WhatsApp Template Statuses and Approval Best Practices

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

WhatsApp templates need approval before they can send to customers outside the 24-hour service window. Status changes (In-Review, Active, Paused, Disabled) reflect customer feedback and quality — monitor them to keep messages flowing.

Templates are how you start a WhatsApp conversation with a customer outside the 24-hour service window — for marketing, utility, or authentication messages. Every template needs Meta approval before it can send, and its status can change later based on how customers respond to it.

The approval process

After you create a template, Meta reviews it. Review usually completes within 24 hours. If approved, status moves to Active - Quality pending and the template is sendable. If rejected, you can edit and resubmit, or appeal.

Include sample variable values

When you submit a template, fill in sample values for every variable. This shows Meta exactly how the message will appear and reduces rejection risk.

Common rejection reasons

Variable parameters are missing or have mismatched curly braces. Use {{1}}, not {1} or {{ 1 }}.
Variables contain special characters like #, $, or %.
Variables are not sequential. {{1}}, {{2}}, {{4}} with no {{3}} fails review.
Content violates the WhatsApp Commerce Policy. If you sell goods or services, prices, fees, taxes, and required disclosures must be compliant.
Content violates the WhatsApp Business Policy. Do not request full payment card numbers, financial account numbers, or full national IDs. Partial identifiers (like the last 4 of a SSN) are allowed.
Threatening or abusive content — including threats of legal action or public shaming.
Duplicate content. If the body and footer match an existing template, the duplicate is rejected.

Sending approved templates

Once a template is Active you can send it. Status can move from Active to Paused or Disabled automatically based on customer feedback, so monitor templates you depend on.

Template statuses

Status	What it means	Sendable?
In-Review	Under review (up to 24 hours)	No
Rejected	Failed review or violates policy	No
Active - Quality pending	Approved, awaiting customer feedback data	Yes
Active - High Quality	Little to no negative feedback	Yes
Active - Medium Quality	Some negative feedback or low read rates	Yes (watch closely)
Active - Low Quality	Multiple negative reports; at risk of pause	Yes (fix the content)
Paused	Paused due to recurring negative feedback	No
Disabled	Disabled due to ongoing negative feedback	No
Appeal Requested	Appeal in progress	No

View status in the Sparkforge WhatsApp dashboard under WhatsApp > Templates > Status.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a WhatsApp message template?

A pre-approved message format that lets you start a WhatsApp conversation with a customer outside the 24-hour service window. Marketing, utility, and authentication messages all need templates.

How long does template approval take?

Up to 24 hours. You'll see the status change in the Templates dashboard once Meta makes a decision.

Why was my template rejected?

Common reasons are malformed variables (missing or non-sequential curly braces), special characters in variables, content that violates WhatsApp policy, or content that duplicates an existing template.

What does Active - Low Quality mean?

Customers have flagged the template or read rates are low. The template can still send but is at risk of being paused. Edit the content to reduce complaints before that happens.

Can I edit a paused template?

Yes. Edit the content to address the feedback driving the pause, then resubmit. Status returns to In-Review until Meta approves the changes.