--- title: 9.2 WhatsApp Chat description: "The real-time chat interface for having WhatsApp conversations. Think of it as a shared inbox for WhatsApp messages." url: "https://peikly.com/docs/whatsapp-chat/" updated: "2026-10-07" category: WhatsApp tags: - Manual sync --- # 9.2 WhatsApp Chat ## What This Feature Does The real-time chat interface for having WhatsApp conversations. Think of it as a shared inbox for WhatsApp messages. ## When to Use - Use to respond to inbound WhatsApp messages, whether or not the sender is a contact. - Use to initiate a conversation using an approved template (required for 24-hour session window compliance). - Do not use to broadcast to many contacts at once — use **WhatsApp** → **Campaigns** for that ([9.4](/docs/whatsapp-campaigns/)). ## Messages From Numbers That Are Not Contacts A message from a number you have never saved **does not create a contact**. The conversation opens in the chat inbox on its own, marked **Not in contacts** in the conversation list, and you reply to it exactly like any other thread. Your contact list stays yours to curate. To turn one into a contact: - **One at a time** — open the conversation and click **Save as contact** in the chat header. You choose the name and any tags; nothing is tagged for you. The whole message history moves onto the new contact. - **Automatically** — build a workflow in **Automation** on the **Message Received via WhatsApp** trigger ending in an **Add To Contacts** action. Every matching inbound message then creates and links the contact for you. Add conditions to the workflow if you only want some of them saved. ## Prerequisites - CompanyAdmin or TenantUser role. - `CanUseWhatsAppChat` permission (configured by CompanyAdmin per user). - At least one connected and active WhatsApp phone number. - For sending the first message: an approved message template. ## How the 24-Hour Session Window Works - When a contact sends you a WhatsApp message, a **24-hour session window** opens. - Within this window, you can send any type of message freely. - Outside this window (or to initiate a new conversation), you must use an **approved template message**. - The Chat interface enforces this automatically — if a session is closed, you are prompted to select a template first. ## Step-by-Step Instructions 1. In the sidebar, click **WhatsApp** → **Chat**. 2. The inbox shows your recent conversations. 3. Click a conversation to open the thread. 4. Type in the message box at the bottom and press **Send**, or click the send icon. 5. To start a new conversation: a. Click **New Conversation**. b. Search for and select a contact. c. Select an approved **Template** to send as the opening message. d. Fill in any template variables. e. Click **Send**. 6. To send a media message: click the attachment icon, select your file, and send. 7. To send a template during an active session: click the **Templates** icon and select. ## What Happens After - Messages are delivered via the WhatsApp Cloud API. - Delivery status updates appear on each message (sent → delivered → read). - Incoming replies appear in real time via notifications. ## Notes and Reminders From the Chat Header When a conversation is linked to a saved contact, the chat header (to the right of **Delete conversation**) shows two extra buttons: - **Notes** (sticky-note icon) — opens the same notes panel described in [5.10 Contact Notes](/docs/contact-notes/). - **Reminders & Tasks** (bell icon) — opens the reminders/follow-ups panel described in [5.11 Contact Reminders & Follow-up Tasks](/docs/contact-reminders-follow-up-tasks/), so you can schedule a WhatsApp or email follow-up to this exact contact without leaving the chat. Each button is highlighted and shows a count badge when the contact already has notes / open reminders. The buttons do not appear for conversations that are not yet linked to a contact — use **Save as contact** first. ## Errors, Messages, and Common Fixes | Message | Why It Happens | How to Fix | | --- | --- | --- | | Contact cannot receive messages | No valid WhatsApp number on contact | Edit the contact and add a WhatsApp number | | A new WhatsApp lead never appears in Contacts | Inbound messages no longer create contacts | Use **Save as contact** on the conversation, or add an **Add To Contacts** workflow — see above | | Session window expired | More than 24h since last contact-initiated message | Send an approved template to reopen | | Template not available | No approved templates | Create and get a template approved first | | Message failed to send | Network error or Meta API issue | Retry; check Meta platform status | | `CanUseWhatsAppChat` permission denied | User does not have chat permission | Ask CompanyAdmin to enable WhatsApp Chat permission in your user settings | ## Message Delivery Troubleshooting Flow If a WhatsApp message is not delivered: 1. Check that the contact has a valid WhatsApp number in international format. 2. Check whether the 24-hour session window is still open. 3. If the session is closed, confirm you selected an **Approved** template. 4. Check the sending number in [9.1 WhatsApp Phone Numbers](/docs/peikly-whatsapp-setup/). 5. Check Meta service status: [https://developers.facebook.com/status/dashboard/](https://developers.facebook.com/status/dashboard/). 6. Retry with a short text-only message before retrying media or a campaign. ## What happens if this fails? - If Meta disconnects, message actions fail until [8. Meta Platform Connection](/docs/meta-platform-connection/) is restored. - If the phone number disconnects, chat and campaigns stop using that number immediately. - If a required template is rejected or paused, new sends that depend on it are blocked until you replace or fix it. ## Best Practices - Respond to inbound messages within the 24-hour window to avoid needing a template. - Use templates with personalization variables to make automated opening messages feel personal. - Assign contacts to specific agents so the right person handles each conversation.