Why files will not send in WhatsApp

Plan requirement

Subscription Any plan
Access Agent

An attachment refused on WhatsApp is nearly always the platform's limits rather than anything in Zendesk.

Symptoms

  • An attachment that sends on email is refused on WhatsApp.
  • The customer never receives a file the agent sent.
  • Some file types work and others do not.

Resolution steps

1. The file is too large

WhatsApp's limit is lower than Zendesk's, and it differs by file type. A file well within your Zendesk settings can still be refused.

2. The type is not supported

WhatsApp accepts a defined set. Anything unusual, including some archives and executables, is refused regardless of size.

3. The reply window has closed

Outside the window, nothing sends, attachments included. Check whether text sends first: if it does not either, this is the cause.

4. The connection has dropped

Where nothing has sent for a while, check the channel is still connected rather than debugging one file.

What to do instead

Send a link. A link to a file, or to the ticket in your help centre, works within the message limits and is often more useful than the file itself.

For anything large or unusual, moving to email is the honest answer, and saying so is better than three failed attempts.

See also

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