If you're running into the DUPLICATE_SCREEN_IDS error, the fix is simple and immediate:

Solution: Make sure each screen in your Flow has a unique id.

What's Going Wrong?

The error message:

DUPLICATE_SCREEN_IDS  

Duplicate screen id found: (duplicate screen ID).  

Screen IDs must be unique.

means that somewhere in your JSON structure, you’ve defined two or more screens with the same id. This confuses the Flow engine because it relies on screen IDs for navigation, transitions, and data handling.

Here’s a minimal example of the problem:

{
  "screens": [
    {
      "id": "screenA",
      "layout": { ... }
    },
    {
      "id": "screenA",
      "layout": { ... }
    }
  ]
}

Why It Happens

  • Copy-pasting screen objects without updating the id

  • Merging flows or branches without resolving naming conflicts

  • Dynamically generating screens but reusing the same identifier

How to Fix It

Scan your JSON and find all id fields inside screens.

Ensure each id is unique. Even small typos can save you a lot of debugging time.

{
  "id": "screenA"
},
{
  "id": "screenB" // changed from screenA to screenB
}

If your screens are dynamically generated, build a naming pattern like screen_step1, screen_step2, etc.

Developer Tip

If you're working in a large or dynamic project, consider writing a script to validate screen IDs before pushing changes. It’s a small step that prevents runtime errors and broken navigation.

For more troubleshooting insights related to WhatsApp Business API, check out heltar.com/blogs.