Message Templates
Message layouts Meta approves in advance, so you can be the one to start a conversation.
Why templates exist
WhatsApp protects people from spam by requiring businesses to use an approved template whenever they start a conversation, or message someone more than 24 hours after that person last wrote to them. A template is a reusable message with a fixed structure that Meta reviews before you can send it.
What a template contains
- Body text: the main message. It can include placeholders like
{{1}}and{{2}}that you fill in each time you send, such as a customer's name or an order number. - Header (optional): a short headline, an image or a PDF document.
- Footer (optional): a line of small print, for example "Reply STOP to unsubscribe".
- Buttons (optional): up to three quick replies, website links or a call button.
- Category: Marketing, Utility or Authentication. The category decides what Meta charges and which rules apply.
Creating a template
- Go to Send a Broadcast → Message Templates and click New template.
- Choose the language and category.
- Write the body, adding placeholders where you want personal details.
- Add a header if you want one: type a headline, or upload a sample image or PDF.
- Add up to three buttons (see below).
- Check the live preview. It shows exactly what the contact will see.
- Submit it to Meta. Reviews usually take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.
- Once it's approved, the template is ready to use in broadcasts, workflows and the inbox.
Stuck on the wording? Generate body with AI drafts the body from a one-line description of what the template is for.
Adding a picture or PDF
Choose the header format first, then upload a sample file. Meta reviews the sample; your contacts never see it. When you send the template, you attach the real file (this week's offer picture, that customer's invoice) on the broadcast or inbox screen.
- Image: JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 MB.
- Document: PDF, up to 16 MB.
Adding buttons
Click + Add button for each one. WhatsApp allows at most three per template:
| Type | What it does | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Quick reply | The contact taps it and that text is sent back to you, starting a conversation. | 3 |
| Visit website | Opens a link you choose. | 2 |
| Call phone number | Dials the number you choose. | 1 |
Button text is capped at 25 characters. Say what the button does (Shop now, Track my order, Talk to us), not a full sentence.
A quick-reply button is the easiest way to start a two-way conversation. Once the contact taps it, you can reply freely for 24 hours without another template.
Good to know
- The wording of an approved template is fixed. Placeholders are how you personalise each send.
- To change an approved template's wording, create a new template and submit it again.
- If Meta rejects a template, adjust the wording and resubmit. A common reason is promotional language in a Utility template.
- Every placeholder has to be filled in when you send, so keep the number of them manageable.
Approved templates are your permission to reach out first. Build a small library for the messages you send most: welcome, order update, appointment reminder and win-back.
