24-hour window

What is the 24-hour window?

On the WhatsApp Business Platform, the 24-hour window is the period in which a business may reply to a customer with any normal message: text, photos, voice notes, buttons, product lists. Meta calls it the customer service window.

• It opens when the customer sends you a message.
• It resets every time the customer writes again.
• It closes 24 hours after the customer's latest message.

After it closes you cannot send free-form messages. To reach the customer again you must send an approved message template, and only if they have opted in.

Chats that start from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad can open a longer free entry point window. Meta's pricing page says it may stay open for up to 7 days.

What does a reply inside the window cost?

Normal replies inside the window are service messages. Since 1 October 2026:

• every business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages per month, and Meta charges from the 1,001st;
• utility templates sent inside the window are charged again (they were free from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2026);
• if the Meta account has no payment method, Meta stops delivering service messages once they become charged.

Check current rates on Meta's pricing page.

Why does it matter for sellers in Bangladesh?

Customers often ask "price?" at night and come back days later. If your team answers slowly, the window may have closed by the time you have stock or a final price, and you will need a template to reply. Fast answers keep the conversation inside the window and keep the sale moving. An AI agent that replies in seconds helps here.

Example

• Monday 9 pm: a customer asks about a saree. The window opens until Tuesday 9 pm.
• Tuesday 10 am: the customer asks for a photo. The window now runs until Wednesday 10 am.
• Thursday: the shop wants to say it is back in stock. The window has closed, so it sends an approved template.

Related terms

Opt-in, message template, utility message, click-to-WhatsApp ads.