My template was paused or disabled: what do I do?
When Meta sets a template to "Paused", sending with that template stops for a while. This page explains why it happens, how long it lasts and what to do in order. The rules are Meta's; Chatinbox cannot shorten the pause.
When a template's quality rating drops to Red (low), Meta pauses it: 3 hours the first time, 6 hours the second time, and the third time the template is disabled. During a pause Meta rejects sends with that template; you are not charged. When the pause ends the template reopens on its own. A disabled template has to be edited and resubmitted for approval. Notifications arrive in WhatsApp Manager and by email.
What you provide
- Access to Meta WhatsApp Manager (template status and rating live there)
- Stopping the campaign that uses the template during the pause
- Willingness to revise the template text and the target list
What Chatinbox does
- Finds with you which campaign and list collected complaints
- Writes the new template text with you and submits it for approval
- Plans with you how to resume waiting sends once the pause ends
- Why templates get paused
- Durations: 3 hours · 6 hours · disabled
- What happens during a pause
- How a disabled template comes back
Check in order
Read the status in Meta
WhatsApp Manager → Account tools → Message templates. Next to the template you see its status: Active (quality pending / high / medium / low), Paused, Disabled, In review, Rejected, Appeal requested. First settle which one you are in.
If Paused, stop the campaign
During the pause Meta rejects send attempts and does not charge for them. But attempting does not repair the rating. Pause the bulk send that uses this template; when the time is up the template returns to Active on its own.
3 hours / 6 hoursFind the cause
A pause comes from recurring negative feedback or low read rates. Look at recent sends: which list, what hour, was there an opt-out path? Set aside the list that collected complaints.
Change the text, don't repeat
The second pause is 6 hours, the third means disabled. Sending the same text to the same list again leads to the third step. Shorten the text, say what you are writing about in the first sentence, and do not send to people without consent.
If disabled, edit and resubmit
A disabled template does not come back on its own. Edit the text and resubmit it for approval, or appeal; an appeal asks for a sample and the decision arrives within 24 hours. Review also takes up to 24 hours.
Review ≤ 24 hoursDo and don't
Do
- Stop the campaign as soon as you see the pause notice
- Send again only after changing text and list
- Put an opt-out path in marketing messages
- Try a new template on a small list first
Don't
- Don't retry sends before the pause ends
- Don't open the same text under a new name
- Don't send to a purchased list
- Don't let a template reach a third pause — coming back requires re-approval
If your template was paused, let's write the new one together
In a 15 minute call we find the send that collected complaints and draft the new template text with you.
Source: Meta developer documentation (template pausing and template guidelines). Meta can change these durations. This page was checked against those documents on 18 August 2026.
