How to Create WhatsApp Templates

Overview

If you want to message your contacts after the 24-hour messaging window has closed, you need to create a template. Templates are required for starting business-initiated conversations on WhatsApp and can include customer care messages, appointment reminders, payment updates, shipping notifications, and more.

Types of message templates

• Marketing — promotional offers and product announcements
• Authentication — secure account access codes
• Utility — important information like account updates and alerts

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Creating a template

1. Open WhatsApp Manager. Go to … → Manage message templates. You'll be redirected to the message templates page.

2. Click Create Template.

3. Choose a category for your template: Marketing, Utility, or Authentication.

4. Give the template a unique name and select the language, then click Continue.

5. Add content to your template. Only the Body section is required.

6. Header — can contain text or media (image, video, document) and supports one variable.

7. Body — supports basic formatting and multiple variables (depending on text length).

8. Footer — supports text only, no variables.

9. Buttons — for Marketing templates, you can add interactive buttons. Two call-to-action button types are available:

   • Call Phone Number
   • Visit Website (static or dynamic)

   You can also add up to 3 Quick Reply buttons.

10. Click Submit to send your template for Meta's approval. The Meta team will review it within 24 hours. You can check the status in your templates list.

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Important notes

Template categories and opt-out

Only Marketing templates can include an Opt-out button. Utility and Authentication templates don't support this feature — your contacts can only unsubscribe from Marketing messages.

Template status notifications

To get updates on whether your template was approved or rejected:

1. Open Business settings in Meta Business Suite.
2. Go to the Notifications tab.
3. Switch the toggles on under WhatsApp accounts.

Missing templates

If your template isn't appearing in your list, check if it contains only supported button types:

• Call Phone Number
• Visit Website

Templates with unsupported button types won't appear in your available templates list.