Messenger Platform

Send API Reference

The Send API is the main API used to send messages to users, including text, attachments, templates, sender actions, and more.

Creating

Create and send messages to your customers or people interested in your Facebook Page.

Before You Start

You will need:

  • A Page access token requested by a person who can perform the MESSAGE task on the Page
  • The pages_messaging permission
  • The message recipient must have sent your Page a message within the last 24 hours or agreed to receive messages from your Page outside of the standard 24 hour messaging window

Limitations

  • Message tags can not be used to send promotional content

Note that the Send API does not include recipient_id in the response for messages sent using recipient.user_ref or recipient.phone_number to identify the message recipient.

Sample Request

To send a message to a person, send a POST request to the /PAGE-ID/messsages endpoint with the messaging_type and recipient parameters set, and the message content.

Formatted for readability.

The following example is a response to a person's message where the message your Page is sending is text only.

curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/{PAGE_ID}/messages" \
      -d "recipient={'id':'{PSID}'}" \
      -d "messaging_type=RESPONSE" \
      -d "message={'text':'hello, world'}" \
      -d "access_token={PAGE_ACCESS_TOKEN}"

On success, your app will receive the following JSON response:

{
  "recipient_id": "PAGE-SCOPED-ID",
  "message_id": "AG5Hz2U..."
}

Parameters

ParameterDescription

message

object

The type of message your Page is sending. Either text or attachement must be set when using this parameter.

  • attachment object – Previews the URL. Used to send messages with media or Structured Messages. text or attachment must be set.

    • type – Type of attachement. Can be audio, file, image, template, or video. Maximum file size is 25MB
    • payload – An object containing a template content or file content

  • metadata – A string of additional data you want to pass in the message_echo webhook. Must be less than 1000 characters

  • quick_replies – An array of quick replies to be sent in a message
  • text – A message containing text only. Must be UTF-8 and less than 2000 characters.

messaging_type

enum

Required

The type of message being sent

  • RESPONSE – Message is in response to a received message. This includes promotional and non-promotional messages sent inside the 24-hour standard messaging window. For example, use this tag to respond if a person asks for a reservation confirmation or an status update.
  • UPDATE – Message is being sent proactively and is not in response to a received message. This includes promotional and non-promotional messages sent inside the the 24-hour standard messaging window.
  • MESSAGE_TAG – Message is non-promotional and is being sent outside the 24-hour standard messaging window with a message tag. The message must match the allowed use case for the tag.

notification_type

enum

Type of push notification a person will receive

  • NO_PUSH – No notification
  • REGULAR (default) – Sound or vibration when a message is received by a person
  • SILENT_PUSH – On-screen notification only

recipient

object

Required

The person who will receive the message your Page is sending

  • id – The Page-scoped ID for the person that is used to sen a message in response to a message received by your Page within the last 24 hours or for a person who has agreed to receive messages from your Page outside the standard 24 hour messaging window
  • user_ref – The reference for the person that is used to send a message in response to a Checkbox or Customer Chat Plugin
  • comment_id – The ID for the comment that is used to send a message as a Private Reply in response to a visitor Comment on your Page Post
  • post_id – The ID for the Page Post that is used to send a message as a Private Reply in response to a visitor Post on your Page

sender_action

enum

The action icon shown in the messaging window representing the action taken by the Page on a message the Page has received from a person.

  • typing_on – Display the typing bubble when the Page is preparing a response
  • typing_off – Do not display the typing bubble
  • mark_seen – Display the seen icon for messages that have been seen by the Page

Can only be sent with the recipient parameter. Cannot be sent with the message parameter but must be sent as a separate request.

tag

enum

A tag that enables your Page to send a message to a person outsde the standard 24 hour messaging window.

  • ACCOUNT_UPDATE – Tags the message you are sending to your customer as a non-recurring update to their application or account. View the allowed uses.

    Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

  • CONFIRMED_EVENT_UPDATE – Tags the message you are sending to your customer as a reminder fo an upcoming event or an update for an event in procgres for which the customer is registered. View the allowed uses.

    Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

  • CUSTOMER_FEEDBACK – Tags the message you are sending to your customer as a Customer Feedback Survey . Customer feedback surveys must be sent within 7 days of the customer's last message. View the allowed uses.

    Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

  • HUMAN_AGENT – Required for Instagram Messaging API. When this tag is added to a message being sent to a person, it allows a human agent to respond to the person's message. Messages can be sent within 7 days of the person's message. Human agent support is for issues that cannot be resolved within the standard messaging window. View the allowed uses.
    • Apps will need to apply for the Human Agent permission via the Developer App dashboard. Navigate to App dashboard -> App review -> Permissions & Features -> Human Agent. Apps that were previously approved for beta access to the Human Agent permission do not need to re-apply for access.

    Human Agent permission is not available in standard access or development mode. You will need to complete the app review process before you can leverage the human agent tag. During app review submission, please provide clear instructions and a demonstration for how you intend to leverage the human agent tag in your experiences.

  • POST_PURCHASE_UPDATE – Tags the message you are sending to your customer as an update for a recent purchase made by the customer. View the allowed uses.

    Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

Message Tag Usages

The following table lists the types of messaging for each message tag.

Message TagUsage

ACCOUNT_UPDATE

Allowed Usages

  • A notification for a change in status for an application, such as for a credit card or job application
  • A notification for suspicious activity, such as fraud alerts

Disallowed Usages (non-exhaustive)

  • Promotional content, including but not limited to deals, promotions, coupons, and discounts Recurring content (e.g., statement is ready, bill is due, new job listings)
  • Prompts to any survey, poll, or reviews unrelated to a preceding interaction in Messenger

Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

CONFIRMED_EVENT_UPDATE

Allowed Usages

  • A reminder for an upcoming class, appointment, or event that a user has scheduled
  • A confirmation for a user's reservation or attendance to an accepted event or appointment
  • A notification for a user's transportation or scheduled trip, such as arrival, cancellation, baggage delay, or other travel status changes

Disallowed Usages (non-exhaustive)

  • Promotional content, including but not limited to deals, offers, coupons, and discounts
  • Content related to an event the user has not signed up for (e.g., reminders to purchase event tickets, cross-sell of other events, tour schedules, etc)
  • Messages related to past events
  • Prompts to any survey, poll, or reviews unrelated to a preceding interaction in Messenger

Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

CUSTOMER_FEEDBACK

Allowed Usages

  • A survey for purchase support feedback
  • A survey for event feedback
  • Product reviews

Disallowed Usages (non-exhaustive)

  • The tag can only be used with the Customer Feedback Template. Use in any other form is prohibited and will fail.

Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

HUMAN_AGENT

Allowed Usages

  • Human agent support for issues that cannot be resolved within the 24 hour standard messaging window, such as resolving issues outside normal business hours or issues requiring more than 24 hours to resolve

Disallowed Usages (non-exhaustive)

  • Automated messages
  • Content unrelated to user inquiry

Required for Instagram Messaging API.

POST_PURCHASE_UPDATE

Allowed Usages

  • A confirmation for a transaction, such as invoices or receipts
  • A status update for a shipment, such as product in-transit, shipped, delivered, or delayed
  • A status update requiring a user to take action for an order that the user placed, such a declined credit card, backorder items, or other order updates that require user action

Disallowed Usages (non-exhaustive)

  • Promotional content, including but not limited to deals, promotions, coupons, and discounts
  • Messages that cross-sell or upsell products or services
  • Prompts to any survey, poll, or reviews unrelated to a preceding interaction in Messenger

Not available for Instagram Messaging API.

Reading

You can't perform this operation on this endpoint.

To get information about conversations your Page are a part of visit the Page Conversations Reference.

Updating

You can't perform this operation on this endpoint.

Deleting

You can't perform this operation on this endpoint.

See Also

Developer Support