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Publishing, deprecating, and previewing WhatsApp Flows - AWS End User Messaging
Publishing a FlowDeprecating a FlowPreviewing a Flow

Publishing, deprecating, and previewing WhatsApp Flows

Publishing a Flow

Publishing a Flow makes it available for use in template messages. Before you can publish a Flow, it must meet the following requirements:

  • The Flow must be in DRAFT status.

  • The Flow must have a valid Flow JSON definition with no validation errors.

  • The Flow JSON must pass Meta's validation checks.

Important

Publishing a Flow is irreversible. Once published, a Flow cannot be reverted to DRAFT directly. If you need to edit a published Flow, update its assets using UpdateWhatsAppFlowAssets, which reverts the Flow to DRAFT status. You must then re-publish the Flow.

To publish a Flow using the API:

aws socialmessaging publish-whatsapp-flow \
    --id {WABA_ID} \
    --flow-id {FLOW_ID}

If the Flow has validation errors, the publish operation fails. Use GetWhatsAppFlow to view validation errors and fix them before retrying.

Deprecating a Flow

Deprecating a Flow marks it as no longer recommended for use. Only Flows in PUBLISHED status can be deprecated.

Important

Deprecating a Flow is irreversible. Deprecated Flows cannot be reverted to PUBLISHED or DRAFT status.

To deprecate a Flow using the API:

aws socialmessaging deprecate-whatsapp-flow \
    --id {WABA_ID} \
    --flow-id {FLOW_ID}

Previewing a Flow

You can generate a web preview URL to test a Flow before publishing. Preview URLs expire after 30 days and can be shared with stakeholders for review. The preview URL opens a simulation of the Flow as it would appear to users in WhatsApp.

To generate a preview URL using the API:

aws socialmessaging get-whatsapp-flow-preview \
    --id {WABA_ID} \
    --flow-id {FLOW_ID}

The response includes the preview URL and its expiration timestamp:

{
    "flowId": "{FLOW_ID}",
    "preview": {
        "previewUrl": "https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/flows/{FLOW_ID}/preview/?token=...",
        "expiresAt": "2026-07-01T23:46:55+0000"
    }
}

To force generation of a new preview URL (for example, if the previous URL was shared and you want a fresh URL with a new expiration), use the --invalidate parameter:

aws socialmessaging get-whatsapp-flow-preview \
    --id {WABA_ID} \
    --flow-id {FLOW_ID} \
    --invalidate