🎯 What will you learn in this article?
The Direct Send API component revolutionizes the way you reconnect with contacts. You will learn how to:
Enable the functionality in your company.
Perform the activation process (onboarding) for your WhatsApp accounts (WABA).
Send AI-suggested service messages in expired conversations.
Validate and customize your texts safely to avoid blocks.
📋 Before you begin (Requirements)
To be able to configure and use this tool, make sure you meet the following criteria in your account:
Requirement | Detail |
Super Administrator Role | Required for global enablement and account onboarding. |
Administrator Role | Required to perform account onboarding (WABA). |
Active Connection | You must have an active WhatsApp Cloud API account. |
Updated Inbox | You must be using the conversation inbox V3. |
⚙️ Step by step: Configuration and Sending
Follow this sequence to activate the tool and start sending messages directly from your inbox:
1. Global enablement
Go to Settings > Conversations > Preferences in your main menu.
Enable the Enable Direct Send API option using the toggle switch.
💡 Tip: This option is exclusively accessible to Super Administrators and is located just below the inbox activation and deletion section.
2. Onboarding per account (WABA)
Enter the Meta Portfolio module in the platform section.
Locate the WABA account you wish to configure and click Enable Direct Send API.
Confirm the action in the modal popup.
💡 Tip: Upon confirmation, the system will automatically send 3 to 4 example messages required by Meta to classify your account. This process cannot be undone.
3. Action in Inbox V3
Open a chat whose status is Expired (outside the 24-hour service window).
Click on the Send a service message button (located next to "Send template").
💡 Tip: This button will only appear if you use Cloud API, completed the previous steps, and the chat is expired.
4. Smart Suggestions (AI)
When clicked, the system will analyze the chat history and your business category.
It will automatically generate a service message suggestion (Utility type).
You can Send directly, Cancel, or switch to the traditional Send template view.
💡 Tip: If the AI doesn't have enough history, the text field will open empty. Your progress or generated suggestion will be kept safe even if you switch chats or reassign the conversation.
5. Customization and Validation
Modify the suggested text directly in the editor if you need to adapt it (plain text only, maximum 1024 characters).
The send button will automatically change to Validate message.
Click on it to have the AI preventively review the content.
🎥 Visual Suggestion: When training your team, it is ideal to use a 15-second animated GIF showing the advisor flow in Inbox V3: from clicking "Send a service message", viewing and editing the AI suggestion, to validation and successful sending.
🛡️ Best Practices and Meta Rules
To protect your number and ensure delivery of your messages, keep the following in mind:
Zero Marketing: AI validation will block promotional content, offers, discounts, or OTP codes. Use this tool exclusively for operational information (deliveries, appointments, follow-up).
Block Management: If your message is blocked by the AI for sounding commercial, you can "Restore the suggestion" or use the traditional "Send template" flow.
Visual Identification: All messages successfully sent via this method will show a distinctive Direct Send API icon in the history.
🛠️ Troubleshooting
Problem | Cause and Solution |
Send button doesn't appear | Verify that the chat has been inactive for more than 24 hours (Expired). Make sure you have the feature enabled, onboarding ready on Meta, and are on Inbox V3. |
AI blocks my message | Your text contains commercial or sales language. Rewrite it with a strictly informative tone and press "Validate message" again (this asynchronous process takes only a few seconds). |
The validation button became disabled | You deleted all the text. You must write something within the 1024 character limit to be able to validate. |
You can see this article if you need more details about Direct Send API best practices > 🛡️ Best Practices — Direct Send API
Take back control of your interactions! 🚀
With Direct Send API you streamline service communication without depending on external approval times. To fully master your channels, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the creation of traditional templates and constantly reviewing Meta's category policies to clearly differentiate between utility sends and marketing strategies. Communicate quickly and safely! ✅