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Understand message statuses
Use this guide when you need to explain what happened to a message in chats or broadcasts.
Status definitions
| Status | Meaning | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Sent | The platform has handed the message off for delivery | Wait for the next state unless it remains unchanged unusually long |
| Delivered | The recipient's device accepted the message | No action needed unless the customer expected a response |
| Read | The recipient opened the message | Use this for context, not as a guarantee of action |
| Failed | The message could not be delivered | Open the error details and review the failure reason |
Where you will see them
- Chat message indicators in conversation threads.
- Broadcast performance summaries.
- Failed-message details where the platform surfaces Meta errors.
How to react to failures
- Open the failed-message detail.
- Review the error reason.
- Check the recipient number, media link, or template state if relevant.
- Retry only after the underlying cause is addressed.
Common failed-message reasons
Meta error wording can be technical. Start with these common plain-English checks before opening Meta's full error-code reference.
| What you see | Likely meaning | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid recipient or phone number | The number is missing a country code, has the wrong format, or is not reachable on WhatsApp | Confirm the number, include the country code, and remove invalid rows from the audience file |
| User cannot be reached | The recipient may not use WhatsApp, may have blocked the business, or may be unavailable | Do not keep retrying the same number without confirming consent and reachability |
| Template not found or unavailable | The selected template is not approved, not available for the selected channel, or was changed in Meta | Refresh templates, confirm approval, and check the selected channel |
| Template parameter mismatch | The uploaded variables do not match the approved template placeholders | Check var1, var2, and other columns against the approved template |
| Media download failed | The media URL is private, expired, blocked, or too slow to download | Use a public, stable URL and test it in a private browser window |
| Unsupported media type or size | The file format or size does not meet WhatsApp limits | Check media limits and upload a supported file |
| Message outside customer service window | A free-form message was attempted after the 24-hour window closed | Use an approved template to restart the conversation |
| Rate or messaging limit reached | Meta limited outbound sending volume for the WhatsApp Business Account | Wait, reduce send volume, and check messaging limits or quality in WhatsApp Manager |
| Policy or quality restriction | Meta blocked delivery because of policy, account quality, or template quality | Review the template, campaign audience, and WhatsApp account quality |
| Temporary Meta error | Meta or the delivery path had a temporary issue | Retry later if the recipient, template, and media checks all pass |
INFO
When you escalate a failed message, include the broadcast name or chat, recipient number, timestamp, screenshot, and exact error text.