What wording does a WhatsApp opt-in need?

The short answer.

A good WhatsApp opt-in wording names the company name, says clearly that the person wants to receive WhatsApp messages from you, states the content of the messages and points out the withdrawal. According to its documentation, Meta requires that it is clear that the person wants to receive messages from the business, and that the company name is stated. The opt-in may be general and does not have to name WhatsApp explicitly. We still recommend naming WhatsApp. As of: 02.11.2026.

What goes into the wording .

Sources: Meta, obtaining opt-in, Art. 4 No. 11 GDPR, Art. 7 GDPR, retrieved on 02.11.2026. This is not legal advice.

What does Meta require for the opt-in?

Meta requires that you get consent before you write to a person on WhatsApp. The person must have given you their mobile number and confirmed that they want to receive further messages or calls. Meta's documentation also states that the opt-in may be general and does not have to apply explicitly to WhatsApp, as long as you comply with all local laws. The duty to provide appropriate notices and permissions under applicable law is yours.

Source: Meta, obtaining opt-in, accessed on 02.11.2026.

What does the law require of the consent?

For advertising by electronic mail, German competition law requires the prior express consent of the recipient. The GDPR describes consent as given freely, for the specific case, in an informed way and unambiguously, by a statement or a clear affirmative action. You must be able to prove that the person agreed. If the consent is in a text with other topics, it must be clearly distinguishable from them, in clear and plain language.

Whether WhatsApp falls under this rule and how your situation is to be assessed legally is, when in doubt, something a lawyer should clarify. More on this on the page Can I send advertising to customers via WhatsApp?.

Sources: § 7 UWG, Art. 4 No. 11 GDPR, Art. 7 GDPR, accessed on 02.11.2026. Not legal advice.

Which wording can you use?

You can use the same basic wording for a web form, a popup and a card at the counter and only adapt the channel. The samples below are suggestions from us, not a legally reviewed wording. Replace the placeholders in square brackets and have them checked by your legal advisor.

Our own suggestions. Sample texts with placeholders, not legally reviewed.

Which mistakes make a wording invalid?

A wording is risky if it leaves out the company name, does not state the content of the messages or hides the consent. The GDPR requires a clear affirmative action, so a pre-ticked box is not a safe way. A sentence that only says "I accept the terms and conditions" also names neither channel nor content. And if the note about withdrawal is missing, a piece of information is missing that the GDPR requires before consent.

Sources: Art. 4 No. 11 GDPR, Art. 7 GDPR, Meta, obtaining opt-in, accessed on 02.11.2026. Not legal advice.

How does the withdrawal appear in the wording?

The withdrawal belongs in the wording with a short sentence, for example "Unsubscribe any time with STOP". Under the GDPR, the person can withdraw their consent at any time, must be told about this before giving it, and withdrawing must be as easy as giving it. Meta advises giving clear instructions for unsubscribing and respecting unsubscribes.

Sources: Art. 7 GDPR, Meta, obtaining opt-in, accessed on 02.11.2026.

What does the confirmation look like after the opt-in ?

The confirmation briefly repeats what the person signed up for and states how to unsubscribe. That way the person has the content in front of them once more, and you have one more piece of proof. The following example is a suggestion from us with placeholders.

Example with placeholders. More on the process with confirmation: What is double opt-in on WhatsApp?

How does SmartChat help you with this?

With sign-up via landing page or popup, SmartChat confirms the consent automatically with double opt-in and saves the proof for each contact, with date, time and channel, as a PDF. Unsubscribing works with STOP. You start for free. Meta's fees are listed in the Trust Center.