Template approval and why Meta rejects templates

WhatsApp (Meta) must approve a template before it can send. Each template shows its current status.

Template category

Every template has a Meta category — Utility, Marketing or Authentication — shown in its Overview. The category affects approval: WhatsApp checks that the content matches it. Putting promotional wording in a template categorised as Utility, for example, is a common rejection reason. You choose the category — Utility or Marketing — when you submit the template, and some formats are automatically classed as Marketing. Pick the one that genuinely fits the message.

The statuses

• Draft — not yet submitted. Edit, submit or delete it.

• Pending approval — submitted to WhatsApp and awaiting review (usually within about a day).

• Approved — live and ready to send. You can create a new version, duplicate or archive it.

• Rejected — WhatsApp declined it; the reason is shown.

• Archived — retired and not in use; restore or delete it.

If a template is rejected

Open it to see the rejection reason. Common causes include promotional wording without an opt-out, formatting or special-character issues, or content that doesn't match its category. Fix the issue and choose Fix and resubmit.

Catch problems early

A template that's pending or rejected can't be used to send — a campaign or journey step relying on it will fail until it's approved. Submit templates ahead of when you need them so approval has time to come through.