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📝 Templates

Templates are the pre-approved messages you can send to customers on WhatsApp. Find them in the sidebar at Dashboard → Messaging → Templates.

Why templates exist

WhatsApp has a rule: if a customer hasn't messaged you in the last 24 hours, you can only send them an approved template. This keeps the platform spam-free.

So before you can run a campaign or send the first message in a new conversation, you need at least one template that Meta has approved.

The three template categories

MARKETING

Promotions, offers, announcements, newsletters. Customers must have opted in.

UTILITY

Order updates, shipping notifications, appointment reminders, receipts. Tied to a transaction or account.

AUTHENTICATION

One-time passwords (OTPs) and verification codes. Tightly restricted format.

Pick the right category — Meta will reject a marketing message submitted as utility.

What a template is made of

  • Header (optional) — text, image, video, or document. The eye-catcher.
  • Body — the main text. Can include variables like {{1}} or named variables like {{name}}.
  • Footer (optional) — a small line at the bottom (e.g. "Reply STOP to unsubscribe").
  • Buttons (optional) — quick-reply buttons, link buttons, or call buttons. Up to 10.

Two ways to create a template

1. Pick from the gallery

The Templates page opens with a Browse tab full of ready-made templates (order confirmation, abandoned cart, welcome, OTP, etc.). Click one, hit Customize, change the wording to match your brand, then submit.

2. Build from scratch

Click Create Template. Choose a category and language, fill in the header/body/buttons, and preview it on the right. You'll see exactly how it looks on a phone before submitting.

Variables — making each message personal

Variables let you send the same template to thousands of people but address each by name (or order ID, or appointment time…).

In the body, just write:

Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has shipped!
Track it here: {{3}}

You'll fill these in when you build the campaign — either from a contact field (fullname), a custom field (custom:order_id), or static text.

Approval — what happens after you submit

  1. Status starts at PENDING. Meta reviews it (usually a few minutes, sometimes up to a day).
  2. APPROVED — you can use it in campaigns and one-off sends.
  3. REJECTED — Meta explains why (wrong category, promotional content in a utility template, missing opt-in language…). Edit and resubmit.
Heads up: you can't edit an approved template much without re-submitting for review. Get it right the first time.

Syncing with WhatsApp

The Templates page has a Syncbutton. Click it any time you suspect Meta has updated a status — it pulls the latest from Meta's servers and refreshes the list.

What's next