WhatsApp live chat
Live chat is your WhatsApp inbox inside the dashboard. You read and answer customer messages, start new conversations, send files, templates and saved replies, and tag chats to keep them organized. Open it from Whatsapp > Live chat in the sidebar, or click Open inbox on the WhatsApp page.
The page has two parts: the chat list on one side and the open conversation on the other. On a small screen you see one at a time. Any team member whose permission group includes live chat can reply to customers, start chats and follow the history in one place.
If your number also runs on the WhatsApp Business app, your earlier chats from the app appear here only if you chose Share all messages when you connected it. See WhatsApp number and connection types.
Live chat needs the WhatsApp live chat permission, an active WhatsApp subscription and an active number. Before activation the page shows Live chat is not available with a See WhatsApp details button. Right after you subscribe, it shows Live Chat set up in progress... for a few hours, and Zid emails you when it's ready. If your subscription expired, the page asks you to renew it.
The 24-hour conversation window
WhatsApp lets you send free-form messages only within 24 hours of the customer's last message. While the window is open, the message box shows when it closes, such as Chat window closes today at 18:40 or Chat window closes tomorrow at 09:15. In the chat list, a clock icon marks chats whose window has closed; hover it to read Chat window closed.
When the window has closed, the message box is replaced by Chat window closed, which explains that Meta doesn't allow messages more than 24 hours after the customer's last reply, and a Send template button. The same happens in a chat with a number that has only received templates so far.
Each new message from the customer restarts the 24 hours. Your replies inside the window are support messages: they use the month's free support messages first, then your points. See Message templates and costs.
Find a conversation
Search the chat list with Search chats, by the customer's name or by message text. Results are grouped under Chats and Messages. Each chat shows a preview of its last message, such as Photo, Voice message, Location, Order · 2 items or Template message; messages Zid can't show, such as polls, read Unsupported message.
Click the filter icon beside the search box to filter by Tag or by a date range (Select date range), then click Apply. Reset clears the filters.
Each applied filter appears as a chip under the search box. Click a chip to remove that filter.
The bell icon at the top of the list opens Notifications with the tabs All, Chats and Team. A dot on the bell means there are new messages.
While you work on any other page of the dashboard, a notification shows each new WhatsApp message with the customer's name. Click Open chat in it to go straight to the conversation.
Start a new chat
Click the new chat icon at the top of the chat list. The New chat panel opens with your Newest customers, each with the day they joined.
Type a name to search. Results are grouped under Store customers and WhatsApp contacts. Click one to open the chat.
To message a number, type it in the same box. Choose the country code from the list beside it (search it with Search by country or code); it starts on your store's country. The panel shows New chat with the number and Send an approved template to start the chat, and under Matching results, any earlier chat with that number, or No previous chat with this customer.
Click New chat to open the conversation.
If the number is incomplete or its country code isn't valid, the box shows The mobile number is incomplete or The mobile number must start with a valid country code. A new conversation shows Start the chat with a template message: WhatsApp lets you start a chat only with an approved template, and you can type freely for 24 hours after the customer replies. Click Send template to choose one.
Reply to a customer
Click a chat in the list.
Type in the message box and click Send.
Use the tools under the message box to send more than text:
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Emoji | Inserts an emoji at the cursor. |
| Templates | Opens your WhatsApp templates. See below. |
| Record voice note | Records a voice message. Listen to it, delete it, or click Send. |
| Quick replies | Opens your quick replies so you can send one with a click. |
| Request customer's location | Sends a message with a button the customer taps to share their location. Write the text and check the preview before you click Send. |
| Attach file | Upload DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, PDF or TXT files with an optional message each. Each file is sent as its own message. |
| Attach photos or videos | Upload JPEG, JPG, PNG, MP4 or 3GPP files with an optional message each. Each file is sent as its own message. |
Hover a message to react to it with an emoji. On your own text messages, the arrow menu offers Add to quick replies.
Messages your store sends automatically, such as order updates and reply flow steps, are marked Automated message; templates are marked Template message. The customer's taps on buttons or list options are marked Customer's choice. Replies you send from the WhatsApp Business app on the same number show a WhatsApp icon, with Sent from the WhatsApp Business app when you point to it, and your store's name as the sender.
Send and register message templates
Templates are messages that Meta approved in advance. You need one to start a conversation or to reply after the 24-hour window.
To send a template:
Click the Templates icon under the message box.
Search by template name or message, then click Send on an approved template. Templates marked Pending or Rejected can't be sent.
If the template has variables, fill in each one (Variable followed by its number), such as the customer's name or the order number.
Click Send.
To register a new template:
In the Templates dialog, click Register new template.
Enter the Template Name in English. Only letters, numbers and spaces are kept, and spaces become underscores.
Choose the Message language: Arabic or English.
Write the message. Click Add new variable to insert a placeholder you fill in when sending.
Click Send. Meta reviews the template, and it shows Pending until it's approved. Use Refresh in the templates dialog to update the statuses.
Templates you register here are submitted in the Marketing category, so each one you send is charged as a marketing message. The message editor shows an alert for text Meta is likely to reject; see Get your templates approved.
You can also delete a template from the Templates dialog with Delete. Every template you create also appears in the Message template history on the WhatsApp page.
Use quick replies
Quick replies are the same list as the quick replies in WhatsApp settings.
Click the Quick replies icon under the message box.
Search with Search by message content.
Click Send on a reply to send it in the open chat, or Delete to remove it.
See the customer's details
Click the customer's name at the top of the chat, or the Customer Details button in the chat header. When the number matches a customer in your store, the panel shows:
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Summary | The customer's name, email and mobile, with All orders, Total spent and Average order value, Customer since and Last login at. The link icon opens the customer's profile in a new tab. |
| Rewards | Loyalty points, Wallet balance and Referral rewards. |
| Recent orders | The customer's two latest orders with their Total and Created date. Copy an order's link with Copy order link, open it with View, or select View all. |
| Abandoned carts | The two latest abandoned carts, with their total and products, Last updated and Reminders sent. Copy checkout link copies the cart's checkout link; Send reminder sends a WhatsApp or SMS reminder you choose. |
| Customer tags | The customer's tags, which you can edit here. |
| Customer notes | Your team's note about the customer, which you can edit here. |
If the number doesn't match a customer, the panel shows Not a store customer.
Rewards, tags and notes appear only for staff who can view customers. Recent orders and Abandoned carts appear only for staff who can view orders and abandoned carts, and only when your plan includes customer and abandoned cart details. Sending a reminder needs the permission to manage abandoned carts.
The search icon in the chat header opens Search for messages, which finds messages in this conversation. On a small screen, the Close view button closes the chat.
Tag a conversation
Tags help you organize, filter and find conversations.
In the open chat, click the Conversation tags button in the chat header.
In Tags, pick an existing tag, or type a new name and press Enter to create it.
To remove a tag from the chat, click the x on its chip.
Manage your conversation tags and their colors in WhatsApp settings.
Message charges and errors
Replies use your WhatsApp points once the month's free support messages are used up. A warning above the message box tells you when all the free messages for the month are used and replies are charged from your WhatsApp balance.
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Insufficient WhatsApp balance | Your balance is lower than the message needs. Click Top up balance. |
| This message may not have been sent | Send the same message again. It won't be sent or charged twice. |
| Message failed to send | WhatsApp didn't accept the message. Check your connection and balance, then try again. |
A message that WhatsApp couldn't deliver shows a red box under it with the reason and, when available, Click here for more information. Common reasons are a closed 24-hour window, a recipient who isn't on WhatsApp or has blocked your number, and a template that isn't approved. For what each reason means and what to do, see Why messages fail.
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