> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ycloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Initiate New Chat

> Methods to initiate a chat with a customer in Inbox

Learn how to start a chat with a customer using **3** methods.

If the contact has sent you a message, it will appear in your Inbox list. You can chat with the customer, transfer an existing conversation to yourself, or you can search for the target user's WhatsApp number and send a WhatsApp template.

## Respond to Customer Messages

When a customer sends you a message, you can reply immediately and start a chat conversation.

Through the filter on the left, the conversation list will display open conversations. Select one of the conversations, and the conversation window will expand on the right.

<Frame caption="Select a customer conversation to view its history and reply in the message box.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lchnan/rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI/product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-overview.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI&q=85&s=cde9c1132d3fff6631cf9fe2b98e3252" alt="Full Inbox with navigation, conversation list, customer message and reply" width="3024" height="1656" data-path="product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-overview.png" />
</Frame>

## Transfer the Conversation to Yourself

Click **Assign to me** above the message box to transfer the conversation to yourself.

<Frame caption="Click Assign to me above the message box to take ownership of an unassigned conversation.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lchnan/rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI/product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-assign-to-me-annotated.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI&q=85&s=53b3bf518ec706627a5a093e3424dc1e" alt="Full Inbox with an unassigned conversation and Assign to me action" width="3024" height="1656" data-path="product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-assign-to-me-annotated.svg" />
</Frame>

## Start a Conversation with Any User

If you want to send a message to a contact that is not saved in your Inbox, you can search for them and send a WhatsApp template as the first interaction.

### Step 1: Search for the customer's phone number

Click the search icon beside **Conversation**, select **Contact**, and enter the phone number.

<Frame caption="Open Contact search and enter the customer phone number.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lchnan/rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI/product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-contact-search-annotated.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI&q=85&s=4a84cb73111d55572145a71baa7732d4" alt="Full Inbox with contact phone search" width="3024" height="1656" data-path="product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-contact-search-annotated.svg" />
</Frame>

### Step 2: Click the button below “+ Create a new conversation” to create a new session

<Frame caption="Click Create a new conversation below the search results.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lchnan/rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI/product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-create-conversation-entry-annotated.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI&q=85&s=23f25925ad13337d94c50627316aab5f" alt="Create a new conversation below contact search results" width="3024" height="1656" data-path="product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-create-conversation-entry-annotated.svg" />
</Frame>

### Step 3: Select the WhatsApp Business Number to send from

Select your sending number, then click **Next**.

<Frame caption="Enter the recipient and select your WhatsApp Business Number.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lchnan/rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI/product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-new-chat-sender.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI&q=85&s=ff1abf131355b12aac3c22ec03d99a78" alt="Full Inbox with recipient and WhatsApp Business Number dialog" width="3024" height="1656" data-path="product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-new-chat-sender.png" />
</Frame>

### Step 4: Choose the template to send

Search by template name or body, or filter templates by category, language, or creator.

<Frame caption="Search for an approved template and filter by category or language.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lchnan/rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI/product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-template-picker.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI&q=85&s=e269447f51d99697fc5fb4636427d9ac" alt="Full Inbox with approved template search results" width="3024" height="1656" data-path="product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-template-picker.png" />
</Frame>

### Step 5: Confirm the template content/set template variables

Check the preview and variable values, then click **Send**.

<Frame caption="Set the template variables and review the message before sending.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/lchnan/rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI/product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-template-preview.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=rmZYWVwRdpR7TJaI&q=85&s=63d889f33a24f6228bf55aec3bcf572f" alt="Full Inbox with template variables and message preview" width="3024" height="1656" data-path="product-assets/english-help-context-2026-09-23/inbox-template-preview.png" />
</Frame>


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