Cloud API marketing messages end in 2027: the migration dates and checks

Meta's developer blog published this migration notice on 21 October 2026. Its overview records a global sunset announcement on 13 October 2026, and says the Marketing Messages API became generally available on 19 November 2025. Those are announcement and product-availability milestones; the sending restrictions arrive later. This article was checked on 22 October 2026, so the 2027 dates below are scheduled future changes, not restrictions already observed in a customer account.

From 13 April 2027, a newly created Messaging account cannot send marketing messages through Cloud API. An account created before that date can continue using the Cloud API marketing path until 13 October 2027. From 13 October 2027, Meta says a Cloud API marketing send will return an error. Marketing sends can continue through Marketing Messages API, or other supported surfaces where Meta allows them.

The sunset concerns WhatsApp marketing messages sent through the Cloud API. Meta explicitly says Service, Authentication and Utility messages remain supported there. Do not move all outbound traffic to the marketing endpoint: Meta's category-routing guide sends MARKETING templates to /<PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/marketing_messages and other supported categories to /<PHONE_NUMBER_ID>/messages.

Existing phone numbers and approved marketing templates can be used with the Marketing Messages API, according to Meta. Its overview describes a similar technical schema and the same billing model as Cloud API, but this does not prove that a provider's product surface, fees, permissions or account onboarding are already ready. Review the current Meta pricing and the customer's actual billing evidence before estimating a campaign cost.

A template approved as Utility can later be reclassified as Marketing if its content is promotional. Meta specifically calls out that reclassified traffic must be routed to the Marketing Messages API. A sender that chooses the endpoint solely from an old template label can therefore break even when its marketing campaign list looks complete.

Meta's routing guidance recommends maintaining a mapping of Messaging account, template identity, language and latest category, subscribing to category-update webhooks, and refreshing missing or changed categories before sending. A controlled failed send may justify a category refresh and idempotent retry on the correct endpoint. An unknown delivery outcome does not justify a blind duplicate send.

Start with an inventory of the business portfolios, Messaging accounts, phone numbers and marketing templates that actually send through Cloud API. Separate established accounts from any account planned for creation after 13 April 2027. Identify the owner of the sending integration and the person who can accept Meta's Marketing Messages API terms for the right business.

Marketing send migration

Inventory, pilot, then move campaigns

Keep the two 2027 dates, template category and observed delivery outcome visible in one plan.

01

Inventory

Locate each account and marketing sender that still uses Cloud API.

02

Route

Use Meta's latest template category to choose the send endpoint.

03

Verify

Compare API response, delivery events and billing before rollout.

Then onboard the intended account using Meta's current guide and test a consented marketing template through the Marketing Messages API endpoint. Compare the synchronous response, later status webhook, category, and billed delivery separately. Meta says most integrations may take about two weeks, but that is an average in its notice, not a deadline or a guarantee for a particular application.

This guide follows Meta's 21 October developer notice and its Marketing Messages API overview, which was marked updated 13 October 2026 when checked on 22 October. Meta's category-routing document was marked updated 21 September 2026. The later 21 October post reinforces an already documented October announcement; the April and October 2027 restrictions are future effective dates. Feature availability and some optimizations can vary by geography and account.

No Whats91 customer account, Marketing Messages API integration, terms acceptance, campaign send, billing record or webhook was inspected for this article. It does not claim that Whats91 currently offers this API in its interface or that any customer's traffic has been migrated. An account owner and the current Whats91 product team should verify the exact integration path before moving real traffic.