WhatsApp API Message Templates: Complete Guide [2026]

If you use the WhatsApp Business API to communicate with your customers, there is a rule you must understand from the very first minute: you cannot send any message at any time. Meta requires that all communication initiated by the company -- outside the 24-hour service window -- be done through message templates that are pre-approved. These WhatsApp API templates are the key piece for WhatsApp marketing campaigns, transactional notifications, reminders, and any proactive communication at scale. In this guide, you will understand what they are, how to create them, how to get them approved, and how to use them with dynamic variables for each use case. If you are still unclear about how the API works in general, start with the complete WhatsApp Business API guide.

What Are Message Templates in the WhatsApp API

A message template (or message template) is a communication format pre-approved by Meta that companies use to initiate conversations with users through the WhatsApp Business API. Think of them as molds: you define the structure, text, and variables, and Meta reviews them before you can use them.

The reason for this system is to protect users from spam. WhatsApp wants the messages people receive to be relevant and expected. That is why each WhatsApp template goes through a review process that can take between a few minutes and 24 hours.

There are three types of templates according to the category that Meta assigns:

Utility: Order confirmations, shipping updates, account alerts, verification codes. Transactional communications that the user expects to receive.
Marketing: Promotions, offers, product launches, newsletters. Any message whose objective is commercial or engagement.
Authentication: OTP codes and two-step verifications. They have a specific format with an auto-complete button.

Each category has a different cost per conversation. Authentication is usually the most affordable, while marketing has the highest rate. If you want pricing details, check the WhatsApp Business API pricing.

How to Create and Send Templates Step by Step

Prerequisites

Before creating your first plantilla WhatsApp API, you need:

A verified Meta Business account with access to the WhatsApp Business Manager.
A phone number registered on the WhatsApp Business API, either through the direct Cloud API or through a BSP provider.
Administrator permissions in Business Manager to manage templates.

Step 1: Create the Template in Business Manager

Go to Meta Business Suite > WhatsApp Manager > Message Templates > Create template. You must specify:

Template name: Lowercase only, numbers, and underscores. Example: confirmacion_pedido_v2.
Category: Utility, Marketing, or Authentication. Choose carefully as it affects cost and the approval process.
Language: You can create the same template in multiple languages. For Spain, select es_ES.

Step 2: Define the Message Structure

Each template can include up to four components:

Header: Text, image, video, or document. Ideal for providing visual context.
Body: The main text of the message. This is where dynamic variables go, with the format {{1}}, {{2}}, etc.
Footer: Secondary text in gray, typically for disclaimers or legal information.
Buttons: Up to 3 buttons of type URL, phone call, or quick reply.

Step 3: Submit for Approval and Wait

Once configured, Meta reviews the template. The main rejection criteria are: misleading content, request for sensitive information, format that mimics system messages, and content that violates WhatsApp's commercial policies. If a template is rejected, you will receive the reason and can edit and resubmit it.

To send the template via API, you make a POST call to the messages endpoint with type: "template", the template name, language code, and variable values. If you are developing the integration in Python, you have a complete WhatsApp API with Python tutorial.

Best Practices and Common Mistakes with Templates

How to Send a Template Message via the WhatsApp API

Sending templates is not simply calling the API. There are rules that determine whether your message arrives or ends up in limbo:

24-hour window: You can only send free-form messages (without a template) during the 24 hours following the user's last message. Outside that window, you must use an approved template.
Quality rating: Meta monitors the quality of your templates. If users block or report your messages, the quality rating drops and Meta may automatically pause or disable the template.
Rate limits: The number of messages you can send depends on your account tier. You start with 250 conversations/day and scale up to 100,000 based on your quality history.

How to Create Effective Templates

Always personalize with dynamic variables: customer name, order number, date. A generic message has worse engagement.
Keep the body under 1,024 characters. Short and direct messages perform better.
Use quick reply buttons to guide the interaction. A "View order" button converts better than asking the user to type.
Do not mix utility content with promotions. If your order confirmation includes a discount, Meta reclassifies it as marketing and you pay more.
Test variations of the same template. You can have multiple approved versions and measure which generates better responses.

If you want to automate sending these messages with intelligent flows, templates are the foundation on which any serious automation is built.

Practical Examples of WhatsApp API Templates

Examples by Industry

E-commerce -- Order confirmation (Utility):

Hello {{1}}, your order #{{2}} has been confirmed. Estimated delivery on {{3}}. You can track the shipment here: {{4}}

SaaS -- Renewal reminder (Marketing):

{{1}}, your subscription to {{2}} renews on {{3}}. Renew now with a 15% discount using code {{4}}.

Healthcare -- Appointment reminder (Utility):

Hello {{1}}, we remind you of your appointment on {{2}} at {{3}} with {{4}}. Reply YES to confirm or NO to cancel.

Finance -- OTP Code (Authentication):

{{1}} is your verification code. It expires in 5 minutes. Do not share this code with anyone.

Hospitality -- Reservation confirmation (Utility):

{{1}}, your reservation at {{2}} is confirmed for {{3}} at {{4}}, {{5}} people. Reply to modify.

Ready-to-Use Templates

All these templates follow Meta's guidelines to maximize the approval rate. When creating yours, remember that dynamic variables {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. must have examples at the time of submission for review. Meta needs to see what type of content will go in each variable to validate the template.

For WhatsApp marketing campaigns at scale, you need to combine well-designed templates with intelligent segmentation. Check the WhatsApp marketing for business guide for complete campaign strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you send a template message via the WhatsApp API?

You make a POST call to the /messages endpoint of the Cloud API with the type parameter as "template", indicating the approved template name, language code, and the values of the dynamic variables. It is mandatory when initiating a conversation outside the 24-hour window.

How do you get templates in WhatsApp?

The templates are created from the WhatsApp Business Manager of Meta or through the template management API (/message_templates). Once created and approved, they become available for sending through the WhatsApp Business API. You can also use tools like GuruSup that simplify template management.

Can you send 1,000 messages at once on WhatsApp?

Yes, through the WhatsApp Business API and approved templates. The limit depends on your account tier: you start with 250 unique conversations per day and scale up to 100,000. For bulk sending, you need a queue with rate limit control (80 msg/s on the standard tier). The regular WhatsApp app does not allow bulk sends.

What is the template limit in the WhatsApp API?

Each WhatsApp Business API can have up to 250 approved message templates simultaneously, across all languages. There is no limit on the number of messages sent with each template, only the general account rate limit. Paused or rejected templates do not count toward this limit.

How GuruSup Optimizes Your WhatsApp API Templates

Key GuruSup Features

Managing templates, approving them, monitoring their quality, and combining them with AI agents that respond within the 24-hour window is what separates basic communication from an autonomous support strategy. GuruSup integrates directly with the WhatsApp Business API to offer you:

Visual template management: Create, edit, and submit templates for approval from a single panel, without touching Meta's Business Manager.
Dynamic variables connected to your CRM: The variables {{1}}, {{2}} are automatically populated with real data from your customers.
AI agents that take control: When the user replies to a template, an AI agent continues the conversation autonomously, resolving queries without human intervention.
Quality rating analytics: Monitor each template's performance in real time to avoid pauses due to low quality.

How to Get Started with GuruSup

Setting up your first template flow with AI agents takes less than 15 minutes. You connect your WhatsApp Business API account, import or create templates, and the AI agent takes care of the rest: from answering frequently asked questions to escalating to a human when necessary.

For the complete context of how the API connects with the entire customer service ecosystem, go back to the WhatsApp Business API guide.

GuruSup turns your WhatsApp templates into the entry point of a complete autonomous support system: AI agents, multi-agent inbox, and integrated CRM. No code, no complications. Try GuruSup for free.