Change who answers a conversation (handover)

Meta's handover protocol on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.

WhatsApp, on numbers with Meta Business Agent enabled:

• release: hand the conversation back to the agent so it resumes answering. You must currently hold control (sending any message takes it implicitly).
• take: take control before sending anything, so the agent stops replying while an operator reads the thread. Meta accepts this only from the business configured as the number's escalation partner; other apps take control by sending a message.
• pass: transfer control to the number's configured escalation partner, or to the agent with target: ai_agent. Meta's Cloud API currently rejects it ("Pass action is not supported", verified 2026-09-08); use release to hand a thread back to the agent.

Facebook and Instagram (Messenger Platform handover between the apps on the Page, such as Page Inbox):

• pass with targetAppId: give the thread to another app (pass_thread_control). Page Inbox is 263902037430900.
• take: take the thread back (take_thread_control); Meta allows it only to the Page's primary receiver, and only on accounts connected through a Facebook Page. On an Instagram Login connection it answers 400 platform_not_supported.
• request: ask the current owner to pass the thread (request_thread_control); nothing changes until it does. Not available on Instagram Login connections (400 platform_not_supported).
• release: give the thread back to the primary receiver (release_thread_control).

While another app owns a Facebook or Instagram thread, inbound arrive with metadata.standby: true and a send answers 409 not_thread_owner. The conversation's threadControl follows the result; a conversation.control_changed webhook fires when Meta later reports the change.

Billing: Request; paid actions are priced in credits (see GET /v1/messaging/prices) · Rate limit: 60/min