Extending chat expiry time in WhatsApp helps maintain customer engagement and improve response rates. Since WhatsApp sessions expire after 24 hours, businesses can use template messages to restart conversations and extend the session. This guide explains how to effectively use template messages, provides an example, and outlines best practices to ensure clear communication and seamless engagement.

WhatsApp allows you to extend chat sessions with template messages, which can help improve customer engagement. However, the expiration of chats after 24 hours is an inherent rule set by WhatsApp APIs.

To extend the chat expiry time in WhatsApp, use a template message that initiates a reply from the customer's end to your business. This will restart the session and increase the expiry time.

Upon clicking the 'Tell me more' link, a reply is initiated from the customer's end to your business. This restarts the chat session and increases the expiry time.

To get the most out of template messages, keep the following best practices in mind:

→ WhatsApp chat sessions expire after 24 hours due to the platform’s API rules. After this period, businesses can no longer send free-form messages and must use approved template messages to restart conversations.

→ Yes, you can extend a session by sending a WhatsApp-approved template message. If the customer responds, a new 24-hour session starts.

→ To extend a chat session, send a template message that encourages a reply from the customer. When the customer responds, the session restarts, allowing further communication.

→ A good template message should be short, clear, and actionable. It should prompt the customer to respond, such as by clicking a button or replying to a question.

→ No, you must use a WhatsApp-approved template message to initiate a conversation after the 24-hour window has expired.

→ If the customer does not respond, the session will remain closed, and you won’t be able to send additional messages until they initiate contact again.