Glossary
What is a WhatsApp interactive message?
Messages with buttons, lists, products or forms that customers tap instead of typing, the main types, their limits and when you are allowed to send them.
By Broadchat teamPublished Updated 3 min read
Definition
Interactive message: An interactive message is a WhatsApp Business Platform message that gives the customer something to tap instead of text to type. Types include reply buttons, list messages, call-to-action URL buttons, product and multi-product messages, WhatsApp Flows and payment requests. Businesses send them as free-form messages inside the 24-hour customer service window; outside the window, buttons have to come from an approved message template.
Also called: Interactive WhatsApp message, Button message, Rich message
How interactive messages work
A WhatsApp interactive message is a normal chat bubble with a control attached. The customer taps a button or a row, and your system receives the choice as a structured reply with an ID, not just loose text. That makes the next step reliable: a chatbot or agent knows exactly which option was picked, even if the customer could have typed it in five different ways.
The main types on the Cloud API:
| Type | What the customer sees | Main limits |
|---|---|---|
| Reply buttons | Up to 3 tappable buttons | Button title up to 20 characters |
| List message | A button that opens a menu | Up to 10 rows in total across up to 10 sections |
| Call-to-action URL | A button that opens a web link | Link set by the business |
| Product message | One or several items from a catalog | Needs a connected catalog |
| WhatsApp Flows | A multi-screen form inside the chat | Built and published as a Flow |
| Payment request | An order summary with a pay option | Supported gateways only (India) |
When you can send one
Free-form interactive messages can only be sent while the customer service window is open, that is within 24 hours of the customer's last message. Outside the window you must use a message template. Templates can carry their own buttons (quick replies, URL, phone, copy code), so a template plus buttons is how you start a tappable conversation.
Worked example
A customer writes "Hi" to Rangoli Home at 9 pm. The bot replies with an interactive message:
Priya taps Track my order. The bot asks for the order number with a validated question, looks it up and answers. If she taps Talk to us, the chat moves to a human agent. No one had to guess what "order kaha hai" meant.
Interactive messages in Broadchat
In Chatbots → Chatbots, the visual builder's send-message step offers interactive types including buttons, lists, CTA URL, product, multi-product, catalog, carousel, payment and contact request, and the ask-question step can validate replies. Agents can also reply from CRM → Live Chat while the window is open. See the WhatsApp chatbot builder and build a chatbot, and the WhatsApp Business API overview for how the window works.
Sources
- Interactive messages (Cloud API) — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
- Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
Broadchat team · Product and partner success team
The people who build and support Broadchat, the white-label WhatsApp Business API platform. We write from what we see while onboarding partners and their clients on the official WhatsApp Cloud API, and we check every article against Meta's current documentation.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I send buttons in a broadcast?
Yes, but only as part of an approved message template, because broadcasts go to people outside the 24-hour window. Template buttons include quick replies, website links, a call button and a copy-code button.
Are interactive messages charged differently?
Meta prices messages by category, not by whether they contain buttons. A free-form interactive reply inside the window is a service message; a template with buttons is charged by its template category. See the pricing page for current rules.
Do interactive messages work on WhatsApp Web?
Interactive types are designed first for the WhatsApp mobile app. Meta added WhatsApp Flows support on WhatsApp Web in November 2025. Test each type on the devices your customers use before a big send.