Why templates exist
WhatsApp only lets businesses send free-form messages when a customer has already written in. The moment the last customer message is more than 24 hours old — or you’re reaching out to someone who hasn’t messaged you at all — Meta requires the outbound message to use a template it has approved in advance.
That approval process exists so customers aren’t flooded with unsolicited or misleading content. Meta reviews the template once, and from then on you can send it to any opted-in recipient as many times as needed, filling in the variable fields with per-recipient details.
When you need a template
You need a template whenever you’re starting a conversation or sending a message outside an open conversation window:
Proactive messaging — sending a WhatsApp message to a contact from Octopods or the Reach browser extension when there’s no open conversation.
Broadcasts — bulk messages sent to many recipients at once.
Automated flows — any system-triggered outbound message (for example, an order confirmation sent right after purchase).
You don’t need a template when the customer has messaged you in the last 24 hours and you’re replying inside that open conversation window. Inside the window, any reply can be free-form text.
Template categories
Meta groups every template into one of three categories. The category determines what’s allowed in the content, how Meta reviews it, and what it costs to send:
Marketing — promotions, product recommendations, announcements, re-engagement. Most restrictive category with the most thorough review.
Utility — transactional messages like order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders, account notices, and receipts. Must be tied to a real user action.
Authentication — one-time passwords, verification codes, security alerts. Has a dedicated one-tap “copy code” button format that Meta supports only in this category.
Pick the category that most accurately describes the message. Marketing content sent under a Utility category is a common reason for rejection.
Variables and placeholders
Templates support dynamic content through numbered placeholders. Anywhere you write #{{1}}, #{{2}}, and so on, you can substitute a different value at send time — for example a customer name, order number, or appointment date. See Creating WhatsApp Templates for the full mechanics.
The 24-hour conversation window
Every time a customer messages your WhatsApp number, a 24-hour conversation window opens. Inside the window you can send any free-form message. Once the window closes — that is, 24 hours after the last customer message — you must use a template to reach them again.
Tip: Sending a non-marketing template to a recipient who writes back immediately re-opens the conversation window, letting your team continue with free-form replies.
What approved templates let you do
Once Meta approves a template, it’s available for:
Direct sends from a conversation or contact — agents can pick an approved template, fill in the variables, and send.
Proactive messages from the Reach browser extension — agents working inside Intercom can compose a template message without leaving their customer platform.
Broadcast campaigns — bulk messaging to segmented lists, using the template for every recipient with personalized variable values.
What’s next