# WhatsApp 24-hour window

> The WhatsApp 24-hour window is the time after a customer's last message or call in which a business may reply with any message, not just a template.

Canonical: https://heykiko.io/glossary/customer-service-window
Last updated: 2026-11-05

## What it means

Also called customer service window, 24-hour rule.

Each new message or call from the customer restarts it. After it closes, only an approved template message can reach them, and Meta refuses free-text replies with error 131047.

[Meta: customer service windows](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/cloud-api/guides/send-messages#customer-service-windows)

## Related

- [Template message](https://heykiko.io/glossary/template-message)
- [WhatsApp message categories](https://heykiko.io/glossary/whatsapp-message-categories)
- [Service message](https://heykiko.io/glossary/service-message)
- [The WhatsApp 24-hour window, explained](https://heykiko.io/blog/whatsapp-24-hour-window)
- [Full glossary](https://heykiko.io/glossary)