feat: Add manual WhatsApp templates sync with UI (#12007)

Fixes https://github.com/chatwoot/chatwoot/issues/9600

**Summary**
- Added manual WhatsApp templates sync functionality accessible via UI
- Added refresh button in both inbox settings and template picker modal
- Enhanced template picker to always show for WhatsApp Cloud channels
(even when empty)


**Preview**

<img width="1456" height="798" alt="CleanShot 2025-07-22 at 14 15 28@2x"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/8a04ff26-61fa-42ee-a1b8-5e06433ae6e0"
/>


<img width="2376" height="1574" alt="CleanShot 2025-07-22 at 14 19
24@2x"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/1c772034-04ff-484d-88dd-ca8123e93065"
/>

---------

Co-authored-by: iamsivin <iamsivin@gmail.com>

app/controllers/api/v1/accounts/inboxes_controller.rb

@@ -69,6 +69,17 @@ class Api::V1::Accounts::InboxesController < Api::V1::Accounts::BaseController
     render status: :ok, json: { message: I18n.t('messages.inbox_deletetion_response') }
   end
 
+  def sync_templates
+    unless @inbox.channel.is_a?(Channel::Whatsapp)
+      return render status: :unprocessable_entity, json: { error: 'Template sync is only available for WhatsApp channels' }
+    end
+
+    Channels::Whatsapp::TemplatesSyncJob.perform_later(@inbox.channel)
+    render status: :ok, json: { message: 'Template sync initiated successfully' }
+  rescue StandardError => e
+    render status: :internal_server_error, json: { error: e.message }
+  end
+
   private
 
   def fetch_inbox

app/javascript/dashboard/api/inboxes.js

@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ class Inboxes extends CacheEnabledApiClient {
       agent_bot: botId,
     });
   }
+
+  syncTemplates(inboxId) {
+    return axios.post(`${this.url}/${inboxId}/sync_templates`);
+  }
 }
 
 export default new Inboxes();

app/javascript/dashboard/api/specs/inboxes.spec.js

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ describe('#InboxesAPI', () => {
     expect(inboxesAPI).toHaveProperty('getCampaigns');
     expect(inboxesAPI).toHaveProperty('getAgentBot');
     expect(inboxesAPI).toHaveProperty('setAgentBot');
+    expect(inboxesAPI).toHaveProperty('syncTemplates');
   });
 
   describe('API calls', () => {
@@ -40,5 +41,12 @@ describe('#InboxesAPI', () => {
       inboxesAPI.deleteInboxAvatar(2);
       expect(axiosMock.delete).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/api/v1/inboxes/2/avatar');
     });
+
+    it('#syncTemplates', () => {
+      inboxesAPI.syncTemplates(2);
+      expect(axiosMock.post).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        '/api/v1/inboxes/2/sync_templates'
+      );
+    });
   });
 });

app/javascript/dashboard/components/Code.vue

@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ const onCopy = async e => {
 
 <template>
   <div class="relative text-left">
-    <div class="top-1.5 absolute right-1.5 flex items-center gap-1">
+    <div
+      class="top-1.5 absolute ltr:right-1.5 rtl:left-1.5 flex items-center gap-1"
+    >
       <form
         v-if="enableCodePen"
         class="flex items-center"
@@ -86,6 +88,11 @@ const onCopy = async e => {
         @click="onCopy"
       />
     </div>
-    <highlightjs v-if="script" :language="lang" :code="scrubbedScript" />
+    <highlightjs
+      v-if="script"
+      :language="lang"
+      :code="scrubbedScript"
+      class="[&_code]:ltr:!pr-16 [&_code]:rtl:!pl-16 [&_code]:truncate [&_code]:text-start"
+    />
   </div>
 </template>

app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/WootWriter/ReplyBottomPanel.vue

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export default {
       type: Boolean,
       default: true,
     },
-    hasWhatsappTemplates: {
+    enableWhatsAppTemplates: {
       type: Boolean,
       default: false,
     },
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ export default {
         @click="toggleMessageSignature"
       />
       <NextButton
-        v-if="hasWhatsappTemplates"
+        v-if="enableWhatsAppTemplates"
         v-tooltip.top-end="$t('CONVERSATION.FOOTER.WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES')"
         icon="i-ph-whatsapp-logo"
         slate

app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/conversation/ReplyBox.vue

@@ -184,9 +184,8 @@ export default {
 
       return false;
     },
-    hasWhatsappTemplates() {
+    showWhatsappTemplates() {
-      return !!this.$store.getters['inboxes/getWhatsAppTemplates'](this.inboxId)
+      return this.isAWhatsAppCloudChannel && !this.isPrivate;
-        .length;
     },
     isPrivate() {
       if (this.currentChat.can_reply || this.isAWhatsAppChannel) {
@@ -1212,7 +1211,7 @@ export default {
     <ReplyBottomPanel
       :conversation-id="conversationId"
       :enable-multiple-file-upload="enableMultipleFileUpload"
-      :has-whatsapp-templates="hasWhatsappTemplates"
+      :enable-whats-app-templates="showWhatsappTemplates"
       :inbox="inbox"
       :is-on-private-note="isOnPrivateNote"
       :is-recording-audio="isRecordingAudio"

app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/conversation/WhatsappTemplates/TemplatesPicker.vue

@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 <script>
+import { useAlert } from 'dashboard/composables';
+import Icon from 'dashboard/components-next/icon/Icon.vue';
 // TODO: Remove this when we support all formats
 const formatsToRemove = ['DOCUMENT', 'IMAGE', 'VIDEO'];
 
 export default {
+  components: {
+    Icon,
+  },
   props: {
     inboxId: {
       type: Number,
@@ -13,6 +18,7 @@ export default {
   data() {
     return {
       query: '',
+      isRefreshing: false,
     };
   },
   computed: {
@@ -37,14 +43,26 @@ export default {
       return template.components.find(component => component.type === 'BODY')
         .text;
     },
+    async refreshTemplates() {
+      this.isRefreshing = true;
+      try {
+        await this.$store.dispatch('inboxes/syncTemplates', this.inboxId);
+        useAlert(this.$t('WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES.PICKER.REFRESH_SUCCESS'));
+      } catch (error) {
+        useAlert(this.$t('WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES.PICKER.REFRESH_ERROR'));
+      } finally {
+        this.isRefreshing = false;
+      }
+    },
   },
 };
 </script>
 
 <template>
   <div class="w-full">
+    <div class="flex gap-2 mb-2.5">
       <div
-      class="gap-1 bg-n-alpha-black2 items-center flex mb-2.5 py-0 px-2.5 rounded-lg outline outline-1 outline-n-weak hover:outline-n-slate-6 dark:hover:outline-n-slate-6 focus-within:outline-n-brand dark:focus-within:outline-n-brand"
+        class="flex flex-1 gap-1 items-center px-2.5 py-0 rounded-lg bg-n-alpha-black2 outline outline-1 outline-n-weak hover:outline-n-slate-6 dark:hover:outline-n-slate-6 focus-within:outline-n-brand dark:focus-within:outline-n-brand"
       >
         <fluent-icon icon="search" class="text-n-slate-12" size="16" />
         <input
@@ -54,21 +72,34 @@ export default {
           class="reset-base w-full h-9 bg-transparent text-n-slate-12 !text-sm !outline-0"
         />
       </div>
+      <button
+        :disabled="isRefreshing"
+        class="flex justify-center items-center w-9 h-9 rounded-lg bg-n-alpha-black2 outline outline-1 outline-n-weak hover:outline-n-slate-6 dark:hover:outline-n-slate-6 hover:bg-n-alpha-2 dark:hover:bg-n-solid-2 disabled:opacity-50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed"
+        :title="$t('WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES.PICKER.REFRESH_BUTTON')"
+        @click="refreshTemplates"
+      >
+        <Icon
+          icon="i-lucide-refresh-ccw"
+          class="text-n-slate-12 size-4"
+          :class="{ 'animate-spin': isRefreshing }"
+        />
+      </button>
+    </div>
     <div
       class="bg-n-background outline-n-container outline outline-1 rounded-lg max-h-[18.75rem] overflow-y-auto p-2.5"
     >
       <div v-for="(template, i) in filteredTemplateMessages" :key="template.id">
         <button
-          class="rounded-lg cursor-pointer block p-2.5 text-left w-full hover:bg-n-alpha-2 dark:hover:bg-n-solid-2"
+          class="block p-2.5 w-full text-left rounded-lg cursor-pointer hover:bg-n-alpha-2 dark:hover:bg-n-solid-2"
           @click="$emit('onSelect', template)"
         >
           <div>
-            <div class="flex items-center justify-between mb-2.5">
+            <div class="flex justify-between items-center mb-2.5">
               <p class="text-sm">
                 {{ template.name }}
               </p>
               <span
-                class="inline-block px-2 py-1 text-xs leading-none bg-n-slate-3 rounded-lg cursor-default text-n-slate-12"
+                class="inline-block px-2 py-1 text-xs leading-none rounded-lg cursor-default bg-n-slate-3 text-n-slate-12"
               >
                 {{ $t('WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES.PICKER.LABELS.LANGUAGE') }} :
                 {{ template.language }}
@@ -94,12 +125,19 @@ export default {
           class="border-b border-solid border-n-weak my-2.5 mx-auto max-w-[95%]"
         />
       </div>
-      <div v-if="!filteredTemplateMessages.length">
+      <div v-if="!filteredTemplateMessages.length" class="py-8 text-center">
+        <div v-if="query && whatsAppTemplateMessages.length">
           <p>
             {{ $t('WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES.PICKER.NO_TEMPLATES_FOUND') }}
             <strong>{{ query }}</strong>
           </p>
         </div>
+        <div v-else-if="!whatsAppTemplateMessages.length" class="space-y-4">
+          <p class="text-n-slate-11">
+            {{ $t('WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES.PICKER.NO_TEMPLATES_AVAILABLE') }}
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
     </div>
   </div>
 </template>

app/javascript/dashboard/i18n/locale/en/inboxMgmt.json

@@ -600,6 +600,10 @@
       "WHATSAPP_SECTION_UPDATE_BUTTON": "Update",
       "WHATSAPP_WEBHOOK_TITLE": "Webhook Verification Token",
       "WHATSAPP_WEBHOOK_SUBHEADER": "This token is used to verify the authenticity of the webhook endpoint.",
+      "WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_TITLE": "Sync Templates",
+      "WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_SUBHEADER": "Manually sync message templates from WhatsApp to update your available templates.",
+      "WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_BUTTON": "Sync Templates",
+      "WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_SUCCESS": "Templates sync initiated successfully. It may take a couple of minutes to update.",
       "UPDATE_PRE_CHAT_FORM_SETTINGS": "Update Pre Chat Form Settings"
     },
     "HELP_CENTER": {

app/javascript/dashboard/i18n/locale/en/whatsappTemplates.json

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
         "PICKER": {
             "SEARCH_PLACEHOLDER": "Search Templates",
             "NO_TEMPLATES_FOUND": "No templates found for",
+            "NO_TEMPLATES_AVAILABLE": "No WhatsApp templates available. Click refresh to sync templates from WhatsApp.",
+            "REFRESH_BUTTON": "Refresh templates",
+            "REFRESH_SUCCESS": "Templates refresh initiated. It may take a couple of minutes to update.",
+            "REFRESH_ERROR": "Failed to refresh templates. Please try again.",
             "LABELS": {
                 "LANGUAGE": "Language",
                 "TEMPLATE_BODY": "Template Body",

app/javascript/dashboard/routes/dashboard/settings/inbox/settingsPage/ConfigurationPage.vue

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export default {
     return {
       hmacMandatory: false,
       whatsAppInboxAPIKey: '',
+      isSyncingTemplates: false,
     };
   },
   validations: {
@@ -83,6 +84,19 @@ export default {
         useAlert(this.$t('INBOX_MGMT.EDIT.API.ERROR_MESSAGE'));
       }
     },
+    async syncTemplates() {
+      this.isSyncingTemplates = true;
+      try {
+        await this.$store.dispatch('inboxes/syncTemplates', this.inbox.id);
+        useAlert(
+          this.$t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_SUCCESS')
+        );
+      } catch (error) {
+        useAlert(this.$t('INBOX_MGMT.EDIT.API.ERROR_MESSAGE'));
+      } finally {
+        this.isSyncingTemplates = false;
+      }
+    },
   },
 };
 </script>
@@ -137,7 +151,7 @@ export default {
         :title="$t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.HMAC_MANDATORY_VERIFICATION')"
         :sub-title="$t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.HMAC_MANDATORY_DESCRIPTION')"
       >
-        <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
+        <div class="flex gap-2 items-center">
           <input
             id="hmacMandatory"
             v-model="hmacMandatory"
@@ -169,7 +183,7 @@ export default {
       :title="$t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.HMAC_MANDATORY_VERIFICATION')"
       :sub-title="$t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.HMAC_MANDATORY_DESCRIPTION')"
     >
-      <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
+      <div class="flex gap-2 items-center">
         <input
           id="hmacMandatory"
           v-model="hmacMandatory"
@@ -215,12 +229,12 @@ export default {
         "
       >
         <div
-          class="flex items-center justify-between flex-1 mt-2 whatsapp-settings--content"
+          class="flex flex-1 justify-between items-center mt-2 whatsapp-settings--content"
         >
           <woot-input
             v-model="whatsAppInboxAPIKey"
             type="text"
-            class="flex-1 mr-2"
+            class="flex-1 mr-2 [&>input]:!mb-0"
             :placeholder="
               $t(
                 'INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.WHATSAPP_SECTION_UPDATE_PLACEHOLDER'
@@ -235,6 +249,18 @@ export default {
           </NextButton>
         </div>
       </SettingsSection>
+      <SettingsSection
+        :title="$t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_TITLE')"
+        :sub-title="
+          $t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_SUBHEADER')
+        "
+      >
+        <div class="flex justify-start items-center mt-2">
+          <NextButton :disabled="isSyncingTemplates" @click="syncTemplates">
+            {{ $t('INBOX_MGMT.SETTINGS_POPUP.WHATSAPP_TEMPLATES_SYNC_BUTTON') }}
+          </NextButton>
+        </div>
+      </SettingsSection>
     </div>
   </div>
 </template>

app/javascript/dashboard/store/modules/inboxes.js

@@ -285,6 +285,13 @@ export const actions = {
       throw new Error(error);
     }
   },
+  syncTemplates: async (_, inboxId) => {
+    try {
+      await InboxesAPI.syncTemplates(inboxId);
+    } catch (error) {
+      throw new Error(error);
+    }
+  },
 };
 
 export const mutations = {

app/javascript/dashboard/store/modules/specs/inboxes/actions.spec.js

@@ -231,4 +231,28 @@ describe('#actions', () => {
       ).rejects.toThrow(Error);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('#syncTemplates', () => {
+    it('sends correct API call when sync is successful', async () => {
+      axios.post.mockResolvedValue({
+        data: { message: 'Template sync initiated successfully' },
+      });
+
+      await actions.syncTemplates({ commit }, 123);
+
+      expect(axios.post).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        '/api/v1/inboxes/123/sync_templates'
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('throws error when API call fails', async () => {
+      const errorMessage =
+        'Template sync is only available for WhatsApp channels';
+      axios.post.mockRejectedValue(new Error(errorMessage));
+
+      await expect(actions.syncTemplates({ commit }, 123)).rejects.toThrow(
+        errorMessage
+      );
+    });
+  });
 });

app/policies/inbox_policy.rb

@@ -57,4 +57,8 @@ class InboxPolicy < ApplicationPolicy
   def avatar?
     @account_user.administrator?
   end
+
+  def sync_templates?
+    @account_user.administrator?
+  end
 end

config/routes.rb

@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ Rails.application.routes.draw do
             get :agent_bot, on: :member
             post :set_agent_bot, on: :member
             delete :avatar, on: :member
+            post :sync_templates, on: :member
           end
           resources :inbox_members, only: [:create, :show], param: :inbox_id do
             collection do

spec/controllers/api/v1/accounts/inboxes_controller_spec.rb

@@ -904,4 +904,80 @@ RSpec.describe 'Inboxes API', type: :request do
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe 'POST /api/v1/accounts/{account.id}/inboxes/:id/sync_templates' do
+    let(:whatsapp_channel) do
+      create(:channel_whatsapp, account: account, provider: 'whatsapp_cloud', sync_templates: false, validate_provider_config: false)
+    end
+    let(:whatsapp_inbox) { create(:inbox, account: account, channel: whatsapp_channel) }
+    let(:non_whatsapp_inbox) { create(:inbox, account: account) }
+
+    context 'when it is an unauthenticated user' do
+      it 'returns unauthorized' do
+        post "/api/v1/accounts/#{account.id}/inboxes/#{whatsapp_inbox.id}/sync_templates"
+
+        expect(response).to have_http_status(:unauthorized)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when it is an authenticated agent' do
+      it 'returns unauthorized for agent' do
+        post "/api/v1/accounts/#{account.id}/inboxes/#{whatsapp_inbox.id}/sync_templates",
+             headers: agent.create_new_auth_token,
+             as: :json
+
+        expect(response).to have_http_status(:unauthorized)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when it is an authenticated administrator' do
+      context 'with WhatsApp inbox' do
+        it 'successfully initiates template sync' do
+          expect(Channels::Whatsapp::TemplatesSyncJob).to receive(:perform_later).with(whatsapp_channel)
+
+          post "/api/v1/accounts/#{account.id}/inboxes/#{whatsapp_inbox.id}/sync_templates",
+               headers: admin.create_new_auth_token,
+               as: :json
+
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:success)
+          json_response = response.parsed_body
+          expect(json_response['message']).to eq('Template sync initiated successfully')
+        end
+
+        it 'handles job errors gracefully' do
+          allow(Channels::Whatsapp::TemplatesSyncJob).to receive(:perform_later).and_raise(StandardError, 'Job failed')
+
+          post "/api/v1/accounts/#{account.id}/inboxes/#{whatsapp_inbox.id}/sync_templates",
+               headers: admin.create_new_auth_token,
+               as: :json
+
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:internal_server_error)
+          json_response = response.parsed_body
+          expect(json_response['error']).to eq('Job failed')
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with non-WhatsApp inbox' do
+        it 'returns unprocessable entity error' do
+          post "/api/v1/accounts/#{account.id}/inboxes/#{non_whatsapp_inbox.id}/sync_templates",
+               headers: admin.create_new_auth_token,
+               as: :json
+
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+          json_response = response.parsed_body
+          expect(json_response['error']).to eq('Template sync is only available for WhatsApp channels')
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with non-existent inbox' do
+        it 'returns not found error' do
+          post "/api/v1/accounts/#{account.id}/inboxes/999999/sync_templates",
+               headers: admin.create_new_auth_token,
+               as: :json
+
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:not_found)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end