Every message you start on the WhatsApp Business API must use a template approved by Meta. Most templates are reviewed within minutes, but a rejection can hold up a campaign. Here is how to get approved first time.
Check your draft with the free WhatsApp template preview and checker before you submit.
1. Choose the right category
- Marketing: offers, new products, cart reminders, re-engagement.
- Utility: updates about something the customer already did: order confirmation, shipping, payment receipt.
- Authentication: one-time passwords only.
If a utility template contains promotional wording (“use code SAVE10 on your next order”), Meta will re-categorise it as marketing, which costs more. See utility vs marketing messages.
2. Respect the length limits
| Part | Limit |
|---|---|
| Header (text) | 60 characters, at most one variable |
| Body | 1,024 characters |
| Footer | 60 characters, no variables |
| Button label | 25 characters |
3. Use variables carefully
The most common rejections are about variables like {{1}}:
- Don’t start or end the message with a variable. “Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has shipped. Track it below.” is fine; “{{1}}” on its own line at the end is not.
- Don’t put variables next to each other (“{{1}} {{2}}”). Put words between them.
- Number them in order with no gaps: {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}.
- Don’t use too many variables for the amount of fixed text.
- Give realistic sample values when you submit, so the reviewer understands the message.
4. Write clearly
- Avoid ALL CAPS, strings of emoji and vague calls like “click here”.
- Use full, branded links rather than link shorteners.
- Don’t ask for sensitive data such as card numbers or passwords.
- Keep spelling and grammar clean.
5. Give people a way out
For marketing templates, add a footer or quick-reply button such as “Stop promotions”. Fewer blocks keep your quality rating and messaging limits healthy. More in our guide on avoiding blocks by Meta.
If your template is rejected
Read the rejection reason in WhatsApp Manager, fix that one issue, and submit it as a new template name rather than editing repeatedly. Hello24 customers get templates reviewed by our team during 1:1 onboarding.
