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Broadcast rulesThe rules for WhatsApp broadcasts
Send without permission, send the wrong kind of message outside the window, or hit the same list too often, and your number can be restricted or blocked. This guide sets out WhatsApp’s rules: opt-in, approved templates, your quality rating, and the dos and don’ts that matter most.
What is allowed, and what is not
WhatsApp sets strict rules for broadcasts to keep spam out. Two things sit at the centre of it: the recipient’s permission, and the right type of message at the right moment.
Only send to people who gave permission
You may only send a contact a broadcast once they have explicitly given permission - through a sign-up form, a conversation in the shop, or a message of their own on WhatsApp. Permission for customer service over WhatsApp is not the same as permission for marketing messages.
- Ask for opt-in separately, not buried in your terms
- Record when and how somebody gave permission
- Never use bought or scraped number lists
Outside the window? Then it has to be an approved template
Within 24 hours of a customer’s last message you can chat freely. Anything you want to send outside that - an offer, a reminder, an update - has to go through a template Meta approved in advance. Free text outside the window is refused.
- Every template goes through approval at Meta first
- Pick the right category: marketing, utility or authentication
- Want the detail? Read the guide to the 24-hour window
Your quality rating decides how much you may send
WhatsApp keeps a quality rating per business number, based on blocks and reports from recipients. The higher that rating, the more contacts you may reach per day - and the lower it is, the sooner your number is restricted or blocked.
From a modest reach to thousands of contacts a day
Every number starts with a limit of 250 unique contacts per 24 hours. Keep your rating healthy and that limit grows automatically into the thousands and eventually the tens of thousands. If your rating drops to “low”, WhatsApp lowers the limit - or pauses your number for a while.
- Rating “High”: room to grow your reach
- Rating “Medium”: stable, but watch how you send
- Rating “Low”: a real risk of a blocked number
- Do not send too often
Do not bombard your list daily - that pushes blocks and reports straight up.
- Make the message personal
A name, a relevant offer or some context irritates far less than a generic message.
- Honour an opt-out immediately
If somebody sends STOP or asks you to stop, exclude them from broadcasts straight away.
- Keep an eye on your rating
KobiChat shows your quality rating and sending limit, so you can correct course in time.
Dos and don’ts for every broadcast
The most important rules in brief, so your whole team can pick them up at a glance.
Do this
- Record the opt-in
Always be able to show when and how somebody gave permission.
- Get templates approved
Wait for Meta’s approval before you use a template.
- Send something relevant, to the right people
Segment your list, so every message fits its recipient.
- Process an opt-out immediately
Exclude anyone who unsubscribes from new broadcasts at once.
Do not do this
- Buy or scrape a list
Approaching numbers without permission earns reports immediately.
- Free text outside the window
Without an approved template the message is simply refused.
- Hit the same list too often
Several broadcasts a day push your block rate up fast.
- Ignore a STOP request
That breaches WhatsApp policy and damages your quality rating immediately.
A few things you may be wondering
Do I need permission before I can send a broadcast?
Can I still send a message after the 24-hour window?
What is a quality rating, and where do I see it?
What happens if a contact sends STOP?
More on broadcasts and templates
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