Message Template
A WhatsApp message template is a pre-approved message that a business uses to start a conversation or send a notification outside the 24-hour customer-care window. Templates can include variables, buttons and media, and must be approved by Meta before use.
Templates keep business-initiated messaging predictable and non-spammy, which is why Meta reviews each one. They come in Marketing, Utility and Authentication categories.
Inside the 24-hour window, replies to a customer can be free-form; templates are required to message first or after the window closes.
Message Template: common questions
Do WhatsApp templates need approval?
Yes. On the WhatsApp Business Platform, Marketing and Utility templates need Meta approval before you can send them at scale.
Related terms
- Marketing Template
- Utility Template
- Authentication Template
- Template Approval
- Customer-Care Window (24-Hour Window)
Put WhatsApp to work for your business
Shared team inbox, automation, broadcasts and commerce, on the official WhatsApp Business Platform.