Message templates

On the WhatsApp Business API you can reply freely inside the 24-hour customer-service window, but to start a conversation — a broadcast, an order update, an appointment reminder — you must use a message template that Meta has reviewed and approved in advance.

The review exists because templates reach people who have not just messaged you. Meta checks the wording, the category, and policy compliance before letting a template go out. Approved templates can then be sent any time, with per-recipient personalisation through variables. Session replies inside the 24-hour window are covered in Send messages.

Every template belongs to one of three Meta categories. Pick the one that honestly matches the content — Meta may reject or re-categorise templates whose category does not match the copy.

A template has up to four parts; only the body is required:

• Header (optional) — a short text line (maximum 60 characters) or a media attachment: image, video, or PDF document. Media headers need a sample file at creation time so Meta's reviewers can see what recipients will get.
• Body (required) — the main message. Insert numbered placeholders like {{1}} and {{2}} wherever a per-recipient value should go — a name, an order number, an amount. Meta does not allow a variable as the very first or very last thing in the body; the dashboard checks this before submitting.
• Footer (optional) — a small muted line under the body, commonly used for opt-out text such as "Reply STOP to unsubscribe".
• Buttons (optional) — quick-reply buttons (the tap becomes an inbound message), URL buttons that open a website, call buttons that dial a phone number, and copy-code buttons for offer codes.

Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has been shipped and
should arrive by {{3}}. Track it anytime from the
link below.

Approval usually takes minutes to a few hours. Meta may occasionally take longer, ask for changes, or reject a template outright — no platform can guarantee approval. The most common rejection reasons, and how to fix them:

• Vague or floating variables. A body like "Hi {{1}}, {{2}}" gives reviewers no idea what will be sent. Surround every variable with concrete context ("your order {{1}} ships on {{2}}"), and never start or end the body with one.
• Prohibited content. Anything that violates WhatsApp's Business or Commerce policies — restricted goods, misleading claims, sensitive personal data requests — is rejected regardless of wording. Rework the offer, not just the phrasing.
• Category mismatch. Promotional copy submitted as Utility is the classic case: a "delivery update" that also pushes a discount usually comes back rejected or re-categorised as Marketing. Keep utility templates strictly transactional, or submit the promotional version honestly as Marketing.
• Formatting problems. Spelling mistakes, excessive capitalisation, or URLs from link shorteners can trip the review. Use your own domain in URL buttons and keep the copy clean.

The placeholders are filled at send time, and the mechanism depends on how you send:

Via the REST API, pass a variables array — the first element fills {{1}}, the second {{2}}, and so on:

{
  "phone": "919876543210",
  "template": "order_shipped",
  "language": "en_US",
  "variables": ["Priya", "INV-2026-041", "Friday"]
}

In campaigns, add columns named var_1, var_2, … next to the phone column in your CSV — each row personalises that recipient's message. Details in Campaigns & broadcasts; authentication and full API setup in the API quickstart.