Use these guidelines when choosing a category for each of your templates.
Updated: July 25,2024
Authentication templates
Authentication templates enable businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes (usually 4-8 digit alphanumeric codes), potentially at multiple steps in the login process (e.g., account verification, account recovery, integrity challenges).
Authentication templates are our most restricted. For a template to be classified as authentication, a business must:
- Use WhatsApp’s preset authentication message templates, which include optional add-ons like security disclaimers and expiry warnings
- Configure a one-time password button (copy-code or one-tap)
- Follow content restrictions: URLs, media, and emojis are not allowed for authentication template content or parameters. Additional length restrictions of 15 characters also apply to parameters.
Definition | Examples |
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Authentication code |
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Utility templates
Utility templates relate to a specific, agreed-upon transaction and accomplish one of the following: Confirm, suspend, or change a transaction or subscription.
Any template that has a mix of utility and marketing content will be classified as a marketing template.
Definition | Examples |
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Confirmation, suspension or termination of an existing transaction |
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Change or update to a transaction |
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Note: Examples are illustrative only, templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.
Marketing templates
Marketing templates are our most flexible. They do not relate to a specific, agreed-upon transaction and instead may relate to the business and/or its products/services. These templates may include promotions or offers; welcoming or closing messages; updates, invitations or recommendations; or requests to respond or complete a new transaction.
Any template that has a mix of utility and marketing content will be classified as a marketing template.
Definition | Examples |
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Promotions or offers |
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Welcoming or closing messages |
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Updates, invitations, newsletters, or recommendations |
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Requests to respond or complete a new transaction |
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Note: Examples are illustrative only, templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.