How much time does WhatsApp(Meta) takes to approve a template message?
⚡ Quick answer: Most WhatsApp Business templates are reviewed and approved within a few minutes, but Meta officially allows up to 48 hours. Approval time depends on your template’s content, media type, and compliance with WhatsApp’s Business & Commerce Policies.
📊 Average Approval Times by Template Type
Template Type | Typical Approval Time | Max |
|---|---|---|
Utility | 1–10 min | < 3 hrs |
Authentication (OTP) | 1–5 min | < 1 hr |
Marketing | 10–60 min | Up to 24 hrs |
Non-standard / risk words | 30–180 min | Up to 48 hrs (rare) |
How to Check Template Status
Once submitted, each template will display one of the following statuses in your WhatsApp Business dashboard:
- Pending (Yellow) → Under review by Meta
- Approved (Green) → Ready to use immediately
- Rejected (Red) → Includes rejection reason; edit and resubmit
Cases Where It May Take Longer (12–48 hours)
- Template contains restricted industries (gambling, political, etc.). See WhatsApp Business Policy.
- The template appears spammy.
- Template includes content that looks like marketing inside Utility/Transactional.
- Too many recent template rejections → higher scrutiny.
- System delays (happens rarely)
What to Do If It’s Delayed Over 24 Hours
- Review the content for compliance issues.
- Ensure placeholders ({{1}}, {{2}}) are formatted correctly.
- Contact your BSP (Business Solution Provider) or Meta Support if still pending.
- You can create new templates, as it has no limit and no cost.
Pro Tip: Always test templates with realistic sample values (e.g., names, order IDs, links) before submission. Templates with missing or placeholder-like values (e.g., “test”, “123”) are more likely to be delayed or rejected.
Updated on: 12/01/2026