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Customer care Window in WhatsApp Business API#

WABA has a rule: a company can only freely communicate with a user for 24 hours after their last message. This period is called the customer care window.

The main goal of this rule is to protect users from unwanted messages and spam, while still allowing businesses to respond promptly to requests.

How the rule works#

  1. The user messages first → a 24-hour window opens.
  2. During this time, the company can send arbitrary text messages.
  3. If more than 24 hours have passed since the customer's last message, the company cannot send arbitrary messages.
  4. After the window closes, only template messages can be used to contact the user.

Templates are pre-approved by WhatsApp and are suitable for:

  • order or delivery status notifications,
  • appointment reminders,
  • sending one-time codes (OTPs),
  • payment notifications,
  • marketing campaigns (if the client has consented).

Example#

The client messaged at 10:00.
Until 10:00 the next day, the business can send any messages.
After this time, only using the approved template.

Why is this important?#

For businesses – it encourages faster responses and streamlines support processes.
For clients – it reduces the risk of intrusive messages.
For the WhatsApp ecosystem, it's a balance between service convenience and spam protection.