A template is a message you register with Meta in advance. You need one for any message you start — that is, any message sent to a customer outside an open 24-hour reply window.
What a template is made of
- A category: marketing, utility or authentication
- An optional header: text, an image, a video or a document
- The body, which can contain variables
- An optional footer
- Optional buttons: quick replies, a link, or a phone number
How approval works
You submit the template and Meta reviews it, usually within minutes but sometimes longer. Approved templates can be sent immediately. Rejected ones can be edited and resubmitted.