Summary

If your WhatsApp template message gets rejected, you need to understand the reason so you can fix and resubmit it. This guide will help you check the rejection reason in your Meta Business Manager, understand policy issues, and learn how to request a review if necessary.

Additionally, starting April 9, 2025, Meta will automatically update the category if needed (e.g. from utility to marketing). If you feel Meta misclassified and wish to appeal, you can follow this guide.

Instructions

How to Check the Rejection Reason

Follow these steps to find out why your template message was rejected:

Step 1: Navigate to Business Support Home

Go to Business Support Home in your Meta Business Account.
Select the WhatsApp account where the rejected template was submitted.

Step 2: View Rejected Templates

Click on Rejected Template Messages.
A list of all rejected templates will be displayed along with their Policy Issue.

Common policy issues and how to fix them

Use the table below to resolve common template rejection issues:

Policy Issue	Action Required
Duplicate Template	Ensure your template is not a duplicate of an existing approved one. If you've made edits, request a review.
Category Mismatch	Verify that you've selected the correct category. If you believe your category is correct, request a review or resubmit under the suggested category.
Shortened URL	Do not use shortened URLs in your templates. Use full URLs instead.
Incorrect Test Template	Ensure your test template follows the correct format: `template name=test; content= Hello {{VariableName}}`.
Media Template Without Sample	Provide a sample for any media template. Only `.pdf` format is accepted for documents.
Floating Parameters	Ensure every parameter used has a sample value.
Misleading Content	Templates must comply with the WhatsApp Commerce Policy. Avoid content related to multi-level marketing, payday loans, gambling, alcohol, or misleading health-related claims.

How to Request or Appeal a review of a rejected Template

If you believe your template was wrongly rejected, you can request a review by following these steps:

Please note the right to approve or reject your template lies solely with Meta

Step 1: Submit a Review Request

Select the rejected template message you want to appeal.
Click on Request Review.

Step 2: Provide an appeal reason

Choose an Appeal Reason from the available options.
Click Submit.

Note: For an appeal to review and update the template category remains the same. You will find the violations related to template categories under Template category updates.

If WhatsApp approves your template after the review, please reach out to our support team.

By following these steps, you can successfully troubleshoot template message rejections and ensure compliance with WhatsApp's policies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Understanding template rejections

1. Where can I check why my WhatsApp template was rejected?

You can check the rejection reason in Business Support Home within your Meta Business Account by selecting your WhatsApp account and viewing Rejected Template Messages.

2. What information is shown for a rejected template?

Each rejected template is listed along with the specific policy issue that caused the rejection.

Common rejection reasons

3. What does “duplicate template” mean?

It means the submitted template is the same as an existing approved one. Make sure your template is unique or request a review if you have made changes.

4. Why was my template rejected due to a category mismatch?

This happens when the selected template category does not match the content. You should verify the category or resubmit the template under the suggested one.

5. Why are shortened URLs not allowed in templates?

WhatsApp does not allow shortened URLs in templates. You must use the full URL instead.

6. What causes issues with variables or parameters?

Templates are rejected if parameters are missing sample values or if floating parameters are used. Ensure every variable has a valid sample.

7. Why was my media template rejected?

Media templates require a sample file. For document templates, only .pdf files are accepted as samples.

Requesting a review

8. How do I request a review for a rejected template?

Select the rejected template in Business Support Home, click Request Review, choose an appeal reason, and submit it.

9. Can I appeal a template category change made by Meta?

Yes. If Meta automatically updates your template category and you believe it is incorrect, you can request a review following the same appeal process.