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Reply to your first Apple Messages conversation

Send a message from a test Apple device to your business, then reply from the Bird dashboard. This quickstart uses the dashboard; developers can follow the API reply guide.

For the full path from service planning to launch, use the onboarding guide.

Before you start

You need:

  • A Bird workspace with permission to read Apple Messages and send replies.
  • A connected business. A Draft business can send test messages before approval. Follow registration if you have not connected it.
  • An Apple device signed in to an authorized tester account while your Apple account is in testing. Submit the tester in Apple Business Register before using it.

This sends a real message through the connected channel and can incur charges. Use a conversation you are authorized to test.

1. Start the customer conversation

Open Apple Messages > Businesses and select your business. Copy its Apple Business ID. This is the Apple UUID, rather than Bird's business-record ID.

On the test device, open the following address, replacing APPLE_BUSINESS_ID with that UUID:

Code example
https://bcrw.apple.com/urn:biz:APPLE_BUSINESS_ID

Messages opens your business conversation. Type a short request, such as I would like to arrange a store visit, and send it. Opening the link alone does not send a customer message.

2. Find the message in Bird

Open Apple Messages > Conversations in the same workspace. Filter by your business and open the new conversation. Confirm that the transcript contains the request you sent and that the conversation is Open.

If the conversation is missing, clear other filters and refresh. If it still does not appear, use the missing-conversation checks.

3. Reply to the customer

In Reply to the customer, enter a short response such as We can help arrange your visit. Which day works for you? Select Send reply.

Bird confirms that the reply was accepted and adds it to the conversation. If the composer is unavailable, check the business approval, conversation status, and your send permission before continuing.

Goldcrest conversation with an incoming customer request and an operator reply.

View the screenshot at full size.

4. Check the outcome

Open Apple Messages > Messages and select your reply. Inspect its status and event history using the message-history guide.

Sent records Apple's gateway acceptance. Check the test device separately to confirm that your reply appeared correctly. Bird does not provide an Apple delivery or read receipt.

Reply again from the test device. The incoming message should appear in the same Bird conversation. You have now checked both directions of the exchange.

Next steps