# Template Review & Approval

### Approval Criteria

WhatsApp may **reject** a template if any of the following apply:

* **Invalid format**: missing, misplaced, or malformed placeholders.
* **Policy violations**: content conflicts with WhatsApp Terms/Business/Commerce policies.
* **Too generic**: lacks context or looks like it could be misused.

### Template Statuses

* **Pending** — Under automated review and/or manual review (may take up to 48 hours).
* **Approved** — Ready to use; messages can be sent to customers.
* **Rejected** — Not approved during review (see common fixes below).
* **Paused** — Temporarily halted due to negative user feedback (e.g., blocks/spam reports); cannot be used while paused.
* **Disabled** — Permanently blocked due to repeated negative feedback or a policy violation; cannot be used.

###  Common Rejection Reasons & How to Fix

| Reason                                                            | How to fix                                                                 |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Variable at the very start or end of the message                  | Add static text or punctuation before/after the variable                   |
| Adjacent variables (e.g., {{1}}{{2}})                             | Add at least one word/symbol between them, or merge into a single variable |
| Non-sequential variable numbers (e.g., {{1}}, {{2}}, {{4}})       | Make variables sequential ({{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}…)                           |
| Duplicates another template (name-only change)                    | Change both the name and the message content                               |
| Contains gaming/gambling language (e.g., “raffle”, “win a prize”) | Replace with neutral wording that avoids gaming/gambling terms             |
| Overly vague (e.g., “Hi, {{1}}, thanks”)                          | Add clear context and purpose so reviewers see intended use                |
| Language doesn’t match content                                    | Select the correct language for the message text                           |
| More than 10 emojis                                               | Reduce emojis to 10 or fewer                                               |

### Template Categorization (pick the correct type)

See Meta’s guidelines: [New Template Guidelines](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/updates-to-pricing/new-template-guidelines/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

**Utility** 

Service/transactional updates the user expects.

* *Examples*:
  * “Your order **#{{1}}** was delivered on **{{2}}**.”
  * “Your appointment on **{{1}}** at **{{2}}** is confirmed.”
  * “Payment **{{1}}** received. View receipt: **{{2}}**.”

**Authentication**

Messages that deliver one-time passcodes.

* *Examples*:

  * “Your verification code is **{{1}}**. It expires in **{{2}}** minutes.”
  * “Use **{{1}}** to confirm your login on **{{2}}**.”

Marketing

Promotional or engagement messages intended to drive action (offers, new products, win-backs, reminders to complete a purchase).

* **Examples**
  * “New offer: **{{1}}** off **{{2}}**. Shop now: **{{3}}**.”
  * “Back in stock: **{{1}}**. Tap to buy: **{{2}}**.”
  * “You left **{{1}}** in your cart. Complete your order: **{{2}}**.”
  * “Exclusive launch for you, **{{1}}**. Learn more: **{{2}}**.”
* **Best practices**
  * Obtain user **opt-in** before sending marketing messages. [Facebook Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/overview/getting-opt-in/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  * Consider adding an **opt-out** quick reply (e.g., “Stop promotions”) to reduce spam reports and keep quality high. (Some platforms expose a “marketing opt-out” option in the template builder.)
  * Meta may apply **per-user marketing template limits** and different pricing/handling vs. Utility/Auth.

> **Tip:** Keep variables only for the parts that truly change (names, times, codes, order IDs). Avoid starting or ending the message with a variable, avoid fully dynamic URLs, and always include realistic **sample values** when submitting.


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