Interactive list messages allow you to present WhatsApp users with a list of options to choose from (options are defined as rows in the request payload):
When a user taps the button in the message, it displays a modal that lists the options available:
Users can then choose one option and their selection will be sent as a reply:
This triggers a webhook, which identifies the option selected by the user.
Interactive list messages support up to 10 sections, with up to 10 rows per section, and can include an optional header and footer.
Use the POST /<WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/messages endpoint to send an interactive list message to a WhatsApp user.
POST /<WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/messages
{ "messaging_product": "whatsapp", "recipient_type": "individual", "to": "<WHATSAPP_USER_PHONE_NUMBER>", "type": "interactive", "interactive": { "type": "list", "header": { "type": "text", "text": "<MESSAGE_HEADER_TEXT" }, "body": { "text": "<MESSAGE_BODY_TEXT>" }, "footer": { "text": "<MESSAGE_FOOTER_TEXT>" }, "action": { "sections": [ { "title": "<SECTION_TITLE_TEXT>", "rows": [ { "id": "<ROW_ID>", "title": "<ROW_TITLE_TEXT>", "description": "<ROW_DESCRIPTION_TEXT>" } /* Additional rows would go here*/ ] } /* Additional sections would go here */ ], "button": "<BUTTON_TEXT>", } } }
Placeholder | Description | Sample Value |
---|---|---|
String | Required. Button label text. When tapped, reveals rows (options the WhatsApp user can tap). Supports a single button. Maximum 20 characters. |
|
String | Required. Message body text. Supports URLs. Maximum 4096 characters. |
|
String | Optional. Message footer text. Maximum 60 characters. |
|
String | Optional. The Maximum 60 characters. |
|
String | Optional. Row description. Maximum 72 characters. |
|
String | Required. Arbitrary string identifying the row. This ID will be included in the webhook payload if the user submits the selection. At least one row is required. Supports up to 10 rows. Maximum 200 characters. |
|
String | Required. Row title. At least 1 row is required. Supports up to 10 rows. Maximum 24 characters. |
|
String | Required. Section title text. At least 1 section is required. Supports up to 10 sections. Maximum 24 characters. |
|
String | Required. WhatsApp user phone number. |
|
Example request to send an interactive list message with a header, body, footer, and two sections containing two rows each.
curl 'https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0
/106540352242922/messages' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...' \
-d '
{
"messaging_product": "whatsapp",
"recipient_type": "individual",
"to": "+16505551234",
"type": "interactive",
"interactive": {
"type": "list",
"header": {
"type": "text",
"text": "Choose Shipping Option"
},
"body": {
"text": "Which shipping option do you prefer?"
},
"footer": {
"text": "Lucky Shrub: Your gateway to succulents™"
},
"action": {
"button": "Shipping Options",
"sections": [
{
"title": "I want it ASAP!",
"rows": [
{
"id": "priority_express",
"title": "Priority Mail Express",
"description": "Next Day to 2 Days"
},
{
"id": "priority_mail",
"title": "Priority Mail",
"description": "1–3 Days"
}
]
},
{
"title": "I can wait a bit",
"rows": [
{
"id": "usps_ground_advantage",
"title": "USPS Ground Advantage",
"description": "2–5 Days"
},
{
"id": "media_mail",
"title": "Media Mail",
"description": "2–8 Days"
}
]
}
]
}
}
}'
{ "messaging_product": "whatsapp", "contacts": [ { "input": "+16505551234", "wa_id": "16505551234" } ], "messages": [ { "id": "wamid.HBgLMTY0NjcwNDM1OTUVAgARGBI1RjQyNUE3NEYxMzAzMzQ5MkEA" } ] }
When a WhatsApp user selects an option and sends their message, a messages webhook is triggered identifying the ID (id
) of the option they chose.
{ "object": "whatsapp_business_account", "entry": [ { "id": "102290129340398", "changes": [ { "value": { "messaging_product": "whatsapp", "metadata": { "display_phone_number": "15550783881", "phone_number_id": "106540352242922" }, "contacts": [ { "profile": { "name": "Pablo Morales" }, "wa_id": "16505551234" } ], "messages": [ { "context": { "from": "15550783881", "id": "wamid.HBgLMTY0NjcwNDM1OTUVAgARGBIwMjg0RkMxOEMyMkNEQUFFRDgA" }, "from": "16505551234", "id": "wamid.HBgLMTY0NjcwNDM1OTUVAgASGBQzQTZDMzFGRUFBQjlDMzIzMzlEQwA=", "timestamp": "1712595443", "type": "interactive", "interactive": { "type": "list_reply", "list_reply": { "id": "priority_express", "title": "Priority Mail Express", "description": "Next Day to 2 Days" } } } ] }, "field": "messages" } ] } ] }