What it is
WhatsApp connects your constructor bot to WhatsApp Business via Meta Cloud API. Customers write to your business number; Botconsole runs the same scenarios and can show chats in the account inbox.
WhatsApp has stricter rules than Telegram: button limits, file sizes, and a 24-hour messaging window.
Requirements
- A constructor bot in Botconsole
- A Meta Developer App with WhatsApp Cloud API (your team or agency sets this up)
- WhatsApp Business number linked in Meta
- Access to Phone number ID and a long-lived access token
Some plans may require a paid tariff that includes Meta channels.
How to connect
- Open Bots → your bot → Settings.
- Add connection → WhatsApp.
- Open the Connection setup (Meta) tab.
- Copy Webhook URL and Verify token into your Meta App → Webhooks (if you manage the app).
- Fill in:
- Phone number ID (required)
- Access token (required)
- App secret (recommended)
- WABA ID / display phone (optional)
- Click Save credentials. Status should show that setup is complete.
- In Meta, confirm the webhook is subscribed to messages.
- Send a test WhatsApp message from a phone to your business number — the scenario should reply.
Message types and limits
Available message types
| Type | Supported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Yes | |
| Image | Yes | |
| Video | Yes | |
| Audio | Yes | |
| Voice message | Yes | Sent as WhatsApp audio |
| Document | Yes | |
| Sticker | Yes | Prefer static WebP |
| Location | Yes | Coordinates |
| Contact | Yes | Needs name and phone |
| Media group | Yes | Sent as separate messages (not a native album) |
| Poll | No | |
| Invoice | No | Use other payment flows if needed |
Buttons
- Yes, mapped to WhatsApp interactive messages
- Up to 3 quick reply buttons under a message
- More than 3 (up to 10) → list menu style
- Button title up to 20 characters
- URL buttons are not native WhatsApp “CTA buttons” here — the link is usually appended as text
- Media with buttons: media is sent first, then a separate interactive message with buttons
Extra message options
| Option | Available |
|---|---|
| Message effects | No |
| Reply to message | No |
| Link preview toggle | No (previews work by default when applicable) |
| Forward to another chat | No |
| Forum threads | No |
| AI streaming | No (full reply is sent at once) |
| Edit / delete message | No |
Limits
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Text | up to 4 096 characters |
| Caption | up to 1 024 |
| Interactive message body | up to 1 024 |
| Image | ~5 MB |
| Video / audio | ~16 MB |
| Document | ~100 MB |
| Sticker | ~500 KB, WebP preferred |
Formatting
WhatsApp-style markup is supported for many styles:
- Bold (
*text*), italic (_text_),strikethrough(~text~) - Code blocks
- Blockquotes
- Markdown links like
[label](url)become plain label + URL
Underline and spoilers are not available as on Telegram.
Notes and limitations
24-hour window. After a customer messages you, you can send free-form scenario replies for about 24 hours. Outside that window WhatsApp only allows approved templates (template campaigns are not the same as free constructor messages yet).
Customers usually need to message you first. Cold free-form “spam” is not allowed.
This is not a Telegram BotFather token. You need Meta Cloud API credentials.
Keep button labels short (20 characters). Long Telegram-style keyboards will be simplified on WhatsApp.