acceptable, respectful, and compliant content. Understanding these rules can help avoid rejections and ensure that images, videos, and other media align with WhatsApp's standards for acceptable, respectful, and compliant content.
The Header supports the following multimedia file types and size limits:

File type Supported formats Maximum file size
Image .jpeg, .jpg, .png 5 MB
Video .mp4 16 MB
Document .pdf 100 MB
Audio .aac, .amr, .mp3, .ogg, .m4a 16 MB
NOTES:
- Images must be 8-bit, RGB or RGBA
- Video files must use the H.264 video codec.
- Audio tracks in video files must use the AAC codec.

File type	Supported formats	Maximum file size
Image	`.jpeg`, `.jpg`, `.png`	5 MB
Video	`.mp4`	16 MB
Document	`.pdf`	100 MB
Audio	`.aac`, `.amr`, `.mp3`, `.ogg`, `.m4a`	16 MB

You verify that the contact attributes include values for all fields used in the message template.

Select Next

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ON SENDING MESSAGES
Messages are sent only if all the information associated with the personalized fields in the message template are present, otherwise the message will not be sent.

Without a Message Template

You bypass the message template requirement by disabling Use Message Template at the top of the screen. This applies when the customer has contacted your business within a 24-hour window.

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ON ACCEPTABLE MESSAGES (24-hour window)
WhatsApp's statement on acceptable messages:
"If a person initiates a chat with you, you may continue that conversation via WhatsApp for up to 24 hours after the last message sent to you by that person without charge ("24-hour Window")."
Messages outside the 24-hour window, will not be sent and will result in a FAILED state. We encourage you to review WhatsApp's policy here.

Two types of WhatsApp message responses are available:

Text
Multimedia

Text

You create a text message of up to 4,096 characters with personalized content. You add tracked URLs to the message and include or omit emojis.

Multimedia

You create responses that include a text message of up to 4,096 characters with personalized content. You attach multimedia files up to 5 MB and add a link tracker.

You follow these steps to send a message in this scenario:

Fill out the WhatsApp Message box, which can include emojis.
Optionally add one or more tracked URLs to the message.
Optionally include any attachments in the Add multimedia files.

The details below specify the types of multimedia files that support the platform, along with their maximum file sizes and supported formats:

File type Supported formats Maximum file size
Image .jpeg, .jpg, .png 5 MB
Video .mp4 16 MB
Document .pdf 100 MB
Audio .aac, .amr, .mp3, .ogg, .m4a 16 MB

NOTES:
- Images must be 8-bit, RGB or RGBA
- Video files must use the H.264 video codec.
- Audio tracks in video files must use the AAC codec.
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NOTE
It is recommended that users read these policies to ensure that all content used in WhatsApp message templates adheres to platform guidelines. Understanding these rules can help avoid rejections and ensure that images, videos, and other media align with WhatsApp's standards for acceptable, respectful, and compliant content.
Once you select the message content, select Next

File type	Supported formats	Maximum file size
Image	`.jpeg`, `.jpg`, `.png`	5 MB
Video	`.mp4`	16 MB
Document	`.pdf`	100 MB
Audio	`.aac`, `.amr`, `.mp3`, `.ogg`, `.m4a`	16 MB

Summary

In the Summary step, you review and finalize your broadcast:

Broadcast details reviewed.
Link tracking settings configured.
Message delivery Throttle set.
Delivery timetable defined (date, hour, and minutes).

Once you define the delivery timetable, you submit the broadcast by selecting Submit for approval. The broadcast is not sent immediately. Instead, it enters review and transitions to For Approval status.

An Administrator reviews and approves the broadcast before it runs at the scheduled time. You find details on how broadcasts are reviewed, approved, declined, or rescheduled in the Broadcast Approval section.

You view the data and analytics for each message in the WhatsApp Reports section.