If you’re building a WhatsApp data channel flow and see this error:
INVALID_ROUTING_MODEL: Number of branches exceeds the max limit of 10 for screen: (screenId).
You’ve likely hit a platform limitation—and here's how to fix it.
What This Error Means
Each screen in your flow can only branch out to a maximum of 10 other screens.
If a screen has more than 10 outgoing connections in the routing_model, the system throws this error to prevent performance and UX issues.
Example That Causes the Error
{
"routing_model": {
"FIRST_SCREEN": ["1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9", "10", "11", "12"]
}
}Here:
FIRST_SCREEN links to 12 different screens.
This exceeds the limit of 10 → error triggered.
How to Fix It?
You need to reduce the number of outgoing branches from that screen to 10 or fewer.
Option 1: Split Choices Across Multiple Screens
Break down your options into smaller chunks and route users through additional steps.
Example:
{
"routing_model": {
"FIRST_SCREEN": ["CHOICE_SCREEN_1"],
"CHOICE_SCREEN_1": ["1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "CHOICE_SCREEN_2"],
"CHOICE_SCREEN_2": ["6", "7", "8", "9", "10", "11"]
}
}This keeps each screen under the 10-branch limit but still covers all options.
Option 2: Use Menus, Carousels, or Pagination
If your UI supports it, show fewer options per screen and let users navigate to more.
For more troubleshooting insights related to WhatsApp Business API, check out heltar.com/blogs.