Introduction
WhatsApp Business applies strict quality controls to protect users and ensure the platform remains a trusted communication channel.
These checks focus on two key areas: phone number quality and message template quality.
If you’re using WhatsApp for customer messaging, understanding how these systems work is crucial.
This guide explains WhatsApp’s quality management process and shows you how to maintain high performance and avoid interruptions.
Key Takeaways
- ✅ WhatsApp assigns quality ratings to both phone numbers and message templates.
- ✅ Poor quality can trigger restrictions, pauses, or disabled access.
- ✅ High-quality accounts enjoy higher messaging limits and full functionality.
- ✅ Best practices and policy compliance are essential for consistent performance.
How WhatsApp Business Manages Quality
Phone Number Quality
What Is Phone Number Quality?
Each business phone number is evaluated based on user feedback received over the past 7 days. This includes:
- Message blocks
- Spam reports
- Complaints
The result is a quality rating that impacts how many messages your business can send and whether your number is restricted.
Phone Number Quality Ratings
- 🟢 Green (High Quality): Excellent performance, full access.
- 🟡 Yellow (Medium Quality): Moderate complaints, monitor closely.
- 🔴 Red (Low Quality): High complaint rate, risk of penalties.
Status Types
Your phone number may fall into one of the following operational statuses:
- Connected: Normal status, full messaging access.
- Flagged: Activated when your rating drops to red. May recover if quality improves.
- Restricted: Happens if you exceed daily limits. You can respond to incoming messages but cannot start new conversations.
Messaging Limits
WhatsApp uses a tier system to control how many business-initiated conversations you can send every 24 hours:
- 1,000 conversations
- 10,000 conversations
- 100,000 conversations
- Unlimited conversations
Maintaining a green rating and avoiding user complaints helps increase your tier over time.
Message Template Quality
What Are Message Templates?
Templates are pre-approved messages used to:
- Start conversations outside the 24-hour reply window
- Send notifications or transactional updates
Each template is rated individually and must follow WhatsApp’s format and policy guidelines.
Template Statuses
Templates can have different quality statuses depending on performance:
- In Review: Pending approval from WhatsApp
- Rejected: Did not meet formatting or policy standards
- Active – Quality Pending: Recently approved, awaiting enough feedback
- Active – High Quality: Low complaints, good engagement
- Active – Medium Quality: Some complaints
- Active – Low Quality: Frequent complaints, risk of pause or disable
- Paused: Temporarily stopped due to quality issues
- Disabled: Permanently blocked
- Appeal Requested: Business submitted a request to reverse a rejection
Template Pacing
WhatsApp may “pace” the distribution of new or unpaused templates to monitor feedback. If negative responses are detected, the template is paused and queued messages are dropped. If feedback is good, messages are sent normally.
Template Pausing Timeline
- 1st Instance: Paused for a few hours (e.g., 3 hours)
- 2nd Instance: Paused longer (e.g., 6 hours)
- 3rd Instance: Disabled permanently
Best Practices to Maintain High Quality
To keep your phone number and templates in good standing:
1. Send Relevant, Valuable Messages
Avoid generic or overly frequent messages. Deliver clear, helpful content users want to receive.
2. Use Correct Template Formatting
Follow the approved syntax, like {{1}} for placeholders. Ensure content complies with WhatsApp rules.
3. Monitor Feedback and Metrics
Keep an eye on block rates, spam reports, and delivery success. Adjust your strategy when metrics decline.
4. Comply with WhatsApp Policies
Review and follow these key documents:
5. Scale Messaging Gradually
Ramp up sending volume slowly to avoid spikes in complaints or technical issues.
6. Adjust Based on Feedback
Pause low-performing templates, revise content, or shift targeting to reduce complaints.
FAQs
What causes a phone number to be flagged or restricted?
Phone numbers may be flagged if your quality rating drops to red, or restricted if you exceed messaging limits within 24 hours.
How do I increase my messaging limit?
Keep a green quality rating and consistently send approved, well-received messages. Your limit will be reviewed and upgraded over time.
What happens if a message template is paused?
Paused templates cannot be sent until the temporary restriction expires. If low quality continues, the template may be disabled.
Can I appeal a rejected or disabled template?
Yes. You can appeal through the notification received from WhatsApp. Be sure to include a sample use case in your appeal.
How long does template approval take?
Most templates are reviewed within 24 hours, though complex or high-risk content may take longer.
Conclusion
WhatsApp Business quality management ensures users receive high-value, low-friction messages from trusted brands. By understanding how phone number and template quality work—and by following best practices—you can keep your business compliant, maintain strong messaging performance, and avoid costly interruptions.
If you need help managing quality or fixing account issues, contact Messangi Support for expert assistance.
