Template management | Developer Documentation

Template management

Updated: Nov 14, 2025

Learn about common endpoints used to manage templates.

Get templates

~~Use the~~ GET/<WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID>/message_templates ~~endpoint to get a list of templates in a WhatsApp Business Account.~~

Get all templates

~~Example request to get all templates (default fields):~~

curl'https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/102290129340398/message_templates' \
-H'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...'

~~Example response, truncated (~~...~~) for brevity:~~

{
"data": [
    {
"name": "reservation_confirmation",
"parameter_format": "NAMED",
"components": [
        {
"type": "HEADER",
"format": "IMAGE",
"example": {
"header_handle": [
"https://scontent.whatsapp.net/v/t61..."
            ]
          }
        },
        {
"type": "BODY",
"text": "*You're all set!*\n\nYour reservation for {{number_of_guests}} at Lucky Shrub Eatery on {{day}}, {{date}}, at {{time}}, is confirmed. See you then!",
"example": {
"body_text_named_params": [
              {
"param_name": "number_of_guests",
"example": "4"
              },
              {
"param_name": "day",
"example": "Saturday"
              },
              {
"param_name": "date",
"example": "August 30th, 2025"
              },
              {
"param_name": "time",
"example": "7:30 pm"
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        {
"type": "FOOTER",
"text": "Lucky Shrub Eatery: The Luckiest Eatery in Town!"
        },
        {
"type": "BUTTONS",
"buttons": [
            {
"type": "URL",
"text": "Change reservation",
"url": "https://www.luckyshrubeater.com/reservations"
            },
            {
"type": "PHONE_NUMBER",
"text": "Call us",
"phone_number": "+16467043595"
            },
            {
"type": "QUICK_REPLY",
"text": "Cancel reservation"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
"language": "en_US",
"status": "APPROVED",
"category": "UTILITY",
"id": "1387372356726668"
    },
    {
"name": "coupon_expiration_reminder_number_vars",
"parameter_format": "POSITIONAL",
"components": [
        {
"type": "HEADER",
"format": "TEXT",
"text": "Act fast, {{1}}!",
"example": {
"header_text": [
"Pablo"
            ]
          }
        },
        {
"type": "BODY",
"text": "Just a quick reminder—your exclusive coupon code, {{1}}, *expires in only {{2}} days!* Don’t miss out on our special deals. Use your code at checkout before it’s too late.\n\nHappy shopping! 😃",
"example": {
"body_text": [
              [
"SUMMER20",
"10"
              ]
            ]
          }
        },
        {
"type": "FOOTER",
"text": "Lucky Shrub Succulents"
        },
        {
"type": "BUTTONS",
"buttons": [
            {
"type": "URL",
"text": "See deals",
"url": "https://www.luckyshrub.com/deals"
            },
            {
"type": "QUICK_REPLY",
"text": "Unsubscribe"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
"language": "en",
"status": "APPROVED",
"category": "MARKETING",
"sub_category": "CUSTOM",
"id": "1304694804498707"
    },

    ...

  ],
"paging": {
"cursors": {
"before": "QVFIU...",
"after": "QVFIU..."
    },
"next": "https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/10229..."
  }
}

Get all templates and specific fields

~~Example request to get the name, category, and status of all templates in a WhatsApp Business Account, limiting the response to 5 templates per result set:~~

curl'https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/102290129340398/message_templates?fields=name,category,status&limit=5' \
-H'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...'

~~Example response:~~

{
"data": [
    {
"name": "reservation_confirmation",
"category": "UTILITY",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1387372356726668"
    },
    {
"name": "coupon_expiration_reminder_number_vars",
"category": "MARKETING",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1304694804498707"
    },
    {
"name": "coupon_expiration_reminder_named_vars",
"category": "MARKETING",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1625063511800527"
    },
    {
"name": "address_update",
"category": "UTILITY",
"status": "PENDING",
"id": "1137051647947973"
    },
    {
"name": "reservation_confirmation_short_banner",
"category": "UTILITY",
"status": "REJECTED",
"id": "1166414785519855"
    }
  ],
"paging": {
"cursors": {
"before": "QVFIU...",
"after": "QVFIU..."
    },
"next": "https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/10229..."
  }
}

Get all approved and rejected templates

~~Example request to get all approved templates and their name, category, and status (swap~~ status=approved ~~with~~ status=rejected ~~to get rejected templates instead):~~

curl 'https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/102290129340398/message_templates?fields=name,category,status&status=approved' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...'

~~Example response:~~

{
"data": [
    {
"name": "reservation_confirmation",
"category": "UTILITY",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1387372356726668"
    },
    {
"name": "coupon_expiration_reminder_number_vars",
"category": "MARKETING",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1304694804498707"
    },
    {
"name": "coupon_expiration_reminder_named_vars",
"category": "MARKETING",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1625063511800527"
    },
    {
"name": "calling_permission_request",
"category": "MARKETING",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1092999222892024"
    },
    {
"name": "location_request_v1",
"category": "MARKETING",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "3373761659571648"
    },
    {
"name": "order_confirmation",
"category": "UTILITY",
"status": "APPROVED",
"id": "1667696820637468"
    }
  ],
"paging": {
"cursors": {
"before": "QVFIU...",
"after": "QVFIU..."
    },
"next": "https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/10229..."
  }
}

Edit templates

Use the POST /<TEMPLATE_ID> endpoint to edit a template. You can also use the Message templates⁠? panel in WhatsApp Manager to edit templates.

Limitations

Only templates with an APPROVED, REJECTED, or PAUSED status can be edited.You can only edit a ~~template’~~template's category, components, or time-to-live.You cannot edit individual template components; all components will be replaced with the components in the edit request payload.You cannot edit the category of an approved template.Approved templates can be edited up to 10 times in a 30 day window, or 1 time in a 24 hour window. Rejected or paused templates can be edited an unlimited number of times.After editing an approved or paused template, it will automatically be approved unless it fails template review.

Edit template category

Example request:

curl'https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/1252715608684590'

\
-H~~'Content-Type: application/json'~~ \
-H~~'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...'~~ \
-d'
{
~~"category": "MARKETING"~~
}'

Example response:

{
"success": true
}

Edit template components

~~Example request to overwrite a template’s existing components with new components.~~

curl'https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/564750795574598' \
-H'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...' \
-d'
{
  "components": [
    {
      "type": "HEADER",
      "format": "TEXT",
      "text": "Our {{1}} is on!",
      "example": {
        "header_text": [
          "Spring Sale"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "BODY",
      "text": "Shop now through {{1}} and use code {{2}} to get {{3}} off of all merchandise.",
      "example": {
        "body_text": [
          [
            "the end of April",
            "25OFF",
            "25%"
          ]
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "FOOTER",
      "text": "Use the buttons below to manage your marketing subscriptions"
    },
    {
      "type": "BUTTONS",
      "buttons": [
        {
          "type": "QUICK_REPLY",
          "text": "Unsubscribe from Promos"
        },
        {
          "type": "QUICK_REPLY",
          "text": "Unsubscribe from All"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}'

Delete templates

Use the DELETE /<WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID/message_templates endpoint to delete a template by name or ID.

Limitations

If you delete a template that has been sent in a template message but has yet to be delivered (e.g. because the ~~customer’~~customer's phone is turned off), the ~~template’~~template's status will be set to PENDING_DELETION and we will attempt to deliver the message for 30 days.If you delete an approved template, you cannot create a new template with the same name for 30 days.Templates that are in a disabled status cannot be deleted.

Delete template by name

Deleting a template by name deletes all templates that match that name (meaning templates with the same name but different languages will also be deleted).

Example request:

curl-X

~~DELETE~~ ~~'https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/102290129340398/message_templates?name=order_confirmation'~~ \
-H~~'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...'~~

Example response:

{
"success": true
}

Delete template by ID

To delete a template by ID, include the ~~template’~~template's ID along with its name in your request; only the template with the matching template ID will be deleted.

Example request:

curl-X DELETE 'https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/102290129340398/message_templates?hsm_id=1407680676729941&name=order_confirmation' \
-H'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...'

Example response

{
"success": true
}