WhatsApp Business Platform
WhatsApp Business Platform
Resources

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’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’s phone is turned off), the 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’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
}
Did you find this page helpful?
Thumbs up icon
Thumbs down icon