View templates generated by Direct Send

Updated: Jul 31, 2026

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When you use Direct Send, message templates are generated for you automatically. If you already use templates, you’ll see these generated templates both in WhatsApp Manager and through the API.

Direct Send creates two types of templates:

Based on message content — named starting with auto_generated, for example auto_generated_1234567890.

Based on the template_name provided in the API — named exactly as provided. For example, if direct_send_config.template_name="order_delivery", the template name is order_delivery. See Business-named templates.

Other considerations:

You cannot edit or delete templates generated by Direct Send. This applies to both auto-generated templates and business-named templates created via direct_send_config.

Direct Send templates are identified by a source field with the value AUTO_GENERATED.

View generated templates via the API

Call GET /<WABA_ID>/message_templates and filter on source=AUTO_GENERATED. All Direct Send templates (content-based and name-based) are returned.

Request syntax

GET /<WABA_ID>/message_templates?source=AUTO_GENERATED

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "name": "auto_generated_text_e22a3ec4_7c4a_4097_ae40_56ed1e89941c",
      "parameter_format": "POSITIONAL",
      "components": [
        {
          "type": "BODY",
          "text": "Hi 1, Your order is delivered.",
          "example": {
            "body_text": [
              ["sample 1"]
            ]
          }
        }
      ],
      "language": "en_US",
      "status": "APPROVED",
      "category": "UTILITY",
      "correct_category": "UTILITY",
      "source": "AUTO_GENERATED",
      "id": "1951933648908188"
    }
  ],
  "paging": {
    "cursors": {
      "before": "MAZDZD",
      "after": "MjQZD"
    }
  }
}