Broadcaster FAQ

Quick answers to common questions about Broadcaster.

Chat history and moving to Broadcaster

What happens to my existing WhatsApp chats when I connect my number to Broadcaster?

For most businesses, nothing is lost. It depends which way you connect.

If you already use the WhatsApp Business app, connect with the “connect your existing WhatsApp Business app” option. You keep your number, keep using the app, and can bring your contacts and up to six months of past chats across during setup. Nothing on your phone is lost. See Connect your existing WhatsApp Business app to Broadcaster.

Chats are only lost if you deliberately start fresh, bringing a number onto Broadcaster as a brand-new connection, for example from personal WhatsApp. The old chat history on that number cannot be recovered afterwards unless you exported it first.

So if you have chats you want to keep, use the first option. If you intend to start fresh, export the conversations you care about first; the Advanced setup guide shows how to bring them in afterwards.

Can I recover chat history after I have completed setup?

If you connected your existing WhatsApp Business app, your history was never lost. It comes across during setup as a one-time import that must be requested within 24 hours of connecting. Miss that window and the only way to import it is to disconnect and connect again.

If you started fresh, no: WhatsApp does not give the previous chat history back. This is a WhatsApp limitation, not a Broadcaster one.

How do I export chat history before starting fresh?

Most people do not need to; the existing-app option brings chats across with no export. Only do this if you are starting fresh and want to keep some conversations.

In WhatsApp on your phone, open each conversation you want to keep and use its Export chat option. WhatsApp produces a ZIP file, with or without the media, depending on what you choose. Save each one. After setup, upload each file to the matching contact in Broadcaster: the Advanced setup guide has the steps.

This is one conversation at a time. WhatsApp offers no bulk export, so Broadcaster cannot offer a bulk import.

What file format do exported chats need to be?

A ZIP file containing the chat’s text file, exactly as WhatsApp exports it, with or without media. A loose .txt file is not accepted; a ZIP holding more than one chat is not accepted either. Files up to 50 MB.

Can I use the same phone number I currently have on WhatsApp?

Yes, and in most cases you keep full use of it.

If the number is on the WhatsApp Business app, connect your existing app and Broadcaster runs alongside it on the same number. Nothing is disconnected.

You only need to disconnect a number first if you are starting fresh, or if the number is on personal WhatsApp rather than the Business app. A number cannot be on two WhatsApp accounts at once, so you would lose access to the old one. Export the chats you want first.

Or use a different number for Broadcaster; a landline works.

How do I bring my contacts into Broadcaster?

If they are in job software or a CRM, use the Auto-Uploader. It reads your software’s own export as it is, with ready-made setups for Real Green and Jobber, and sends each new export to Broadcaster for you. See Download, install and set up the Auto-Uploader.

To change many contacts at once, export them from Contacts, edit the file and import it back. See Import your contacts.

Templates and approval

How long does template approval take?

Usually a few minutes, sometimes up to a day. A rejection comes back with a reason. Broadcaster shows the status on the templates list: Not Submitted, Pending Approval, Approved or Rejected.

Can I change a template after it is approved?

Yes. Edit it and the approved wording keeps going out while your change is held; press Resubmit to WhatsApp for approval to send the change for review. Until it is approved the old wording still sends, and if WhatsApp rejects the change the old wording is untouched. WhatsApp limits how often an approved template can be changed, to about ten times a month and once a day. The template’s type (Utility or Marketing) and its technical name cannot change after approval.

For a template you rely on every day, such as a reminder, the safer route is to copy it, change the copy, and switch over once the copy is approved.

What happens if my template is rejected?

The reason is shown on the template. The usual ones: promotional wording in a Utility template, a claim you cannot deliver on, anything against WhatsApp’s policies, or spelling and unclear purpose. Edit the template, which saves as you type, and submit it again.

Why do I need templates? Can I not just send ordinary messages?

You can, for 24 hours after the person last messaged you. That is WhatsApp’s Customer Service Window, and it reopens every time they write. Outside it, WhatsApp only accepts messages it has approved in advance: templates.

Templates are needed for anything you start yourself: reminders, quotes, invoices, marketing campaigns, and reopening a conversation that has gone quiet. Quick replies and automatic replies need no approval, because they only ever go inside an open conversation.

Can I have several versions of the same template?

Yes. Create as many as you like with different wording, and choose which to send. A common pair is one reminder template for the automatic schedule and another for sending by hand.

Phone numbers and WhatsApp Business

Can I use a landline number for WhatsApp Business?

Yes. The number must be able to receive a verification code by text or automated voice call, and it cannot be on another WhatsApp account at the same time, with one exception: connecting your existing WhatsApp Business app deliberately shares the number between the app and Broadcaster.

Many businesses use a landline because your contacts already recognise the number and there is no spare mobile to find. If you need a new local or non-geographic number, support can point you to providers that offer a virtual number for a small monthly fee and explain how to verify it with WhatsApp.

What if my number is already in use on WhatsApp?

If it is on the WhatsApp Business app, connect your existing app; nothing has to be disconnected.

If it is on personal WhatsApp, or you want to start fresh: export the chats you want to keep, remove the number from the other account, wait a few minutes, and then start Broadcaster setup.

Do I need a WhatsApp Business Account before signing up?

No. You create one during Broadcaster’s first setup step if you do not have one; Meta’s signup walks you through it. You will need a Facebook account, a phone number that can receive a verification code, and a payment card for Meta.

Pricing and billing

How is Broadcaster priced?

Everything Broadcaster does is included for everyone. What you choose is the size of your contact list: a tier of 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 or 10,000 contacts. Pay monthly, or annually and save 16%. Current prices are on the pricing page.

If you have more than 10,000 contacts, get in touch and we will quote for it.

What counts towards my contact tier?

Contacts do. Prospects do not: you can hold as many Prospects as you like at no cost.

A Contact is someone you have done business with. A Prospect is someone who has enquired but not yet had work done. You set which is which on each person’s record, and a Prospect becomes a Contact with one click when they book.

Can I send marketing campaigns to Prospects?

Yes, within a monthly allowance. In any rolling 30 days you can reach a number of different Prospects equal to 10% of your contact tier, so a 250-contact tier reaches 25 Prospects a month. Reaching the same Prospect twice in the window counts once, a message that fails or is skipped costs nothing, and converting a reached Prospect to a Contact gives the allowance back.

Reminders and other service messages go to Contacts only.

What is included?

Everything: WhatsApp messaging, the Live Feed and Inbox, appointment reminders, message templates, quick replies, marketing campaigns and the lead pipeline, the AI Message Composer, the website contact widget and contact-form intake, the API, CSV import and the Auto-Uploader, and team members with a shared inbox. There are no feature tiers; the only tier is the size of your contact list.

Do I pay per message?

Not to Broadcaster. There are no message limits or per-message charges on your subscription.

WhatsApp (Meta) charges its own small fees for templated messages you start, such as reminders and marketing campaigns. Incoming messages are free, and so are your replies within the 24-hour window after someone messages you, up to a monthly free allowance per number. Since 1 October 2026 WhatsApp charges for replies beyond that allowance. You set up billing with WhatsApp directly during onboarding, and WhatsApp invoices you for these fees; they are separate from your Broadcaster subscription.

Broadcaster shows you what your messages are costing, on the WhatsApp billing page and on each campaign, marked est. Those figures are worked out from WhatsApp’s published rates and the charges it reports for each message. Your WhatsApp account is the definitive bill.

What happens if I go over my contact tier?

Nothing stops straight away. Broadcaster warns you in stages:

1. Amber, as you approach the limit: a bar at the top of the app shows how many of your contacts you have used.
2. Red, once you are over: the bar says by how many, and starts a five-day countdown.
3. After five days, the app opens only your contacts, billing and profile pages, and Help, until you are back under the limit. Messages still send, reminders still go out, campaigns still run and the API still works; it is only the screens that close.

Two ways back: remove contacts, or move up a tier from the billing page.

Adding a contact by hand is refused once you are at the limit. Imports, integrations and the API keep adding contacts and tell you afterwards that they took you over, so a CSV run never fails halfway. You are never locked out during a trial.

How do I change my contact tier?

On the billing page, under Manage Contact Tiers, choose the tier you want. Broadcaster asks you to confirm the change, going from your current tier to the new one, and that is it. Only the account owner can change the tier.

Is there a free trial?

Yes: 14 days, free, with no credit card. Ask for it with the Request Trial form on the website. We will be in touch to give you a short walkthrough and connect your WhatsApp Business number, so you start with the product working rather than an empty screen.

How do I cancel?

The account owner cancels from the billing page. If you change your mind within 30 days of the subscription ending, resubscribe and your account is as it was. After that it is deleted automatically and cannot be recovered.

Messages and delivery

What do the message status marks mean?

• A grey clock: queued.
• An orange clock counting down: the 20-second undo period, with Send Now and Undo beside it.
• One grey tick: sent to WhatsApp.
• Two grey ticks: delivered to the person’s phone.
• Two blue ticks: read. A reply from them keeps the blue ticks.
• A red mark: WhatsApp could not deliver it; the reason is shown.

Why did my message fail to send?

The usual reasons, and what to do:

• Their phone is off or offline. WhatsApp keeps trying for up to 30 days. Nothing to do.
• The number is wrong. Check it on the contact, including the country code.
• The template is not approved. Check its status on the templates list and wait for approval.
• The 24-hour window has closed and you sent an ordinary message. Send a template instead; the composer offers Continue Conversation for exactly this.
• Your WhatsApp Business account has a problem. The dashboard’s WhatsApp Business Account Status card says whether Meta reports an issue, and Meta’s own Business Manager shows the detail, including whether your payment method is active.

How do I know if someone has read my message?

Two blue ticks. They depend on the person having read receipts switched on in their own WhatsApp; some people switch them off, and then a message they have read shows two grey ticks for good.

What is the 24-hour Customer Service Window?

A WhatsApp rule. When someone messages you, a window opens for 24 hours in which you can send them anything: typed messages, photos, voice notes, quick replies. Every message they send restarts it. When it closes, WhatsApp only accepts approved templates until they write again. The chat window shows how long is left in the header, and says plainly when it has closed.

Features

What are the quick reply buttons on a template for?

A template can carry buttons the recipient answers with one tap. When they tap one, Broadcaster records the answer and, where you have set it up, acts on it: a “Reschedule” tap on a reminder becomes an action for you in the conversation, and a consent button can opt the person in or out of marketing or service messages. Useful for confirmations, feedback and consent.

These are different from your saved quick replies, which are messages you send by hand from the chat window.

Can I use Broadcaster on my phone?

Yes. Broadcaster works in a mobile browser, and it can be installed on your phone’s home screen as an app, which is what you need for notifications on an iPhone or iPad. The Turn on browser notifications article covers it. A desktop or laptop is still the better place for setup and for building campaigns.

Do I need to keep my browser open to receive messages?

No. Messages arrive at Broadcaster whether or not you are logged in, and are waiting when you come back. To be told as they arrive, switch on browser notifications from your Profile page and activate each device you use.

Team and account

Can I have multiple users accessing the same account?

As many as you need. Users are unlimited.

Each person has one of three roles:

Role	What they can do
Owner	Everything, including billing. The owner is the account holder and the only person who can change the contact tier or cancel the subscription.
Admin	Runs the business day to day: messages, contacts, schedule, settings, templates and team members. Can see billing but not change it.
Staff	The daily work: messages, contacts and the schedule. Nothing administrative.

Invite people from Team in the left-hand menu.

How do I reset my password?

Press Forgot your password? on the login page, enter your email address and follow the link in the email.

Should I enable two-factor authentication?

Yes, on every login, and especially the owner’s. It adds a six-digit code from an authenticator app to your password. Set it up on your Profile page under Two Factor Authentication: press Enable, scan the code with Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy or any similar app, enter the code and press Confirm, then save your recovery codes somewhere safe. If you log in with Google or another social login, set a password first; the Profile page offers to.

How do I delete my account?

On your Profile page, the account owner sees Delete Company & Account once there is no active subscription. While a subscription is active, cancel it first from the billing page. Type your company name and your password to confirm. This deletes the business, its contacts, messages and appointments, and every team member’s access. It cannot be undone, so export anything you want to keep first.

Where is my data stored?

On servers in the EU, encrypted in transit and at rest, backed up, with access limited to the people who need it. For specific questions about where your data lives, contact support.

Getting help

How do I contact support?

Press Help in the top right of the app and use the form, or email [email protected]. We reply by email within 24 hours.

Before you write, check this FAQ and the guides. In the form, say what you were doing, what you expected and what happened instead; the page you were on and your browser details are sent with it automatically, so there is nothing to look up. Appeals and disputes about your Meta or WhatsApp account itself are handled by Meta, not by Broadcaster support.

What should I include in a support request?

What is not working, what you did to get there, the exact wording of any message on screen, a screenshot if you have one, and what you have already tried. The email address you log in with helps us find your account.

Is there a knowledge base?

You are reading it. Start with the Quick Start Guide, Connect your existing WhatsApp Business app for the existing-number path, and the Advanced setup guide for chat history, calendars, imports, quick replies, the AI Composer, your team, notifications and two-factor authentication. Help in the app links here.

Can I book a demo or training?

Yes. Ask through Help or by email for a walkthrough, team training or a run through a particular feature.

Still have questions?

Check the guides, or contact support at [email protected] with your question. We reply within 24 hours. If an answer here is unclear or a question is missing, tell us and we will add it.