# Opt-in to Subscribe to WhatsApp

Opt-in refers to the process of allowing customers to actively consent to receiving marketing messages or collecting their data.

Many countries and regions have compliance regulations that fully explain and restrict this scenario. WhatsApp **encourages** businesses to obtain "Opt-in" before initiating conversations with customers beyond the 24-hour window. Businesses can obtain opt-ins through various methods, whether on WhatsApp or outside of it. Ultimately, the goal is to help people receive useful, anticipated information from businesses they want to hear from.

Additionally, obtaining user permission before sending WhatsApp messages can effectively reduce the likelihood of users actively complaining.

Encouraging users to actively subscribe to WhatsApp messages, **the most effective method is to proactively guide users to consent through interface interactions when they visit or register your software.** When users have subscribed to WhatsApp messages, they have a psychological expectation and will not be surprised or offended when they receive messages from businesses. Conversely, they may complain or block messages sent from you, **and this complaint rate is the core indicator of account quality on WhatsApp. If it consistently falls below a certain threshold over a period of time, the business account will be** [**restricted in sending limits**](/help-center/whatsapp-basics/phone-numbers.md#xiao-xi-xian-e)**, and in severe cases, it will be banned.**

## Opt-in Methods <a href="#opt-in-methods" id="opt-in-methods"></a>

Examples of common opt-in methods:

* SMS
* Website
* In a WhatsApp conversation
* By phone (using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) process)
* In person or in paper form (customers can sign a paper document to opt-in)

**For further details, please refer to**

{% embed url="<https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/overview/getting-opt-in>" %}


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