The 24-hour service window explained
Why your reply box sometimes disappears, and how to get a conversation reopened.
This causes more confusion than anything else in the product, so it is worth understanding once, properly.
How the window works
WhatsApp does not let businesses message people whenever they like. You get a 24-hour window that starts when the customer messages you. Inside that window you can reply with anything — free text, photos, documents. Once 24 hours pass with no new message from them, the window closes.
Watch out: The clock runs from the customer's last message to you. It does NOT reset when you send something. Replying five times does not extend it by a minute.
What happens when it closes
While the window is open, the top of the chat shows how long is left, e.g. Service window closes in 19h 11m.
When the window is closed, Tous Connect hides the reply box entirely and shows a Send Template Message button instead. That is deliberate — it stops you writing a long reply only to have WhatsApp reject it.
Reopening a closed conversation
A template is a pre-written message that Meta has approved in advance. Sending one is the only way to reopen a closed conversation:
- Press Send Template Message in the conversation
- Choose an approved template and send it
- Wait for the customer to reply. Their reply opens a fresh 24-hour window, and you can talk normally again
You will also see the Send Template Message button on someone who has never messaged you at all — a contact you added yourself, or one from a card scan. Same reason: no message from them means no open window, so a template is the only way to start.
Good to know: If a conversation is marked Resolved you can still send a template to it. Sending one reopens the conversation.
Still need a hand?
Already using Tous Connect? Sign in and use the Support button in the sidebar. Or email connect@thetous.com.