Sending Text Messages

Sending a text message through the WhatsApp Cloud API uses type: "text". Text messages can contain plain text or URLs. When a URL is included, you can optionally turn on a URL preview that shows the link's thumbnail, title, and description below the message.

Basic text message#

{
  "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
  "to": "919959623255",
  "type": "text",
  "text": {
    "body": "Hello! How can I help you?"
  }
}

This works only inside the 24-hour customer service window — within 24 hours of the customer's last message to you. Outside that window, plain text is blocked and you must send an approved template instead. See The 24-hour window.

URL preview — on vs off#

When your message body contains a URL, WhatsApp can show a preview card with the website's thumbnail, title, and description below the message text.

{
  "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
  "to": "919959623255",
  "type": "text",
  "text": {
    "preview_url": true,
    "body": "Check this: https://www.youtube.com"
  }
}

Rule: The URL must be present in the body text. If there is no URL in the body, preview_url: true does nothing.

Frequently asked#

Gotchas & common mistakes#