Platform rules: the 24-hour window, templates and opt-in

WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram decide when and how a business may message someone, and breaking the rules costs you reach.

WhatsApp: the customer service window

When a customer messages or calls your WhatsApp Business number, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Inside it you can send ordinary replies. Each new message from the customer resets the window to 24 hours.

Messenger and Instagram

The standard window is 24 hours for most things a customer does, and can last up to 7 days after someone messages you from a click-to-message ad. Messages inside the window may include promotions.

Opt-in and opt-out

Before you message someone on WhatsApp, get their opt-in. Meta's rules ask you to say clearly that the person is opting in, and to name your business. Tell people how to stop each kind of message, and honour it when they do.

Quality is watched

Customers can block or report a business. On WhatsApp, a quality rating that stays low gets the business rate-limited, so spammy messaging costs you the ability to reach everyone else.

What this means day to day

Reply inside the window. It's another reason speed matters.If you must reach someone later on WhatsApp, use a proper template, and only if they opted in.Never treat a customer's number as a marketing list they didn't sign up for.

The short version

WhatsApp: a customer's message opens a 24-hour window and resets it; outside it, only approved templates.Messenger and Instagram: usually 24 hours, up to 7 days after a click-to-message ad.Get opt-in, explain opt-out, and honour it.Low quality and reports get you rate-limited.Check Meta's official pages; the rules cha…

Try it in Kanvo

In Kanvo, a WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram business conversation shows how long is left in the reply window, and holds Send once it has closed, so a late reply doesn't fail silently. Sort Connected app filters by Unread first to see who is still waiting.

Sources

A customer's message or call starts a 24-hour customer service window, and resets it; outside the window a business can send only template messages.