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AUTHENTICATION Category Templates#

The AUTHENTICATION template category is designed for sending one-time passwords and verification codes, which play a key role in user security. Due to the sensitivity of these messages, access to creating such templates is strictly controlled.

Purpose and Features of Category#

AUTHENTICATION templates have a highly specialized purpose – they are used to verify the identity of users and protect their accounts.

Typical Use Cases#

  • Login — Sending a two-factor authentication code when logging into an app or website
  • Phone Number Verification — Verifying your phone number when registering or changing your account details
  • Verifying Important Actions — Verifying critical operations, such as resetting your password or changing your personal information

It's important to understand that these templates cannot be used for marketing messages, promotions, or any other commercial communications not directly related to account security.

Key Access Requirements#

To be able to create templates in the AUTHENTICATION category, your WhatsApp business account must meet two key requirements:

1. Business Verification#

Your company must complete one of three approved verification processes:

  • Direct business verification through Meta
  • Verification through an official Meta partner
  • Participation in the "Quality Messages" program

2. Sufficient Message Volume#

The business must demonstrate consistent activity in communicating with users—at least 1000 business-initiated dialogs per day per phone number.

Template Structure and Design#

AUTHENTICATION templates have strict design rules aimed at maximum clarity and security.

Required Components#

Each template must include:

  • Confirmation code (OTP), passed exclusively via a variable
  • Your company or brand name
  • An OTP button like Copy Code to copy the code to the clipboard

Additional Elements#

You can add the following to the template:

  • Security Warning: "For your security, do not share this code with third parties."
  • Expiration Date: "The code expires in 10 minutes."

Prohibited Elements#

The following cannot be used in AUTHENTICATION templates:

  • Media files (images, videos, documents)
  • Quick Reply buttons
  • Buttons with links

Example of a properly formatted template#

{
"elementName": "authentication_template",
"languageCode": "en",
"category": "AUTHENTICATION",
"templateType": "TEXT",
"vertical": "Verification code",
"content": "*{{1}}* is your verification code.",
"example": "*1234* is your verification code.",
"header": "For your security, do not share this code with third parties.",
"buttons": [{"type":"OTP","otp_type":"COPY_CODE"}],
"footer": "The code expires in 10 minutes."
}

Security Features#

  • Authentication messages are delivered only to the user's primary mobile device.
  • On WhatsApp Web, Desktop, and other connected devices, messages are hidden with a prompt to view them on the primary device.
  • This feature is always active and cannot be disabled.
  • Only available in the Cloud API version.

If Requirements Are Not Met#

If you attempt to create a template in the AUTHENTICATION category without meeting the required conditions, the verification process will be automatically rejected. You will receive the following error message: 

{
"reason": "This WhatsApp business account does not have permission to create message template", 
"status": "FAILED"  
}

This error indicates that your business account does not meet one or both of the required criteria for working with authentication templates.

Why are these requirements important?#

Strict requirements for creating authentication templates serve several important purposes:

  • User Protection — Limiting access to authentication features to verified businesses reduces the risk of fraud
  • Preserving Trust — Users must be confident that verification codes come from a trusted source
  • Maintaining Quality — Ensuring that important tools are used by businesses that truly need them

Before creating AUTHENTICATION templates, ensure that your business account fully meets all established criteria and that the template content complies with the design guidelines.