It is April 2025. WhatsApp has now become the preferred choice for brands as well as customers. As new use-cases emerge, and new functionalities get build Meta keeps updating how businesses use the WhatsApp Business Platform.
In this blog post, we are going to talk about some of the latest changes that Meta has introduced. We’ve got all the details covered from new character limits to template categorisation.
We’ll guide you through the changes and share tips to help you navigate through the changes.
Let’s get started!
Marketing Template Update (March 27, 2025)
From March 27, 2025, New Character and Emoji Limits Have Been Enforced for Marketing Templates
Meta has started enforcing stricter limits on marketing message templates submitted via the WhatsApp Cloud API and MM Lite API.
Marketing Template Limitations:
- Maximum characters per template: 550 characters in the message body including variables
- Maximum emojis per template: 10 emojis
Now, you will NOT be able to submit new marketing messages that exceed these limits, while the existing templates will continue to function as normal.
Since this is a gradual rollout, it hasn’t hit all accounts yet.
Tips:
- Review the content strategy for new templates.
- Avoid delays in approvals by ensuring future marketing messages follow Meta guidelines.
- Keep the marketing messages short, sweet and emoji efficient.
Authentication Template Update (April 1, 2025)
April 1, 2025 (Ongoing Monthly) – Cleanup of Templates Misused for Identity Verification
Meta advises to use only authentication templates for identity verification. Using utility or marketing templates for identity verification purposes will result in warnings to your business. This enforcement process is in effect since October 2024, and Meta is continuing it through 2025.
Here’s how Meta is bringing this change:
- On the 1st of each month, Meta will notify WABA admins about any templates flagged for misuse.
- On the 1st of the following month, those templates will be rejected.
E.g. If any template is flagged for misuse in the month of April, Meta will send a notification on May 1 st . If the flagged templates are still in use in the following month, they will be rejected.
This action provides businesses fair time to create new auth templates from Meta’s template library for authentication use cases.
To dive in the details of template categorisation, click the below links:
If your business wants to request a review of a template’s category contact Meta’s Business Support.
Tips:
- Check for Meta monthly notifications about flagged templates.
- Use authentication templates from the Meta’s template library to stay compliant
- Replace flagged templates with compliant ones to avoid disruption
Template Categorisation Updates
April 9, 2025 – Smarter Template Categorisation on Submission
According to the latest update on April 9, if your business selects UTILITY as the template’s category and Meta determines it should be MARKETING, it will be automatically re-categorised as marketing.
Benefit of this smart action against misuse:
- No more instant template rejections just because of a categorisation mismatch/misuse.
- Templates will still go live, just under the correct billing and set of rules.
Effective April 16, 2025 – Meta Prevents Abuse of Template Categorisation
If Meta detects your business of misusing the template categorisation system, it will send a written warning before it restricts you from using utility messaging on the WhatsApp Business Platform.
After the business is given warning 1:
A 24-hour notice will not be provided before changing template categories from utility to marketing. Category changes will be instant.
If Meta still detects misuse after this warning, it will introduce the following restrictions, which would prevent the WhatsApp Business Account from using the WhatsApp Business Platform for utility messaging for 7 days.
- For 7 days – Disable category reviews for these templates
- For 7 days – Disable creation of new utility templates
- Previously approved utility templates will no longer be rejected it will re- categorised to marketing
- If Meta still detects continued misuse of the template categorisation system, it may re-introduce these restrictions for 30 days
The new behaviour will continue to protect the utility category, which is primarily used for high-trust, non-promotional communication (e.g., order updates, appointment reminders).
Tips:
- Avoid price surprises and keep your account in a good standing by categorising your templates correctly
- Audit your existing templates and ensure future submissions follow the correct use-case category
With a smart strategy and vigilant compliance, businesses can seamlessly adapt to the latest changes by Meta. Your WhatsApp Business Providers are here to help you navigate through the strict guidelines and leverage WhatsApp Business Platform efficiently.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this blog post and are now aware of the newest Meta updates. Stay tuned for more insights and updates!
Apr 2025
