# Get started | Developer Documentation

<div id="bkmrk-get-startedupdated%3A-">## Get started

<div><span>Updated: Feb 10, 2026</span></div><div><div>Marketing Messages API for WhatsApp (formerly known as Marketing Messages Lite API) is now generally available.</div></div><div>Learn how to send a template message with the Marketing Messages API for WhatsApp (MM API for WhatsApp).</div><div id="bkmrk-requirements"><div id="bkmrk-requirements-1"><div>### Requirements

</div></div></div><span>You have an active WhatsApp Business Account and are in a [country eligible for MM API for WhatsApp](/books/meta-whatsapp/page/get-started-developer-documentation).</span><span>You have an approved [marketing template message](/books/meta-whatsapp/page/marketing-templates-developer-documentation).</span><span>You are subscribed to the [messages](/books/meta-whatsapp/page/messages-webhook-reference-developer-documentation) webhook.</span><div id="bkmrk-step-1%3A-accept-terms"><div id="bkmrk-step-1%3A-accept-terms-1"><div>### Step 1: Accept Terms of Service

</div></div></div><span>Navigate to the [**App Dashboard**](https://developers.facebook.com/apps) &gt; **WhatsApp** &gt; **Quickstart** panel.</span><span>Locate the “**Improve ROI with marketing messages with optimizations**” module and click the “**Get started**” button.</span><span>Click on “**Continue to integration guide**” and accept the Terms of Service.</span><div id="bkmrk-step-3%3A-verify-messa"><div id="bkmrk-step-3%3A-verify-messa-1"><div>### Step 3: Verify message was sent through the `status` webhook

</div></div></div><div id="bkmrk-geographic-availabil"><div id="bkmrk-geographic-availabil-1"><div>### Geographic availability of features

</div></div></div><div>Some advanced features and reporting capabilities of MM API for WhatsApp are available only in particular geographies due to Meta policy and/or local regulation.</div><div id="bkmrk-european-economic-ar"><div id="bkmrk-european-economic-ar-1"><div>#### European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea

</div></div></div><span>Messages sent from a business phone number in these countries, or to a consumer in these countries, will not receive delivery optimizations. **Note** that [per-user marketing message template limits](/books/meta-whatsapp/page/per-user-marketing-template-message-limits-developer-documentation) are also not active in these countries, so a lack of delivery optimizations will not have any effect on message delivery.</span><span>Messages sent from a business phone number in these countries, or to a consumer in these countries, will not have click and conversion reporting metrics available.</span><span>For businesses in these countries, metrics are not available on Ads Manager UI or Insights API. As with Cloud API, metrics will be available via Business Management API and WhatsApp Manager UI ‘conversation’ metrics.</span><div id="bkmrk-united-states"><div id="bkmrk-united-states-1"><div>#### United States

</div></div></div><span>Starting April 1, 2025, marketing messages sent to WhatsApp users in the United States will not be delivered (error code 131049). Note that this policy is not specific to MM API for WhatsApp - it is in place across all Business Messaging APIs (including Cloud API, [see docs](/books/meta-whatsapp/page/per-user-marketing-template-message-limits-developer-documentation)).</span><span>Businesses phone numbers in the US will continue to be able to use MM API for WhatsApp to message users outside of the United States.</span><div id="bkmrk-cuba%2C-iran%2C-north-ko"><div id="bkmrk-cuba%2C-iran%2C-north-ko-1"><div>#### Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and three sanctioned regions in the Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk):

</div></div></div><span>Businesses in these regions are not eligible to onboard, and messages cannot be sent to a consumer in these regions. This policy is not specific to MM API for WhatsApp - it is in place across all Business Messaging APIs (including Cloud API, [see docs](/books/meta-whatsapp/page/faqs-developer-documentation)).</span><div id="bkmrk-russia"><div id="bkmrk-russia-1"><div>#### Russia

</div></div></div><div>Starting June 20, 2025, businesses in Russia will be able to use MM API for WhatsApp with the following feature exceptions:</div><span>Messages sent by a business with a Meta business profile in Russia, or using a payment method with a Russian address, will not receive delivery optimizations.</span><span>Messages sent from a business phone number in these countries, or to a consumer in these countries, will not have click and conversion reporting metrics available. For businesses in these countries, metrics are not available on Ads Manager UI or Insights API. As with Cloud API, metrics will continue to be available via Business Management API and WhatsApp Manager UI conversation metrics.</span><span>All other features of MM API for WhatsApp continue to be available.</span><div id="bkmrk-learn-more"><div id="bkmrk-learn-more-1"><div>### Learn more

</div></div></div><span>Learn about additional [marketing message formats](/books/meta-whatsapp/page/marketing-templates-developer-documentation)</span></div>