Steps

Send File

Send an image, video, audio or document with a message, then wait for the customer's reply or choice.

What it does#

Send File sends a file (an image, video, audio or document) together with a message, then waits for the customer to reply.

Without options, any reply continues to the next step. The reply is saved under the step name.
With options, it works like Options: the customer picks one, and each option has its own connection.

Add a Send File step#

1
Drag Send File onto the canvas
It's under Flow in the Steps panel on the left. Click it to open Step settings.
2
Add the file
Under Media, click Upload a file (or drag a file onto it). To use a file that's already online, click Or paste a link and paste a public link in File Link. The link can contain a variable, for example a file link from an HTTP step.
3
Name the file (optional)
File Name (optional) is the name customers see on a document, such as Menu.pdf.
4
Write the message
Under Message, write the text that goes with the file. Type @ or # to insert a variable.
5
Add options (optional)
Under Options, click Add option to let the customer choose what happens next. Leave it empty to continue on any reply.
6
Connect it
Without options, drag from the step's dot to the next step. With options, connect every option.

File	Formats	Up to
Image	JPG, PNG	5 MB
Video	MP4	16 MB
Audio	MP3, M4A, AAC, AMR, OGG	16 MB
Document	PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TXT, CSV	100 MB

Example#

A restaurant sends its menu and asks what's next:

Send File step

File:      menu.pdf (uploaded)
File Name: Bella Napoli menu
Message:   Here's our menu. What would you like to do?
Options:   Book a table | Order delivery

On WhatsApp the customer gets the PDF named Bella Napoli menu, then the message with the numbered options 1. Book a table and 2. Order delivery. They reply 1 to continue to the booking.

On your website the file appears in the chat with the message, and the options show as buttons.

WhatsApp and website#

File	WhatsApp · Official	Your number by QR	Website chat
Image	The image, with the message (and options) as its caption	The file, with the message as its caption	Shown in the chat with the message
Video	The video, then the message	The file, with the message as its caption	Shown in the chat with the message
Document	The document (its caption is the file name), then the message	The file, with the message as its caption	Shown in the chat with the message
Audio	The audio, then the message (with options, as reply buttons)	The audio, then the message	Shown in the chat with the message

Options are always a numbered list on WhatsApp and buttons on the website. With a single option, WhatsApp shows it as a plain line without a number.

Use the reply#

The reply is saved under the step name (it starts as media1). With options, that's the chosen option's text. Use it later as {{@media1}}, or rename the step to something clearer such as menuChoice.

If the customer's reply doesn't match any option, they get the same reminder as in Options and stay on this step.

Common mistakes#

The chat stops after the file. That's Send File waiting for a reply. Ask a question in the message so the customer knows to answer, or use Send Message to send the file without waiting.
The step shows "This step isn't ready yet". Connect a step into this one, and connect it (or every option) to a next step.
The file doesn't arrive. A pasted link must be public and point straight to the file, not to a page that shows it (such as a file-sharing preview page). Uploading the file instead avoids this.
The upload is refused. Check the format and size above. WhatsApp can't send other file types.