WhatsApp Error Codes: Business API and Cloud API Error List with Fixes
When a WhatsApp Business API send fails, Meta returns a numeric code, not a sentence. This is the plain-English list: what each code means, why the message did not deliver, and the fix. Grouped by cause so you can find yours fast.
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Most-searched codes
July 2026Short answer: A WhatsApp Business API error code is the numeric reason a request to Meta's Cloud API failed. The codes fall into a few families. Codes in the 130s and 131s are messaging and delivery failures, the ones every sender meets: 131047 means you are writing outside the 24-hour customer service window and must use a template, 131049 means Meta withheld the message for ecosystem health (which on a US number usually means the marketing block), and 131026 means the recipient is simply unreachable. Codes in the 132s are template problems, 133s are phone-number registration problems, and codes like 0, 190, and 10 are authentication and permission problems with your access token. The fix depends entirely on the family, so read the number before you retry.
Last updated July 2026. Codes and meanings are drawn from Meta's Cloud API error documentation. WaBulkSend is built on Meta's official WhatsApp Cloud API and is not affiliated with Meta Platforms, Inc.
How to read a WhatsApp error before you retry
Meta returns errors in a JSON body, not just a code. The useful fields are code, a human title, an error_data.details string that is often more specific than the title, and sometimes an error_subcode. Read the details string first: on a rate-limit lockout it tells you the wait period, and on a template rejection it names the policy you tripped.
The first digits tell you which team owns the problem. A 131047 or 131026 is about the recipient and the conversation window, so the fix is on the message side. A 132001 or 132015 is about a template, so the fix is in Business Manager. A 133010 or 133005 is about the phone number's registration, so the fix is in the setup flow. And a 0, 10, or 190 is your access token, so nothing you change in the message body will help.
One rule saves the most time: never blind-retry a message error. A 131047 will fail every time until you switch to a template, and a 131049 to a US number will keep failing because the marketing block is a Meta policy, not a transient hiccup. Retrying is only correct for the temporary codes (131000, 131016, 133004, 130429), and even those want backoff, not a tight loop.
Messaging and delivery errors (130xxx, 131xxx)
The codes almost every sender meets. These are about the recipient, the window, and rate limits.
| Code | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| 131047 | Re-engagement required. More than 24 hours have passed since the customer last messaged you, so a free-form message is not allowed. | Send an approved template to reopen the conversation. Only templates can start a business-initiated message outside the window. |
| 131049 | Meta chose not to deliver this message to protect ecosystem engagement. On a US number this is almost always the marketing block. | Do not retry a marketing template to a US number. Use utility or authentication templates, or a free-entry-point conversation from a click-to-WhatsApp ad. |
| 131026 | Message undeliverable. The recipient may not have WhatsApp, may be on an old app version, or has not accepted the latest terms. | Confirm the number is on WhatsApp and in E.164 format. There is nothing to fix on your side if the recipient is simply unreachable. |
| 131021 | The recipient cannot be the sender. You addressed your own business number. | Send to a different number than the one registered to the WhatsApp Business Account. |
| 131048 | Spam rate limit hit. Sends are restricted because of a low quality rating or spam signals on the number. | Check the number quality status in Business Manager, slow your sending, and improve template relevance before resuming. |
| 131056 | Pair rate limit. Too many messages to the same recipient in a short window. | Wait before messaging that recipient again. Sends to other numbers are not affected. |
| 130429 | Cloud API throughput limit reached. You exceeded the messages-per-second ceiling. | Add backoff and retry. Default throughput is 80 messages per second, with capacity upgrades available. |
| 131000 | Something went wrong. A generic, usually transient failure on Meta's side. | Retry with exponential backoff. If it persists, inspect the details field and open a support case. |
| 131016 | Service temporarily unavailable. | Check the WhatsApp Business Platform status page and retry after a short wait. |
| 131042 | Business eligibility or payment issue. A credit line or payment method problem is blocking sends. | Fix the payment method on the WhatsApp Business Account or with your Solution Partner, then resend. |
The two you will see most on a US list are 131047 and 131049. Both are covered in depth in our guide to why WhatsApp messages are not delivered.
Template errors (132xxx)
These fire before delivery. The template name, its parameters, or its quality status is the problem.
| Code | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| 132000 | Parameter count mismatch. The number of variables you sent does not match the approved template. | Send exactly the variables the template defines, in order. A template with three placeholders needs three values. |
| 132001 | The template does not exist. The name or language locale does not match an approved template. | Check the exact template name and language code. A template approved in en_US is not the same as en. |
| 132005 | The translated template exceeds the character limit. | Shorten the content. Interactive and translated templates have tighter length caps. |
| 132007 | Template format or policy violation. Unsupported characters or formatting. | Read the rejection reason in the details field and edit the template content to comply. |
| 132012 | Parameter format mismatch. A parameter type does not match the template, for example an image where a video is expected. | Match each parameter to the media or text type the approved template specifies. |
| 132015 | Template paused. Poor quality rating has paused the template. | Edit the template to raise quality, then resume. A paused template can be re-enabled once quality recovers. |
| 132016 | Template disabled. Repeated quality pauses have disabled it permanently. | Build a new template with clearer, more relevant content. A disabled template cannot be revived. |
Most template errors trace back to how the template was written and categorized. Our guide to WhatsApp message templates covers categories, variables, and approval.
Registration and PIN errors (133xxx)
| 133000 | Incomplete deregistration. A prior deregister failed. Deregister the number again, then register. |
| 133004 | Server temporarily unavailable. Check platform status and retry shortly. |
| 133005 | Two-step verification PIN mismatch. Send the correct 6-digit PIN for the number. |
| 133008 | Too many PIN guesses. Wait out the lockout named in the details field. |
| 133009 | PIN entered too quickly. Pause, then re-enter the PIN. |
| 133010 | Phone number not registered. Complete registration before sending. |
| 133015 | Number being deregistered or rate-limited on register. Wait and retry the registration call. |
Authentication and permission errors
| 0 | AuthException. Meta cannot authenticate the app user. Generate a fresh access token. |
| 3 | API method or permission problem. Review the call and token scopes. |
| 10 | Permission denied. Missing permission or unapproved number. Grant the WhatsApp permissions and confirm the number is registered. |
| 190 | Access token expired. Issue a new, non-expiring system-user token. |
| 200 | Permission missing or revoked for a feature. Re-grant the app the required permissions. |
| 4 | Too many API calls (app-level rate limit). Throttle calls and add backoff. |
| 80007 | Account rate limit reached. Reduce call volume or retry later. |
| 131008 | A required parameter is missing. Add the mandatory field from the endpoint reference. |
| 131009 | Parameter value is invalid. Send a supported value or type. |
Error 131049 and the US marketing block
Of every code on this page, 131049 causes the most confusion for US businesses, so it is worth being precise. The error reads "Meta chose not to deliver this message to maintain healthy ecosystem engagement." That phrasing covers two different situations. The general one is a per-user frequency cap: a person has received too many marketing messages from businesses recently, so Meta withholds another. That cap is applied across all businesses, not just yours.
The specific one, and the reason most US senders hit 131049, is the marketing block. Since April 1, 2025, Meta has not delivered marketing-category templates to United States phone numbers, with no announced resume date as of July 2026. On the Cloud API that failure surfaces as 131049. On Twilio's stack the parallel code is 63049. It is a platform rule, so switching providers does nothing, and no legitimate provider can send a marketing blast to a US list right now.
What still reaches US numbers: utility templates (order, shipping, account, and payment updates), authentication templates (one-time codes), and every message inside the 24-hour service window a customer opens by writing to you first. If you need to reach US customers with something promotional, the compliant route is a click-to-WhatsApp ad: when the customer taps it, a 72-hour free window opens and you can talk freely. The Cloud API rules for US delivery spell out exactly what lands and what does not.
Frequently asked questions
What does WhatsApp error 131049 mean? +
Error 131049 means Meta chose not to deliver the message to maintain healthy ecosystem engagement. For US businesses it is almost always the marketing block: since April 1, 2025 Meta has not delivered marketing-category templates to US phone numbers, with no resume date as of July 2026. Utility templates, authentication templates, and replies inside the 24-hour window still reach US numbers.
What is WhatsApp error 131047? +
Error 131047 means re-engagement is required: more than 24 hours have passed since the customer last messaged you, so you cannot send a free-form message. To reopen the conversation you must send an approved message template. Only a template can start a business-initiated message outside the 24-hour customer service window.
How do I fix WhatsApp error 131026? +
Error 131026 means the message is undeliverable, usually because the recipient is not reachable on WhatsApp, is on an outdated app version, or has not accepted the latest terms. Confirm the number is a real WhatsApp user in E.164 format. If the recipient is simply unreachable, there is nothing to change on your side.
What does error 132001 mean? +
Error 132001 means the template does not exist. The template name or its language locale does not match an approved template on your WhatsApp Business Account. Check the exact template name and language code: a template approved in en_US will not match a request that asks for en. Confirm the template is approved before sending.
Should I retry a failed WhatsApp message? +
Only for transient codes. Retry with backoff on 131000, 131016, 133004, and 130429 rate limits. Do not retry policy or content failures: 131047 will keep failing until you use a template, 131049 to a US marketing template is a Meta block, and template errors in the 132xxx range need the template fixed first.
What is the difference between error 131047 and 131049? +
Error 131047 is about the conversation window: you are messaging outside the 24-hour window and must use a template. Error 131049 is about Meta withholding delivery for ecosystem health, which for US numbers is the marketing block. One is solved by sending a template; the other cannot be solved for US marketing messages at all right now.
Where do WhatsApp Business API error codes come from? +
They come from Meta. When your software posts to the WhatsApp Cloud API on the Graph API, a failed request returns a JSON body with a numeric code, a title, and often an error_data.details string that is more specific. The same codes apply whether you send directly through Meta or through a provider built on the Cloud API.
Why does my WhatsApp template keep getting paused (132015)? +
Error 132015 means the template was paused for a low quality rating, which comes from recipients blocking or reporting it or a high number of undelivered sends. Edit the template to make it more relevant and expected, reduce how often you send it, and it can be resumed. Repeated pauses lead to error 132016, which disables the template for good.
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