Messaging bot troubleshooting
Having trouble with the Telegram or WhatsApp bot? Here are the most common issues and how to fix them.
"Your account is not linked yet"
Why this happens: You're messaging the bot but haven't finished connecting your WhitelistVideo account.
How to fix it:
- Open app.whitelist.video (opens in a new tab)
- Go to Settings
- Tap "Connect Telegram" or "Connect WhatsApp"
- Follow the steps to link your account
"This link code has expired"
Why this happens: Link codes are valid for 10 minutes. If you waited too long, the code expired.
How to fix it: Go back to WhitelistVideo Settings and tap "Connect Telegram" or "Connect WhatsApp" again to get a new code.
"This link code has already been used"
Why this happens: Each code can only be used once.
How to fix it: Generate a new code from WhitelistVideo Settings.
"Invalid link code"
Why this happens: The code was mistyped or doesn't exist.
How to fix it:
- Double-check the code — it's 6 characters, letters and numbers only
- Make sure you're using the WhitelistVideo app at app.whitelist.video (not a test or staging site)
- Generate a new code if needed
"The messaging bot is not yet available for your account"
Why this happens: The messaging bot feature hasn't been turned on for your account yet.
How to fix it: Contact us at support@whitelist.video and we'll help you get access.
The bot isn't responding
Possible reasons:
- Your internet connection may be down
- The bot service may be temporarily unavailable
- You sent a photo, sticker, or voice message — the bot can only read text messages
How to fix it: Wait a moment and send a text message again. If the bot still doesn't respond after a few minutes, check your internet connection or contact us at support@whitelist.video.
WhatsApp: The bot stopped responding after a while
Why this happens: WhatsApp has a rule that bots can only reply within 24 hours of your last message. If you haven't messaged the bot in over a day, it can't send you a reply until you message it first.
How to fix it: Send any message to the bot — even just "hi" — and it will be able to respond again.
Notifications aren't affected — you'll still receive channel request alerts even if the 24-hour window has passed.
I tapped Undo but it says "expired"
Why this happens: The undo window only lasts 30 seconds. After that, the action is final.
How to fix it: You can still reverse the action manually. For example, if you accidentally approved a channel, just say "remove [channel name] from my child's list." If you accidentally denied a request, ask "show pending requests" and approve it again.
I'm not getting notifications
Possible reasons:
- Notifications may be muted for the WhitelistVideo bot (Telegram) or the WhitelistVideo number (WhatsApp)
- Your account link may have been interrupted
- The messaging bot feature may not be enabled on your account
How to fix it:
- Check your notification settings for the WhitelistVideo bot or number
- Send a test message to the bot — if it responds, the connection is working
- If there's no response, go to WhitelistVideo Settings and re-link your account
WhatsApp: Only 3 buttons are showing
Why this happens: WhatsApp limits messages to 3 buttons. If there are more options (like 5 channels matching your search), only the top 3 appear.
How to fix it: Use a more specific search. For example, instead of "add discovery," try "add Discovery Channel India."
Still stuck? Contact us at support@whitelist.video — we typically respond within 24 hours.