Summary
This article walks you through how to troubleshoot the most common errors you may encounter when sending campaigns in Wati. You’ll learn what each error means, why it happens, and the exact steps you can take to fix it quickly.
It also explains important factors that can affect campaign delivery, including Meta restrictions, template message requirements, messaging limits, and payment-related issues. If you still need help after following the steps, you’ll find guidance on how to contact Wati support for further assistance.
Note: Broadcasts are now Campaigns – same powerful features, updated name!
Instructions
While sending messages in Wati, you may occasionally encounter errors. Below, you’ll find a list of common error messages, what they mean, and the steps you can follow to troubleshoot and resolve them quickly.
1. The message is not delivered, and you see the following error:
“Message undeliverable”
This means WhatsApp could not deliver your message due to an issue with the recipient’s phone number.
The number may not be associated with a valid WhatsApp account.
The country code might be missing.
The recipient may be using an outdated version of WhatsApp.
The recipient has not accepted WhatsApp’s latest Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Please visit this link to accept the latest Terms of Service.
2. The message is not delivered, and you see the following error:
“Message undeliverable as Meta has restricted it for higher quality messaging - retry again in a few days.”
If you’re sending a marketing template, be aware that Meta applies certain restrictions to these messages. For more details, refer to our guide on Meta’s messaging limitations.
3. The user’s number is not reachable, and you see the following error:
“User’s number is part of an experiment”
Note: This scenario may also appear as Error Code 130472 in some cases.
Since June 14, 2023, Meta has been running experiments where about 1% of WhatsApp users do not receive marketing template messages from businesses unless they have initiated the conversation first.
These restricted messages often result in Error Code 130472, which indicates marketing messages are undeliverable due to the Meta's experiment's conditions. Only marketing template messages are affected; service and transactional messages are unaffected due to this experiment.
If this happens, you’ll need to contact the customer through another channel and ask them to message you, allowing you to send the marketing template within the 24-hour window. Ensure the recipient initiates contact first, allowing you to reply within the standard 24-hour window.
4. You are not able to send the messages and see one of the following errors:
“Spam rate limit hit”
"Message failed to send because there are restrictions on how many messages can be sent from this phone number. This may be because too many previous messages were blocked or flagged as spam."
This error indicates that the number of messages sent from your account has exceeded the messaging limit set by WhatsApp (e.g., 2k/10k/100k contacts per 24 hours).
Once the 24-hour window resets, you can continue sending messages. Your messaging tier will automatically increase over time based on your message volume and quality rating.
Check your messaging limit in Campaign Overview or on the Channel status page. Messaging limit is an automated process from WhatsApp based on your messaging volume history and quality ratings.
5. You are not able to send messages and see the following error:
"Account has been locked."
Check if your account is currently restricted or disabled by Meta.
If restricted, you can raise an appeal to Meta.
Reviews typically take 24-48 hours.
If the restriction has been lifted but the error persists, contact us for further assistance.
6. You cannot use a template and see one of the following errors:
"Check your template, it cannot have typos or blank text"
Ensure that the template is correctly formatted and contains no blank fields.
"Missing customer attributes - check contact information"
Verify that all necessary customer information has been included in your message.
"Missing information - please check template media or contact information"
Ensure that all required parameters/variables are properly filled when sending a template message.
If using a dynamic header, always define a value for the header.
Avoid using newlines, tabs, or more than four consecutive spaces in template parameters and carousel content.
Some variables are specific for Shopify or WooCommerce integration, some variables can only be used for specific automated messages.
7. The message failed to send and you see the following error:
"Message failed to send because there were one or more errors related to your payment method"
If you recently created an account or migrated from another BSP to Wati, ensure that you followed the correct onboarding steps.
You may need to create a new WhatsApp Business Account and redo the onboarding process.
8. You are not able to use a template and see one of the following errors:
"Template name does not exist"
OR
"Template status is paused or disabled, can't be sent."
Newly approved templates may take 15-30 minutes to appear in Facebook's records.
WhatsApp may have disabled the template due to a low-quality rating.
Check this status in WhatsApp Manager in your Facebook Business Account.
You can resubmit the content as a new template and see if WhatsApp approves it. Once it is approved, you will be able to use it again.
If the template has been deleted, you may need to resubmit it as a new template.
If sending through API, check for typos in the template name.
9. You are seeing the following error about the message:
"Translated text too long."
Check the message that you sent and make sure the character count does not exceed the formatting rules:
Ensure your message meets the following character limits:
Header and Footer: 60 characters
Body: 1024 characters
Visit Website dynamic button: 2000 characters
Formatting symbols also count towards the character limit.
10. You are trying to send a message via API and see the following error:
"Not enough required request Parameters to send template XYZ"
If sending a template message via API, ensure that all parameters and values are correctly set.
Check for typos in parameter names.
We've compiled a library of Wati API recipes to help you get the most out of Wati.
11. You are trying to send a message via API and see the following error:
"Number of parameters does not match the expected number of params!"
If you updated the number of parameters in WhatsApp Manager, you must submit a new template instead of modifying an existing one.
12. You are trying to send a media and see the following error:
"Media upload error"
Ensure the uploaded media meets WhatsApp’s supported media guidelines:
Images: Must be 8-bit, RGB or RGBA.
Videos: Must use H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec. Only one audio stream is allowed.
Documents: If used as a template header, only PDF format is supported.
If a video meets the size limit but still fails, try converting it using an online converter to resolve codec issues.
13. You cannot contact a user and see the following error:
"Generic user error"
This is an unknown error from Meta for newly approved templates.
Try resubmitting the template and see if the issue is resolved.
14. You cannot use a template and see the following error:
"Content in this language already exists"
Check if another approved template has the same name.
Deleted templates remain pending deletion for 30 days, preventing the reuse of the same name within that period.
You cannot send a campaign message and see the following error:
"Insufficient credits"
Ensure you have sufficient credits for the campaign.
Verify that all contacts have the correct country codes added.
If still have questions or need help, you can always contact us via the help widget available in your Wati account. Alternatively, you can also use the widget available in our help center to contact us.