How to start a new conversation on WhatsApp
Message a customer on WhatsApp from Cognizy: choose the contact, the sending number, and write the first message.
2 min readBasicUpdated on November 12, 2026
Where to find it in Cognizy
Video lesson coming soon. For now, follow the steps below.
Not every conversation starts with the customer. From the Conversations screen, you can message a saved contact using the company's WhatsApp, and their reply will appear in the same conversation, with the history preserved.
Where to find it in Cognizy
Before you start
- You need to have a WhatsApp connected and the contact saved with a phone number.
- On official WhatsApp (Meta API), the company can only send free-form messages up to 24 hours after the customer's last message. After that, the first message must be a Meta-approved template.
- On a number connected by QR Code, this rule does not apply, but avoid sending messages to people who are not expecting them: WhatsApp may block the number.
Step by step
- Step 1:
In , click Start conversation, next to the search bar.
- Step 2:
Find the contact by name or phone number and click Select. A contact without a phone number shows the warning Phone number required: add the number first.
- Step 3:
If the company has more than one number, choose in Which channel do you want to start from? which number the message will be sent from: the official or unofficial number.
- Step 4:
Write the First message (optional) and click Start conversation. The conversation opens on the screen, with the message already sent.
How to know it worked
The conversation with the contact opens in Serve › Conversations, with your message. When the customer replies, the response arrives in that same conversation.
If it doesn't work
The contact does not appear in the list.
They are not saved yet. Create the contact in Serve › Customers, with the phone number including area code, and try again.
The message was not delivered through the official number.
Outside the 24-hour window, Meta only delivers approved templates. Send an approved template to open the conversation; when the customer replies, you can send free-form messages again.
The number selection does not appear.
The company has only one connected number: the message will be sent from it.
The Start conversation button does not appear.
There is no WhatsApp connected, or your role cannot start conversations. Check in Settings › Channels › WhatsApp or talk to the administrator.
Next step
Create a message template and send it to Meta for approval, so you can message customers from the official number.
Sign in with your Cognizy account to save your progress.
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