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# What happens when a customer responds to a template message?

| Tip
Quick answer: When a customer responds to a WhatsApp template message, Meta immediately changes the conversation type — and this affects billing, messaging rules, and what you can send next.

---

## 1. When the customer responds to a template message:

The following scenarios occur:

### 1. A 24-hour service window opens automatically

* When the user replies to any template message (Marketing / Utility / Authentication)
* A 24-hour user-initiated service window begins
* During this window, you can send:
  * Free-form text
  * Images
  * PDFs
  * Buttons
  * Location
  * Any number of messages
  * Even utility templates for free
* No WhatsApp fees apply for messages sent inside this 24-hour window.
* Lasts for 24 hours from the customer’s most recent message

### 2. You can now send free-form messages (no template required)

Once the service window opens:

* You can reply naturally without templates
* You do not need WhatsApp template approvals
* You can have a normal chat with the customer

### 3. Billing status changes immediately

Before reply:

* You were in a Marketing / Utility / Authentication (paid) template context.

After reply:

* You switch to the service conversation
* All free-flow messages you send for the next 24 hours are free (including utility templates)

Even if the conversation started as a paid marketing template, once the customer replies → it becomes free.

### 4. Sending additional templates during this 24h window

If you send a template message while the user-initiated 24h window is open:

* Utility templates → Free
* Marketing / Authentication templates → Paid (always billable, even inside a service window)

So only marketing & authentication templates are chargeable, even inside the service window.

### 5. When the customer replies again, the 24h window resets

Every customer message resets the timer.

Example:

* Customer replies at 10:00 AM → window open until tomorrow 10:00 AM
* Customer replies again at 8:00 PM → window resets until next day 8:00 PM

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## 2. What happens after 24 hours pass without a user message?

The service window closes.

Then:

* You CANNOT send free-form messages
* You can only message the customer by sending a template
* Templates become chargeable per-message again (marketing/utility/authentication)

Free-form messaging is disabled until the customer replies again.

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## 3. Important notes

* Each new reply from the customer resets the 24-hour clock
* Only businesses can initiate with templates — customers can message anytime
* Your platform may show a lock icon or disable the reply field when the session closes