Glossary
What is a generic template in DMs?
A generic template is a message card: an image, a title, a short line of text and up to three buttons, sent as one message in Messenger or Instagram DMs. Put up to 10 cards in a single message and they become a carousel that people swipe sideways.
Updated 6 October 2026
A generic template is a DM card with a title, an optional image and subtitle, and up to three buttons. Up to 10 cards in one message make a carousel.
What a card can hold
| Part | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Title | 80 characters | The only required part, and at least one other part must be added |
| Subtitle | 80 characters | A line under the title, often a price or a short description |
| Image | Shown uncropped at 1.91:1 | Messenger scales or crops other shapes; GIFs show but don’t animate |
| Buttons | Up to 3 | For example, open a web page or send the business a postback its bot answers |
| Default action | One web address | Opens when someone taps the card itself rather than a button |
A carousel is several of these cards, up to 10, sent as one message and scrolled sideways. Instagram’s messaging API lists templates among the message types it supports, and the same card format works in Instagram DMs.
Where businesses use cards
- Delivering a freebie: the cover as the image, “Free packing checklist” as the title and a Get the checklist button.
- Products: one card per item with the price in the subtitle and Buy and Details buttons, swiped as a carousel.
- Bookings: a card for each service, each with a Book button that opens the booking page.
- Choices that need pictures: three cards for three colours, each with a postback button so the bot knows which one was picked.
In comment-to-DM flows the card never comes first. The private reply to a comment is a single text message, so the card goes out once the person answers it. DMFast’s link cards and product carousels are generic templates sent at that point.
Getting cards right
- Order the carousel. Meta advises against a carousel when it’s important that people see everything in the list, so put the best option first.
- Use 1.91:1 images so nothing is cropped, and don’t rely on words inside the picture.
- Keep the cards in a carousel consistent: the same kind of photo, the same buttons, prices in the same place.
- Put the one fact that decides the tap, like a price or a date, in the subtitle.
- Host images at a public address Meta can fetch. A broken image can stop the card from sending, so keep a plain-text fallback ready.
An example
A candle shop answers “Show me the autumn scents” with a carousel of four cards. Each has a photo, the scent’s name as the title, “200 g, 40-hour burn” as the subtitle and a Buy now button.
Questions people ask
How many cards can one carousel have?
Up to 10. Each card is one element of the same generic template message, and people swipe sideways to move between them.
How many buttons can a card have?
Three at most. A button can open a web page or send the business a postback, a hidden label its automation uses to decide what to send next.
Why is the image on my card cropped?
Messenger expects a 1.91:1 image and scales or crops anything else. A wide landscape version of the photo avoids surprises.
Can I send a card as the first DM to someone who commented?
No. The private reply that answers a comment is a single text message. Ask the person to reply, then send the card once they do.
Do GIFs work in a generic template?
They display, but as a still image, because Meta doesn’t animate GIFs in the template. If movement matters, send a video as a separate message.
Sources
Related terms
- Product carouselA swipeable row of cards where each card shows one product, usually with an image, a name and a button. It lets people browse several items in one place.
- Quick repliesQuick replies are up to 13 buttons attached to a business’s message. Tapping one posts its words as the person’s reply, and the buttons disappear.
- Persistent menuA persistent menu is a set of buttons a Facebook Page keeps available in its Messenger chats, linking to things like opening hours, products or support.
- Private replyA private reply is a single DM that an Instagram professional account or Facebook Page sends someone because of their comment, within 7 days of it.
- Call to action (CTA)A prompt that tells your audience the next step, such as Sign up, Book now or Comment GUIDE. It can be a button in an ad or words in a post or video.
- Digital productA product delivered online as a file, a link or access to content, so nothing is shipped. Guides, templates, presets, courses and audio are common examples.
More terms
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