# WhatsApp Message Templates > Create, track, edit, and delete Meta-approved WhatsApp message templates from the Templates page in Avox. Source: https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates A **template** is a message you write once, submit to Meta for review, and then send as many times as you like. WhatsApp uses templates for every message a business starts: a first message to a customer, or a message after the [24-hour messaging window](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp/messaging-window) has closed. This is Meta's rule for every business on WhatsApp. Avox lets you build templates step by step, submits them to Meta for you, keeps their review status up to date, and shows how each one performs. This preview uses the same component the template wizard and every template's own page use, so it always matches what you see in the dashboard. ## Where to go next | Page | What it covers | | --- | --- | | [Create](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/create) | Every step and field of the **Create template** wizard, and every limit Meta applies. | | [Library](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/library) | Starting from Avox's ready-written templates in every category, or from Meta's own pre-verified ones, which start working with no review wait. | | [Approval](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/approval) | Template statuses, Meta's review, rejections, editing, and status emails. | | [Insights](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/insights) | Sent, delivered, read, and clicked numbers for each template. | | [Template categories](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp/template-categories) | Marketing, Utility, and Authentication, and how Meta applies them. | | [Create a template](https://docs.theavoxai.com/walkthrough/create-template) | A short click-through version of the wizard. | ## Before you start - **Connect a WhatsApp number first.** Templates live in the WhatsApp Business Account behind your connected number, so the Templates page only opens once a number is connected. Without one, the dashboard sends you to [Connections](https://docs.theavoxai.com/connections) (see [AVX-3001](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3001)). - **Check your plan's template limit.** Each Switchboard can hold as many templates as its plan allows - its own plan, or its owner's (see [Plans](https://docs.theavoxai.com/plans)). Templates you've deleted free up their slot. ## Who can do what Templates belong to a Switchboard, and every member of it can work with them. | Action | Admin | Manager | | --- | --- | --- | | View templates, drafts, and insights | Yes | Yes | | Create a template or start one from Meta's library | Yes | Yes | | Edit, delete, or refresh templates from Meta | Yes | Yes | | Resume or delete a draft | Yes | Yes | | Receive template status emails | Yes | - | > **Note** > > If the **Create template** button doesn't appear for you, template creation has been switched > off for your account. Contact [Support](https://docs.theavoxai.com/support) to have it turned back on. A request made > anyway returns "This feature has been turned off for your account. Contact Avox support if you > need it." ## The Templates page Open **Templates** in the sidebar. From top to bottom the page shows: ![The Templates page: the Templates used bar with Docs, Template library and Create template, then Avox library cards, each with a message preview and Use this template.](https://docs.theavoxai.com/screens/templates/list-light.webp) *The top of the Templates page: your template usage, then ready-written templates from the Avox library.* **1. Usage bar** **Templates used** shows how many of your plan's template slots this Switchboard is using, for example "3 of 5" on Growth. The **Docs** button opens this page, **Template library** opens the [Avox library](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/library#avox-library), and **Create template** opens the wizard. When every slot is used, **Create template** is disabled and a notice reads "You've used 5 of 5 templates. Delete one to create a new one. (AVX-3014)" with a **Manage templates** link - see [Freeing a slot](#freeing-a-slot). **2. Avox library** The most popular templates from Avox's own library, such as order confirmation, shipping update and login code, each with a small preview of the message. **Use this template** opens the wizard with everything filled in, ready to adjust and submit. **Browse all** opens the full [Avox library](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/library#avox-library). While every template slot is used (or you can't create templates) the buttons are disabled. Links in these templates are `example.com` placeholders - replace them with your own before submitting (see [Website links](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/create#website-links)). **3. Start from Meta's template library** A strip of six featured templates from Meta's own library, plus a **Browse the full library** link. See [Library](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/library). **4. Drafts** Templates you started but haven't submitted yet, with a count such as "Drafts (2/10)". See [Drafts](#drafts) below. **5. Your templates** A table of every template in this Switchboard, with a **Refresh from Meta** button above it. The **Your templates** table has these columns: | Column | What it shows | | --- | --- | | Name | The template name, its type icon (hover it for the type, such as "Custom message" or "One-time passcode"), and the start of its body text. | | Category | Marketing, Utility, or Authentication, as Meta reports it. | | Language | The language code, such as `en_US`. | | Status | Approved, Pending review, Rejected, Paused, or Disabled. See [Approval](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/approval). | | Sent | Messages sent with this template in the last 30 days. See [Insights](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/insights). | | Read rate | Read messages as a share of sent messages over the same 30 days. | | Last edited | When the template was created or last edited. | | Manage | Opens the template's own page. | A line above the table counts your templates. With none yet, the table reads "No templates yet - create one from the premade gallery or from scratch, or refresh in case one already exists on Meta's side." ### Refresh from Meta Meta reports status changes to Avox automatically, so the table normally stays current on its own. **Refresh from Meta** asks Meta right away for the latest status, category, quality rating, and rejection reason of every template in the table. You see "Refreshed from Meta" when it finishes. If Meta can't be reached, you see [AVX-3026](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3026); try again in a moment. ## Drafts The wizard saves your work as a draft a moment after you stop typing, so you can close the tab and come back later. A draft is created as soon as you pick something in the wizard, and its address (`/templates/new?draft=...`) can be bookmarked. - Each Switchboard can keep up to **10 drafts** at once. At 10, the wizard stops saving and shows [AVX-3029](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3029). Delete a draft to free a slot. - Each draft card shows its name (or "Untitled draft"), its category (or "Not started yet"), which step it's on ("Step 2 of 3"), and when it was last edited. - **Edit** reopens the wizard exactly where you left off. If the draft was deleted in another tab, you see [AVX-3030](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3030). - The trash icon deletes the draft straight away. If that fails, you see "Couldn't delete that draft. Try again." - **Start over** inside the wizard discards the current draft and opens a blank wizard. - A draft is removed automatically once its template is submitted. **Create template** always starts a new draft, so it never overwrites one you have in progress. ## A template's own page Click **Manage** on any row to open the template's page ("Everything Meta knows about this template."). **Back to Templates** returns to the list. It shows: - **Details** - the template's type, its status badge, category, language, last-edited time, header, body, example values, footer, buttons, and (for a calling permission request) its fixed interactive element. A One-time passcode template shows "Meta writes this message's copy itself - see the preview." in place of a body. - **A live preview** of the template, built from the same content. - **Issues** - every problem with the template in one place (see below). - **Last 30 days** - delivery numbers straight from Meta. See [Insights](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/insights). - **Edit template** (or **Edit and resubmit** for a rejected or paused template) - shown for Custom message templates. See [Editing a template](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/approval#editing-a-template). - **Delete template** - removes the template. ### Issues The **Issues** panel collects everything that could stop the template from being approved or sent: - **Meta's verdict** - for a rejected template, the reason code Meta gave (for example `INVALID_FORMAT` or `PROMOTIONAL`) explained in plain English, with how to fix it. A paused, disabled or flagged template gets the same treatment, including any note Meta sent with it. - **Quality** - a yellow or red quality score, and what it means. - **Category changes** - when Meta moved the template to another category, or says it will. - **Our checks** - problems Avox finds in the content before Meta does: variables out of order or missing sample values, a body that starts or ends with a variable, text over Meta's length limits, header formatting, button rules, shortened links, and promotional wording in a Utility template. - **History** - a timeline of every status, quality and category change Meta reported, and every edit submitted from Avox. What each rejection reason means is listed in [Approval](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/approval#rejection-reasons). ### Deleting a template **1. Open the template** Click **Manage** on its row in **Your templates**. **2. Click Delete template** A dialog asks **Delete "template_name"?** and explains: "This removes it from Meta and from Avox - it can't be undone." **3. Confirm** Click **Delete template** in the dialog. You see "Template deleted" and return to the Templates page. The slot is free for a new template. Meta deletes every language version that shares the template's name. If the delete fails, you see [AVX-3024](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3024). ### Freeing a slot When every template slot is used, **Manage templates** (on the limit notice in the Templates page, the wizard, or the library) opens the Templates page at **Your templates** with rejected, paused and disabled templates highlighted. They can't be sent as they are, so they're usually the ones to delete. Open one with **Manage**, then **Delete template**. > **Warning** > > Automations that send a deleted template can't be switched on again until you pick a different > template for that action. See [Actions](https://docs.theavoxai.com/automation/actions). ## Sending a template Once a template is **Approved**, you can send it: - **From an automation** - the **Send a template** action sends one of your approved templates when the automation fires. See [Actions](https://docs.theavoxai.com/automation/actions). - **From your own systems** - the [Avox API](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api) sends templates, including values for their variables. See [Message types](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/messages). A template can be sent at any time, inside or outside the [24-hour messaging window](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp/messaging-window). Meta charges for template messages by category - see [Pricing](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp-platform). ## Related errors | Code | Message | | --- | --- | | [AVX-3013](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3013) | Check the template name, language, and message body. | | [AVX-3014](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3014) | You've used every template your plan allows. | | [AVX-3015](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3015) | Connect a WhatsApp number before creating templates. | | [AVX-3016](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3016) | Meta couldn't accept that template. Check its wording and try again. | | [AVX-3024](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3024) | Couldn't delete that template. Try again. | | [AVX-3025](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3025) | Couldn't load insights for this template right now. | | [AVX-3026](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3026) | Couldn't refresh templates from Meta. Try again. | | [AVX-3027](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3027) | Couldn't load Meta's template library right now. | | [AVX-3028](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3028) | Couldn't accept that file - try a smaller or differently formatted one. | | [AVX-3029](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3029) | You've reached the maximum of 10 saved drafts. Delete one to start another. | | [AVX-3030](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3030) | Couldn't load that draft. Try again. | | [AVX-3031](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3031) | Couldn't start a new draft from that template. Try again. | | [AVX-3051](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3051) | Meta rejected that edit. Check the wording and try again. | | [AVX-3160](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3160) | This template is still in Meta's review. You can edit it once it's approved, rejected or paused. | | [AVX-3161](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3161) | Only approved, rejected or paused templates can be edited. Create a new template instead. | | [AVX-3162](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3162) | Approved templates can be edited once every 24 hours. Try again later. | | [AVX-3163](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3163) | This approved template has used all 10 edits Meta allows in 30 days. | | [AVX-3164](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3164) | The category of an approved template can't be changed. | | [AVX-3165](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3165) | Nothing changed. Edit the content before resubmitting. | | [AVX-3166](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3166) | Meta says this template has reached its edit limit for now. | | [AVX-3167](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3167) | Meta is limiting requests right now. Wait a few minutes and try again. | | [AVX-3168](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3168) | Your WhatsApp connection needs to be reconnected before templates can be edited. | | [AVX-3169](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3169) | Couldn't load this template's history. Try again. | | [AVX-3400](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3400) | A template with that name already exists in this language. Pick a different name. | | [AVX-3401](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3401) | This Avox template isn't written in that language. Pick one of its languages, or translate the text first. | | [AVX-3402](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3402) | This template's header needs a sample image, video or document. Upload one before submitting. | | [AVX-3403](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3403) | Authentication templates use Meta's one-time passcode format. Their text and buttons can't be changed. | | [AVX-3404](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3404) | Number the variables `{{1}}`, `{{2}}` in order and give every one an example value. | | [AVX-3430](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3430) | Replace the sample link with your own working link (it must start with https://) |