Free-form message (session message)

Any message a business types or sends without a template, allowed only while the customer service window is open.

A free-form message, sometimes called a session message, is a normal message: text you type, a photo, a PDF, a voice note, a list or reply buttons. It needs no approval from Meta, but you can only send it inside the 24-hour customer service window.

Free-form messages are what make WhatsApp feel personal. An agent can answer a question in their own words, send a photo of the exact item, or share a location pin. Outside the window, the same content would have to fit a pre-approved template.

If you try to send a free-form message after the window closes, WhatsApp refuses it and the message fails. A good inbox prevents this by showing the time remaining and switching to template selection when the window has closed, which is how the Marichi Talks inbox works.