WhatsApp Message Types

The WhatsApp Business API supports a variety of message types to enable rich, interactive customer communication. This guide covers all available message types, when to use each one, and how they work within the Exotel platform.

Message Type Overview

Message Type	Requires Template	Session Required	Description
Template	Yes	No	Pre-approved messages to initiate conversations
Text	No	Yes	Plain text messages within a session
Media	No	Yes	Images, videos, documents, audio, stickers
Interactive	No	Yes	Buttons, list menus, quick replies
Location	No	Yes	Share GPS coordinates with a map preview
Contact	No	Yes	Share contact cards (vCard)
Reaction	No	Yes	React to a message with an emoji

tip

Template messages are the only type that can be sent outside the 24-hour session window. All other message types require an active session initiated by the customer. See Session Messages for details.

Template Messages

Template messages are pre-approved message formats required for initiating business-to-customer conversations. They are reviewed by Meta before they can be used.

Structure

Component	Required	Description
Header	No	Text, image, video, or document
Body	Yes	Main message text with {{1}}, {{2}} parameters
Footer	No	Short footer text (max 60 characters)
Buttons	No	Quick Reply or Call-to-Action buttons (max 3)

API Example

curl -X POST "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.in.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/messages" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "from": "+919876500001",
    "to": "+919876543210",
    "content": {
      "type": "template",
      "template": {
        "name": "order_confirmation",
        "language": {
          "code": "en",
          "policy": "deterministic"
        },
        "components": [
          {
            "type": "body",
            "parameters": [
              { "type": "text", "text": "Rahul" },
              { "type": "text", "text": "ORD-12345" }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }'

For detailed template guidance, see Template Messages.

Text Messages

Simple plain-text messages sent within an active 24-hour session window.

Specifications

Property	Limit
Max length	4,096 characters
Formatting	Bold (*text*), italic (_text_), strikethrough (~text~), monospace (```text```)
URLs	Automatically rendered as clickable links
Emojis	Supported

API Example

curl -X POST "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.in.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/messages" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "from": "+919876500001",
    "to": "+919876543210",
    "content": {
      "type": "text",
      "text": {
        "body": "Thank you for contacting us! How can we help you today?",
        "preview_url": false
      }
    }
  }'

Text Formatting

Format	Syntax	Result
Bold	*bold text*	bold text
Italic	_italic text_	italic text
Strikethrough	~strikethrough~	strikethrough
Monospace	```code```	code

Media Messages

Share images, videos, documents, audio files, and stickers within a session.

Media Type	Supported Formats	Max Size
Image	JPEG, PNG	5 MB
Video	MP4, 3GPP	16 MB
Audio	AAC, MP3, AMR, OGG	16 MB
Document	PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, TXT	100 MB
Sticker	WebP (static), WebP (animated)	100 KB (static), 500 KB (animated)

For detailed media messaging guidance, see Media Messages.

Interactive Messages

Interactive messages allow customers to take action directly within the chat using buttons and menus.

Types of Interactive Messages

Type	Max Options	Description
Reply Buttons	3 buttons	Up to 3 quick action buttons
List Message	10 items in up to 10 sections	Scrollable menu of options
CTA URL Button	2 buttons	Buttons that open a URL

Reply Buttons Example

{
  "type": "interactive",
  "interactive": {
    "type": "button",
    "body": {
      "text": "How would you like to proceed with your order?"
    },
    "action": {
      "buttons": [
        { "type": "reply", "reply": { "id": "track", "title": "Track Order" } },
        { "type": "reply", "reply": { "id": "cancel", "title": "Cancel Order" } },
        { "type": "reply", "reply": { "id": "support", "title": "Talk to Agent" } }
      ]
    }
  }
}

List Message Example

{
  "type": "interactive",
  "interactive": {
    "type": "list",
    "body": {
      "text": "Please select your issue category:"
    },
    "action": {
      "button": "View Options",
      "sections": [
        {
          "title": "Order Issues",
          "rows": [
            { "id": "order_status", "title": "Order Status", "description": "Check your order delivery status" },
            { "id": "order_return", "title": "Return/Refund", "description": "Initiate a return or refund" }
          ]
        },
        {
          "title": "Account",
          "rows": [
            { "id": "profile", "title": "Update Profile", "description": "Change your account details" },
            { "id": "password", "title": "Reset Password", "description": "Reset your login credentials" }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

For detailed interactive messaging guidance, see Interactive Messages.

Location Messages

Share a location with GPS coordinates, displayed as a map preview in the chat.

API Example

{
  "type": "location",
  "location": {
    "latitude": 12.9716,
    "longitude": 77.5946,
    "name": "Exotel Office",
    "address": "Bengaluru, Karnataka, India"
  }
}

Contact Messages

Share a contact card (vCard) containing phone numbers, email addresses, and other details.

API Example

{
  "type": "contacts",
  "contacts": [
    {
      "name": {
        "formatted_name": "Exotel Support",
        "first_name": "Exotel",
        "last_name": "Support"
      },
      "phones": [
        { "phone": "+919876500001", "type": "WORK" }
      ],
      "emails": [
        { "email": "support@exotel.com", "type": "WORK" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Reaction Messages

React to a specific message with an emoji. Useful for acknowledgments.

API Example

{
  "type": "reaction",
  "reaction": {
    "message_id": "wamid.xxxxxxxxxxxx",
    "emoji": "\ud83d\udc4d"
  }
}

Choosing the Right Message Type

Use Case	Recommended Type	Why
Initiate conversation	Template	Required outside session window
Simple response	Text	Fast, lightweight
Send invoice or report	Media (Document)	Supports PDFs up to 100 MB
Offer choices	Interactive (Buttons)	Clear, clickable options
Category selection	Interactive (List)	Organized, scrollable menu
Product showcase	Media (Image/Video)	Visual engagement
Store location	Location	Map preview included
Share contact details	Contact	Native vCard format
Acknowledge a message	Reaction	Quick, non-intrusive

warning

Sending non-template messages outside the 24-hour session window will result in an error. Always check if a session is active before sending free-form messages. Use the WhatsApp API to check session status.

Next Steps

• Template Messages -- Deep dive into templates
• Session Messages -- 24-hour window explained
• Interactive Messages -- Buttons and lists
• Media Messages -- Sending media content
• WhatsApp API Reference -- API documentation