WhatsApp Business restrictions

Owned by Olga Zaritska
Last updated: Mar 16, 2023
2 min read

WhatsApp Business has usage restrictions set by Meta (the owner of WhatsApp) to ensure security and maintain service quality.

The main usage restrictions of WhatsApp Business are:

  1. Only phone numbers (both mobile and landline) that are not on the list of unsupported numbers can be registered on WhatsApp Business. This includes:

    • VoIP numbers;

    • Toll-free numbers;

    • Numbers with paid incoming calls;

    • Universal access numbers (UAN);

    • Virtual numbers.

  2. Restrictions on the number of messages.

  3. Restrictions on advertising activities due to violation of rules.

  4. Billing. WhatsApp Business provides two types of conversations: initiated by the user and initiated by the company. Once the company responds to the user within the "window" (as of March 1st, 2023, the window for such conversations is 72 hours), this message will be associated with the conversation initiated by that user. Only the first conversation starting from that entry point will be free. During the "conversation window," the company can send messages in any format. Using WhatsApp Business outside the "window" is chargeable and requires the use of templates. Current information on templates and conversation costs is available in the official documentation.

  5. Conversations under the free plan. The first 1000 conversations are provided free of charge to WhatsApp Business accounts. Conversations under the free plan can be initiated by either the company or the user. If the 1000 messages are not used, the remaining messages will not be carried over to the next month.

  6. Local usage restrictions. In some countries, there may be additional restrictions on the use of WhatsApp Business, such as requiring a special license or permission from local authorities. As Facebook rules may change, it is recommended to contact Facebook representatives to get up-to-date information on API usage restrictions in a specific country. 

  7. Size of videos and photos. WhatsApp Business limits the size of videos and photos that can be sent through the messenger. The maximum video size is 16 MB, maximum photo size is 5 MB, audio is 16 MB, and files are 100 MB. The following file formats are supported:

    • Photo: jpeg, jpg, png;

    • Video: mp4, mov;

    • Audio: acc, mp4, mpeg, amr, ogg (opus codec)

    • Files: plain, pdf, ms-office, etc.

If another file format is sent, WhatsApp may automatically convert it to a supported format before sending it. However, quality or some file features may be lost in the process.

These restrictions are created to ensure the safety and quality of the services provided by WhatsApp Business. Additionally, they may change in accordance with Facebook's policy.