The List step

The List step · Help

If you need to offer somebody eight options, buttons will not do: WhatsApp carries at most three buttons in a message. The List step gets past that wall — it sends an option list of up to ten rows that opens when the person taps it. This guide covers the list's five fields, what it becomes on Instagram, and where you should stop adding rows.

⚠️ Note: This step only appears in the step list when WhatsApp is connected. If both channels are connected to your account the step can be used and is sent in Instagram conversations too — but it looks different there (see below).

What it does

A list is WhatsApp's official way of offering many options in a single message. The person taps the button under the message, the options open as a panel, and they pick one. The flow continues from that row's output.

It works best for picking a service (eight services), a branch, an appointment slot, or as a menu of frequently asked questions.

How it looks on each channel

WhatsApp: a real list message. A header, a body, a footer and a button that opens the list; inside it the rows, each with its own description.
Instagram: there is no such thing as a list message. The rows become quick reply buttons, and the header, body and footer are joined into a single text. Instagram carries at most 13 quick replies in one message, so 10 rows fit comfortably.

Settings

The short heading at the top of the list, up to 60 characters. It appears in bold on WhatsApp. May be left empty.

Body

The list's main text, up to 1,024 characters. This is where you explain what they are choosing. It is mandatory: if empty, the pre-publish check reports an error. Placeholders work here.

The small print under the body, up to 60 characters. For extras like "Prices include VAT". May be left empty.

List button

The label of the button that opens the list, up to 20 characters. This is the first thing the person sees; the options open when they tap it.

If you leave it empty the panel uses its own default label. Write your own anyway: something concrete such as Services, Pick a time or Branches reads far better than "Options".

Rows

The list's options. Add them with Add row and remove them with Remove row. There can be at most 10 rows, and each row has two fields:

Row title — the text the person picks, up to 24 characters. Mandatory.
Description (optional) — the second line under the title, up to 72 characters. For a price, a duration or a short note.

There must be at least one row, otherwise the check reports an error. A row with an empty title is an error too, and it is dropped from the list at run time.

Do not use the same title on two rows: the person cannot tell which one they picked, and two outputs on the canvas carry the same name. The check shows this as a warning.

Its outputs

Every row opens its own output, named after the row title. With no rows the step has a single Next output (though in that case publishing is blocked anyway).

Do not leave row outputs unconnected: the person makes a choice and nothing happens. The check lists every empty row output as a warning.

The step waits for the person's choice. If they type instead of picking, and what they typed matches a row title, that row counts as chosen; if they type something else, the run stays waiting.

An example

A beauty salon wants to offer a service list to anyone booking an appointment.

They add the keyword booking to the Start step.
They add a List step. Header: "Booking". Body: "Which service are you coming in for?" Footer: "Durations are approximate." List button: Services.
They write six rows: "Haircut" / "45 min", "Colour" / "2 hours", "Manicure" / "30 min", "Pedicure" / "45 min", "Facial" / "1 hour", "Brows" / "15 min".
They connect every row output to an Action step writing the chosen service into the service field, then ask for a date with one shared Collect information step.

The result: the person sees every service in one message, and the salon keeps the requested service on the contact card.

Common mistakes

Writing a row title longer than 24 characters. WhatsApp caps row titles at 24 characters and cuts anything longer. Move longer wording into the description.

Leaving the body empty. The list button shows up but the person has no idea what they are choosing. The body is mandatory.

Building a list of more than ten options. Ten rows is the limit. If you need more, split the list in two: a category list first, then a second list based on the chosen category.

Expecting a list on an Instagram-only account. The step becomes quick replies on Instagram; there is no panel to open. That works well up to about five options; with eight, quick replies flood the conversation.

Leaving some row outputs unconnected. An unconnected row throws the person's choice away.

Using the same title on two rows. It confuses both the person and you; you cannot tell the outputs apart.

Limits

Header and footer at most 60 characters; body at most 1,024; list button at most 20.
At least 1, at most 10 rows; row title at most 24, description at most 72 characters (WhatsApp's measures).
On Instagram the rows become quick replies; a message carries at most 13.
The list is a step that sends messages: it does not go out when the 24-hour window is closed.
It cannot be the first step of a comment flow: that message carries plain text only and the rows are dropped.
The step depends on your plan; out of scope it shows Not in your plan in the list.

For up to three options a Message step with buttons is quicker. For options with pictures, see The Gallery step. The 24-hour rule is covered in The 24-hour messaging window.

A well-written list brings back far more answers than asking people to "just tell us what you want".