Message types

RCS supports multiple message types for inbound and outbound communication, but message type availability and specifications may vary depending on the RCS provider and solution.

See each solution's documentation to check if a specific message type is supported.

Message types using RCS

RCS supports a variety of rich messaging formats that enhance customer interactions with text, media, interactive elements, and suggested actions.

Text [#message-types-using-rcs-text]

Text messages can contain up to 3,072 characters and may include suggested actions.

The following example shows a text message.

Text messages are available in Answers, Conversations, Moments, Broadcast, and API.

File [#message-types-using-rcs-file]

Use the File option to send a file to your customers by entering the URL to the file.

The following example shows a file message.

File messages are available in Answers, Conversations, Moments, Broadcast, and API.

Rich card [#message-types-using-rcs-rich-card]

Send a preview of your website or product in the form of an interactive card. Customers can select the link on the card to view your website or product. Rich card messages support images, buttons, and suggestions for customer replies and actions.

Rich cards contain the following elements:

You can set card orientation, alignment, and height. Horizontal rich cards display vertical media on the left or right side of the card. Vertical rich cards display horizontal media at the top of the card.

The following example shows a rich card message.

Rich cards are available in Answers, Moments, Broadcast, and API.

Rich card media specifications [#card-media-specifications]

Platform-specific media specifications [#platform-specific-media-specifications]

The required media aspect ratio depends on the card type, orientation, height, and target platform. Use the following tables to select the correct image or video dimensions before uploading. For campaigns targeting both Android and iOS, use the cross-platform table. For single-platform campaigns, use the Android-only or iOS-only tables.

Android-only campaigns [#android-only-campaigns]

Vertical rich card

Horizontal rich card

The horizontal rich card uses a fixed media width of 128dp. Height scales dynamically to match the adjacent text block. To prevent vertical cropping, use a 9:16 aspect ratio with a centered 10-15% edge safe zone for critical content.

Small carousel

Medium carousel

iOS-only campaigns [#ios-only-campaigns]

Android and iOS cross-platform campaigns [#cross-platform-campaigns]

India media specifications [#india-media-specifications]

The following aspect ratios and dimensions apply to RCS campaigns targeting India. These values are enforced by the Jio platform.

Rich card media

Carousel media

Indonesia media specifications [#indonesia-media-specifications]

The following media guidelines apply to RCS campaigns targeting Indonesia. Indonesia requires separate specifications for images and for video with thumbnails.

Image

Video and thumbnail

Carousel [#message-types-using-rcs-carousel]

Carousel messages enable you to send multiple rich cards in one message. They display horizontal media at the top of each rich card. Customers can swipe horizontally to view the rich cards, compare items, and take actions on individual cards.

Carousel messages contain the following elements:

The following example shows a carousel message.

Carousel messages are available in Moments, Broadcast, and API.

Suggested actions

Suggested actions guide users through the conversation by using features already available on their devices. You can enable the customers to send you already-composed replies, open a URL, dial a number, or share a location.

Suggested reply [#suggested-reply-suggested-action]

The suggested replies guide users through conversations by providing replies to an agent who will then know how to respond. When a user selects a suggested reply, the agent receives an event that contains the reply text and the postback data.

The suggested reply text can contain a maximum of 25 characters.

Open URL [#suggested-reply-open-url]

Open URL action opens the default browser when an http or https link is defined. If a deep link is used, it opens in the default application.

Open URL action fields

When sending RCS messages with an Open URL action through Infobip, configure the relevant fields in your API request. The API reference for sending RCS messages provides the complete structure, parameters, and requirements for implementing Open URL actions within a messaging application.

In addition to Open URL, RCS supports several other suggested actions. See the subsections below for details on Dial phone, Show and request location, Create a calendar event, and Google Wallet.

Open URL with WebView [#suggested-reply-open-url-webview]

The Open URL with WebView action loads the specified web page inside the messaging app using the rendering engine of the default browser. This allows users to interact with the web page without leaving the RCS conversation.

You can configure WebView to display in one of three modes:

1. Full: The web page takes up the full screen.
2. Half: The web page takes up half of the screen.
3. Tall: The web page takes up three quarters of the screen.

If the device does not support WebView, or if the client chooses Browser mode, the page opens in the default browser application instead.

Where suggestions can appear

• In-message suggestions (chips): Quick actions displayed below a text or media message.
• In-card buttons: Actions shown on a rich card. You can include an optional suggested actions list. Each rich card supports up to 4 buttons, with a maximum of 11 suggested actions per message.

For complete implementation details and code examples, see the RCS API documentation.

Dial phone [#suggested-reply-dial-phone]

The Dial phone action guides users to dial a phone number an agent specifies. You can initiate a call by entering a phone number in the correct format.

Supported formats

Phone numbers must be a maximum 15-digit number, may optionally start with +, and must contain at least 1 digit.

• E.164 international format: Phone numbers must include a leading +, the country code, and an area code. Do not include separators. For example, +14155552671.
• Plain numeric format: For example, 0996600077
• Embedded link format: Supported only if the phone number itself matches the required syntax. Syntax must match: \"^\\+?[0-9]\\d{1,14}$\"".

Invalid formats

• National format with spaces or special characters are not supported: For example: 099 0000 011
• URL scheme (tel:): Example: tel:+385123456789
• Embedded link format with incorrect syntax.

Show and request location [#suggested-reply-show-and-request-location]

The Show location and Request location actions let you share a location with the users. You can either show a location by entering the latitude and longitude or request that a user share their location.

Create a calendar event [#suggested-reply-create-a-calendar-event]

The Create calendar event action opens the calendar app and creates a new event with the specified information.

Requirements:

• Add suggestion text (max 25 characters). This is the label shown on the suggested action (for example Add to calendar)
• Add postback data (maximum 2,048 characters). This value is sent back to your system when the end user selects the suggested action.
• Add an event title (max 100 characters).
• (Optional) Include an event description (max 500 characters)
• Specify event start and end date/time.

If you are sending RCS messages through Broadcast, for event start and end time/date you can define event data either as static values or as dynamic placeholders that are populated automatically when you set up the campaign.

• Select Static to manually pick dates using the calendar and time picker. Add a UTC offset if required to align with your recipients' local time.
• Select Dynamic to enter placeholders instead of fixed dates. The placeholders must match the attributes defined in your campaign data.

Google Wallet [#suggested-reply-google-wallet]

You can use Google Wallet within Google Messages and RCS to deliver non-payment pass types, such as:

• Loyalty cards
• Gift cards
• Offers and coupons
• Event tickets
• Flight boarding passes
• Transit tickets (bus, train, ferry, tram)
• Generic event passes

Requirements:

To implement Google Wallet, you must complete client-side development. Infobip solution engineers can provide technical assistance and guide you through the integration process. Contact support for more information.

Add to Google Wallet suggestion

To send an Add to Google Wallet suggestion through RCS, use an Open URL action through the web interface or the API for RCS. Configure the message payload as follows:

• Text: Enter Add Google Wallet

• URL: Submit the Add to Google Wallet URL for the pass.

The suggestion label automatically displays the Google Wallet icon.

Additional options

Available solutions

RCS over Broadcast

To send an RCS message over Broadcast, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the web interface, and go to Moments > Broadcast.

2. Select Create broadcast and choose RCS as the channel.

3. Define your audience:

   • Add recipients from People, upload a file containing your audience, or use an existing file.
   • For file uploads, see File requirements section.

4. Choose your sender and continue to the message setup.

5. In the Select to add content field, select to open the design editor.

6. Choose the preferred content type.

   • Each type supports different formats and limits.
   • The preview pane shows how your message will appear to recipients.

   Content type	What you can include	Key limits and recommendations
   Text	Up to 3,072 characters of plain text. Optionally add suggested actions.	Keep messages short and relevant for better readability. Up to 11 suggested actions.
   File	File URL (.pdf, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .png, .h263, .m4v, .mp4, .mpeg-4, .mpeg, .webm, .aac, .mp3, .mpg, .3gpp, .ogg). Supported formats depend on carrier capabilities. Optionally add a thumbnail and suggested actions.	Max file size: 100 MB. Thumbnail URL: up to 800 characters. Up to 11 suggested actions.
   Rich card	Horizontal or vertical card orientation with image or video (.jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .png, .h263, .m4v, .mp4, .mpeg, .mpeg4, .webm). Supported formats depend on carrier capabilities. Optionally add a title, thumbnail, description, rich card buttons, and suggested actions.	URL must begin with http:// or https:// (up to 1000 characters). Aspect ratios: Vertical: 2:1 (medium height), 3:1 (short height). Horizontal: 3:4. Up to 4 rich card buttons and 11 suggested actions. Title: up to 200 characters. Description: up to 2000 characters.
   Carousel	Multiple rich cards with individual layouts and actions.	Up to 10 cards. Aspect ratios: Medium width: 4:3 (medium height), 2:1 (short height). Small width: 4:5 (medium height), 5:4 (short height).

   For each content type, you can optionally add up to 11 suggested actions

   Suggested action	What it does	Required fields	Key limits and recommendations
   Reply	Sends a predefined reply to your system when the recipient selects the suggestion.	Text: Up to 25 characters. Postback: Up to 2,048 characters.	Use for simple user responses such as Yes, No, or More info.
   Open URL	Opens a webpage in a browser or within the RCS chat.	Text: Up to 25 characters. Website URL: Must start with https:// or http://, max 2,048 characters. Postback: Up to 2,048 characters.	You can choose Browser or WebView. WebView can display the page in full, half, or tall mode.
   Dial phone	Opens the phone dialer with a predefined number.	Text: Up to 25 characters. Phone number: In international format. Postback: Up to 2,048 characters.	Use for call-related actions such as Call agent or Contact support.
   Show location	Displays a map location based on coordinates.	Text: Up to 25 characters. Latitude: Between -90 and 90. Longitude: Between -180 and 180. Postback: Up to 2,048 characters.	Optional Label (up to 100 characters) can name the location.
   Request location	Asks the user to share their current location.	Text: Up to 25 characters. Postback: Up to 2,048 characters.	Use when you need the live location of the user, such as for deliveries or service requests.
   Create calendar event	Creates a calendar event on the device.	Text: Up to 25 characters. Postback: Up to 2,048 characters. Event date: Can be Static (fixed) or Dynamic (placeholder). Event title: Up to 100 characters.	Optional Event description: Up to 500 characters. Use static for fixed times or dynamic to populate event details automatically.

7. Select Done designing.

8. Adjust any additional settings as needed.

9. Select Continue to preview to see how your message will appear to recipients. Review the broadcast summary, including recipient information, approximate cost, delivery time window, sender details, and any warnings.

10. To make changes, select Back to settings. When ready, select Launch to send your broadcast.

RCS over API

Use RCS over API to send rich communication messages and integrate these capabilities into your existing systems to enhance customer interactions. Set up a failover option for devices not supporting RCS to ensure message delivery.