Framework

Business Chat

Chat with your customers using the Messages app.

Overview

Business Chat is a service that allows your organization to communicate directly with your customers using the Messages app. You can use the power of the Swift framework to define where your Business Chat buttons are displayed and set up your iOS and macOS entry points accordingly. Depending on your configuration, customers can find your business and start a conversation from Siri, Safari, Search, Maps, your website, and iOS apps.

Through Apple Business Register, you can create Business Chat Accounts (BCAs) or Customer Service Platform (CSP) accounts. BCAs are for businesses who want to communicate with their customers using Business Chat; CSP accounts are for messaging service providers that offer Business Chat as a service for other businesses. For more information about these accounts and how to qualify for them, see Business Chat Getting Started Guide.

If you want to implement REST API solutions on your CSP, see Business Chat REST API.

Screenshot of Business Chat Message buttons on iPhone and macOS websites, and a conversation between a customer and an agent on iPhone using the Messages app.

Apple devices running iOS 11.3 and later or macOS 10.13.4 and later support Business Chat.

Topics

First Steps

Registering for Business Chat

Register your business with Apple to start using Business Chat.

Exploring Business Chat

Give Business Chat a try using Business Chat Sandbox and Messages.

Chat with Customers

Starting a Chat from your App

Let customers start a conversation with you from your app.

Adding a Business Chat Button to Your Website

Let customers start a conversation with you by adding a Business Chat button to your website.

Starting a Chat from a URL

Let customers start a conversation with you from your website or email message.

Business and Place Cards

Allow customers to contact your business from Maps, Safari, Siri, and Spotlight searches.

Classes

class BCChatAction

Performs actions for a chat.

class BCChatButton

A Business Chat-branded button for use in your app.

Beta Software

This documentation contains preliminary information about an API or technology in development. This information is subject to change, and software implemented according to this documentation should be tested with final operating system software.

Learn more about using Apple's beta software