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A message template is a pre-approved WhatsApp message. You need one to write to a contact outside the 24-hour window (after 24 hours with no reply from them), which is how re-engagement and proactive follow-up work on WhatsApp. See WhatsApp costs and the 24-hour window for when this applies and what Meta charges.

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The Message templates screen

Open Message templates and click Add template. The list shows each template’s Status, Category, Language, message, and buttons.

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Pick a category

Every template has a Meta category, and picking the right one matters for approval:
  • Utility: about an existing order or request (a confirmation, a reminder, an update).
  • Marketing: promotions, offers, re-engagement, anything that sells.
  • Authentication: one-time passcodes.
Putting marketing content in a Utility template is the most common reason a template is rejected, so match the category to what the message actually does.

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Write it

Add the body, and use Insert variable to drop in personalization like the contact’s first name or a value from a catalog. A couple of Meta rules the editor enforces: the header allows at most one variable or a media file, and the footer takes no variables. You can add buttons: quick replies, a website link, or a phone number.

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Get it approved

When you submit, the status goes to Pending while Meta reviews it, then Approved or Rejected (usually within minutes to a few hours). Common rejection reasons:
  • The category does not match the content (see above).
  • Variables with no example values, or a message that is just variables with no real text.
  • Vague, promotional, or misleading wording.
Fix the flagged issue and resubmit. An approved template can later be Paused or Disabled by Meta if recipients react badly to it, so keep templates relevant.

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Send it

Once approved, you can send a template from a conversation in the Inbox (this is what the 24-hour-window banner points to) or to a list of contacts as a broadcast. Sending a template draws WhatsApp costs from your wallet at Meta’s rate, by category.