24-Hour Customer Service Window Expired

Overview

The "24-Hour Session Expired" error occurs when you attempt to send a standard (free-form) WhatsApp message more than 24 hours after the customer last messaged your business.

WhatsApp allows businesses to send free-form messages only within an active 24-hour customer service window. Once this window expires, you must use a Meta-approved message template to re-initiate the conversation.

Important: This is a WhatsApp Business Platform policy enforced by Meta. Picky Assist cannot bypass or extend the 24-hour messaging window.

What Is the 24-Hour Customer Service Window?

The 24-hour customer service window begins whenever a customer sends a message to your business.

During this active window, you can:

• Send free-form (non-template) messages.

• Respond to customer queries naturally.

• Continue the conversation without using message templates.

Every new message received from the customer resets the 24-hour timer.

Once the customer stops responding for more than 24 hours, the session expires.

Why Did This Issue Occur?

This error usually occurs because the conversation is no longer within the active customer service window.

Common reasons include:

• More than 24 hours have passed since the customer's last message.

• A standard text message was sent instead of an approved template.

• The application attempted to continue an expired conversation using a free-form message.

• The conversation session had already closed before the message was sent.

How the 24-Hour Window Works

The messaging flow is as follows:

Customer Sends a Message

24-Hour Customer Service Window Opens

• Free-form messages are allowed.

• Customer support conversations can continue normally.

Customer Sends Another Message

• The 24-hour timer resets.

No Customer Reply for More Than 24 Hours

• The customer service window expires.

• Standard messages are no longer permitted.

Business Must Send an Approved Message Template

• A template message re-initiates the conversation.

• Once the customer replies, a new 24-hour customer service window begins.

How to Resolve the Issue

Step 1 – Verify the Last Customer Message

Confirm when the customer last sent a WhatsApp message.

If more than 24 hours have passed, the customer service window has expired.

Step 2 – Use an Approved Message Template

Instead of sending a standard message, send a Meta-approved WhatsApp message template.

Templates are required to start a new business-initiated conversation after the session has expired.

Examples include:

• Appointment reminders

• Order updates

• Payment reminders

• Follow-up messages

• Promotional templates (where permitted)

Step 3 – Wait for the Customer to Reply

Once the customer responds to your template message:

• A new 24-hour customer service window opens.

• You can resume sending free-form messages until the window expires again.

Step 4 – Verify Your Template

Before sending the template, ensure that:

• The template is Approved.

• The template is Active and not paused.

• The correct language translation is being used.

• All template parameters are correctly populated.

This helps avoid additional delivery issues such as Template Parameter Mismatch or Template Language Not Found errors.

How to Prevent This Issue

Follow these best practices:

• Respond to customers within the active 24-hour customer service window.

• Use approved message templates whenever a conversation has expired.

• Monitor customer conversations to avoid session timeouts.

• Ensure your templates are approved and ready before initiating business conversations.

• Verify template parameters and language settings before sending messages.

Where to Monitor Your Templates

You can review your templates by navigating to:

Meta Business Suite → WhatsApp Manager → Message Templates

Review:

• Template approval status

• Template language

• Template quality rating

• Template availability

Maintaining approved and active templates ensures you're prepared to reconnect with customers after the 24-hour window expires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I send a normal WhatsApp message after 24 hours?

WhatsApp only allows businesses to send free-form messages during the active 24-hour customer service window. After that period, an approved message template is required to initiate a new conversation.

Can Picky Assist extend the 24-hour session?

No. The 24-hour customer service window is enforced by Meta and cannot be extended or overridden by Picky Assist.

What happens after I send a message template?

If the customer replies to the template message, a new 24-hour customer service window begins, allowing you to send free-form messages again.

Do message templates require approval?

Yes. Every WhatsApp message template must be individually reviewed and approved by Meta before it can be used.

Is sending a template message free?

Business-initiated template messages may be subject to Meta's conversation-based pricing. Charges depend on your conversation category and Meta's current pricing model.