What media formats are supported in a WhatsApp Template Message?

Info

Quick answer: Every WhatsApp Template Message must contain body text. Media is optional and appears only in the Header. Supported header formats are JPG/JPEG/PNG up to 5 MB, MP4 up to 16 MB, and PDF up to 10 MB.

When should I use this guide?

Consult it before submitting a template to be sure your media type, size, and formatting meet WhatsApp rules—avoiding one of the most common rejection reasons.

1. Supported media formats (header only)

Media Type	Supported Formats	Max Size	Ideal Use Case
Image	JPG, JPEG, PNG	5 MB	Product photos, service visuals
Video	MP4	16 MB	Demo clips, promotional intros
Document	PDF	10 MB	Invoices, brochures, policies

Warning

You cannot send a template with media only—body text is mandatory.

2. Flexible media formats you can swap in at send time

WhatsApp now lets you replace the header media with additional formats right before sending or scheduling a campaign. Creation rules stay strict; the flexibility exists only during campaign execution.

Media type	Allowed when creating the template	Extra formats when sending	Max size	Works in
Image	JPG, JPEG, PNG	— (no change)	5 MB	All template sends
Video	.mp4	.mp4, .3gp	16 MB	Contacts Retargeting, Standard Campaign, Chat Window
Document	.pdf	.pdf, .txt, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx	100 MB (Cloud API 10 MB)	Same as above

Important limits

Only one media file per template header.
Live-chat “Attach” button cannot use the extra formats—flexibility applies only via template-based sending.
If the upload violates format or size, the system blocks it and shows an error (“File size should be ≤ 16 MB” or “Invalid format”).

3. What Happens If You Exceed the Limit?

Template Rejection: Meta will reject your submission during approval.
API Error Response: The Cloud API will throw a media size error.

Example Error Response:

{
  "error": {
    "message": "Media file size too large",
    "type": "OAuthException",
    "code": 131051,
    "error_subcode": 2494010,
    "fbtrace_id": "AbCdEf123456"
  }
}

4. Example template message

Header: Image (product photo)

Body: "Hi {{1}}, your order #{{2}} has been shipped."

Sample values: "Hi Sarah, your order #1234 has been shipped."

5. Compliance notes

Body text is mandatory.
File names should be clean (no spaces, symbols, emojis).
Media must relate directly to the template content.
Unsupported formats or oversized files result in rejection.

6. Best-practice checklist

Compress media before upload.
Include clear body text that explains the attachment.
Preview the template to confirm correct rendering.
Avoid unrelated stock visuals.
Test file size on Wi-Fi and mobile data.

Keywords: WhatsApp template media, header image size, supported formats, body text required

Updated on: 26/03/2026