> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.360dialog.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.360dialog.com/docs/inbox/hosted-inbox/quickstart.md).

# Quickstart

Enable the Inbox on your channel and send your first message.

This takes a minute and needs no code. By the end you will have the Inbox open and a real WhatsApp conversation in it.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### **Enable the Inbox on your channel**

In the [360dialog Hub](https://app.360dialog.com/inbox), go to your channel and enable the Inbox. It is provisioned per channel, so if you have more than one number, enable it on each one you want to answer from.

Provisioning takes a moment. When it is done, the Inbox appears as an option on the channel.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### **Open the Inbox and sign in**

Open the Inbox from the Hub, no new user is needed.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### **Have someone message your number**

WhatsApp does not let a business send a free-form message to someone out of the blue. The customer writes first, that opens a conversation window, and inside that window you can reply with anything. If you want to message a user that has not messaged you first, check [Starting and reopening conversations.](/docs/inbox/hosted-inbox/starting-and-reopening-conversations.md)

To try it yourself, select **Open in WhatsApp** in the Inbox. It shows a QR code — scan it with your personal phone and WhatsApp opens a chat with your business number, ready to send. 

<figure><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2Ffek0IKZBFswxNw6rHaz3%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=5c710135-80d4-4da7-85b7-a9fb37d81605" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### **Reply from the Inbox**

The conversation appears in the chat list within a second or two. Open it, type a reply and send — a plain free-form message, no template needed, because the customer just opened the window.

Check your phone — the message is there, sent from your business number. That is the whole loop.

<figure><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2F1M3MX4MHFu4xzOMLwqGX%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=fd192770-0c26-46da-83d8-d8251e5878cd" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="info" %}
The QR code is the quick way to see the Inbox working. To reach a customer who has **not** messaged you, you need an approved template — see [Starting and reopening conversations.](/docs/inbox/hosted-inbox/starting-and-reopening-conversations.md)
{% endhint %}

### Add your team

If more than one person will answer, add them now. Each person gets their own login, and everyone sees the same conversations and the same history — so a colleague can pick up a chat exactly where you left it.

<figure><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2F9hQ0ZhT9WLu2TIjD0Jgs%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=c67a691d-b31a-4742-b72e-e6cb1ad37ec4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### What to do next

* [Working chats](/docs/inbox/hosted-inbox/working-chats.md) — assign conversations, tag them, search, and save replies you send often
* [Starting and reopening conversations](/docs/inbox/hosted-inbox/starting-and-reopening-conversations.md) — reach customers who have not messaged you
* [Playbooks](/docs/inbox/hosted-inbox/playbooks.md) — complete setups for a sales pipeline, a shared front desk, and more


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://docs.360dialog.com/docs/inbox/hosted-inbox/quickstart.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.