Facebook Message Templates replace Message Tags on the respond.io platform. This article explains how Message Templates work on respond.io and how they align with Meta’s updated Messenger policies.
Templates ensure:
Compliance with Meta messaging policies
Consistent and structured outbound communication
Clear separation between promotional and non-promotional use cases
Messages that are promotional in nature are not permitted within Message Templates.
What is a Facebook Message Template?
A Facebook Message Template is a pre-approved message format provided by Meta’s template library. These templates are intended for utility messages such as:
Account updates
Transaction confirmations
Post-purchase notifications
Customer support follow-ups
Templates must not include promotional content such as:
Deals
Offers
Coupons
Discounts
If there is uncertainty, the message should be reviewed to ensure it meets Meta’s utility messaging requirements.
When do I need a Facebook message template?
You need a Facebook message template when sending a message outside the 24-hour messaging window that follows a Contact’s last incoming message.
Message templates are required when:
The last message from the Contact was sent more than 24 hours ago
You need to send a utility or account-related message
Facebook message tags are no longer available for use
If the messaging window is still open, you can continue the conversation without using a message template.
Where Facebook message templates are used
Message templates affect modules and features that send outbound Facebook messages outside the standard messaging window.
This includes:
Workflow-driven messages
Manual messages sent after the 24-hour window
Extended messaging window using the Human_Agent tag
In addition to message templates, Meta provides the Human_Agent tag to extend the messaging window.
How it works
Standard messaging window: 24 hours from the last customer message
With the Human_Agent tag: Extended to 7 days
On the respond.io platform, the Human_Agent tag is automatically applied to eligible outgoing messages.
This extended window is especially useful for:
Complex customer issues
Ongoing support conversations
Scenarios that realistically take more than a day to resolve
How Facebook message templates are sourced
All templates are pulled directly from Meta’s official template library
Templates are pre-approved by Meta
Respond.io does not create or modify these templates
All templates are governed by Meta’s Messenger platform policies.
How to obtain Facebook message templates
Existing Facebook Channel connections
Existing Facebook Messenger Channels must refresh their permissions to access message templates. This is required due to updated Meta permissions tied to templates.
Steps to sync message templates
Navigate to your Workspace Settings > Channels.
Locate the Messenger Channel > click Manage.
In the Channel configuration page, click Templates > Sync Templates to begin the syncing process.
When syncing is complete, the message templates will be listed with the “approved” status.
New Facebook Channel connections
Newly connected Facebook Messenger Channels will automatically receive available message templates during the connection process.
WhatsApp message template fields overview
The following is a description of what each column represents:
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Status | Indicates the current Status of the Template |
Name | Indicates the Name of the Template |
Language | Indicates the Language of the Template |
Sending message templates
Steps to send message templates
Click the Message template icon in the messaging bar.
To send a message template after the customer service window has expired, click the Send Message Template button at the bottom of the Inbox Module.
Select the template to send to your Contact.
Personalize the message and specify the parameters for the template. You may use Dynamic Variables to fill in the required fields i.e. the values for {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. When a user is typing the values for the parameters, the parameters in Message Preview will be replaced with the values for users to review before sending it to the Contact.
Review the information and click Send.
FAQs and troubleshooting
I don’t see any templates after refreshing my permission or connecting my Messenger Channel. What should I do?
Templates may take a few minutes to fully sync to the platform. If you still don’t see any templates after an hour, contact Support.
Why do I see the “Insufficient permissions to sync templates” error after syncing templates?
This happens when your Facebook Messenger Channel permissions are outdated. Go to the Channel’s Troubleshoot settings and click Refresh Permission to reauthorize access and try syncing your templates again.
Can I create and manage custom Facebook utility message templates on respond.io?
No. Custom Facebook utility message templates can’t currently be created or managed directly on respond.io.
If this is something you’d like to see, you can vote for the feature request here.
