Help CenterHelp Center / WhatsApp and notifications · How-to
Send one real message to your own phone to check the connection from end to end.
The test sends a real WhatsApp message through your provider, to the number you enter. A test that arrives proves your API address and token work.
Free text only reaches someone who messaged your business number in the last 24 hours. An approved template can be sent at any time.
| You choose | It arrives when |
|---|---|
| Free text test | The test phone messaged your number in the last 24 hours |
| One of your templates, shown as "(Template)" | Always, if the template is approved and its details match |
A template appears once it is switched on and named. See Templates and approval.
Go to Shop › WhatsApp. Send a test message is on the right.
Phone number starts with your own account's number. Include the country code.
In Message, choose Free text test or a template.
From the test phone, send "hi" to your business WhatsApp number. Then tick I messaged our WhatsApp number from this phone in the last 24 hours. A free-text test is refused without the tick. The panel cannot check the tick. A template test ignores it.
Select Send test message. On success you see "Sent to (number). It should arrive on WhatsApp within a minute." and Last successful test changes to Just now.
The free-text test reads "Test message from (your shop): WhatsApp is connected." A template test is filled with sample values.
A test that was sent, or that the provider refused, appears in Latest messages as Test message after you reload the page. A test stopped before sending, for example by a missing tick, is not recorded.
You can send 5 tests in 10 minutes. After that you see "Too many test messages. Try again in (n) minutes." More than 6 attempts in one minute are also refused.
| Message | Cause |
|---|---|
| "Free text only reaches a number that messaged your WhatsApp number in the last 24 hours. Send "hi" to your business number from this phone, tick the box and try again — or choose an approved template." | The box was not ticked |
| "Enter the phone number to send the test to, with its country code." | The number is not valid |
| "This message is empty or has no template name yet. Save it first." | The chosen template is not filled in |
| "The provider refused the API token. Check the token and that it belongs to this API address." | The token is wrong. The status card also shows it under Problem |
| "WhatsApp refused the template. Check that it is approved and that its name, language and number of variables match." | The details differ from the approved template |
| "This number is not on WhatsApp or is not a valid phone number." | Try another phone |
| "The provider could not be reached. The message is retried automatically." | Despite the wording, send the test again |
| "WhatsApp sending is paused on the platform." | Try later |
| "The test could not run. Try again in a few minutes." | An unexpected error |