# Message Types

The WhatsApp API supports sending different types of messages, each requiring a specific JSON request body. All messages below are free-form and can only be sent within the customer service window. To send a message outside this window, a new conversation must be initiated using a Template message.

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th width="169.77777099609375">Message Types</th><th width="263.4444580078125">Description</th><th>Example</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="message-types/address">Address messages</a></td><td>Enable requesting a delivery address directly from a WhatsApp user through a structured interaction.</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FYReWIyzZt8yLIZ8bdqnJ%2Faddress%20messages.png?alt=media&#x26;token=61140a57-08f2-4270-a66a-b8c3f884b299" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="message-types/audio">Audio messages</a></td><td>Display an audio icon linked to an audio file. When the recipient taps the icon, the WhatsApp client loads and plays the audio.</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FxKiVPSLaEdSnP7Wf47OX%2Fvoice_message.png?alt=media&#x26;token=518aedee-e2be-4211-8bac-3f6a947498a3" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="message-types/contacts">Contacts messages</a></td><td>Send structured contact information, including names, phone numbers, physical addresses, and email addresses.</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FQWKT8JDA102pLLkrFF0R%2Fcontact_message.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3f511947-f248-44d4-8e5a-51fd5a37d94a" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/document-messages">Document messages</a></td><td>Display a document icon, linked to a document that a WhatsApp user can tap to download.</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FSWbnZm1K6CwqTLW2aKWV%2FDocument.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e9410ec6-8a90-4f9b-954d-81b5a95e49fd" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/image-messages">Image messages</a> </td><td>Display a single image and an optional caption.</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FW2TVRYS4gTHDmwygaEeK%2Fimage_message_.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a7181775-a477-4e10-a023-3fd977253f6b" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="message-types/interactive">Interactive messages</a></td><td>Various types of interactive button and linking messages.  </td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FnxNZXtSHQnOvUpNUSNvF%2Furl_cta_button.png?alt=media&#x26;token=9c49f58f-95a9-461b-929b-45331798313e" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="message-types/location">Location messages</a></td><td>Send a location’s latitude and longitude coordinates</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FOLNnIU6HhusC9zPJSFAw%2Flocation.png?alt=media&#x26;token=dcdb6a49-70c6-4d49-bda5-d0eb9b355c89" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="message-types/reaction">Reaction Message</a></td><td>Emoji-reactions that businesses can apply to a user message. </td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FrIrTpu0Sf2Gx4CeeQlDx%2Freaction.png?alt=media&#x26;token=8359ff92-b537-4530-aa23-a3cccbd73749" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/sticker-messages">Sticker messages</a></td><td>Display animated or static sticker images</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2F5jaMD9kXrW2OrmTugPBd%2Fsticker.png?alt=media&#x26;token=2a947361-69e1-4398-a23d-024d00a5b772" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="message-types/text">Text messages</a></td><td>Contain only text body and an optional link preview.</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2F9ydHP5rwfN0H9lOtR400%2Ftext.png?alt=media&#x26;token=03d4ca42-c302-4d97-be53-ffcd147d3dcb" alt=""></td></tr><tr><td><a href="message-types/video">Video messages</a></td><td>Display a thumbnail preview of a video image with an optional caption. When the WhatsApp user taps the preview, it loads the video and displays it to the user.</td><td><img src="https://3527970750-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-M4sMxKjL6eJRvZn6jeG-887967055%2Fuploads%2FHgTWHrtQo4HDRn634Ak4%2Fvideo.png?alt=media&#x26;token=dc3ca95f-9e98-48f7-8b66-b7669132980d" alt=""></td></tr></tbody></table>