# What is a WhatsApp webhook?

> A WhatsApp webhook is an HTTPS endpoint Meta calls to deliver inbound messages and delivery statuses in real time. Learn what it sends.

A WhatsApp webhook is an HTTPS address on your own system that Meta calls in real time to deliver incoming customer messages and message status updates.

Updated 3 Sep 2026

## What arrives at the endpoint.

Two kinds of event. Inbound messages: the customer's text, image, document, location or button tap, along with their number and a timestamp. And status updates for messages you sent: accepted, delivered, read, or failed with an error reason. Together these are how your software knows a conversation is happening at all, since nothing is stored for you to poll later.

## Why it matters for automation.

The webhook is the trigger that starts everything downstream. A message lands, your system decides whether an AI agent answers, whether a human is needed, or whether a record should be created in the CRM. Without a webhook there is no live inbox and no automation, only manual sending. Delivery and read receipts are also what let you tell a genuinely failed message from one that was simply ignored.

## The practical requirements.

Meta needs a publicly reachable HTTPS endpoint with a valid certificate, and a verify token you set during setup so it can confirm the endpoint is yours. Your endpoint should acknowledge quickly and do the real work afterwards, because slow responses cause retries and duplicate processing. Most businesses never touch this directly: the provider or the platform you use runs the webhook on your behalf.

The Voltade take

Every WhatsApp agent we build listens on a webhook, and we design it to acknowledge first and process second so a burst of inbound messages never turns into duplicate replies. It is plumbing your team should never have to think about, which is exactly the point.

Related pages

What is a webhook · What is an API · What is an automation trigger · What is the WhatsApp Business API

More from the glossary

AI Agent · PSG Grant · AI Agent vs Chatbot

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## Links

- [What is a webhook](https://voltade.com/sg/resources/glossary/what-is-a-webhook)
- [What is an API](https://voltade.com/sg/resources/glossary/what-is-an-api)
- [What is an automation trigger](https://voltade.com/sg/resources/glossary/what-is-an-automation-trigger)
- [What is the WhatsApp Business API](https://voltade.com/sg/resources/glossary/what-is-whatsapp-business-api)
- [AI Agent](https://voltade.com/sg/resources/glossary/what-is-an-ai-agent)
- [PSG Grant](https://voltade.com/sg/resources/glossary/what-is-psg-grant)
- [AI Agent vs Chatbot](https://voltade.com/sg/resources/glossary/ai-agent-vs-chatbot)