---
title: Create your WhatsApp abandoned cart message
date: "2026-11-06"
author: RocketCart
url: "https://getrocketcart.com/docs/recovery/whatsapp-recovery-messages/"
type: docs
---

The **Recovery** page holds the WhatsApp message RocketCart sends to shoppers who left a phone number at checkout. You write the message once, WhatsApp reviews it, and once it is approved RocketCart sends it automatically. Emails are separate and need no setup.

![The empty Recovery page with the hero and the New template button](/docs-media/en/recovery/recovery-empty-800.webp)

## Before you start

- You can write and submit a message before WhatsApp is connected. It waits as **Awaiting connection** and goes to review once you connect. To connect, see [connect WhatsApp](/docs/whatsapp/connect-whatsapp/).
- RocketCart sends at most one WhatsApp message per abandoned cart. See [email recovery](/docs/recovery/email-recovery/) for how it mixes email and WhatsApp.

## How do I create the message?

1. Open **Recovery** and click **New template**.
2. Click **Start from a preset**. **Suggested templates** opens with 11 templates: 10 ready-made messages, for example “Friendly reminder”, and **Blank template** to start from scratch. Pick one and click **Use template**. Or keep the text the editor opens with.
3. Fill in **Template name**. Only you and your team see it.
4. Choose the **Message language**. Write the message in that language.
5. Click **Edit** above the phone, then click the message to change the text. Click **Save** in the panel.
6. Click the button under the message to change its label. The link back to the cart is set for you.
7. Check that every item in **Ready to submit?** is ticked.
8. Click **Submit for review**, then **Submit**.

![The new template editor with the phone preview, Template details and Ready to submit? checklist](/docs-media/en/recovery/template-editor-new-800.webp)

![The Suggested templates preset picker with the Friendly reminder preset selected](/docs-media/en/recovery/preset-picker-800.webp)

You land back on **Recovery**, where the message shows **In review**. WhatsApp review usually takes a few minutes to a few hours. Want to save without submitting? Click **Save draft** instead.

## What can I put in the message?

| Part | What you can do |
| --- | --- |
| Product photo | **Show a product photo at the top** is on by default. Each message uses the photo of the shopper’s own cart product. You don’t upload anything |
| Text | Free text with WhatsApp formatting: bold, italic, strikethrough |
| `{{first_name}}` | The shopper’s first name. Click **Insert** next to “Customer’s first name” |
| `{{product}}` | The product name. Click **Insert** next to “Product name” |
| Cart button | Always the first button. You choose the label (up to 25 characters); RocketCart sets the link |
| **+ Copy code** | Adds a button that copies a discount code. Use letters and numbers only, and a code that exists in your Shopify discounts |
| **+ WhatsApp chat** | Adds a button that opens a chat with your business. Enter the number with country code, digits only, no + |
| Footer | “Reply STOP to unsubscribe”, fixed |

You can have up to 3 buttons, including the cart button.

Warning

WhatsApp rejects messages that start or end with `{{first_name}}` or `{{product}}`, or that contain 4 or more spaces or blank lines in a row. Put some words before and after each variable.

## How do I turn a message on?

Your first approved message goes live by itself. You’ll see **Active** next to **Recovery** at the top.

Later messages need you to switch them on:

1. Open **Recovery**.
2. Click the message row to show its languages.
3. Click **Activate** on the approved language.

Up to 3 messages can be active at once. With 2 or 3 active, RocketCart sends more of whichever recovers the most carts. To swap one out, click **Deactivate** first.

## What do the columns mean?

| Column | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Template** | Your message name, with **ACTIVE** when it is on |
| **Status** | One badge per language, coloured by review status |
| **Sent** | WhatsApp messages sent with it |
| **Recovered** | Carts recovered after it was sent |
| **Rate** | Recovered ÷ Sent |

The status labels are explained in [message templates](/docs/whatsapp/message-templates/).

## Which language does a shopper get?

RocketCart uses the shopper’s checkout language and picks an active message in that language. If there is none, it sends your English message, and if you have no English one, any active message.

RocketCart matches shoppers in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and both kinds of Portuguese. A shopper in another language gets your English message. Write your messages in those languages first.

## How do I change or remove a message?

- **Change an approved message:** open it and click **Duplicate to edit**. Edit the copy and submit it for review. Approved messages can’t be edited in place.
- **Delete a message:** in the **⋯** menu, click **Delete**.

Warning

**Delete** removes the message and all its languages straight away, with no confirmation. You can’t delete your only active approved message: activate another one first.

## Next step

See how your messages perform in [recovery results](/docs/recovery/recovery-results/).