The WhatsApp 24-hour window, explained
A customer’s message opens a 24-hour window for free-form WhatsApp replies. What you can send inside and outside it, free entry points and common errors.
By Engage team, Shwastik Tech SolutionsUpdated 3 min read
What the window is
WhatsApp is designed for conversations people want. So businesses can reply freely only for a while after the customer last wrote. The customer service window opens when the customer messages you and stays open for 24 hours; every new message from them restarts the clock.
Inside vs outside the window
| Window open | Window closed | |
|---|---|---|
| Free-form text, images, documents, buttons | Yes; 1,000/month free, then charged | No |
| Utility templates | Yes, charged | Yes, charged |
| Marketing templates | Yes, charged | Yes, charged |
| Authentication templates | Yes, charged | Yes, charged |
Engage’s inbox shows the time left in each conversation’s window and switches the composer to templates when it closes, so agents never hit the error below. Details on costs: WhatsApp API pricing in India.
Free entry points (72 hours)
When someone starts a chat from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad on Facebook or Instagram, or your Facebook Page’s WhatsApp button, Meta opens a 72-hour free entry point window. All messages you send in those 72 hours—templates included—are free, as long as you reply within the first 24 hours.
Common errors
- 131047 — re-engagement message: more than 24 hours have passed. Send a template.
- 131026 — message undeliverable: often the number isn’t on WhatsApp or uses an old app version.
- 131049 — not delivered to maintain ecosystem health: a marketing template was held back by the per-user limit. See broadcast best practices.
Keeping conversations open
- End replies with a question or quick-reply buttons so customers respond.
- Answer follow-up questions as free-form replies inside the window instead of sending another template.
- Use QR codes, website chat buttons and Click-to-WhatsApp ads so customers start the conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the WhatsApp 24-hour rule?
A business can send free-form messages to a customer only within 24 hours of that customer’s last message. After that, the business must use an approved template to restart the conversation.
Are messages inside the 24-hour window free?
Since 1 October 2026, each business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages (free-form replies) a month; after that, replies are charged at about ₹0.115 in India. Templates sent inside the window—utility, marketing or authentication—are charged.
What does WhatsApp error 131047 mean?
More than 24 hours have passed since the customer last replied, so a free-form message can’t be delivered. Send an approved template instead.