> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.patagon.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.patagon.ai/en/troubleshooting/quality-rating-red.md). # What to do when your number has a RED Quality Rating ## What is the WhatsApp Quality Rating The Quality Rating is a score that Meta assigns to your WhatsApp Business API number based on user experience with your messages over the last seven days. It directly reflects your number's reputation on the platform. There are three levels: | Status | Color | Meaning | | ------ | --------- | ------------------------------------ | | High | 🟢 Green | Healthy number, no restrictions | | Medium | 🟡 Yellow | Quality declining, monitoring needed | | Low | 🔴 Red | Number at risk of restriction or ban | You can check your number's status directly in **Meta Business Manager → Account Tools → Phone Numbers**, in the "Quality" column. Within Patagon AI, the "Quality" field is visible in **Agent → General → Settings**, in the Connected number information section, and also on the **Leads → Campaigns** screen, where the warning "Not eligible for messaging" appears when the number is Red or has active restrictions. The Quality Rating is calculated from negative signals: user blocks, spam reports, and low engagement with business-initiated messages. Meta doesn't disclose the exact formula, but the main weight is on **blocks and reports**. A number can drop from Green to Red quickly if a campaign generates a high volume of reports. ## Why a number can be banned or have messaging restricted ### Red status is not an immediate ban Being in Red means Meta identified significant negative signals on your number. In this state, the number enters an **observation period** before any definitive restriction. What happens during this period: * Meta may **limit the number of conversations** your number can initiate per day (tier reduction) * Mass campaigns are **blocked**. You cannot create new campaigns in Patagon AI while the number is Red * If negative signals continue during the observation period, Meta may **suspend** the number, preventing any business-initiated message sending ### What generates negative signals **Blocks and spam reports** are the most common and highest-weight cause. When a user blocks your number or taps "Report spam" on WhatsApp, Meta counts it against your number. A high volume of reports in a short time, as happens after a poorly segmented campaign, can drop the rating in hours. **Message volume above the allowed tier** is also a factor. Each number has a limit of conversations initiated per day (the "tier"), which rises as quality improves. Trying to send beyond that limit generates delivery errors and damages reputation. **Messages sent to contacts who haven't saved your number** generate more reports because the user doesn't recognize who is contacting them. WhatsApp displays a warning to the recipient in these cases, which increases the probability of blocking. **Marketing templates used out of context**, such as sending promotions to leads who never showed interest, also contribute to reports. Meta monitors the read rate and engagement of your templates. ## How to recover the Quality Rating Recovery doesn't happen through an isolated action. Meta continuously recalculates the rating based on the last 7 days of signals. The goal is to **stop what's causing the negative signals** and wait for the negative period to exit the calculation window. ### Step 1: Pause mass campaigns immediately If the number dropped to Red during or after a campaign, stop new sends. Continuing to send messages while the rating is low accelerates the drop and increases suspension risk. ### Step 2: Identify the cause in Meta Business Manager Access **Meta Business Manager → Account Tools → Phone Numbers** and click on the affected number. The panel shows: * Quality Rating history (the drop graph indicates when the problem started) * Templates with the highest report rate (in **Message Templates**, the "Quality" column shows each template's status) * Active tier restriction alerts If a specific template appears with low quality or "Paused" status, it's actively contributing to the problem. Edit or disable that template. ### Step 3: Reduce business-initiated message volume During recovery, focus on responding to inbound conversations (leads who enter on their own) instead of initiating new ones. Inbound conversations don't generate negative signals and still count positively for the analysis period. ### Step 4: Wait out the 7-day window The Quality Rating is calculated based on the last 7 rolling days. If you stopped problematic sends, the rating starts improving as those days exit the calculation window. Generally, numbers that stop problematic sends return to Yellow in 3 to 5 days and to Green in 7 to 10 days, depending on the volume of accumulated negative signals. ### Step 5: Resume campaigns with a smaller, more qualified list When the number returns to Yellow, you can resume campaigns, but start with a smaller volume and a more segmented list to validate the problem is resolved before scaling again. Monitor the Quality Rating in real-time in Meta Business Manager during the first sends. {% hint style="warning" %} If the number was **suspended** (status different from active in Meta Business Manager), you need to contact Meta support directly through Business Manager to request review. Patagon AI cannot resolve suspensions. This process is entirely managed by Meta. {% endhint %} ## Best practices to avoid dropping to RED ### Only send to those who opted in This is the most important rule. Only send proactive messages (Marketing or Utility templates) to contacts who explicitly showed interest: leads who started a conversation, filled out a form, or clicked on an ad recently. Purchased or very old lists generate high block rates because the recipient doesn't remember having contact with your brand. ### Use Batch Delay in campaigns In Patagon AI, when creating a campaign in **Leads → Campaigns**, configure a **Batch Delay** of at least 5 seconds between each message. Very fast sends (close to WhatsApp's rate limit) generate 429 errors and can trigger alerts in Meta. For large campaigns, consider increasing to 10 to 15 seconds. ### Keep templates relevant to context Use the **correct category** when creating templates in Meta Business Manager: * **Marketing** - offers, promotions, news. Only send to leads who already showed interest in the product. * **Utility** - confirmations, order updates, meeting reminders. Send to those in the middle of a process with you. * **Authentication** - verification codes. Don't mix with commercial content. Sending Marketing content disguised as Utility not only generates Meta rejection on approval. If approved, it increases the report rate because the user is surprised by the message. ### Always include a clear opt-out option Every Marketing template should offer the recipient a simple way to stop receiving messages. WhatsApp's standard opt-out button (available in templates with quick action buttons) is the most effective form. When the user uses opt-out, they don't report as spam, which protects your Quality Rating. Within Patagon AI, the agent doesn't initiate new conversations with leads who blocked the number. But it's your team's responsibility to honor opt-out requests and not re-include those contacts in future campaign lists. ### Monitor Quality Rating weekly Check the number's status in **Meta Business Manager → Account Tools → Phone Numbers** every week, especially the week following any campaign. Also track campaign delivery metrics in Patagon AI in **Leads → Campaigns**. A high "Failed" rate can indicate quality problems even before the rating drops. ### Calibrate volume according to the number's tier New numbers start with limited sending capacity (usually 1,000 conversations initiated per day). This limit rises automatically as the Quality Rating remains Green. Forcing volume beyond the allowed tier not only generates errors, it signals abnormal behavior to Meta. Respect gradual growth, especially in the first 30 days of the number. ## Quick recovery checklist When the number drops to RED, follow this sequence: * [ ] Pause all mass campaigns in Patagon AI * [ ] Access Meta Business Manager → Account Tools → Phone Numbers → check active alerts * [ ] Identify templates with low quality in Message Templates and disable or edit * [ ] Focus only on inbound conversations for the next 3–7 days * [ ] Monitor Quality Rating daily until returning to Yellow * [ ] Resume campaigns with reduced list and larger batch delay * [ ] If the number is suspended: open a ticket with Meta support through Business Manager ## Related articles * [Campaign Eligibility](/en/agent-optimization/campaign-eligibility.md) - what the "Not eligible for messaging" warning means and how to resolve it * [How to run a campaign](/en/sales-performance/campaigns.md) - Batch Delay configuration and delivery metrics reading * [How to create message templates](/en/agent-optimization/message-templates.md) - template categories and approval process * [How to monitor your WhatsApp number health](/en/marketing-and-attribution/whatsapp-number-health.md) - where to see Quality Rating and sending limits {% hint style="info" %} If your number was suspended and you're unable to resolve it through Meta Business Manager, contact with the affected number and a description of what happened before the suspension. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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