Shared inbox & the 24-hour window

The inbox brings every WhatsApp conversation for your number into one place, so your whole team can reply from a browser — no shared phone needed.

The 24-hour customer service window

WhatsApp has one key rule for businesses:

• When a customer messages you, a 24-hour window opens.
• Inside the window you can send any free-form reply: text, images, documents and other media.
• After the window closes you can only send an approved template. When the customer replies, a new window opens.

Rviing shows the window status on every chat, so agents always know whether they can type freely or need to pick a template.

Replies inside the window are service messages. Meta does not charge for them.

Working as a team

• Assign a chat to a team member so two people don't answer the same customer.
• Use statuses — open, pending, closed — to track what still needs attention.
• Unread counts show what is waiting across your numbers.
• Chats handed over by a flow (for example "talk to a human") land here with their tags.

Sending media

Inside the window you can attach images and documents. Keep files reasonably small for customers on mobile data.

Good inbox habits

• Reply fast. Customers expect WhatsApp replies within minutes, not hours.
• Close chats when resolved so the open list stays meaningful.
• Use templates for follow-ups after 24 hours — for example a utility template to confirm an order or appointment.
• Never ask for passwords, OTPs or card numbers in chat.