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Send WhatsApp Call Button Messages and Deep Links | Developer Documentation

Send WhatsApp Call Button Messages and Deep Links

Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Overview

After you adopt Cloud API Calling features, you can raise awareness with your customers in two core ways:
    Send them a message with a WhatsApp call buttonEmbed a calling deep link into your brand surfaces (website, application, and so on)

    Send interactive message with a WhatsApp call button

    Use this endpoint to send a free-form interactive message with a WhatsApp call button during a customer service window or an open conversation window.
    When a WhatsApp user clicks the call button, it initiates a WhatsApp call to the business number that sent the message.
    A standard message status webhook will be sent in response to this message send.
    Screenshot showing WhatsApp call button message on mobile device
    Request syntax
    POST <PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/messages
    Placeholder Description Sample Value
    <PHONE_NUMBER_ID>
    Integer
    Required

    The business phone number which you are sending messages from.
    +12784358810
    Request body
    {"messaging_product":"whatsapp","recipient_type":"individual","to":"14085551234","type":"interactive","interactive":{"type":"voice_call","body":{"text":"You can call us on WhatsApp now for faster service!"},"action":{"name":"voice_call","parameters":{"display_text":"Call on WhatsApp","ttl_minutes":100,"payload":"payload data"}}}}
    Body parameters
    Parameter Description Sample Value
    to
    Integer
    Required

    The phone number of the WhatsApp user you are messaging.
    "17863476655"
    type
    String
    Required

    The type of interactive message you are sending.
    In this case, you are sending a voice_call.
    "voice_call"
    action
    String
    Required

    The action of your interactive message.
    Must be voice_call.
    "voice_call"
    parameters
    JSON Object
    Optional
    Optional parameters for the WhatsApp calling button sent to the user.
    Contains three values: display_text, ttl_minutes, and payload
    display_text — (String) Optional
    The display text on the WhatsApp calling button sent to the user.
    Default is “Call Now”
    Max length: 20 characters
    ttl_minutes — (Integer) Optional
    Time to live for the call-to-action (CTA) button in minutes.
    Must be between 1 and 43200 (30 days)
    Default value is 10080 (7 days)
    payload — (String) Optional
    An arbitrary string, useful for tracking.
    Any app subscribed to the calls webhook field on the WhatsApp Business Account can get this string, as it is included in the connect and terminate webhook payloads under the cta_payload field.
    Cloud API does not process this field, it just returns it as part of the webhooks.
    Maximum 512 characters.
    Payload is only available to WhatsApp client starting on version 2.25.27.
    "parameters":{"display_text":"Call on WhatsApp","ttl_minutes":100,"payload":"payload data"}
    Success response
    Error response
    Possible errors that can occur:
    Sending this message to users on older app versions results in an error webhook with error code 131026.

    Create and send WhatsApp call button template message

    Use these endpoints to create and send a WhatsApp call button template message.
    Once your call button template message is created, you can send a message to a WhatsApp user, inviting them to call your business.

    Create call button message template

    Use this endpoint to create a call button message template.
    Request syntax
    POST/<WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID>/message_templates
    Parameter Description Sample Value
    <WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID>
    String
    Required

    Your WhatsApp Business Account ID.
    "waba-90172398162498126"
    Request body
    {"name":"<NAME>","category":"<CATEGORY>","language":"<LANGUAGE>","components":[{"type":"BODY","text":"You can call us on WhatsApp now for faster service!"},{"type":"BUTTONS","buttons":[{"type":"voice_call","text":"Call Now","ttl_minutes":1440},{"type":"URL","text":"Contact Support","url":"https://www.luckyshrub.com/support"}]}]}
    Body parameters
    You can create and manage template messages through both Cloud API and the WhatsApp Business Manager interface.
    When creating your call button template, ensure you configure type as voice_call.
    Parameter Description Sample Value
    type
    String
    Required

    The type of template message you are creating.
    In this case, you are creating a voice_call.
    "voice_call"
    text
    String
    Optional

    The display text on the WhatsApp calling button sent to the user.
    Default is “Call Now”
    Max length: 20 characters
    "Call Now"
    ttl_minutes
    Integer
    Optional

    Time to live for the CTA button in minutes.
    Must be between 1440 (1 day) and 43200 (30 days).
    You can override this value when sending the message.
    1440
    Success response
    {"id":"<ID>","status":"<STATUS>","category":"<CATEGORY>"}
    Error response
    Possible errors that can occur:
      Invalid whatsapp-business-account-idPermissions/Authorization errorsTemplate structure/component validation alerts

      Send call button message template

      Use this endpoint to send a call button message template.
      The following is a simplified sample of the send template message request, however you can learn more about how to send message templates here.
      Request syntax
      POST/<PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/messages
      Parameter Description Sample Value
      <PHONE_NUMBER_ID>
      String
      Required

      The business phone number which you are sending a message from.
      +18762639988
      Request body
      {"to":"14085551234","messaging_product":"whatsapp","type":"template","recipient_type":"individual","template":{"name":"wa_voice_call","language":{"code":"en"},"components":[{"type":"button","sub_type":"voice_call","parameters":[{"type":"ttl_minutes","ttl_minutes":100},{"type":"payload","payload":"payload data"}]}]}}
      Request parameters
      Parameter Description Sample Value
      ttl_minutes
      Integer
      Optional

      Time to live for the CTA button in minutes.
      Must be between 1 and 43200 (30 days)
      Default value is 10080 (7 days)
      10800
      payload
      String
      Optional

      An arbitrary string, useful for tracking.
      Any app subscribed to the calls webhook field on the WhatsApp Business Account can get this string, as it is included in the connect and terminate webhook payloads under the cta_payload field.
      Cloud API does not process this field, it just returns it as part of the webhooks.
      Maximum 512 characters.
      Payload is only available to WhatsApp client starting on version 2.25.27.
      payload data
      Success response
      Screenshot showing successful WhatsApp call button template message
      Calling deep links are hyperlinks that route WhatsApp users to call your business.
      The process to create a calling deep link is similar to a chat deep link⁠, except the format for the call deep link is wa.me/call/<BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER>
      Note that deep links are not supported on WhatsApp desktop clients.

      Embed calling deep links

      You can use calling deep links to advertise WhatsApp calling for your business.
      Use these links anywhere where calling can be useful, like your website, primary application, or even as a QR code to be shared.
      Example of calling deep link embedded on a business website

      Send calling deep links

      You can also send messages to WhatsApp users with a calling deep link.
      Since deep links can be made per business phone number, you can use calling deep links to prompt WhatsApp users to contact a different phone number with voice enabled.
      The wa.me/call/<BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER> format is easy to copy, paste, and send, and does not require you to make a template in Business Manager.
      Screenshot showing WhatsApp message with calling deep link

      Send payload data in call deep link

      You can also send a payload with the deep link. You can use the biz_payload query string when sending the call deep link to any user (wa.me/call/<BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER>?biz_payload=payload).
      When a user calls using the provided deep link with the biz_payload any app subscribed to the calls webhook field on the WhatsApp Business Account can get this string, as it is included in the connect and terminate webhook payloads under the deeplink_payload field.
      Payload in call deep link is only available to WhatsApp client starting on version 2.25.27.

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