Webhooks and message status

Updated June 2026 5 min read

Those ticks — sent, delivered, read — aren't just for show. Here's what each one means, and how webhooks let your software act on them automatically.

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Quick facts

Statuses
Sent / Delivered / Read / Failed
Webhook
Real-time event notification
See statuses
Built into ChatMitra
Webhooks needed?
Only for integrations

Every WhatsApp message moves through statuses: sent, delivered, read (and sometimes failed). Webhooks are real-time notifications WhatsApp sends to your software for each of these events plus incoming messages — so your app can react instantly, like updating a CRM when a customer replies. In ChatMitra you see statuses without any setup.

In simple language: Message status is the ticks telling you how far a message got; a webhook is WhatsApp tapping your software on the shoulder the moment something happens.

Who should read this?

  • Owners decoding the tick marks
  • Developers wiring WhatsApp into an app
  • Teams syncing events into a CRM

For An online store

  • Webhook updates the order system when a customer replies 'confirm'
  • Failed status flags a bad number for cleanup

For A support team

  • Read status shows the customer saw the answer
  • Incoming-message webhook auto-creates a ticket

Two questions come up constantly: “what do these ticks mean?” and “what’s a webhook?” Here are both, in plain words.

What the ticks mean

A message moves through stages, and each has a status:

StatusMeaning
SentLeft ChatMitra, on its way
DeliveredReached the customer’s phone
ReadThe customer opened it
FailedIt didn’t send (bad number, no opt-in, etc.)

Example: a clinic sends a reminder. “Delivered” means it hit the patient’s phone; “read” means they actually saw it. If it shows “failed”, that number likely isn’t on WhatsApp.

What a webhook is

A webhook is WhatsApp tapping your software on the shoulder the instant something happens. Rather than your app constantly asking “any news?”, WhatsApp pushes the event to you:

Customer replies
      ↓ (webhook fires instantly)
   Your software  → creates a ticket / updates the order

Events include: message received, sent, delivered, read, and failed.

When you’d use webhooks

Most businesses don’t need to — ChatMitra’s inbox already shows every status. You’d reach for webhooks to connect WhatsApp to your own systems:

  • Update your order system when a customer confirms.
  • Auto-create a support ticket on an incoming message.
  • Flag failed numbers in your database for cleanup.

You set the webhook address in API keys and webhook URL; for payloads and code, see the Webhook & API feature.

Keep reading

Related questions people ask

What's the difference between delivered and read on WhatsApp?

Delivered means the message reached the customer's phone; read means they actually opened it. Two grey ticks = delivered, blue ticks = read (if read receipts are on).

What is a WhatsApp webhook?

A webhook is a real-time notification WhatsApp sends your software for events — message received, sent, delivered, read or failed — so your app can react instantly.

Do I need webhooks to see message status?

No. ChatMitra shows statuses in the inbox automatically. Webhooks are only needed if you want your own software to react to events.

Key takeaways

  • Statuses: sent → delivered → read, or failed if it didn't send.
  • Webhooks notify your software of events in real time.
  • ChatMitra shows statuses with no setup needed.
  • Use 'failed' to spot and clean bad numbers.
Published: June 2026 Last reviewed: June 2026 Reviewed by: ChatMitra WhatsApp API Team

Sources: Meta WhatsApp webhooks docs, ChatMitra webhook & API

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