# View WhatsApp Message Templates

Cloud Voice pulls the approved message templates from your WhatsApp Business Account so agents can send structured, pre-approved messages to customers. This page explains how to review the templates that are available on a WhatsApp channel and how to keep the list current.

Templates are synchronized automatically using the WhatsApp Business Account ID tied to each WhatsApp channel. Within WhatsApp's 24-hour customer service window, agents can reply freely to inbound messages. Outside that window, for example, when starting a brand-new conversation or running a bulk [WhatsApp campaign](/pbx/contact-center-guide/create-a-whatsapp-campaign/), messages must be sent using one of these synchronized templates.

For how agents apply templates in day-to-day conversations, see [Start a message session via a WhatsApp channel](/pbx/contact-center-guide/start-a-messaging-session-with-a-customer-web/#start-a-messaging-session-with-a-customer-web__section_y5h_zl5_1dc).

:::note
Templates are created and submitted for approval in your WhatsApp Business Account, not in Cloud Voice. Cloud Voice only synchronizes and displays the approved templates, so this page is read-only: there is no button here to create or edit a template.
:::

## Prerequisites

- Your phone system is running firmware **84.20.0.21** or later.
- The templates exist and have been approved in your WhatsApp Business Account.
- A [WhatsApp channel](/pbx/contact-center-guide/set-up-a-whatsapp-channel/) is set up and linked to that account.

:::note
- Only templates in **Active** status are synchronized. Marketing templates of the **Catalog** type are not brought in.
- Each WhatsApp channel can synchronize a maximum of 250 templates.
- Template variable names may contain only lowercase letters and numbers. Avoid underscores and other special characters, which can prevent a template from working correctly.
:::

![Cloud Voice, a WhatsApp template in Active status ready to sync](/images/pbx/message-template-active.png)

## View the templates on a channel

1. Sign in to the management portal and go to **Messaging > Message Channel**.
2. Next to the WhatsApp channel, click the templates icon ![Templates icon](/images/pbx/message-template.png).

   A window opens listing every template synchronized from your WhatsApp Business Account.

   ![List of synchronized WhatsApp templates for a channel](/images/pbx/view-wa-templates.png)
3. To see how a template reads, click the preview icon ![Preview icon](/images/pbx/eye.png) beside it.

   :::tip
   Preview a template before you rely on it in a campaign or conversation. The preview confirms the exact wording and shows where the variables (the placeholder spots that get filled in per contact, such as a name or order number) appear.
   :::

## Refresh the template list

To pull the newest templates and content, click **Refresh** in the template window.

:::note
The list refreshes automatically once a day. Use **Refresh** whenever you need the changes sooner.
:::