Quick answer
Ads or marketing messages paused? Check your account spending limit: WhatsApp says delivery pauses when it’s reached and only resumes after you raise, reset or remove it. Can’t register a number (“WhatsApp is currently not available. Please try again in 1 hour”)? This can happen when the number is still registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform; delete it in WhatsApp Manager > Phone Numbers, or ask your Business Solution Provider.
Does this match what you see?
- Your WhatsApp Business ads or marketing messages stopped running.
- You see a temporary charge or hold on your card.
- Registering your number shows “WhatsApp is currently not available. Please try again in 1 hour”.
iPhone & iPadAndroidComputer (browser)
Based on WhatsApp Help Center pages summarized in research supplied by the site owner. Marketing messages and the Business directory aren’t available everywhere.
Why this happens: the possible causes
Common reasons behind these problems, according to WhatsApp.
| Problem | Check |
|---|---|
| Ads or marketing messages paused | Account spending limit (holds) |
| Temporary charge on card | Pre-authorization or verification hold (holds) |
| “Try again in 1 hour” when registering | Number still on the Business Platform (delete) |
- Spending limit reachedCheck this first
WhatsApp says an account spending limit pauses ads and marketing messages until it’s increased, reset or removed.
- Number registered on the Business PlatformCheck this first
WhatsApp says a Platform number can’t also be registered on WhatsApp Messenger or the WhatsApp Business app.
Try these 60-second checks first
- Check your spending limit and payment method in the ad or marketing message account settings.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.
Fix 1: Pay for WhatsApp Business ads and marketing messages
WhatsApp keeps payment settings in two places, depending on what you’re paying for.
- Ads: More options > Advertise > More options > Ad account settings > Ad payments.
- Marketing messages: More options > Marketing messages > More options > Account settings > Payments.
- Prepaid funds: tap Add funds, pick an amount and payment method, then Next > Confirm. WhatsApp says prepaid funds are used before other payment methods are charged.
- Add a payment method: Add payment method, choose it, enter details and save. WhatsApp says options can include cards, PayPal, direct debit (in supported countries) and local methods, depending on your ad account’s country and currency.
- Verify a card: select it > Verify card > Verify, enter the four-character code, then Submit > Done.
Did it work? Your payment method shows as active and your ads or messages run.
Did Fix 1 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 1. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Paused ads, holds on your card and billing
- Spending limit: WhatsApp says reaching your account spending limit pauses ads and marketing messages; they resume only after you increase, reset or remove the limit.
- Holds: Meta may place a temporary pre-authorization hold before ads or messages run, or a verification hold to check your payment method. WhatsApp says these are removed automatically.
- Payment threshold decides how often you’re billed; Payment activity shows past bills.
Paying for ads in Ads Manager instead? See Facebook ad payment failed.
The WhatsApp Business directory
WhatsApp says the Business directory is currently only available in Brazil, in supported regions and categories. Where it’s available, apply from Tools > Business directory > Add your business. Businesses must follow the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy and Commerce Policy. WhatsApp notifies you whether you were added, need to give more information, or weren’t approved; if it’s rejected or your account is actioned for a policy violation, you may be able to appeal. It says changes can take 30 minutes to show, and Meta can’t manually add a removed business back.
Delete a number from the WhatsApp Business Platform
WhatsApp says a number on the WhatsApp Business Platform can’t also be used on WhatsApp Messenger or the WhatsApp Business app; trying may show “WhatsApp is currently not available. Please try again in 1 hour”. If a Business Solution Provider registered the number, contact them.
- Delete it yourself: in Meta Business settings, open WhatsApp account management, select the account > Settings > WhatsApp Manager > Phone Numbers, find the number > Delete. You may be asked for the linked Facebook account password.
- Conditions: only admins can delete a number, and only if no paid messages were sent from the account in the last 30 days.
- Can’t delete it? In Meta Business Suite: Help > Help > Contact Support Team, choose the business account > Other Business Manager issue > Chat. WhatsApp says that if you see the one-hour error, you can request deletion with proof of the SIM or number purchase date and/or a phone bill or contract, your consent, and acknowledgement that data, insights and message history will be deleted.
How to know it worked
- Your ads or marketing messages run again, or the number is deleted from the WhatsApp Business Platform.
Still not working? Your next steps
- Catalog, quick replies or orders: see WhatsApp Business catalog and orders.
Official help routes
SocialAppFix can’t see or change your account. For account decisions, recovery and appeals, only the platform’s own tools can help. These links go to the official sites.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my WhatsApp Business ads stop?
WhatsApp says reaching your account spending limit pauses ads and marketing messages until you increase, reset or remove it. Also check your payment method.
Why is there a charge on my card from WhatsApp ads before they ran?
WhatsApp says Meta may place a temporary pre-authorization or verification hold, which is removed automatically.
What does “WhatsApp is currently not available. Please try again in 1 hour” mean?
WhatsApp says it can appear when the number is still registered on the WhatsApp Business Platform. Delete it in WhatsApp Manager, or ask your Business Solution Provider.
Did this solve your problem?
Your answer stays in your browser — nothing is sent or stored. The “tell us” link opens your own email app.
Out of date or didn’t work? Email us — never include passwords or codes.
Sources and how we checked this guide
We base steps on the platforms’ own help pages and the phone makers’ official guides. Menu names change often and can differ by device, app version and region. Where a platform page could not be independently read, we link it so you can check the current wording yourself.
- Paying for ads and marketing messages (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Applying to the Business directory (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Deleting a phone number from the WhatsApp Business Platform (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Add money to your ad account using available funds (external site, opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed 3 November 2026 by the SocialAppFix editorial team against the sources above. Next scheduled review: 3 May 2027. How we write and review guides.
What changed
- 3 November 2026: First published.
SocialAppFix is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. We never ask for passwords, login codes or payment to fix an account.