WhatsApp: Template Types and Button Support
Learn about template types and button support
WhatsApp Business Templates are categorized into three main types based on their use case:
1. Authentication Templates
- Used for one-time passwords (OTP) or verification codes.
- Typically includes a code and may have an OTP button for easy code input.
- Can have only one OTP button; no other button types are allowed.
- Intended for 2FA/verification and cannot include marketing-specific buttons.
2. Marketing Templates
- Used for promotions, offers, and customer outreach.
- Support rich media (text, image, video, etc.) and interactive elements like quick replies, call-to-action buttons, and coupon code buttons.
- Cannot use the OTP button, but can include one Copy Code button for promotions (limited to one).
- Can have up to 10 buttons in total, including quick replies and URLs.
3. Utility Templates
- Used for transactional or informational messages (e.g., order updates, reminders).
- Support media and interactive buttons such as quick replies and call-to-actions.
- Cannot use OTP or Copy Code buttons.
- Can have up to 10 buttons.
WhatsApp Template Button Types
WhatsApp offers interactive button types that allow richer user interactions:
1. Quick Reply Buttons
- Text-only buttons that send a predefined reply from the user.
- Supported in Marketing and Utility templates.
- Can include multiple quick replies (up to 10).
2. Call-To-Action (CTA) Buttons
- Perform actions like opening a link or dialing a number.
Subtypes include:
- URL Buttons: Opens a website link.
- Phone Number Buttons: Initiates a phone call.
- Voice Call Buttons: Initiates a WhatsApp voice call. (Only one per template).
- App Buttons: Opens a mobile app via deep-links (less common).
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Copy Code Buttons | Copies a text (e.g., offer code or OTP) to the user’s clipboard. Primarily used in Marketing templates for coupons or promotional codes (limited to one). |
| OTP Buttons | Used in Authentication templates for streamlined login codes. Can be COPY_CODE, ONE_TAP, or ZERO_TAP. |
| Product Message Buttons | Single Product Template: Displays a single product from your catalog. Multi-Product Message (MPM) Template: Displays up to 30 products in a carousel/list. Catalog and MPM templates allow only one button each. |
| Flow Templates | Used to launch predefined conversation flows (e.g., guided surveys, product recommenders). Typically includes a FLOW button to initiate the flow. |
| Order/Payment Templates | Include a fixed “Review and Pay” button in a Utility template for order details and payments. Button Support Matrix by Template Type |
Message Template
The WhatsApp Business API allows enterprises to send multiple types of notification messages. All message templates are reviewed by WhatsApp for approval.
Type of message Templates
Three types of message templates
- Text Message: Text message templates are message formats for common reusable notifications a business may want to send.
- Media messages: Send Images/Documents/PDF using the media message templates.
- Interactive Buttons: Send interactive button elements like the CTA button and Quick Replies to capture user input or redirect them outside the WhatsApp Interface.
| Template Type | Allowed Button Types | Max Buttons | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentication | OTP button | 1 | Only OTP allowed |
| Marketing | Quick Reply, URL, Phone, Voice Call, Copy Code, Flow, Product, MPM | 10 | Max 10 buttons, includes 1 Copy Code button (if used), 1 Flow button (if used) |
| Utility | Quick Reply, URL, Phone, Voice Call, Flow | 10 | Max 10 buttons, no Copy Code, no OTP |
| Catalog | Catalog button (single product) | 1 | No other buttons allowed |
| MPM | Multi-Product button | 1 | No other buttons allowed |
| Flow | Flow button | 1 | Can include Quick Replies, typically one Flow button per template |
Grouping and Ordering Rules for Buttons
Quick Replies must be grouped separately from other button types. For example, you can have Quick Replies first, followed by CTA buttons (but not intermix Quick Replies and CTA buttons).
"See More" for More Than 3 Buttons: If a template has more than 3 buttons, WhatsApp displays the first two with a "See all options" button. The user must tap it to view the full list.
Summary of Button Limitations
A WhatsApp template can have up to 10 buttons. The following button types are allowed in different templates, with the respective limits:
- Quick Replies: Up to 10 in total.
- URL Buttons: Up to 2.
- Phone Number Buttons: Up to 1.
- Voice Call Buttons: Up to 1 (cannot have both Phone and Voice Call buttons together).
- Copy Code: Up to 1 (for Marketing templates).
- OTP: Up to 1 (for Authentication templates).
- Catalog and MPM templates: Can have only one button (the product or MPM button).
Updated 1 day ago