WhatsApp Flows provide a way to build structured and guided interactions for business messaging directly inside WhatsApp, without requiring users to be redirected to external websites or applications. With Flows, businesses can define, configure, and customize interactive experiences using native components such as forms, selectors, and action buttons, giving customers a more organized and intuitive way to communicate compared to traditional free-text conversations.

By introducing structure into the conversation, Flows make it easier for customers to complete tasks and for businesses to collect consistent, high-quality data. This approach is particularly effective in scenarios where structured communication feels more natural, such as registrations, surveys, confirmations, or guided decision-making processes. As a result, Flows are designed to replace unstructured message exchanges with guided interactions that are easier for users to complete and easier for systems to process, and are commonly used for data collection, onboarding, support pre-qualification, and transactional workflows.

When Flows are integrated into marketing or engagement campaigns, they enable richer experiences that reduce friction during interactions and can improve overall customer satisfaction, ultimately supporting better conversion outcomes.

Businesses can use WhatsApp Flows for a wide range of use cases, including lead generation and customer growth. Flows allow companies to capture new leads and engage with existing customers through structured interactions, which is especially valuable during high-traffic periods such as promotional campaigns or peak shopping seasons. Common examples include simple registration processes for newsletters, events, product launches, or sales promotions, where users can submit their information in just a few guided steps.

Flows can also be used to deliver more personalized experiences. By capturing customer preferences and selections through structured inputs, businesses can tailor follow-up communication, offers, or rewards based on the information provided. This enables more relevant engagement without requiring complex or lengthy message exchanges.

From a technical perspective, a WhatsApp Flow is defined using Flow JSON, which describes the structure and behavior of the experience, including:

The screens are shown to the user
The UI components on each screen
Navigation rules between screens
Validation behavior
Completion logic

Depending on how a Flow is configured, WhatsApp can either execute it entirely within the client or interact with a backend system in real time during the Flow execution.

Overall, WhatsApp Flows are designed to support structured, interactive communication at scale. Whether used for simple data collection or as part of more advanced workflows, Flows help businesses move from unstructured conversations to guided experiences that are easier for users to complete and easier for systems to process.

How Businesses Use WhatsApp Flows

WhatsApp Flows enable businesses to deliver structured, guided experiences directly within a WhatsApp conversation. By using predefined screens and native interactive components, Flows allow users to complete tasks clearly and intuitively, while businesses collect structured and reliable data.

Below are some common examples of how WhatsApp Flows can be used in real-world scenarios to improve customer engagement and simplify data collection.

Lead Generation

WhatsApp Flows are well-suited for lead generation use cases where businesses need to collect user information through a guided interaction. A Flow can present a sequence of screens that request details such as name, email address, or preferences, allowing users to submit their information directly within the chat.

This approach reduces friction compared to traditional web forms and external landing pages, as users remain inside WhatsApp throughout the interaction. By guiding users step by step, Flows help ensure that the collected data is complete and consistently structured.

Typical lead generation scenarios include newsletter sign-ups, promotional registrations, event registrations, and contact requests, all completed in a small number of guided steps.

Surveys and Feedback Collection

Another common use case for WhatsApp Flows is conducting surveys and collecting customer feedback. Flows make it easy to present predefined questions using native input components such as selectors, radio buttons, and optional text fields.

Users can complete surveys directly within the chat, moving naturally from one question to the next. Once the Flow is completed, all responses are submitted together, simplifying data processing and analysis.

This use case is especially effective for customer satisfaction surveys, post-interaction feedback, service quality evaluations, and quick opinion polls, where clarity and ease of completion are critical to achieving high response rates.

Prerequisites for Creating and Sending WhatsApp Flows

Before creating and sending a WhatsApp Flow, certain prerequisites must be met to ensure that the Flow can be built, published, and delivered correctly to end users. These requirements apply regardless of the specific use case and establish the foundation for working with WhatsApp Flows.

Create or Request a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA): A verified WhatsApp Business Account is required. The WABA must be properly set up and in an active state, as WhatsApp Flows are created and managed within the context of a Business Account. The WABA is also responsible for owning the Flows and controlling how they are distributed to end users. Contact your Account Manager to create or request a WhatsApp Business Account.
Add a WhatsApp Business Phone Number to the WABA: At least one WhatsApp Business phone number must be associated with the WABA. This phone number is used to send messages that trigger or reference a Flow and represents the business identity visible to the end user during the interaction.
Set up WhatsApp Business Platform: Your business must be onboarded to the WhatsApp Business Platform. Once enabled, you will have access to WhatsApp Manager within Meta Business Manager, which is the interface used to create, build, and manage WhatsApp Flows.
Business Verification & Message Quality: To be able to send WhatsApp Flows to end users, your business must be verified and must maintain a high message quality rating, as defined by WhatsApp. These requirements are enforced by WhatsApp and apply to all businesses using WhatsApp Flows.

Once these prerequisites are in place, you will be able to create, configure, and send WhatsApp Flows to your customers. The following sections of this documentation guide you through the process of building your first Flow, understanding its structure, and delivering it as part of your WhatsApp messaging experiences.

WhatsApp Flow Configuration Options

WhatsApp Flows can be configured and delivered in different ways depending on the desired interaction. These configurations define how a Flow is executed and presented to end users.

Creating WhatsApp Flows

Within WhatsApp Manager, there are two entry points available to create and build WhatsApp Flows:

Flows Builder — This is the primary area where you can edit your Flow JSON inside a code editor. The Flows Builder is best suited to users wanting a hands-on, customizable approach to Flow creation.
Within Message Templates creation — This feature lets you build Flows as part of the Message Templates creation process. It uses a drag-and-drop Form Editor, ideal if you prefer a more visual and less code-intensive approach. You don’t need to write any Flow JSON code, making it accessible for users without coding knowledge.

In addition to creating a new Flow during template creation, an existing published Flow can also be attached to an approved message template. This makes it possible to reuse the same Flow across different outbound messaging scenarios.

Regardless of where the Flow is created, the result is the same: a Flow definition managed within WhatsApp Manager that can be published and reused.

Supported Flow Type

At this time, only Static WhatsApp Flows are supported.

The Static WhatsApp Flows are self-contained experiences built using the Flow Builder, where all screens, input fields, navigation rules, and validations are defined in advance. These Flows run entirely within WhatsApp Manager and guide users through a structured interaction without requiring any additional configuration.

Once published, a Static Flow can be:

sent directly within an active customer conversation window, following the same rules as WhatsApp session messages or
attached to an approved WhatsApp message template to be delivered proactively outside the 24-hour window.

A Flow can be attached to a message template in two ways:

by selecting an existing published Flow, or
by creating a new Flow during the message template creation process using WhatsApp’s form-based editor.