Meta Tech ProviderWhatsApp error 100: Invalid parameter
WhatsApp or your platform. What it means, how to fix it, and whether to retry.
WhatsApp error 100 (#100) means part of the request was in a form WhatsApp doesn't accept — an unsupported field, a value that's too long, or a link that isn't a valid URL. It's usually for the platform to fix rather than you.
Why it happens
- A field WhatsApp doesn't support, or a misspelled one.
- A value that's too long.
- A link that isn't a valid URL — for example a header image given as a file path instead of a web address.
How to fix error 100
- Report it to your platform with the full error message — the text after #100 says which field.
Should you retry?
Not until the request is corrected.
How to prevent it
- Nothing on your side — it's how the request is built.
Common questions
What does "image.link is not a valid URI" mean?
The message gave WhatsApp something that isn't a web address for the header image. It's a platform-side problem; report it.
What does "Unexpected key header_url" mean when submitting a carousel?
WhatsApp wants each carousel card's picture uploaded to it for review, not given as a link. A platform that sends the link gets this error on every carousel. It's for the platform to fix, and ThinnestAI uploads card pictures. Each card's picture must also be a direct link to the image itself (usually ending in .jpg or .png). A Google Drive or Dropbox share link opens a web page, not the picture.
What does "Carousel is not supported on template with UTILITY category" mean?
WhatsApp allows carousels only as Marketing templates. Change the template's category to Marketing and submit it again.
What does "Carousel templates cannot have a main message bubble that has a header or footer" mean?
A carousel's message above the cards can only be text: no header and no footer. Remove the footer, and put a line like "Reply STOP to opt out" at the end of the message instead.
How ThinnestAI shows it
On ThinnestAI every message WhatsApp doesn't deliver shows WhatsApp's own message first — word for word, with its code — and what it means underneath, on the broadcast and in the inbox. Undelivered messages aren't charged. See the WhatsApp Business API.