---
title: Abandoned cart WhatsApp message templates and approval
date: "2026-11-06"
author: RocketCart
url: "https://getrocketcart.com/docs/whatsapp/message-templates/"
type: docs
---

WhatsApp only lets businesses start a conversation with an approved message template. So every WhatsApp message in RocketCart, for recovery, campaigns and back in stock alerts, goes to WhatsApp (Meta) for review first. Review usually takes a few minutes to a few hours.

## How does approval work?

1. You write the message in RocketCart and click **Submit for review**.
2. RocketCart sends it to WhatsApp as a marketing template, in the language you chose.
3. WhatsApp approves or rejects it. RocketCart shows the result on the page where you made it.

Each language is reviewed on its own. A message in English and German is two reviews.

## What does each status mean?

| Status | Meaning | What you can do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Draft** | Saved, not submitted | Edit it and submit |
| **Awaiting connection** | Submitted while WhatsApp was not connected | Connect WhatsApp. Until then you can keep editing; changes save to the queued version |
| **In review** | WhatsApp is reviewing it | Wait. You can’t edit it now |
| **Approved** | Ready to send | Activate it. Approved messages can’t be edited |
| **Active** | Approved and switched on | Nothing; it is being sent |
| **Rejected** | WhatsApp turned it down | Read the reason next to the status, edit the message and submit again |
| **Paused** | WhatsApp paused it, usually for quality or pacing | Duplicate it, change it and submit the new version |
| **Disabled** | WhatsApp disabled it | Duplicate it, change it and submit the new version |
| **Failed** | RocketCart couldn’t submit it to WhatsApp, so it never reached review | Open it and submit again |

These statuses apply to recovery and back in stock messages. The back in stock editor shows an approved message as **Ready**, which means the same as **Approved**. Campaigns have their own statuses, explained in [WhatsApp broadcasts](/docs/campaigns/whatsapp-broadcasts/).

## Why was my message rejected?

WhatsApp gives a reason, which RocketCart shows in the tooltip next to the status. Before you resubmit, check the common causes RocketCart already warns about in the editor:

- The message starts or ends with a variable such as `{{first_name}}`. Add words before and after it.
- It has 4 or more spaces or blank lines in a row.
- The message language doesn’t match the text. The confirmation says “It will be submitted to WhatsApp in {language} — make sure your message is written in {language}.”

If WhatsApp gives a different reason, change the text to address it and submit again.

## How do I change an approved message?

1. Open the message.
2. Click **Duplicate to edit**.
3. Change the copy.
4. Submit the copy for review.

The original keeps sending until you switch to the new one.

## Where do I manage templates?

| Messages for | Page |
| --- | --- |
| Abandoned carts | **Recovery**. See [WhatsApp recovery messages](/docs/recovery/whatsapp-recovery-messages/) |
| Broadcasts | **Campaigns**. See [WhatsApp broadcasts](/docs/campaigns/whatsapp-broadcasts/) |
| Restock alerts | **Back in stock** > **Manage templates**. See [set up back in stock](/docs/back-in-stock/set-up-back-in-stock/) |

Still rejected after a few tries? See [WhatsApp template rejected](/docs/troubleshooting/whatsapp-template-rejected/).