A message would not send
Every reason an outbound WhatsApp message is refused, what the error means, and the fix for each.
On this page
An outbound message can fail at four different points, and the point decides the fix. Work down this list in order — the first two cover almost everything.
1. The 24-hour window has closed
What you see: the composer is locked and offers a template, or a send is refused with a window error.
What it means: the customer has not written to you in over 24 hours, so WhatsApp will not carry free-form text to them. This is a Meta rule and no platform can extend it.
Fix: send an approved template. See the 24-hour window for why, and templates for how.
Juno normally stops you before this: the composer knows the window state and locks itself. If you got the error at Send instead, the conversation's window expired while you were typing.
2. The template is not usable
What you see: a template send fails, or the template is missing from the picker.
Three distinct causes:
| Cause | Tell | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Not approved yet | It shows as In review | Wait. Meta takes hours to days. |
| Rejected | It shows as Rejected | Fix and resubmit — see the rejection reason |
| Wrong number of variables | The send is refused before it leaves | Fill every {{n}} the template declares |
The variable count is checked on our side, before anything reaches Meta, precisely so a customer never receives a literal {{2}}.
3. The number cannot send right now
What you see: sends fail across every conversation, not only one.
- Messaging limit reached. You have started conversations with as many unique customers in 24 hours as your tier allows. Replies inside an open window still work. See messaging limits.
- Quality rating red. The number has been restricted. Same page.
- The channel is disconnected. Check Channels — a number whose token has been revoked on Meta's side shows there.
4. The customer cannot receive it
Rarer, and specific to one person:
- They blocked your business. Nothing can be delivered, and nothing tells you which customer did this.
- They opted out. Marketing sends skip them by design. A service reply still goes through.
- The number is wrong. A typo, a landline, or a number with no WhatsApp account.
How to tell which one you have
- Does it fail for one customer or for everyone? One → sections 1 or 4. Everyone → section 3.
- Does a free-form reply work but a template not? → section 2.
- Does the composer lock before you type? → section 1, and it is working as intended.
What a "sent" tick actually means
One tick means WhatsApp accepted it, not that it arrived. Two ticks mean it reached the device. Blue means read. A message that sits on one tick for hours is usually a phone that is off, not a fault at your end.