Create a template and submit it to Meta
Every field of the template builder, the variable and button rules, and what the statuses mean.
Updated 29 October 2026
Templates are the messages Meta lets you send outside the 24-hour window and in every broadcast. Open "Message Templates" and press "Create Template". The "New template" dialog says it plainly: Meta reviews every template before it can be sent, and approval usually takes a few minutes to a day.
The builder
| Field | Rule |
|---|---|
| Start from | "Blank", "Shopify order confirmation" or "Shopify abandoned cart" presets. |
| Template name | Lowercase letters, numbers and underscores. It cannot be changed after creation. |
| Category | "Utility" for order and delivery updates, "Marketing" for offers. One-time passcodes are created in WhatsApp Manager, not here. The category is locked once the template is approved. |
| Language | English (US), English (UK), Urdu, Hindi or Arabic. |
| Header | None, Text (up to 60 characters), Image, Video or Document. A media header needs a sample file: paste a URL or upload one, because Meta reviews the template with it. |
| Body | Required, up to 1,024 characters. Type @ to insert a variable such as @customerName, @orderNumber, @total, @currency, @items, @trackingNumber, @trackingLink or @checkoutUrl; the numbered {{1}} style works too. |
| Footer | Optional, up to 60 characters. |
| Sample values | Shown when the body has variables. Meta reviews the template with these examples filled in; real messages use the customer’s data. |
| Buttons | "Quick reply" (up to 3), "Visit website" (up to 2, a fixed https:// link) and "Call phone number" (1, with the country code). Labels are up to 25 characters. |
The preview on the right shows the message as the customer will see it. Press "Submit for approval". The list then shows the status Meta reports: "Pending", "Approved" or "Rejected". "Refresh" fetches the current status from Meta; the list does not refresh on its own.
Editing and deleting
Open a template with the pencil icon. Edits are sent back to Meta for review. The trash icon deletes it on Meta as well, after a confirmation. The "Send" action on a row works only for approved templates.