Customer service window

If you’re sending a message to a customer to initiate a conversation, you’ll need to use a message template. You’ll also need to do this if you’re replying to a customer after the 24-hour care window has closed.

What is the WhatsApp customer service window?

A customer service window is a period of time during which a business can send any type of message to a recipient (user). This window lasts for 24 hours and it can be initiated by either the business or by the customer.

When a customer sends any type of message to a business, and the business replies to it, the customer service window starts. This is known as user-initiated conversation and no prior opt-in is required. When a business sends a template message to a recipient (user), then the customer service window starts. This is known as business-initiated conversation and prior opt-in is required.

Check if customer service window is open

For some channels it is only possible to send non template messages if the customer service window is open. The following endpoint will return the expiry time for any active service windows

Get channel details for a contact

get

Retrieve channel information for a given contact.

Authorizations

accessKey

HTTPRequired

Uses the Authorization header: 'AccessKey ' followed by your access key token

Path parameters

workspaceIdstring · uuidRequired

The unique identifier of the workspace.

channelIdstring · uuidRequired

The ID for a channel

contactIdstring · uuidRequired

The ID for a contact

Query parameters

contactIdentifierValuestringOptional

The receiver identifier value.

Responses

200

OK

application/json

serviceWindowExpireAtstring · date-time · nullableRequired

isPermanentSessionboolean · nullableOptional

404

An error

application/json

get/workspaces/{workspaceId}/channels/{channelId}/contacts/{contactId}

HTTPcURLJavaScriptPython

GET /workspaces/{workspaceId}/channels/{channelId}/contacts/{contactId} HTTP/1.1
Host: api.bird.com
Authorization: AccessKey YOUR_SECRET_TOKEN
Accept: */*

{
  "serviceWindowExpireAt": "2026-07-18T19:34:53.003Z",
  "isPermanentSession": true,
  "metadata": {
    "ANY_ADDITIONAL_PROPERTY": "text"
  }
}