# Reply to a conversation (/docs/inbox/reply)
Most replies are written by agents and approved by you (see [Review agent drafts](/docs/inbox/agent-drafts)). When you want to answer in your own words, you write in the reply box at the bottom of the thread. It sends from the same channel and address the contact wrote to.
- **Who can use it:** Roles with **Reply and send** (Owner, Admin and Member by default) on a channel where the role has **Reply** or **Manage** access. **Write with AI** and **Reply with AI** also need **Reply with AI**, and payment links need **Create payment links**. A Viewer, or a role that only reads a channel, sees a **View only** notice instead of the reply box: "You can read this conversation." followed by the reason. See [Roles and permissions](/docs/settings/roles) and [Channel access](/docs/settings/channel-access).
- **Before you start:** The thread has to be yours. If an agent is running it, [take it over](/docs/inbox/take-over) first. If an agent has a draft waiting, you can edit and approve that draft instead, or discard it to write your own.
## Write and send a reply [#write-and-send-a-reply]
### Open your reply box [#open-your-reply-box]
Open the thread. The reply box shows at the bottom when the thread is yours: after you take over, accept a handoff, reply, or discard an agent's draft. Its heading says why, for example **You're handling this thread** ("No agent replies to Lena while the thread is yours"), **Waiting for** *name* after you've replied, or **You discarded** *agent*'s **draft**.
Press R to jump into the box from anywhere in the inbox.
### Write your reply [#write-your-reply]
Click **Write to** *name* **on** *channel* (or **by email**) and type. On WhatsApp, the line above the box shows how long the 24-hour session window stays open; on email it shows the address the reply sends from.
### Send it [#send-it]
Click **Send**, or press ⌘ Enter (Ctrl Enter on Windows and Linux). Your message shows in the thread as **Sending**, then **Sent**, and a notice confirms: **Reply sent to** *name*.
The thread moves to **Waiting on reply** and the box stays open, so you can write again. No agent replies while the thread is yours; to let one take over again, see [Hand a thread back](/docs/inbox/take-over#hand-a-thread-back-to-the-agent).
Under the box, **Sends as** shows the name your reply goes out under. Press Esc to leave the box without losing what you wrote; it stays there when you move to another thread and come back.
## Quote a message [#quote-a-message]
### Pick the message [#pick-the-message]
Hover over the message you're answering and click **Reply** (the curved arrow), or open its **…** menu and choose **Reply**.
### Write and send [#write-and-send]
A **Replying to** line above the box shows who and what you're quoting. Write your reply and send it. In the thread, the quote shows above your message; clicking it scrolls to the original. To stop quoting, click the **×** on the **Replying to** line.
## Attach files [#attach-files]
### Pick the files [#pick-the-files]
Click **Attach a file** (the paperclip) under the box and choose one or more files. Each one shows as a chip marked **added by you**; click its **×** to remove it.
### Add a few words and send [#add-a-few-words-and-send]
A reply needs text to go out with its files: with files and no text, the box says **Add a few words to send the files with**.
Each channel has its own size limit per file. A file over the limit isn't added, and a notice says it's too large; share a link to it instead.
| Channel | Largest file |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp | 16 MB |
| Instagram, Facebook | 10 MB |
Other channels are coming soon (see [Connect a channel](/docs/channels/connect-a-channel#coming-soon)).
A file with the same name as one already on the reply is skipped.
## Let an agent write your reply [#let-an-agent-write-your-reply]
You can have the thread's agent write the answer to a customer's message for you, then check it and send it yourself.
### Ask for the reply [#ask-for-the-reply]
Click **Write with AI** at the end of the row under the box to answer the customer's latest message. Its tooltip says which agent writes and what it answers. To answer a specific message instead, hover that message and click **Reply with AI** (the sparkles), or choose **Reply with AI** from its **…** menu.
### Review it [#review-it]
While the agent writes, the box shows **… is writing a reply**. The answer then fills the box, quoting the message it answers, and a notice says **… wrote a reply to** *name*'s **message**. It replaces what was in the box: click **Undo** on the notice to get your text back.
### Edit and send [#edit-and-send]
Change anything you like, then click **Send**. Nothing goes out until you do.
Writing a reply with AI needs an AI provider connected to your workspace. Without one, you see **No AI reply for this message**: write the reply yourself, or ask an admin to connect a provider.
## Send a template when the 24-hour window has closed [#send-a-template-when-the-24-hour-window-has-closed]
WhatsApp only delivers free text within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that, the reply box offers only templates Meta has approved, and says **WhatsApp's 24-hour window has closed** with the date it closed.
### Pick a template [#pick-a-template]
Open **Template** (**Pick an approved template**). Each template shows its category: Utility, Marketing or Authentication. Templates still in review with Meta, and one-time-code templates, are listed but can't be picked.
### Check the preview [#check-the-preview]
The preview shows the template with the contact's details filled in. Templates go out exactly as written; you can't edit them.
### Send it [#send-it-1]
Click **Send template**. A notice confirms: **Template sent to** *name*. When the customer writes back, the window opens again and you can send free text.
To add or edit templates, see [WhatsApp message templates](/docs/campaigns/message-templates).
## Add a payment link [#add-a-payment-link]
You can ask for a payment right in the conversation: build an order, and Mokanata adds a QRIS code and how to pay to your reply (or to the agent's draft you're about to approve).
### Open a payment request [#open-a-payment-request]
Under the reply box, click **Payment link** (the receipt icon). The **New payment request** dialog opens for the contact you're writing to.
### Build the order [#build-the-order]
**Send as** is **QRIS image** (when a static QRIS is set up); **Payment link** stays disabled while payment gateways are coming soon (see [Payment gateways and QRIS](/docs/payments/payment-gateways)). Give it a **Title**, add products from the catalog (**Search products or SKUs**) or a **Custom item** such as a delivery or setup fee, and set a discount, the currency, how long it stays valid (**Expires after**) and a note to the customer if you like. The **Summary** shows the total with tax, and a preview shows how the request looks to the customer.
### Add it to your reply [#add-it-to-your-reply]
Click **Create and add to reply**. A sentence saying how to pay the amount with any QRIS app is added to the end of your text, and the QRIS image is attached. There's no link for the customer to open. A notice confirms it was added and that you can track it on the Payments page.
### Send the reply [#send-the-reply]
Send your reply, or approve the draft. A card under the sent message shows the payment's status as it changes, for example once you mark it paid.
If you close the dialog after adding items, it asks **Discard this payment request?** The order isn't saved anywhere. For everything a payment link can do, see [Create and send a payment link](/docs/payments/create-payment-link).
## Troubleshooting [#troubleshooting]
Your role can read this conversation but not reply on its channel. The notice says why. An owner or admin can change it in **Settings** → **Members & roles**.
An agent is running the thread. Click **Take over** to make it yours. See [Take over, hand back and handoffs](/docs/inbox/take-over).
The reply is empty, or the agent is still writing. Files alone can't be sent: add a few words.
Nothing was sent and your text stays in the box. Click **Retry** on the notice. If you're offline, a **You're offline** banner shows in the thread: send again once you're back online.
The customer hasn't written on WhatsApp for more than 24 hours. Send an approved template; once they answer, free text works again.
## Next steps [#next-steps]