---
title: Why was my template paused or disabled, and how do I get it back?
description: "Templates carry their own quality rating, separate from your number's. It is based on how customers react to that specific template: negative feedback and low read rates. You can see it in the **Quality Rating** column on your **Template Messages**…"
url: "https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/why-was-my-template-paused-or-disabled-and-how-do-i-get-it-back/"
updated: "2026-10-23"
category: WhatsApp Business API / Template Messages
---

# Why was my template paused or disabled, and how do I get it back?

Templates carry their own quality rating, separate from your number's. It is based on how customers react to that specific template: negative feedback and low read rates. You can see it in the **Quality Rating** column on your **Template Messages** page.

## What the states mean

| State | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Quality pending** | Too new to have feedback yet. |
| **High quality** | Healthy. Keep sending. |
| **Medium quality** | Negative feedback from several customers, or low read rates. |
| **Low quality** | The same, worse. The template is close to being paused. |
| **Paused** | Cannot be sent. Triggered by recurring negative feedback or low read rates. |
| **Disabled** | Cannot be sent. Triggered by continued negative feedback after pauses. |

## What to do

1. **Stop sending that template** and anything close to it. Resending after a pause lifts is what turns a pause into a disable.
2. **Find out why.** Check its read rate and who it went to. Templates sent to cold or poorly opted-in lists get reported fastest.
3. **Rewrite rather than resubmit unchanged.** Make the purpose obvious in the first line, cut the promotional pressure, and send to a tighter list.
4. **Appeal if you believe it is wrong.** Use WhatsApp Manager to request a review for a rejected or disabled template.

## Editing limits

An approved template can be edited **once in 24 hours** and **up to 10 times in 30 days**. Rejected and paused templates can be edited without that restriction. A new or edited template goes back through review, which can take up to 24 hours.

If the same message keeps getting paused, the problem is usually the audience, not the wording.

**Source:** [Meta: Template fundamentals](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/overview). Meta changes these rules from time to time, so check the source if something looks different in your account.

### More Related Articles

- [Why was my template rejected as INCORRECT_CATEGORY, or changed to Marketing?](https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/why-was-my-template-rejected-as-incorrect_category-or-changed-to-marketing/)
- [Which category should I choose for a WhatsApp template?](https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/which-category-should-i-choose-for-a-whatsapp-template/)
- [Is it possible to include a document, image, or video in a WhatsApp template message using SMSGatewayCenter, and if so, how?](https://www.smsgatewaycenter.com/blog/kb/whatsapp-template-media-attachments-smsgatewaycenter/)

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