WhatsApp Template
WhatsApp Business API — Template Creation. A comprehensive onboarding guide covering every stage of template design, submission, approval, and scaling on Fonada — cross-referenced with Meta's current policies and 2025–2026 enforcement changes.
Part 1 — Message templates — foundations
Message templates — foundations
Templates are the only way to send a business-initiated message on WhatsApp. They are pre-approved by Meta, classified into a category, and billed per delivered message. Before you broadcast a single notification or promotion, understand the three template categories, template structure, and the rules Meta enforces around content and metadata.
Why templates exist
WhatsApp prevents businesses from sending unsolicited messages by requiring that any outbound message — outside of an active 24-hour customer service window — be a pre-approved template. This system is the foundation of the WhatsApp business platform; every promotional, transactional, or authentication message you initiate must be a template Meta has reviewed.
This guide covers three template types on the Fonada console — Basic, Media, and Carousel — along with category selection, common rejection reasons, pricing logic, prohibited verticals, and best practices for healthy scaling.
The three categories
Every template belongs to exactly one of three categories. Since 9 April 2025, Meta automatically re-categorizes a template if it disagrees with your selection — you can dispute within 60 days, but always pick the right category up front.
| Category | When to use it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Utility | Transactional updates — order confirmations, shipping, appointment reminders, account updates, payment receipts. | Cheapest category. Approval often under an hour. Generic surveys no longer qualify as Utility. |
| Authentication | OTPs and verification codes only. Meta-defined fixed format. | Must include OTP copy-code button. Requires Tier 2,000+ messaging tier. |
| Marketing | Promotions, offers, re-engagement, newsletters, abandoned-cart reminders. | Most expensive, strictest review (24–48 hours). Not delivered to US (+1) numbers. |
Template structure
A WhatsApp template has four components. Only the body is required; everything else is optional.
| Component | Purpose | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Header (optional) | Text, image, video, or document anchoring the message visually. | Text: max 60 characters. Media per Meta specifications. |
| Body (required) | Main message with variables {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. | Up to 1,024 characters. Up to 20 variables. Cannot start or end with a variable. |
| Footer (optional) | Small grey text — disclaimers or unsubscribe notes. | Max 60 characters. Plain text only — no variables, emojis, or links. |
| Buttons (optional, max 3) | Quick Reply, URL, phone-call, or copy-code buttons. | Total of 3 across types. Authentication must include OTP copy-code. |
Approval timelines & per-message pricing
Approval timelines
- Utility — usually approved within minutes to an hour.
- Authentication — usually minutes; requires Tier 2,000+.
- Marketing — typically 24–48 hours; human review takes longer.
Per-message pricing
As of 1 July 2025, WhatsApp moved from per-24h conversation pricing to per-delivered message pricing. Every delivered template message is billed individually by category and recipient country — roughly Authentication < Utility < Marketing. Customer service messages within the 24-hour window remain free. Marketing messages to US (+1) numbers are not delivered.
Common rejection reasons
Most rejections fall into a small set of recurring patterns. Fix the issue and resubmit — you do not need to wait.
| Cause | What to do |
|---|---|
| Wrong category | Move to correct category or rewrite. Meta may auto-reclassify since April 2025. |
| Variable at start or end | Rephrase so variable sits inside a sentence (e.g. "Hi {{1}}, your..."). |
| Too many variables | Reduce count or expand body — avoid spam-like density. |
| Invalid or unrelated URL | Use live, verifiable HTTPS URL (required since 1 January 2026). |
| Promotional language in wrong fields | Reserve marketing language for Marketing bodies only. |
| Excessive emojis or punctuation | Tone down — 2–3 emojis OK in Marketing; avoid ALL CAPS. |
| Vague content | Be specific about the action, transaction, or update. |
| Authentication with URLs or media | OTP-only format — no URLs, media, or emojis. |
| Duplicate template | Version the name (order_shipped_v2) and vary content. |
Part 2 — Template creation walkthroughs
Basic template — text-only messages
Basic templates are plain text with optional header, footer, and buttons — suitable for account alerts, confirmations, and brief promotions.
Step 1 — Open the Templates section
Navigate to WhatsApp Platform → Templates. Review dashboard metrics (total templates, active templates, sync health, delivery rate), then click Create Template.
Step 2 — Fill in the template details
Enter template name, language, category, and body content. Use variables like {{1}}, {{2}} and provide sample values for Meta's review.
Step 3 — Submit and wait for approval
Click Create Template to submit to Meta. Status moves to PENDING. Once APPROVED, the template is available for Campaigns and Broadcasts.
Media template — image, video, or document header
Media templates include a rich header (image, video, or document) to anchor the message visually — ideal for product launches and invitations.
Step 1 — Open the Templates section
WhatsApp Platform → Templates → Create Template.
Step 2 — Configure the template metadata
Name the template, choose language, and select category (Marketing, Utility, or Authentication).
Step 3 — Write the body and pick a header type
Write the message body with variables. In Template Components, choose Text, Image, Document, or Video for the header and upload the file.
Step 4 — Add optional buttons and footer
Up to three buttons: Quick Reply, URL / Website, Voice Call, or Copy Code. Footer is max 60 characters — plain text, no variables or emojis.
Step 5 — Define sample values for every variable
Every variable needs a realistic sample value for Meta review — use real names like "Rahul" or "Priya", not "TEST" or "12345".
Step 6 — Preview and submit
Check the live preview on the right, then click Create Template. Most approvals return within seconds to a few minutes for well-formed templates.
Carousel template — swipeable product cards
A carousel displays a message body followed by 2–10 horizontally scrollable cards. Each card has its own image or video, body text, and up to two buttons.
Step 1 — Open the Templates section
WhatsApp Platform → Templates → Create Template.
Step 2 — Configure the template metadata
Step 3 — Write the introductory body
The body sits above the carousel and frames the offering. Keep it concise — variables work as in other templates.
Step 4 — Build the carousel cards
Set Header type to Carousel. For each card, upload media, add body text (max 160 chars), and up to two buttons. Repeat for all cards.
Step 5 — Preview and submit
Part 3 — WhatsApp policies & prohibited verticals
WhatsApp policies & prohibited verticals
Two policies govern what you can sell and message about — the WhatsApp Business Policy and the Meta Commerce Policy. Violations escalate quickly.
Read these in full
- WhatsApp Business Policy — business.whatsapp.com/policy
- Meta Commerce Policy — facebook.com/policies_center/commerce
Prohibited verticals
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Drugs | Prescription and recreational prohibited from direct sale. |
| Tobacco and vapes | All tobacco, e-cigarettes, and accessories prohibited. |
| Alcohol | Restricted — limited countries, cannot sell in-thread. |
| Gambling | Casinos, lotteries, sports betting, fantasy sports — prohibited. |
| Adult content | Prohibited in all forms. |
| Weapons, ammunition, explosives | Prohibited. |
| Counterfeit goods | Prohibited. |
| Unsafe supplements | Unverified claims or non-approved supplements prohibited. |
| Cryptocurrencies & high-risk finance | Most crypto promotion and MLM schemes not allowed. |
| Medical devices for sale | Prohibited from commerce; support messaging may be allowed. |
AI chatbot policy (effective January 2026)
How enforcement works
WhatsApp uses automated systems and human review to detect policy violations.
- First violation: Warning in Meta Business Manager and email.
- Repeated violation: Temporary disablement (1–3 days).
- Continued violations: Longer disablement (5–7 days).
- Persistent violation: Permanent ban from the platform.
- Severe violations: Immediate permanent offboarding.
Category abuse detection (April 2025+)
Part 4 — Best practices for healthy scaling
Best practices for healthy scaling
Sending
- Warm up new numbers (50–100/day, doubling weekly).
- Roll campaigns over several days; coordinate portfolio limits.
- Schedule by recipient time zone.
- Cap marketing to 2–3 messages per recipient per week.
Templates
- Build your library early; submit 24 hours before campaign time.
- Version templates (order_shipped_v1, order_shipped_v2).
- Personalize with {{1}}, {{2}}; keep opted-in audience lists current.
- Run A/B variants for marketing templates.
Opt-ins
- Get explicit opt-in per message category; document when and where collected.
- Respect STOP/UNSUBSCRIBE immediately.
- Click-to-WhatsApp ads count as opt-in for a 72-hour window.
Operations
- Enable two-step verification with a 6-digit PIN.
- Monitor account update webhooks for policy warnings.
- Reply fast within the 24-hour service window.
- Run a weekly health check on quality rating and messaging tier.
Quick reference
Component limits at a glance
| Component | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Template name | 512 characters | Lowercase letters, numbers, underscores only. |
| Header text | 60 characters | May include one variable. |
| Header media (image) | 5 MB, JPG/PNG | Recommended 1200 × 628 px (1.91:1). |
| Header media (video) | 16 MB, MP4/3GPP | H.264 codec. Test on Android. |
| Body | 1,024 characters | Up to 20 variables. |
| Footer | 60 characters | Plain text. No variables or emojis. |
| Buttons (total) | 3 per template | Quick Reply, URL, Voice Call, Copy Code. |
| Carousel cards | 2–10 cards | Same media type and button type across all cards. |
| Carousel card body | 160 characters | Per card. |
| Template creation rate | 100 per hour | Per WhatsApp Business Account. |
Key dates to remember
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2025 | Per-delivered-message billing replaces per-24h conversation pricing. |
| 9 April 2025 | Meta auto-recategorizes Utility → Marketing if mismatched at submission. |
| 16 April 2025 | Repeat category-abuse offenders lose 24-hour advance notice. |
| 1 January 2026 | All template URLs must be valid, verifiable HTTPS. |
| 15 January 2026 | General-purpose AI chatbots banned — AI must have defined business purpose. |
Quality rating signals
| Signal | Effect | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| High open rate | Positive | Keep templates relevant and personalized. |
| Quick replies in 24h window | Strongly positive | Staff inboxes to respond fast. |
| Block / spam reports | Strongly negative | Tighten opt-ins; reduce frequency; segment audiences. |
| Low delivery rate | Negative | Clean stale numbers from your list. |
Useful links
- Meta WhatsApp template guidelines — developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/business-management-api/message-templates/
- Template categorization — developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/updates-to-pricing/new-template-guidelines/
- WhatsApp Business Policy — business.whatsapp.com/policy