Understanding Flow status
Each WhatsApp Flow has a status that represents its lifecycle state. The status determines what actions you can take on the Flow.
| Status | Description | Allowed actions |
|---|---|---|
| DRAFT | Initial state when a Flow is created. The Flow can be edited and tested but cannot be sent to users. | Update, update assets, publish, delete, preview |
| PUBLISHED | The Flow is available for use in template messages and can be sent to users. Published Flows cannot be edited directly. | Deprecate, preview. To edit, update assets (which reverts to DRAFT). |
| DEPRECATED | The Flow is no longer recommended for use. This is an irreversible state. | None (terminal state) |
| BLOCKED | Meta has blocked the Flow due to integrity or policy violations. | Contact Meta support |
| THROTTLED | Meta has temporarily throttled the Flow. | Wait for throttling to be lifted |
Important
Publishing and deprecating a Flow are irreversible operations. Once a Flow is published, you cannot revert it to DRAFT directly. However, updating a published Flow's assets (JSON definition) will revert it to DRAFT status, requiring you to re-publish.
Meta sends a webhook notification each time a Flow's status changes. You receive these notifications through your configured event destination. For more information, see Receiving Flow responses and status changes.