Do I have to understand {{1}} syntax to use this?

No - click "Add Variable" and emblit inserts the correct placeholder for you at the cursor.

Can I reuse a starter template and change it?

Yes - clicking a starter card loads it into the editable form. Change anything before submitting.

Guide · WhatsApp Templates

How to Create a WhatsApp Template in emblit.ai

Q: What if I don't know what to write?

Use AI Quick Fill - describe what you want in one sentence and it drafts the whole template for you.

A field-by-field walkthrough of emblit's template builder — from opening the page to getting approved by Meta.

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Hero image: Building a WhatsApp template in emblit.ai

Too Long? Read This First

Open Templates → New Template, then choose how to build it: Ready-made (approve a ready-made package or browse the library), Ask AI (describe it in one sentence), or From scratch.
If building from scratch or after loading one: fill in Name, Category, Language, then the Body with variables - emblit inserts {{1}}, {{2}} for you.
Add an optional header, footer, and up to 3 buttons, check the Live Preview, then Submit to Meta for Approval.
Track status on the Templates page - Draft → Pending → Approved/Rejected - and click Sync Meta to refresh.

Summarise this post with:ChatGPT Perplexity Claude Gemini Grok

Before you start

New to WhatsApp templates entirely? Read What is a WhatsApp Template Message? first — this guide assumes you already know what a template, category, and variable are, and jumps straight into emblit's actual builder.

Prerequisite: your WhatsApp Business number must already be connected on the Integrationspage. If it isn't connected yet, do that first - the Templates page won't be able to submit anything to Meta without it.

Step-by-step: building a template

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Screenshot: Open Templates and click New Template

Open Templates and click New Template

From the sidebar, go to Templates. At the top you'll see stat tiles (Total, Approved, Pending, Rejected, Draft) and two buttons: New Template (orange) and Sync Meta (blue - refreshes approval statuses from Meta). Click New Template.

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Screenshot: Choose how to build it

Choose how to build it

The first thing you pick is how to build it - an underline tab bar at the top with three options:

Ready-made(Easiest) - the fastest route. You'll see one-click packages (e.g. the Ember Basic Package) - a curated set of Meta-compliant templates you can approve all at once. Prefer to hand-pick? Click “Browse all templates instead →” to open the full library, organised by Lead Tier (Hot, Warm-hot, Warm, Cool, Cold, New). Clicking any card loads that ready-made template into the editable form.
Ask AI (Beta) - describe it in plain English. Pick an intent tab, type what you want in one sentence, and the AI writes the body and sets the right category for you.
From scratch - build it yourself field by field (steps 3–10 below).

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Screenshot: Fill in Basic Info

Fill in Basic Info

Three fields, side by side:

Template Name* - lowercase letters and underscores only (e.g. warm_followup_v1). emblit auto-formats this as you type.
Category - Marketing, Utility, or Authentication. A badge next to the dropdown shows the expected approval speed for whichever you pick.
Language - English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese (BR), Arabic, French, or German.

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Screenshot: Add a header (optional)

Add a header (optional)

Choose None (default), Text (a short bold line, max 60 characters), or a media header - Image, Video, or Document (paste an HTTPS URL to the file).

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Screenshot: Write the body and set up variables

Write the body and set up variables

This is the message itself - up to 1,024 characters. Click Add Variable to insert the next placeholder ({{1}}, then {{2}}, and so on) wherever your cursor lands. For every variable you add, a Variable Samplesbox appears below - give each one a name (e.g. “Customer Name”) and a realistic sample value (e.g. “Rahul”). Meta requires a sample for every variable before it will review the template.

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Screenshot: Add a footer if needed

Add a footer if needed

Toggle the footer on to add a small line under the body - max 60 characters. For Marketingtemplates, add an opt-out line like “Reply STOP to opt out”; it noticeably speeds up Meta's review.

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Screenshot: Add buttons (optional, up to 3)

Add buttons (optional, up to 3)

Click Add Button for each one you want, then choose its type:

Quick Reply - a tappable canned response (e.g. “Yes, interested”).
Visit Website - opens a URL you provide.
Call Us - dials a phone number you provide.

Button label text is capped at 20 characters - Meta's hard limit.

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Screenshot: Turn on AI Lead Conversations (if this is your first message)

Turn on AI Lead Conversations (if this is your first message)

This toggle only appears for Quick Reply / Follow-up style templates. Switch it on to make this the template Ember automatically sends to open a conversation with every new lead. Only one template can hold this role at a time, and only approved templates are eligible.

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Screenshot: Check the Live Preview

Check the Live Preview

The right-hand panel renders your template exactly as a lead will see it on WhatsApp - header, body (with variables highlighted), footer, and buttons. Always give it one last look here before submitting.

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Screenshot: Submit to Meta for Approval

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Submit to Meta for Approval

Click Submit to Meta for Approval. The button is disabled until both Template Name and Body are filled in. Once submitted, the template appears on the Templates page with a Pending status.

Common mistakes to avoid

emblit's builder auto-fixes several common issues before they ever reach Meta (e.g. stripping emojis from headers/buttons, and repairing a body that starts or ends right on a variable). A few things it can't fix for you:

Button text over 20 characters - shorten it before submitting.
Leaving a Variable Sample blank - every {{N}} needs one.
A Visit Website button with no URL, or a Call Us button with no phone number.
Choosing Marketing content but filing it as Utility to try to get faster approval - Meta checks this and it's a top rejection cause.

After you submit

Back on the Templates page, your new template shows up at the top with a Pending badge. Click Sync Meta any time to pull the latest status. Once it flips to Approved, two more actions appear on the card:

Set as First Message - makes this the template Ember opens new lead conversations with.
Edit - opens the builder again with your data pre-filled. Note: editing an approved template resets it to Pending.

If it comes back Rejectedinstead, the card shows Meta's exact reason in a red banner - fix that specific issue and resubmit.

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Screenshot: A template card in the Approved state, showing the “Set as First Message”, “Edit”, and “Delete” buttons.

FAQ

No - click "Add Variable" and emblit inserts the correct {{N}} for you at the cursor. You never have to type the braces yourself.

Utility and Authentication templates are often approved within minutes. Marketing templates typically take 1–24 hours.

Yes - under the Ready-made tab, click "Browse all templates" and pick any card to load it into the editable form. Change anything before submitting.

Use the Ask AI tab - describe what you want in one sentence and it drafts the whole template for you, ready to review and tweak. Or just approve a ready-made package.

No - only one approved template can be linked to leads at a time. Turning it on for a new one automatically turns it off for the old one.

Still fuzzy on the basics? Go back to What is a WhatsApp Template Message? →