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The conversation window (also called the reply window or messaging window) is a time limit on free-form messaging, set by the channel provider — Meta, for WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram — not something Heyy imposes. Every time a contact messages you, it opens or resets a countdown. While the window is open, you can send anything — text, images, documents. Once it closes, free-form messaging is blocked until you send an approved template.
Think of it like a parking meter. The contact’s message feeds the meter and buys you free parking for a fixed window. Let it run out, and you cannot just keep parking — you have to request a new spot (send a template) to resume.

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Window length by channel

The chat header shows a live countdown while a window applies — something like “23 hours to reply” or “5 days left to reply.” It reads slightly under the full window because the countdown reflects time remaining, not time since the window opened. Example: a customer messages you at 9:00 AM asking about your return policy. The 24-hour window opens at that moment and closes at 9:00 AM the next day — unless they message again in the meantime, which resets the clock to a fresh 24 hours from that new message. As long as a contact keeps replying within each rolling window, the conversation can stay in free-form mode indefinitely.
Chat header showing reply window countdown

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What happens when it expires

Once the window closes on WhatsApp, Messenger, or Instagram:
  • The text field is replaced with “Select a WhatsApp message template to continue.”
  • A Choose a template button appears in its place.
  • You cannot send a normal free-form text message, image, or any other unstructured content — only an approved template.
  • Sending the template and getting a reply reopens the window, and normal messaging resumes until it lapses again.
Expired window state showing template prompt
Can’t send a message in a conversation that worked fine yesterday? This is expected behavior, not a bug. Work through this in order:
  1. Check the countdown in the chat header. If it’s gone, or the composer already shows a template prompt, the window has expired.
  2. Send an approved template. Click Choose a template in the composer, or use Actions → Send a WhatsApp template — see Chat actions.
  3. Wait for a reply. The window reopens as soon as the contact responds, and free-form messaging resumes.
  4. Only then treat it as a channel issue — if a template also fails to send, check the channel’s own troubleshooting page, for example WhatsApp common issues.

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Why this matters operationally

  • It is not your inbox breaking. A message box replaced by a template prompt is expected behavior tied to the channel’s policy, not a Heyy malfunction.
  • It shapes response-time discipline. Because WhatsApp and Messenger give you only 24 hours and Instagram gives 7 days, teams handling high volume should prioritize replies within the window — templates are more rigid, slower to get approved, and less natural for the contact than a normal reply.
See Send a message for the composer, and WhatsApp templates for building and managing your template library.