WhatsApp message templates explained
If you have looked at WhatsApp for business, you have probably run into message templates. They are a rule of the WhatsApp Business Platform, not of WhatsApp itself. Here is what they are, when you need them, and when you do not.
What a template is
A message template is a message you write in advance and submit to Meta for approval, with blanks for details such as a name or an order number. On the WhatsApp Business Platform, a business can only start a conversation, or write again after the customer has gone quiet, with an approved template.
The 24-hour window
When a customer messages a business on the Business Platform, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Inside it the business can reply freely. Once it closes, the next message has to be an approved template, which Meta charges for.
When you do not need templates
Templates belong to the Business Platform. The regular WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business apps do not use them. Spaces connects your own number by QR code, like linking a computer, so your AI agent replies in normal messages, with no templates to write or approve. It is built for conversations, mostly with people who message you first, and it does not send broadcasts. Read our article on WhatsApp's rules before you connect.
Pricing
FAQ
Do I need templates to reply to customers on WhatsApp?
On the Business Platform, only outside the 24-hour window. With your own number connected to Spaces, replies are normal messages.
How long does template approval take?
Meta reviews each template. Times vary, so check your provider for current guidance.
Does Spaces support templates?
No. Spaces connects your own number and is built for conversations, not template broadcasts.