If WhatsApp says your account is limited from starting new chats, your number is not banned. It's a temporary restriction: you can keep talking to people you've already chatted with, but you can't start conversations with new contacts until it ends. You don't need to fill in a form or contact support. The restriction lifts on its own, and what you do while you wait decides whether it comes back.
According to WhatsApp's help center (checked October 1, 2026), a restricted account:
That last point matters for teams. If your team works from WhatsApp Web, the desktop app or a team inbox connected by QR code, those all run as linked devices, so expect them to be affected until the restriction ends. Replies from the main phone to existing customers keep working.
WhatsApp restricts accounts whose recent activity looks like spam, or like automated or bulk messaging, which its Terms of Service don't allow. In practice, the usual triggers are:
WhatsApp doesn't publish exact thresholds. It looks at patterns, especially how recipients react, so there's no safe number of messages to aim for.
WhatsApp's guidance for businesses is clear that repeated blocks and reports can lead to another restriction, and repeated restrictions can lead to longer ones. These habits help:
Our help center has a step-by-step version for HaberChat users: limited from starting new chats.
A restriction is often a sign that the business has outgrown what a regular WhatsApp number is for. The WhatsApp Business app, alone or connected to a team inbox by QR code, is built for conversations, not cold bulk sends. A QR connection is not an official Meta integration, and WhatsApp's anti-spam rules apply to it in full.
If you genuinely need to start a high volume of conversations with opted-in customers, the official WhatsApp Business API is the right tool. Messages you start there use approved templates, and Meta sets messaging limits per business portfolio: new businesses can reach 250 unique users outside the customer service window in a rolling 24 hours, and verifying your business raises that to 2,000. Higher tiers open up as you use your limit with good quality. Meta charges per message. We compare both options in WhatsApp Business app vs API.
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Limited from starting new chats | Temporary; existing chats still work | Wait it out and change how you message |
| Temporarily banned | Often linked to unofficial apps | Switch to the official app before the timer ends |
| This account can't use WhatsApp | The number is banned | Use Request a review in the app |
When several people answer one number, a restriction is easier to manage if you can see every open conversation in one place and know who owns it. A shared inbox also makes it easier to spot the habits that trigger restrictions, such as one teammate sending the same message to dozens of new contacts. See how to share one WhatsApp Business number with your team.
WhatsApp doesn't publish a fixed length. To see the time left, tap new chat and pick someone you've never messaged; a pop-up shows the countdown. The restriction ends on its own.
Yes. You can message and call people and groups you've already chatted with. You can't start chats with new contacts, create groups or use linked devices until it ends.
No. A limited account keeps working for existing chats and recovers automatically. A banned account can't use WhatsApp at all, and the only route back is the in-app review request.
It can happen if people keep blocking or reporting your messages, and repeat restrictions can last longer. Message only people who opted in, send what they signed up for, and honor opt-outs.
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