---
title: "How do I send a WhatsApp message through an API?"
description: "How to send a WhatsApp message through an API: connect a WhatsApp Business Account, get templates approved, respect the 24-hour window and track each delivery."
canonical: "https://omnichannels.ai/answers/send-whatsapp-message-api/"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-10-10"
publisher: "BroadNet Technologies"
brand: "OmniChannels.ai"
---

# How do I send a WhatsApp message through an API?

Canonical: https://omnichannels.ai/answers/send-whatsapp-message-api/
Language: en
Publisher: OmniChannels.ai by BroadNet Technologies

**Short answer:** To send a WhatsApp message through an API, connect a WhatsApp Business Account through a Meta partner or Meta's Cloud API, collect opt-in and get a message template approved. Send the template to start a conversation. After the customer replies, you can send free-form text, media or interactive messages within the 24-hour customer service window.

## What you need before the first send

- A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), usually created through a partner's Meta Embedded Signup flow, with a verified business phone number and display name.
- At least one approved message template in the marketing, utility or authentication category.
- Opt-in from each recipient, as Meta's policies require.
- A billing arrangement. Since 1 July 2025 Meta charges per delivered message by category and recipient market; check Meta's current rate card.

## Template or free-form message?

From 1 October 2026 Meta also charges service messages and utility templates sent inside the window, after 1,000 free service messages per business phone number each month.

| Situation | What you can send |
|---|---|
| You start the conversation | An approved template only |
| Customer messaged you in the last 24 hours | Any message type: text, media, interactive or template |
| The 24-hour window has closed | An approved template only |
| Sending a one-time passcode | An authentication template |

## Steps to send

1. Create the template with its name, language, category and example variable values, and submit it to Meta for review.
2. Wait until the template status is approved.
3. Call the send endpoint with the recipient, template name, language and variable values.
4. Store the returned ID, then track SENT, DELIVERED, READ or FAILED on your webhook.

## Example: sending a template

On OmniChannels.ai every WhatsApp message goes through POST https://api.broadnet.me/whatsapp/message/sendbulk as multipart form data with a Bearer token. Set messageType to TEMPLATE and pass destinationNo, templateName, templateLanguage and bodyTemplateVariables. The call returns a batchId, and per-recipient statuses arrive on your webhook or from GET /whatsapp/message/bulk-insights.

## Official sources

- [Template fundamentals — Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/overview)
- [Send messages: customer service windows — Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/send-messages)
- [Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing)
- [Embedded Signup — Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/embedded-signup/overview)

## Related questions

- https://omnichannels.ai/answers/whatsapp-24-hour-window/
- https://omnichannels.ai/answers/how-to-get-whatsapp-business-api/
- https://omnichannels.ai/answers/whatsapp-template-rejected/
- https://omnichannels.ai/answers/whatsapp-otp-authentication-template/
- https://omnichannels.ai/answers/delivery-report-webhook/

Updated: 2026-10-10