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A DM didn't send

Why a message from Messages or a campaign did not go out: the 24-hour window, the 7-day limit after a comment, your plan and cap, and what each platform allows.

Updated

Where you look depends on how the message was sent.

  • A message you typed in Messages: the bubble says "Not sent" and the reason.
  • A message a campaign sent: open the campaign on Campaigns, press the More menu, then Recent comments. Under Why some got no message, each reason is listed with a count, and each comment says Sent, Not sent or Not delivered.

Then find the reason below.

"Window closed" or the reply box is gone

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp only accept a regular message within 24 hours of the person's last message to you. After that, Messages shows a notice in place of the reply box, and you can answer as soon as they write again. Inside the last few hours, Messages tells you when the window closes: "You can reply until...".

In a campaign, a step that would go out more than 23 hours after their last message is skipped as "Window closed". Keep waits between steps short, or ask them to tap a button or reply, which opens the window again.

On TikTok, messages can go within 48 hours of their last message.

"More than 7 days after the comment"

The first message a campaign sends to someone who commented must go within 7 days of the comment. That first message is the only one you can send until they reply or tap a button. After that, the normal 24-hour window applies.

TikTok comments

TikTok does not let businesses message people who only commented. A campaign on TikTok can reply under the comment, but it cannot send a DM to the commenter.

"Not sent: this month's allowance and spending cap are used up"

Messages a campaign sends on its own count toward your plan, like comments. When your allowance and your spending cap are both used up, automated messages pause until the count starts again next month, or until you raise the cap. Messages you type yourself in Messages always go out. See The spending cap and what pauses.

The same goes for the trial ("the trial allowance is used up") and for a workspace with no plan ("automated messages are off until a plan is chosen").

Crisis mode is on

While crisis mode is on, campaigns and automatic replies stop. Turn it off in Campaigns, Crisis mode, with Turn crisis mode off.

The person cannot be messaged

The platform said this person cannot be messaged right now, for example because they blocked your Page or their account is gone. Nothing on your side will change that.

"This account is no longer connected"

The Page or account the campaign sends from was disconnected, or needs reconnecting. See Reconnect needed.

WhatsApp

  • After 24 hours, WhatsApp only takes an approved template message.
  • WhatsApp does not deliver marketing templates to United States numbers.
  • Meta charges your WhatsApp account for each delivered template. Add a payment method in WhatsApp Manager, or templates will not send.

Sent, but slowly

On a busy Instagram account, Instagram limits how many first messages can go out each hour. CommentGate queues the rest and sends them as soon as Instagram allows. They are late, not lost.