WhatsApp Message Templates: Categories, Examples and How to Get Them Approved
Every message you send first has to be a template Meta has approved. Choose the wrong category or place a variable badly and it gets rejected — here’s how to get it right first time.
On the WhatsApp Business API you can reply freely to a customer who messaged you in the last 24 hours. To message anyone else — a broadcast, an order update, an OTP — you need a message template that Meta has reviewed and approved.
What is a WhatsApp message template?
A template is a pre-approved message format with placeholders, written as {{1}}, {{2}} and so on, that you fill in for each customer. "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has shipped" becomes "Hi Priya, your order 4521 has shipped".
The three template categories
- Marketing — promotions, offers, new arrivals, festive greetings, re-engagement. The most expensive category.
- Utility — updates about a transaction the customer started: order confirmations, delivery updates, payment receipts, appointment reminders.
- Authentication — one-time passwords for login or verification, in a fixed format Meta provides.
Meta checks the category you choose. If a utility template contains promotional content, Meta can change its category to marketing — and you'll pay marketing rates for it. See WhatsApp API pricing in India.
Anatomy of a template
| Part | Required? | What it holds |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Optional | Up to 60 characters of text, or an image, video or document |
| Body | Required | Up to 1,024 characters, with variables |
| Footer | Optional | Up to 60 characters, e.g. "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" |
| Buttons | Optional | Quick replies, a website link, a phone number or a copy-code button |
Template examples that get approved
Browse more ready-made formats in our WhatsApp template library.
9 common reasons templates get rejected
- The body starts or ends with a variable — always put some text before the first and after the last {{ }}.
- Variables placed side by side with no words between them, like {{1}} {{2}}.
- Too many variables for a short message, which makes the purpose unclear.
- Missing or unrealistic sample values when you submit.
- Wrong category — promotional wording in a utility template.
- Misleading or threatening language, fake urgency or clickbait.
- Asking for sensitive information such as full card numbers, bank details or passwords.
- Restricted products or services under WhatsApp's Commerce and Business Policies.
- Vague content — a template that doesn't say who you are or why you're messaging.
Tips to get approved faster
- Write it the way you'd write a real message to one customer, not a slogan.
- Mention your business name so the customer knows who's messaging.
- Give realistic sample values for every variable.
- Keep marketing honest, and add an opt-out line in the footer.
- Start from a format that already works, then adjust it.
Most templates are reviewed within minutes; some take up to a day. Once approved, you can use it in bulk broadcasts or inside your chatbot flows.
Frequently asked questions
How long does WhatsApp template approval take?
Most templates are reviewed within minutes. Some take longer — up to about 24 hours — especially new marketing templates.
Why did Meta change my utility template to marketing?
Meta re-categorises templates whose content is promotional. Keep utility templates strictly about a transaction the customer started, such as an order or appointment, with no offers or upsells.
Can a WhatsApp template start with a variable like {{1}}?
No. Templates whose body starts or ends with a variable are commonly rejected. Add a few words before the first variable and after the last one.
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