Sending Messages in Aircall

The "Send" button is grayed out when I try to send a WhatsApp message. Why?

The most common reason the Send button remains inactive is that the message template you selected contains one or more variable fields that have not yet been filled in. Variables are placeholders in your template (for example, a contact name or agent name) that must be completed before the message can be sent.

To resolve this:

  1. Select the template you want to use.
  2. Review the message preview for any unfilled variable fields.
  3. Fill in all required values for each variable.
  4. Once all fields are completed, the Send button will turn green and become active.

If you are using a workflow (for example, via HubSpot) to send the message automatically, make sure the workflow is correctly mapped to populate all variables in the template.

How does the WhatsApp messaging window work? When can I send a regular message versus a template message?

WhatsApp operates on a 24-hour customer service window. You can have a full back-and-forth conversation with a customer within the 24-hour window. Outside of it, you must start with a template and wait for them to reply.

Here is how it works:

  • When a customer sends you a message, a 24-hour window opens. During this window, your agents can send any number of custom (non-template) messages in response.
  • Each time the customer sends a message, the 24-hour window resets.
  • Once the 24-hour window expires without a customer response, you must send a pre-approved template message to reinitiate the conversation.
  • Template messages can be sent at any time, including during an active 24-hour window, without interrupting the conversation.

Templates

I created or updated a WhatsApp template in Meta's WhatsApp Manager. Why does it not appear in Aircall?

Templates created or modified directly in Meta's WhatsApp Manager will not sync to Aircall. This is because Meta does not send template updates back to third-party platforms like Aircall.

All WhatsApp templates must be created and managed directly in the Aircall Dashboard. This ensures your numbers and templates remain properly linked and that your agents can access the templates when sending messages.

Can I restrict which WhatsApp templates are visible to specific agents?

Template-level permissions are not currently available in Aircall. Templates are visible to all agents who have access to the WhatsApp number. The recommended workaround is to use a clear and consistent naming convention when creating templates, so agents can quickly identify the right template from the template list.

How long does template approval take?

Approval is typically fast (often within minutes to hours) but can also take several days. Aircall has no visibility into Meta's review queue, and we recommend contacting Meta directly if a template has been pending for more than a few days.

Can hyperlinks be added to templates?

No, Aircall's template builder doesn't support hyperlinks/rich text formatting.

Can video files be attached to templates?

No, Aircall’s template builder currently supports images but not video.

When sending WhatsApp messages via HubSpot workflow from my Aircall number, the Contact Owner variable/property is populated with a number (ID) instead of a name. How do I fix this?

This happens because HubSpot's built-in Contact Owner property (internal name: hubspot_owner_id) stores a numeric ID, not the owner's name. When this property is mapped as a variable in your Aircall WhatsApp template, the numeric ID is what gets sent.

To fix this, you will need to create a custom property in HubSpot that stores the Contact Owner's actual name as text, and then map that custom property as the variable in your Aircall template instead. For guidance on setting up custom properties, please reach out to your HubSpot account manager or consult HubSpot's documentation.

Per-user Marketing Template Limits

Tip: You can find related documentation from Meta.

My marketing messages to customers are being rejected with “Message not delivered due to marketing content.” What’s happening?

Meta may limit the number of marketing template messages a user receives from any business within a given period. This is determined dynamically per user, based on their recent marketing message read rate and the overall volume of messages in their inbox. If a user is unlikely to engage with a marketing message, Meta may not deliver it - even if it is the first message your business has sent them. This is a Meta-side restriction. Aircall cannot override it.

  • What error code will I see? You will see error code 131049. This indicates the message was not delivered due to the per-user marketing template limit being in effect for that recipient.
  • What should I do when I receive error 131049?
    Do not retry immediately. Meta advises waiting at least 24 hours before resending, as the limit may be in effect for varying periods of time. Retrying sooner will result in another failed delivery.

Will this affect my sender quality rating?

Not directly - error 131049 is a delivery rejection, not a user block or spam report. However, consistently low read rates on your marketing templates can contribute to quality rating degradation over time, which is a related but separate mechanism.

Which markets are affected by the Meta Per-user marketing templates limit?

The per-user marketing template limit applies globally, with the following exceptions:

  • Not active in: European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea. Messages sent from a business number in these countries, or to a consumer in these countries, are not subject to per-user limits.
  • United States: Marketing templates are fully paused for all US phone numbers (+1 dialing code) as of April 1, 2025. This is a complete delivery pause, not a frequency limit - no marketing templates will be delivered to US numbers regardless of user engagement. Utility, authentication, and service messages to US numbers are unaffected.

Are there any messages that don't count toward the limit?

Yes. If a user responds to a marketing message, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Marketing messages sent within that window do not count toward the user's per-user limit.

Can I reduce the risk of hitting this limit?

Yes, three things help:

  • Focus on high-intent contacts who have recently engaged with your messages. Low read rates are one of the signals Meta uses to determine limits.
  • Use utility or authentication template categories where the use case genuinely qualifies. Per-user limits apply specifically to the marketing category.
  • Ensure strong opt-in signals. Users who actively engage with your messages are less likely to be subject to limits.

Display Names

I updated my WhatsApp display name in Meta, and now I'm being prompted to re-register my number. Will my display name revert during this process?

Unfortunately, yes. According to Meta's documentation, re-registering a number after a display name change is a requirement on Meta's side, and Aircall cannot prevent the name from reverting during that process.

To avoid this issue in the future, we strongly recommend setting the correct display name on your WhatsApp Business Account before connecting your numbers to Aircall. This ensures that the name Meta assigns at registration is already the correct one. Making display name changes after numbers are already connected can disrupt your Aircall integration and require re-registration.

My WhatsApp number shows as "Limited" in Aircall, and only a small number of my messages are being sent. What does this mean?

The "Limited" status in Aircall means that Meta has not yet approved your WhatsApp display name. Until the display name is approved, your account operates with significantly restricted sending capacity. For example, you may find that only a small fraction of your intended messages go through successfully.

The display name approval process is managed entirely by Meta and can take anywhere from a few minutes to several days or even weeks, depending on Meta's review queue. Once Meta approves your display name, your sending limits will automatically increase, and normal behavior should resume. To check the status of your display name approval, please check the number in Meta’s WhatsApp Manager.

My display name looks correct in Meta Business Manager, but Aircall still shows my number as "Limited" or display name as pending. Why?

Even when Meta has approved your display name on their side, there can be a delay before that approval is reflected in Aircall. Aircall relies on real-time status updates from Meta to sync the number's status, and in some cases, this sync does not happen automatically.

If your display name has been confirmed as approved by Meta but Aircall still shows it as pending or limited, please contact Aircall Support for assistance.

My display name approval has been pending for a long time or was rejected by Meta. What steps can I take?

If your display name has been pending for an extended period or has been rejected, try the following steps:

  1. Remove the number from WhatsApp Business Account in the WhatsApp Manager (delete the pending registration on the Meta side).
  2. Re-register the number from the Aircall Dashboard, following the same steps as the initial setup.
  3. When re-registering, make sure to select the correct WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) that is already linked to your Aircall account.
  4. If the display name is still not approved after re-registration, resubmit it for review directly through Meta’s WhatsApp Manager.
Note: Display name approval is managed entirely by Meta. Aircall cannot control or expedite this process. If the issue persists after completing these steps, please contact Meta directly for further assistance.

Can I use an individual agent's name as the display name instead of my company name?

Meta generally rejects individual names as display names. A good display name should clearly represent your business and be consistent with external branding. If you choose to submit a display name with an individual’s name, we recommend adding your brand name as well. For example, “John from Aircall”.

Here is more information on Meta’s display name guidelines.

Numbers & Setup

When I try to connect my number to WhatsApp, I get an error saying the number is already registered with an existing WhatsApp Business Account. What’s going on?

This is a known issue caused by the previous owner of that number having registered it with Meta. Phone numbers are recycled by carriers and resold to new customers - when a number was previously used for WhatsApp (either as a personal account or a business account), Meta retains that association in its system. The association persists even after the number changes hands.

The new holder of the number cannot remove this link themselves; only the original account owner can disconnect a number from a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), and in most cases that party is no longer reachable.

How long before the recycled number can be registered? Is there a way to speed it up?

Meta has an automatic delink policy: if a WhatsApp number shows 45 consecutive days of inactivity, Meta removes the association and releases the number for re-registration. This means:

  • The customer may need to wait up to 45 days before they can successfully register the recycled number.
  • There is no manual override available to Aircall or our carrier - this is controlled entirely by Meta.
  • If the previous owner continues to use WhatsApp actively on that number, the 45-day inactivity clock will not start and the block may persist indefinitely.

Aircall numbers are sourced through our carrier, which has a quarantine period. Why does this still happen?

Aircall numbers are sourced through our carrier, which applies a quarantine period of up to 6 months before a number is reassigned. This is designed to prevent this type of conflict. However, the quarantine applies to carrier-level reassignment - it does not account for cases where the previous holder continued using the number on WhatsApp after releasing it via Aircall. In those scenarios, the Meta-level association can still be active when the number reaches a new customer.

What’s the fastest way to resolve this for my customer?

Fastest resolution: assign a new Aircall number.

The recommended approach in all cases is to assign the customer a new, clean Aircall number that has not previously been associated with any WhatsApp account. This bypasses the Meta delink timeline entirely and gets the customer live immediately.

If the customer wants to keep the recycled number:

  • Advise the customer about Meta’s 45-day inactivity policy and set expectations accordingly.
  • There is no escalation route via Aircall or our carrier to force a delink - this is a Meta constraint.
  • If the previous owner is still active on WhatsApp with that number, resolution is not guaranteed within any fixed timeframe.
  • Escalating to our carrier support is unlikely to accelerate this - our carrier has no direct control over Meta’s WABA registration system.

What can Aircall not do in recycled-number situations?

To set correct expectations with customers, Aircall cannot:

  • Force Meta to delink a number from a previous WhatsApp Business Account.
  • Shorten the 45-day inactivity window - this is a Meta policy, not a system configuration.
  • Confirm whether the previous owner is still active on WhatsApp with that number.
  • Guarantee a resolution timeline if the previous account remains active.

After setup, I am receiving messages meant for another company. What should I do?

All WhatsApp accounts are tied to phone numbers. Since carriers often recycle phone numbers, there’s a chance that your number was previously used and registered on WhatsApp by another person or business who may not have deleted their account or information. Meta will delete any configuration after 45 days of inactivity to limit the occurrence of this problem.

In these cases, we recommend replacing your number with a new one to avoid any issues with the previously registered number.

We already have templates and a WhatsApp Business Account configured in Meta. How much can we reuse when migrating to Aircall?

When migrating from an existing carrier or third-party setup to Aircall, the reusability of your existing assets depends on which layer of the stack they sit in:

  • Existing Meta Business Portfolio and WABA: yes, these can be reused. You do not need to create new WhatsApp assets in Meta. Please coordinate with Aircall during migration so the correct WABA is linked to your Aircall account.
  • Phone number standing, quality rating, and approved templates: these Meta-layer assets carry over as part of the number migration, because Meta copies them to the new WABA. Message history, however, does not migrate.
  • Carrier-specific configuration: this is not reusable. Aircall provisions its own carrier sub-account for each customer as part of being an official Tech Provider with Meta, leveraging our carrier as the underlying Solution Provider.

Operationally, a successful migration starts from the Aircall Dashboard - the embedded signup flow must be initiated from there. The customer disables 2FA on the existing WABA, registers the number through Aircall’s embedded signup, and Meta migrates the phone number to the new configuration.

How does Aircall handle opt-in management for WhatsApp? Do you have built-in opt-in tracking?

Aircall does not currently have built-in opt-in management for WhatsApp. Customers should continue to rely on their CRM (for example, HubSpot or Salesforce) or an equivalent system of record to capture and manage opt-in consent.

A typical setup looks like:

  • Capture consent through an existing channel, for example, a web form, checkout flow, or CRM field tied to a marketing preference.
  • Store that consent against the contact record in your CRM.
  • Use that CRM field to determine whether an agent or workflow can reach out with WhatsApp template messages (in particular, for marketing category templates).

This separation matters most for marketing templates, where Meta and most regional regulators require explicit opt-in before outreach. Utility and authentication templates follow different rules defined by Meta.

Is group messaging supported on WhatsApp in Aircall?

No. Group messaging is not supported by Meta via their WhatsApp Business Platform offering, which is what Aircall’s WhatsApp integration is built on. This applies to all WhatsApp Business Platform providers, not just Aircall.