WhatsApp cloud api reference

Use when implementing WhatsApp messaging via Meta Cloud API, or diagnosing failures like message not delivered, template rejected, webhook issues, phone not registered, token errors, rate limiting, 24-hour window violations, quality rating drops, or setup mistakes on the WhatsApp Business API.

Roman@romanbaz

Install

openclaw skills install @romanbaz/whatsapp-cloud-api-reference

WhatsApp Messaging via Meta Cloud API

Overview

The Meta WhatsApp Cloud API is the official, fully hosted path for programmatic WhatsApp messaging. No server management needed. First 1,000 service conversations per month are free.

Key rules:

Your app can NEVER send a free-form text message first. The very first message to any user must always be a pre-approved template. Free-form text is only unlocked after the user replies, and only within the 24-hour window that reply opens.
Business-initiated messages outside a 24h reply window must use a pre-approved template
Phone numbers must be registered in your WABA before sending
Always use a System User token — user tokens expire in 24 hours

Conversation flow:

text

App → user:  MUST be a template (always, for first contact)
User → app:  reply opens a 24-hour free-form window
App → user:  free-form text allowed within that 24h window
  [24h passes with no user reply]
App → user:  MUST use a template again to re-engage

Setup Checklist

Create Meta Developer App — developers.facebook.com → Create App → Business type
Add WhatsApp product to the app (gives temp test number + 5 test recipient slots)
Create a permanent System User token:
- Meta Business Manager → Settings → System Users → Create Admin user
- Assign permissions: whatsapp_business_messaging + whatsapp_business_management
- Generate token — this never expires
Register real phone number — number cannot already be active on personal/business WhatsApp
Set up webhook — needs public HTTPS URL (trusted CA cert, no self-signed), must respond in < 10s

Sending Messages

Text Message (Node.js)

javascript

// npm install axios
const axios = require('axios');

async function sendMessage(phoneNumber, text) {
    // phoneNumber: E.164 without +, e.g. "14155551234"
    const res = await axios.post(
        `https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/${process.env.WA_PHONE_NUMBER_ID}/messages`,
        {
            messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
            recipient_type: 'individual',
            to: phoneNumber,
            type: 'text',
            text: { preview_url: false, body: text }
        },
        { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.WA_ACCESS_TOKEN}` } }
    );
    return res.data;
}

Text Message (Python)

python

# pip install requests
import requests, os

def send_message(phone: str, text: str) -> dict:
    r = requests.post(
        f"https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/{os.environ['WA_PHONE_NUMBER_ID']}/messages",
        headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['WA_ACCESS_TOKEN']}"},
        json={
            "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
            "recipient_type": "individual",
            "to": phone,        # E.164 without +
            "type": "text",
            "text": {"preview_url": False, "body": text}
        }
    )
    r.raise_for_status()
    return r.json()

Quick test via curl

bash

curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/YOUR_PHONE_ID/messages" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"messaging_product":"whatsapp","to":"14155551234","type":"text","text":{"body":"Hello"}}'

Template Message (required when > 24h since last user reply)

javascript

const payload = {
    messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
    to: phoneNumber,
    type: 'template',
    template: {
        name: 'hello_world',           // your approved template name
        language: { code: 'en_US' },
        components: [{
            type: 'body',
            parameters: [
                { type: 'text', text: 'John' },        // fills {{1}}
                { type: 'text', text: 'Order #4521' }  // fills {{2}}
            ]
        }]
    }
};

Media Messages (Image, Document, Audio, Video)

Image:

javascript

const payload = {
    messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
    to: phoneNumber,
    type: 'image',
    image: {
        link: 'https://your-domain.com/image.jpg'  // must be publicly accessible HTTPS
    }
};

Document:

javascript

const payload = {
    messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
    to: phoneNumber,
    type: 'document',
    document: {
        link: 'https://your-domain.com/file.pdf',
        caption: 'Invoice'  // optional
    }
};

Audio:

javascript

const payload = {
    messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
    to: phoneNumber,
    type: 'audio',
    audio: {
        link: 'https://your-domain.com/audio.mp3'
    }
};

Video:

javascript

const payload = {
    messaging_product: 'whatsapp',
    to: phoneNumber,
    type: 'video',
    video: {
        link: 'https://your-domain.com/video.mp4',
        caption: 'Demo video'  // optional
    }
};

Important constraints:

All media URLs must be publicly accessible HTTPS (http:// fails)
Max file sizes: Image 16MB, Document 100MB, Audio 16MB, Video 16MB
Supported formats: Images (JPEG, PNG), Documents (PDF), Audio (AAC, MP3, OGG, WAV), Video (MP4, 3GPP)
Media must not require authentication
URLs cannot use shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl, etc.)

Webhook Handler (Express) — Correct Async Pattern

javascript

// GET — Meta calls this to verify your endpoint
app.get('/webhook', (req, res) => {
    const { 'hub.mode': mode, 'hub.verify_token': token, 'hub.challenge': challenge } = req.query;
    if (mode === 'subscribe' && token === process.env.VERIFY_TOKEN)
        return res.status(200).send(challenge);  // raw string only — NOT JSON
    res.sendStatus(403);
});

// POST — CRITICAL: return 200 IMMEDIATELY, process async
app.post('/webhook', express.json(), (req, res) => {
    // Return 200 immediately so Meta doesn't retry
    res.sendStatus(200);

    // Process webhook payload asynchronously (don't block)
    setImmediate(() => {
        processWebhookAsync(req.body).catch(err => {
            logger.error(`Webhook processing failed: ${err.message}`);
        });
    });
});

async function processWebhookAsync(body) {
    body.entry?.forEach(entry =>
        entry.changes?.forEach(change => {
            const value = change.value;

            // Incoming messages
            if (value.messages) {
                value.messages.forEach(msg => {
                    console.log(`Message from ${msg.from}: ${msg.text?.body}`);
                    handleMessage(msg);
                });
            }

            // Delivery status
            if (value.statuses) {
                value.statuses.forEach(status => {
                    console.log(`Message ${status.id} status: ${status.status}`);
                    handleDeliveryStatus(status);
                });
            }
        })
    );
}

Message Status & Delivery Tracking

Webhook Payload: Delivery Status

Meta sends status updates via webhook when a message is delivered, read, or fails:

json

{
  "object": "whatsapp_business_account",
  "entry": [{
    "changes": [{
      "value": {
        "statuses": [{
          "id": "wamid.xxx",           // Message ID from your send response
          "status": "delivered",       // "sent" | "delivered" | "read" | "failed"
          "timestamp": "1675262308",
          "recipient_id": "14155551234",
          "type": "message"
        }]
      }
    }]
  }]
}

Status values:

sent — Message reached Meta servers
delivered — Message delivered to user's device
read — User opened the message
failed — Delivery failed (permanent)

Tracking Message Delivery

javascript

// When you send, store the message ID
const sendResult = await sendMessage(phone, text);
const messageId = sendResult.messages[0].id;

// Log it for webhook tracking
db.messages.insert({
    message_id: messageId,
    recipient: phone,
    sent_at: Date.now(),
    status: 'sent',
    body: text
});

// When webhook arrives with status update, match by message_id
function handleDeliveryStatus(statusUpdate) {
    const { id, status, recipient_id } = statusUpdate;

    // Update your database
    db.messages.updateOne(
        { message_id: id },
        { status: status, updated_at: Date.now() }
    );

    // Handle delivery failures
    if (status === 'failed') {
        logger.error(`Message ${id} failed to deliver to ${recipient_id}`);
        // Retry logic here
    }
}

WABA Quality Rating & Account Health

What is Quality Rating?

Your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) has a quality rating that affects your sending ability:

Rating	Impact	Recovery
GREEN	Full functionality, no restrictions	Maintain this (stay green)
YELLOW	Slight rate limit reduction, monitor closely	Improve within 7 days or drops to RED
RED	Severe restrictions, may lose messaging access	Contact Meta Support

How to Check Quality Rating

bash

curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID?fields=quality_rating" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

# Response: { "quality_rating": "GREEN" }

What Causes Quality Rating to Drop?

High bounce rate — sending to invalid/inactive numbers
Spam reports — users marking your messages as spam
High failure rate — messages consistently failing to deliver
User blocks — users blocking your number after messages
Policy violations — sending prohibited content

How to Improve Quality Rating

Validate phone numbers before sending — use the WhatsApp contacts check (error 131026)
Only message opted-in users — don't send unsolicited messages
Keep template content transactional — avoid marketing spam
Monitor quality metrics — check rating regularly via API
Respect user preferences — remove users who opt out
Don't retry failed numbers aggressively — wait before retrying same number

Group Messages

Note: WhatsApp Business API does NOT support group messaging directly. You can only send to individual recipients (1:1 conversations).

If you need group functionality:

Users must add your business number to a group manually
Messages sent to the group are treated as individual 1:1 messages
You cannot initiate group conversations programmatically

API Versioning Strategy

All examples use v21.0 (current as of February 2026). Meta deprecates API versions annually.

Checking Your Current Version

bash

# List all available versions
curl "https://graph.facebook.com/versions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

# Current version recommendations
# - v21.0 (current, recommended)
# - v20.0 (previous, will deprecate in 6 months)

Version Update Strategy

javascript

// Store version in config, not hardcoded
const API_VERSION = process.env.WHATSAPP_API_VERSION || 'v21.0';

const url = `https://graph.facebook.com/${API_VERSION}/${PHONE_NUMBER_ID}/messages`;

// When Meta deprecates a version, update .env:
// WHATSAPP_API_VERSION=v22.0

What Changes Between Versions?

New message types or features added
Deprecated fields removed
Error codes may change slightly
Response payload structure may change

Always test before upgrading — make requests against the new version in your dev environment first.

Message Constraints & Limits

Text Message Limits

Constraint	Limit
Text body max length	4,096 characters
Link preview	Enabled by default, disable with `preview_url: false`
Carriage returns / newlines	Supported (use `\n`)

Interactive Message Limits

Type	Items	Character Limit
Button	1-3	Title: 20 chars
List	1-10	Title: 24 chars per row

Media URL Requirements

Must be HTTPS only (http:// rejected)
Must be publicly accessible (no authentication required)
Must NOT use shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl rejected)
Must have correct Content-Type header
Max file sizes:
- Image: 16 MB
- Audio: 16 MB
- Video: 16 MB
- Document: 100 MB

Rate Limits (Per WABA)

Limit	Value
Default throughput	80 messages/second
Burst capacity	1,000 messages/second (request increase)
Requests per minute	60 API calls/minute

Template Approval Process

Template Submission Workflow

text

Create template in Meta Business Manager
        ↓
Submit for review (human review by Meta)
        ↓
Status: PENDING (24-72 hours typical)
        ↓
Status: APPROVED (can now use in messages)
    OR
Status: REJECTED (reason provided in dashboard)

How Long Does Approval Take?

Typical: 24-72 hours
Peak times (weekends, holidays): up to 7 days
Fast-track: Available for high-volume WABAs (request in Meta Support)

Common Approval Issues

Issue	Why Rejected
Variable format	Must use `{{1}}`, `{{2}}` format
Template starts/ends with variable	Must have text before first variable
URL shorteners	Use full domain URLs only
Placeholder quality	Placeholder values must be realistic examples
Sensitive data request	Never ask for SSN, card numbers, passwords
Unclear purpose	Purpose field must clearly state intent
Warm language in utility	Use formal wording; warmth triggers "marketing" category (costs more)
Duplicate template	Name/wording too similar to existing template

Check rejection reason in Meta Business Manager → Business Support → Rejected Template Messages.

Common Setup Mistakes

1. Phone Number Already on Personal WhatsApp

Symptom: Registration fails with error 133010, status stays PENDING

Cause: Phone number is already active on a personal WhatsApp account

Fix:

text

1. Remove phone from personal WhatsApp (go to Settings → Devices → Remove phone)
2. Wait 24 hours
3. Re-run registration API call

2. Mixing Phone Number ID with WABA ID

Symptom: API returns "Invalid parameters" for phone operations

How to tell them apart:

text

PHONE_NUMBER_ID: 120######## (11-12 digits, starts with 120)
WABA_ID: ######### (9-10 digits, higher number)

# Correct endpoint
POST /v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID/messages  ✅

# Wrong endpoint
POST /v21.0/WABA_ID/messages  ❌

3. Token Validation Passes but Scopes Missing

Symptom: Token debug shows valid, but messaging fails with error 3/10

bash

# Token is "valid" but missing scopes
curl "https://graph.facebook.com/debug_token?input_token=TOKEN&access_token=TOKEN"
# Response: { "is_valid": true, "scopes": ["manage_pages"] }  ← NO whatsapp_business_messaging

# Fix: Regenerate System User token with correct permissions

4. Webhook Returns JSON Instead of Raw Challenge

Symptom: Webhook verification fails silently in Meta dashboard

Wrong:

javascript

return res.json({ challenge });  // ❌ returns JSON

Correct:

javascript

return res.status(200).send(challenge);  // ✅ returns raw string

5. WABA Not Subscribed to App

Symptom: Webhooks never arrive (silent failure since 2025 Meta UI change)

Fix:

bash

curl -X POST \
  "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/WABA_ID/subscribed_apps" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SYSTEM_USER_TOKEN"

6. Sending Template Too Early in Approval Process

Symptom: Error 132001 "Template Unavailable"

Cause: Template still in PENDING status, not yet APPROVED

Fix: Check status in Meta Business Manager → Message Templates → wait for APPROVED status

7. Phone Number Not in WABA

Symptom: Error 131009 when trying to send

How to verify:

bash

# Check which phone numbers are in your WABA
curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/WABA_ID/phone_numbers?fields=id,display_phone_number" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

8. Sending Free-Form Text as First Message

Symptom: API returns 200, message ID issued, but user never receives it

Root cause: Only templates allowed as first message to any number

Fix: Always use a template for first contact

Phone Number Status Reference

Check the status field via API. Each status blocks different operations:

Status	Meaning	Action
PENDING	Number is registered but not verified	Set up 2FA (either manual or API), then run register call
REGISTERED	Number is verified and ready	Check `code_verification_status` — should be `VERIFIED`
FLAGGED	Account or number under review for policy violation	Contact Meta Support
BANNED	Number permanently disabled	Contact Meta Support

Error Code Reference

Code	Name	Cause	Fix
190	Token Expired	User token (24h lifetime) used in production	Switch to System User token; debug at developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/accesstoken
3 / 10	Permission Denied	Token missing required scopes	Regenerate System User token with `whatsapp_business_messaging` + `whatsapp_business_management`
100	Invalid Parameter	Misspelled field or wrong value	Check request body against API docs; verify phone number format (E.164, no `+`)
130429	Rate Limit (MPS)	Exceeded 80 messages/sec default	Add send queue + exponential backoff (see below)
131047	24h Window Expired	> 24h since customer last replied	Replace free-form text with a pre-approved template message
131026	Undeliverable	Recipient blocked you, no WhatsApp, or outdated app	Verify recipient number; confirm they have WhatsApp installed and accepted Meta terms
131048	Spam Rate Limit	Messages flagged as spam	Check Quality Rating in WhatsApp Manager; review message content and opt-in practices
131056	Pair Rate Limit	Too many messages to same recipient too fast	Wait before retrying the same number
131009	Invalid Parameter Value	Phone number not in WABA, or wrong parameter	Verify number is registered in your WABA under Phone Numbers
131021	Same Sender/Recipient	`from` and `to` are the same number	Use a different recipient
131031	Account Locked	Policy violation or wrong 2-step PIN	Contact Meta Support
132001	Template Unavailable	Wrong template name, wrong language code, or not yet approved	Check WhatsApp Manager → Message Templates for exact name, language, and status
133010	Phone Not Registered	Sender number not registered in Cloud API	Run the registration API call (see below)
368	Policy Violation	Account restricted	Contact Meta Support
1 / 2	API Service Error	Meta outage or server error	Check metastatus.com; retry with exponential backoff

Fix: Token Problems (Error 190, 3, 10)

Diagnose first:

bash

curl "https://graph.facebook.com/debug_token?input_token=YOUR_TOKEN&access_token=YOUR_APP_ID|YOUR_APP_SECRET"

Check is_valid, expires_at (0 = never expires), and scopes in the response.

Fix — create a non-expiring System User token:

Meta Business Manager → Settings → System Users
Create Admin system user
Add whatsapp_business_messaging + whatsapp_business_management permissions
Generate token — never set an expiry

Fix: Phone Number Not Registered (Error 133010)

Step 1 — check phone number status:

bash

curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID?fields=verified_name,code_verification_status,quality_rating,status" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

If status is PENDING, the number is waiting for verification. Continue below.

Step 2 — set up Two-Step Verification (choose ONE method):

Option A: Manual setup (easy)

Meta Business Manager → WhatsApp Settings → Phone Numbers → Your Number
Click "Two-Step Verification" → set a PIN

Option B: API setup (easier for automation)

bash

# Set 2FA PIN via API
curl -X POST \
  "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID/two_step_verification" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"pin": "123456"}'  # any 6-digit PIN you choose

Step 3 — register the number with the PIN:

bash

curl -X POST \
  "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID/register" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"messaging_product": "whatsapp", "pin": "123456"}'  # same PIN from step 2

Step 4 — wait 5 minutes, then verify registration:

bash

curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID?fields=verified_name,code_verification_status,quality_rating,status" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

Look for status: REGISTERED and code_verification_status: VERIFIED.

Fix: Webhook Not Verifying

Diagnose in this order:

Not returning raw challenge — endpoint must return the hub.challenge string value only, not JSON
Token mismatch — hub.verify_token Meta sends must match exactly what you set in the dashboard (case-sensitive)
SSL issue — Meta requires a valid cert from a trusted CA; self-signed certs are rejected
Timeout — your server must respond within 10 seconds
WABA not subscribed to App — common silent failure since 2025 Meta UI change:

bash

# Subscribe your WABA to your App (run once)
curl -X POST \
  "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/WABA_ID/subscribed_apps" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SYSTEM_USER_TOKEN"

# Verify the subscription exists
curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/WABA_ID/subscribed_apps" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SYSTEM_USER_TOKEN"

Local development — expose localhost with a tunnel:

bash

# Using ngrok
ngrok http 3000
# Use the https:// URL ngrok provides as your webhook callback URL in Meta

Fix: Rate Limiting (Error 130429)

Default limit is 80 messages per second. Fix with a queue and exponential backoff:

javascript

// npm install limiter
const { RateLimiter } = require('limiter');
const limiter = new RateLimiter({ tokensPerInterval: 70, interval: 'second' });

async function sendWithRetry(phone, message, attempt = 0) {
    await limiter.removeTokens(1);
    try {
        return await sendMessage(phone, message);
    } catch (err) {
        const code = err.response?.data?.error?.code;
        if (code === 130429 && attempt < 5) {
            const delay = Math.pow(2, attempt) * 1000; // 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s, 16s
            await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, delay));
            return sendWithRetry(phone, message, attempt + 1);
        }
        throw err;
    }
}

To increase throughput beyond 80 MPS, apply in Meta Business Manager → WhatsApp → Phone Numbers → Request Increased Messaging Limit.

Fix: 24-Hour Window (Error 131047)

You cannot send free-form text to a user more than 24 hours after their last message. You must use a template.

javascript

// Instead of free-form text, send an approved template
await sendTemplate(phoneNumber, 'order_update', 'en_US', [
    { type: 'text', text: 'John' },
    { type: 'text', text: '#4521' }
]);

Create and submit templates at: Meta Business Manager → WhatsApp → Message Templates.

Fix: Template Rejected (Error 132001 or rejection in WhatsApp Manager)

Rejection Reason	Fix
Variable format wrong	Use `{{1}}`, `{{2}}` — double curly braces, sequential integers only
Template starts/ends with variable	Add plain text before `{{1}}` and after the last variable
Variables not sequential	Must be `{{1}}`, `{{2}}` — no gaps allowed
URL shorteners used	Use full, unshortened URLs to your own domain
Language code mismatch	Match `language.code` to the actual content language, e.g. `en_US`, `pt_BR`
Warm language in utility template	Use formal transactional wording; warm language causes auto-reclassification to marketing category
Sensitive data	Never request SSNs, full card numbers, or passwords
Duplicate of existing template	Change the wording — even minor variation is required
Purpose unclear	Each variable must have a descriptive example value in the template submission

Where to find rejection reason: Meta Business Manager → Business Support Home → Your WhatsApp Account → Rejected Template Messages → view policy issue.

Fix: Message Undeliverable (Error 131026)

Run this to check if a number has WhatsApp before sending:

bash

curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID/contacts" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -X POST \
  -d '{"messaging_product": "whatsapp", "contacts": ["+14155551234"]}'
# Response includes "wa_id" if the number has WhatsApp, empty if not

Diagnose: "My message sends but the user never receives it" (first-contact trap)

This is the most common silent failure. The API returns success (messages[0].id) but the user receives nothing.

Root cause: You sent a free-form text message as the first outreach. Meta silently drops it.

How to tell: Check the message status webhook — the message will show failed with error 131047 or show sent but never delivered.

Rule: The very first message your app sends to any number must be a template. No exceptions.

text

❌ Wrong — app sends free-form text first:
   POST /messages → type: "text", body: "Hello John, your order is ready"
   → API may return 200 but message is silently dropped or returns 131047

✅ Correct — app sends template first:
   POST /messages → type: "template", name: "order_ready"
   → User receives the message and can reply
   → After user replies, free-form text is allowed for 24h

Fix: Create and approve a template for every type of first-contact message you need to send. Submit templates at Meta Business Manager → WhatsApp → Message Templates.

Practical Patterns from Production

Phone Number Validation Before Sending

Always validate phone number format and WhatsApp registration before sending:

python

def is_valid_phone_format(phone_digits: str) -> bool:
    """
    E.164 format validation:
      - 7-15 digits (not including +)
      - Not all same digit (e.g., 0000000 is invalid)
    """
    if not phone_digits or len(phone_digits) < 7 or len(phone_digits) > 15:
        return False
    if len(set(phone_digits)) == 1:  # all same digit
        return False
    return True

def is_registered_on_whatsapp(phone_digits: str, token: str, phone_id: str) -> bool:
    """
    Check if number is a registered WhatsApp user.
    Returns False only on definitive error 131026 (not on WhatsApp).
    Returns True if successful, uncertain (auth error, etc.), or timeout.
    """
    headers = {
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {token}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    }
    data = {
        "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
        "to": phone_digits,
        "type": "text",
        "text": {"body": "_"}  # minimal text to check
    }
    try:
        r = requests.post(
            f"https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/{phone_id}/messages",
            headers=headers,
            json=data,
            timeout=10
        )
        if r.status_code == 200:
            return True  # number is valid

        error_code = r.json().get("error", {}).get("code")
        if error_code == 131026:
            return False  # NOT on WhatsApp

        return True  # other errors — don't block
    except:
        return True  # network error — don't block

Structured Error Response Handling

python

def extract_error_code(response_json: dict) -> int:
    """Extract error code from Meta API response."""
    return (
        response_json.get("error", {}).get("code")
        or response_json.get("error", {}).get("error_subcode")
    )

def send_with_error_handling(phone_id: str, recipient: str, message_body: str, token: str):
    """Send message and extract detailed error info."""
    url = f"https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/{phone_id}/messages"
    headers = {
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {token}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    }
    data = {
        "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
        "to": recipient,
        "type": "text",
        "text": {"body": message_body}
    }

    try:
        r = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
        r.raise_for_status()
        return {"success": True, "message_id": r.json().get("messages")[0].get("id")}
    except requests.HTTPError as e:
        error_code = extract_error_code(e.response.json())
        error_msg = e.response.json().get("error", {}).get("message")
        return {
            "success": False,
            "error_code": error_code,
            "error_message": error_msg,
            "response_text": e.response.text
        }

Interactive Messages (Smart Buttons vs List)

python

def send_interactive_message(phone_id: str, recipient: str, text: str, options: list, token: str):
    """
    Intelligently sends:
      - Buttons (up to 3 options)
      - List Menu (4-10 options)

    Each option: {"id": "unique_id", "title": "Text (max 20 chars)"}
    """
    url = f"https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/{phone_id}/messages"
    headers = {
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {token}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    }

    if len(options) <= 3:
        # Send as buttons
        button_data = {
            "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
            "to": recipient,
            "type": "interactive",
            "interactive": {
                "type": "button",
                "body": {"text": text},
                "action": {
                    "buttons": [
                        {
                            "type": "reply",
                            "reply": {"id": opt["id"], "title": opt["title"][:20]}
                        }
                        for opt in options
                    ]
                }
            }
        }
        return requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=button_data)
    else:
        # Send as list menu
        list_data = {
            "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
            "to": recipient,
            "type": "interactive",
            "interactive": {
                "type": "list",
                "body": {"text": text},
                "action": {
                    "button": "See options",
                    "sections": [{
                        "title": "Available options",
                        "rows": [
                            {
                                "id": opt["id"],
                                "title": opt["title"][:24]
                            }
                            for opt in options
                        ]
                    }]
                }
            }
        }
        return requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=list_data)

Testing & Debugging Helper Scripts

Token & Phone Verification Script:

python

# Check if token is valid and phone number is accessible
import requests, os
from dotenv import load_dotenv
load_dotenv()

TOKEN = os.getenv('WHATSAPP_TOKEN')
PHONE_ID = os.getenv('PHONE_NUMBER_ID')

# Debug token
r = requests.get(f"https://graph.facebook.com/debug_token?input_token={TOKEN}&access_token={TOKEN}")
data = r.json()
if 'error' in data:
    print(f"❌ Token Error: {data['error']['message']}")
else:
    print(f"✅ Token Valid")
    print(f"   Expires: {data['data'].get('expires_at')} (0=never)")
    print(f"   Scopes: {data['data'].get('scopes')}")

# Check phone number
r = requests.get(
    f"https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/{PHONE_ID}",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {TOKEN}"}
)
if r.status_code == 200:
    print(f"✅ Phone Number Accessible")
    print(f"   Display: {r.json().get('display_phone_number')}")
    print(f"   Quality Rating: {r.json().get('quality_rating')}")
else:
    print(f"❌ Phone Error: {r.json().get('error', {}).get('message')}")

Quick Debug Checklist

When a message fails, check in this order:

Token valid? — curl "https://graph.facebook.com/debug_token?input_token=TOKEN&access_token=APP_ID|APP_SECRET"
Phone number format? — E.164, no +, no spaces: "14155551234"
Number registered in WABA? — check WhatsApp Manager → Phone Numbers
Number registered with Cloud API? — run registration call if error 133010
24h window? — if > 24h since last user reply, send a template instead
Template approved? — WhatsApp Manager → Message Templates → check status and rejection reason
Webhook subscribed? — verify WABA → App subscription via GET /WABA_ID/subscribed_apps
Rate limited? — check Quality Rating in WhatsApp Manager; implement backoff + queue

WhatsApp cloud api reference

Install

WhatsApp Messaging via Meta Cloud API

Overview

Setup Checklist

Sending Messages

Text Message (Node.js)

Text Message (Python)

Quick test via curl

Template Message (required when > 24h since last user reply)

Media Messages (Image, Document, Audio, Video)

Webhook Handler (Express) — Correct Async Pattern

Message Status & Delivery Tracking

Webhook Payload: Delivery Status

Tracking Message Delivery

WABA Quality Rating & Account Health

What is Quality Rating?

How to Check Quality Rating

What Causes Quality Rating to Drop?

How to Improve Quality Rating

Group Messages

API Versioning Strategy

Checking Your Current Version

Version Update Strategy

What Changes Between Versions?

Message Constraints & Limits

Text Message Limits

Interactive Message Limits

Media URL Requirements

Rate Limits (Per WABA)

Template Approval Process

Template Submission Workflow

How Long Does Approval Take?

Common Approval Issues

Common Setup Mistakes

1. Phone Number Already on Personal WhatsApp

2. Mixing Phone Number ID with WABA ID

3. Token Validation Passes but Scopes Missing

4. Webhook Returns JSON Instead of Raw Challenge

5. WABA Not Subscribed to App

6. Sending Template Too Early in Approval Process

7. Phone Number Not in WABA

8. Sending Free-Form Text as First Message

Phone Number Status Reference

Error Code Reference

Fix: Token Problems (Error 190, 3, 10)

Fix: Phone Number Not Registered (Error 133010)

Fix: Webhook Not Verifying

Fix: Rate Limiting (Error 130429)

Fix: 24-Hour Window (Error 131047)

Fix: Template Rejected (Error 132001 or rejection in WhatsApp Manager)

Fix: Message Undeliverable (Error 131026)

Diagnose: "My message sends but the user never receives it" (first-contact trap)

Practical Patterns from Production

Phone Number Validation Before Sending

Structured Error Response Handling

Interactive Messages (Smart Buttons vs List)

Testing & Debugging Helper Scripts

Quick Debug Checklist

Related skills