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WhatsApp messaging limits and quality rating

Every WhatsApp Business number has a messaging tier that caps how many unique customers you can start conversations with in a rolling 24 hours, and a quality rating derived largely from how recipients react to your messages. Tiers rise automatically as you send quality traffic and can fall if your rating drops. A sustained low rating gets the number restricted — which is the single worst thing that can happen to a WhatsApp channel.

How tiers move

New numbers start at the lowest tier. Send consistently to opted-in customers who engage, keep your quality high, and Meta raises the tier automatically. There is no application to file — it is behavioural.

What actually lowers your rating

It is driven by recipient reaction, not by content review.

  • Recipients blocking you — the strongest negative signal
  • Recipients reporting you as spam
  • Messaging people who never opted in
  • Sending too frequently to the same people
  • Promotional content sent under a utility template
  • Generic broadcasts with no relevance to the recipient

Protecting the number

These are cheap habits that prevent an expensive problem.

  • Honour STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE immediately, across every channel
  • Segment campaigns instead of broadcasting to everyone
  • Set a daily send cap below Meta's ceiling as a safety net against automation bugs
  • Watch the rating rather than discovering a downgrade after a campaign
  • Give people a reason to reply — engagement is the strongest positive signal
Quality rating signals
SignalEffect
Blocks and spam reportsStrong negative — the main driver of downgrades
Replies and engagementPositive
High-volume sends to unengaged contactsNegative
Honouring opt-outs promptlyProtective
Correct template categorisationProtective

Frequently asked questions

How do I increase my WhatsApp messaging limit?

Tiers rise automatically as you send quality traffic to opted-in customers who engage, while keeping your quality rating healthy. There is no application to submit.

What happens if my number is restricted?

Your sending is capped or halted. Stop broadcasting, fix the underlying cause — usually messaging people who did not opt in — and ratings can recover over time.

Can I see my quality rating?

Yes, it is visible in Meta Business Manager, and ConneXus monitors it on a schedule so a downgrade surfaces rather than being discovered after the fact.

Related

Put your business on WhatsApp properly

Connect your number through Meta Embedded Signup, keep ownership of your WhatsApp Business Account, and pay Meta directly for messages — we never add a markup.