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When a customer messages your business and the reply needs a moment to prepare — an LLM agent, a database lookup, an external API call — you can show the same “typing…” dots WhatsApp users see when a friend is replying. The same call also marks the inbound message as read (blue checks).

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Show a Typing Indicator

Call the typing endpoint with the inbound message ID you want to acknowledge: 
await zavu.messages.showTyping("msg_abc123");
The indicator is automatically dismissed when:
  • You send a reply, OR
  • 25 seconds elapse — whichever comes first.

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When to Use

Show the indicator only when a response really is on the way. The typical pattern is to call it as the first thing your webhook handler does for an inbound message that will trigger slow work: 
// In your webhook handler for `message.inbound`
await zavu.messages.showTyping(event.data.messageId);

const reply = await yourLLM.generate(event.data.text);

await zavu.messages.send({
  to: event.data.from,
  channel: "whatsapp",
  text: reply,
});
This is especially valuable for AI Agents — without it, the user sees nothing happen for several seconds after they send their message.

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Specifications

PropertyRequirement
Message channelMust be whatsapp
Message directionMust be inbound
Provider message IDMust be present (set automatically on received messages)
Do not call this endpoint speculatively — only when you are about to respond. Showing typing dots without ever replying degrades trust.
The 24-hour conversation window applies. Typing indicators on messages outside that window will fail.
  • Reactions — acknowledge a message without sending a full reply
  • AI Agents — agents that benefit most from typing indicators