Template category migration and appeals process for WhatsApp.


WhatsApp is introducing new template categories to better support  tagging and use case based pricing on the platform.


Current template category

New Template Category

Category Description

Business Initiated Conversation

Utility Conversation

Facilitate a specific, agreed-upon request or transaction or update to a customer about an ongoing transaction, including post-purchase notifications and recurring billing statements

Marketing Conversation

Enable businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes, potentially at multiple steps in the login process (e.g., account verification, account recovery, integrity challenges)

Authentication Conversation

Include promotions or offers, informational updates, or invitations for customers to respond / take action. Any conversation that does not qualify as utility or authentication is a marketing conversation.

User Initiated Conversation

Service Conversation

All user-initiated conversations will be categorized as service conversations, which help customers resolve enquiries.



Starting April 1, all existing templates in WhatsApp business accounts will be re-categorized as per new template categories.


This would not have an affect on the status or pricing related to your template as of now.


To ensure your templates are correctly tagged to template categories, you can review the new categorization on WhatsApp Manager.


Step 1: Open your WhatsApp business account in the META business manager panel.


Step 2: Navigate to the “Message Templates” section under Account Tools.


Step 3: Click on “See all updates” button in the banner displayed at the top.



Step 4: Review the new categories tagged to your existing templates. 



If you feel there are templates that should belong to another category ( E.g A template tagged as marketing should belong to Utility category) 


  • Select the template by clicking on the checkbox and click on Edit category.

  • Select the correct tagging for the template from the dropdown. E.g Utility.


Select multiple templates to submit bulk appeals for templates of a particular category.


Raising an appeal for re-categorization will not affect the status of your template. I.e Approved templates will remain approved during the appeal process.



Important : 

  • Template appeals are available upto May 15, 2023. Post May, 15 template category change cannot be raised as an appeal.