Configure message time-to-live | Developer Documentation

Configure message time-to-live
Updated: Feb 27, 2026
If a message cannot be delivered to a WhatsApp user, delivery is retried for a period of time known as time-to-live (“TTL”), or the message validity period.
You can customize the default TTL for authentication and utility templates sent via Cloud API, and for marketing templates sent via Marketing Messages API for WhatsApp.
Set a TTL for all authentication templates, preferably equal to or less than your code expiration time, to ensure your customers only get a message when a code is still usable.
Defaults, min/max values, and compatibility table
Authentication 
Utility 
Marketing 
Default TTL
10 minutes
30 days for authentication templates created before October 23, 2024
30 days
30 days
Compatibility
Cloud API
Cloud API only
Marketing Messages API for WhatsApp
Customizable range
30 seconds to 15 minutes
30 seconds to 12 hours
12 hours to 30 days