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Content Types Overview

Template Support on API Vs. Console

All template types will appear on the Content Templates. Template types that are supported on API only will display the following pop-up when opened in the console.

Screenshot 2023-05-23 at 15.02.07

Support

Content Type

Console

API

twilio/text

Yes

Yes

twilio/media

Yes

Yes

twilio/location

Coming Soon Yes

twilio/list-picker

Yes Yes

twilio/call-to-action

Yes Yes

twilio/quick-reply

Yes Yes

twilio/card

Yes Yes

whatsapp/authentication

Yes Yes

whatsapp/card

Yes Yes

Channel Support

Twilio supports the following content types, which we describe in the sections that follow.

Channel Support

Content Type

SMS

MMS

WhatsApp

Messenger

twilio/text

Yes

Coming soon

Yes

Yes

twilio/media

Yes

Yes

Yes

twilio/location

Yes

twilio/quick-replies

Yes

Yes

twilio/call-to-action

Yes

Yes

twilio/list-picker

Yes

twilio/card

Yes

Yes

whatsapp/card

Yes

whatsapp/authentication

Yes

Channel Media Type Support

Twilio supports the following content types, which we describe in the sections that follow.

Channel Support

Content Type

SMS

MMS

WhatsApp

Messenger

Images

Yes

Yes

Yes

Video

Yes

Yes

Yes

Document

Yes

Yes

Audio

In session only

Yes

Supported MIME Types

  • Images: JPG, JPEG, PNG
  • Documents: PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX
  • Video: MP4 (with H.264 video codec and AAC audio)
  • Audio: OGG

WhatsApp Approval Requirements

WhatsApp has channel-specific approval requirements and limitations. By default, to send outbound messages to WhatsApp users, template approval by WhatsApp is required. This is done as a separate API request via the Content API. However, if a WhatsApp subscriber initiates a 24-hour messaging session with an inbound message, then certain outbound rich content types can be sent without a template during the 24-hour session.

WhatsApp Session Type

Twilio Content Type User Initiated: 24 hour Session (initiated by inbound message) Business Initiated: Out of Session (initiated by a business - no inbound message)
twilio/text ✅ No Approval Required to Send Messages ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages
twilio/media ✅ No Approval Required to Send Messages ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages
twilio/location ✅ No Approval Required to Send Messages 🚫 Not supported
twilio/call-to-action ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages
twilio/quick-reply ✅ No Approval Required to Send Messages ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages
twilio/list-picker ✅ No Approval Required to Send Messages 🚫 Not supported
twilio/card ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages
whatsapp/card ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages
whatsapp/authentication ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages ⚠️ Template Approval Required to Send Messages

WhatsApp Template Approval Statuses

Templates can have the following statuses:

  • Unsubmitted: Indicates that the template has not been submitted to Twilio or WhatsApp for any sort of approval. These templates may still be used in session for some channels and in some WA sessions subject to the WhatsApp approval requirements listed above.
  • Received: Indicates that your template approval request has been received by Twilio. It is not yet in review by WhatsApp.
  • Pending: Indicates that the template is now under review by WhatsApp. Review can take up to 24 hours.
  • Approved: The template was approved by WhatsApp and can be used to notify customers.
  • Rejected: The template has been rejected by WhatsApp during the review process.
  • Paused: The template has been paused by WhatsApp due to recurring negative feedback from end users, typically resulting from "block" and "report spam" actions associated with the template. Message templates with this status cannot be sent to end users.
  • Disabled: The template has been disabled by WhatsApp due to recurring negative feedback from end users or for violating one or more of WhatsApp's policies. Message templates with this status cannot be sent to end users.

Common Components

The following parameters are used as an array in the "Actions" parameter of twilio/quick-reply, twilio/call-to-action, and twilio/card content types.

Actions

Parameter

Type

Required

Variable Support

Description

type

string (enum)

yes

no

The type of action.

  • Call to Action Values: URL, PHONE_NUMBER
  • Quick Reply Value: QUICK_REPLY
  • Card Values: URL, PHONE_NUMBER, QUICK_REPLY
  • whatsapp/authentication: COPY_CODE

title

string

no - whatsapp/authentication

yes - all others

no - quick_reply buttons on templates for WA business initiated messages.

yes - everywhere else

Display value for the action. For type QUICK_REPLY, this is the message that will be sent back when the user taps on the button.

  • Maximum 25 characters (WhatsApp)
  • Maximum 20 characters (Facebook)

url

string

yes - URL

no - others

yes

URL to direct to when the recipient taps the button.

phone

string

yes - PHONE_NUMBER

no - others

no

Phone number to call when the recipient taps the button.

id

string

no

yes

Postback payload. This field is not visible to the end user.

  • ​​Maximum: 128 characters
    • For unapproved WA templates in session the max is 256 characters

copy_code_text

string

yes - whatsapp/authentication

no - all other templates

no

Display value for the Copy Code button.

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