---
title: "Update a template"
description: "Metadata is patched in place. Touching the body of a published template mints a new draft."
url: "https://openemail.uk/docs/api/templates/update"
area: "API"
category: "Mailbox"
---

# Update a template

Metadata is patched in place. Touching the body of a published template mints a new draft.

`PATCH /templates/{id}`

## PATCH /templates/{id}

Metadata is patched in place. Touching the body of a published template mints a new draft.

## Example

Needs `templates:write`. `name`, `description` and `status` are metadata; `subject`, `document`, `html`, `slots`, `props` and `engine` are the body, and sending any of them is what mints a version.

**curl**

```
curl -X PATCH "$OE/templates/order-shipped" -H "$AUTH" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "html": "<p>Hello {{customer}}, {{orderId}} is on its way.</p>",
    "expectedVersion": 4
  }'
```

**Response**

```
{
  "object": "template",
  "id": "tpl_9c1f0a4b7e05d3862c1f0a44",
  "publishedVersion": 3,
  "latestVersion": 5,
  "latest": { "object": "template_version", "version": 5, "state": "draft", "publishedAt": null }
}
```

> The new draft is not sendable and nothing live has moved: sends keep resolving version 3 until you publish. That is the whole reason the edit does not happen in place.

> `expectedVersion` is the version you read before editing. Supply it and a concurrent edit is a 409 `version_conflict` instead of a silent overwrite; omit it and the last write wins, which is fine for one person in one tab and wrong for a script.

> `status: "archived"` takes a template out of the list without deleting it. An archived template still resolves for a send that names it. Archiving is a tidying-up, not a kill switch.