WhatsApp's automatic replies are in the free WhatsApp Business app: a greeting message welcomes people who message you, an away message answers when you're busy or closed, and quick replies let you send saved answers in two taps.
| Feature | What it does | Sent automatically |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting message | Welcomes people the first time they message you, or after 14 days without messages | Yes |
| Away message | Tells people you're busy or closed: always, on a schedule or outside business hours | Yes |
| Quick replies | Saved answers you add to a chat by typing / | No, you send them |
Can regular WhatsApp send automatic replies?
No. The regular WhatsApp app has no greeting or away messages. To get them, use the WhatsApp Business app, which is free on Android and iPhone. It can use your existing number, and on the same phone your chats come with you.
How to set up a greeting message
- 01Open the WhatsApp Business app and go to the Tools tab.
- 02Tap Greeting message and turn on Send greeting message.
- 03Tap the message to edit it, then tap OK.
- 04Tap Recipients and choose who gets it.
- 05Tap Save.
The greeting goes out when someone messages you for the first time, and again when they message you after 14 days without any messages in your chat. Someone who wrote to you last week won't get it again.
- Everyone: everyone who messages you.
- Everyone not in address book: only people who aren't in your contacts, such as new customers.
- Everyone except…: everyone apart from the contacts you pick.
- Only send to…: only the contacts you pick.
How to set up an away message
- 01In the Tools tab, tap Away message and turn on Send away message.
- 02Tap the message to edit it, then tap OK.
- 03Tap Schedule and choose when it's sent.
- 04Tap Recipients and choose who gets it: the same four options as the greeting message.
- 05Tap Save.
- Always send: at all times, for example while you're on holiday.
- Custom schedule: only between the dates and times you set.
- Outside of business hours: only when you're closed. This option appears once you've set business hours in your business profile.
Why your greeting message isn't sending
- The person messaged you in the last 14 days, so the greeting doesn't repeat.
- Your recipient setting leaves them out: check whether Only send to… or Everyone except… is chosen.
- Meta Business Agent is connected: it turns greeting messages off until you remove it.
- Your phone was offline when they wrote.
- Still nothing? Update the app, turn Send greeting message off and on again, and restart your phone.
Quick replies: saved answers in two taps
Quick replies aren't sent automatically, but they save typing the same answers. The app already suggests some from your business profile, such as your hours and address, and you can save up to 50 of your own.
- 01In the Tools tab, tap Quick replies and add a new one.
- 02Type the message and give it a shortcut, such as hours or prices.
- 03Tap Save.
- 04In any chat, type / and pick the reply. It lands in the message box, so you can change it before sending.
Greeting and away message examples
| When | Message |
|---|---|
| Greeting | Hi, thanks for getting in touch! Tell us what you're looking for and we'll reply shortly. |
| Greeting for a shop | Welcome! Send us the name or a photo of the product you want, and we'll check if it's in stock. |
| Outside business hours | Thanks for your message! We're closed right now. We're open Monday to Friday, 9 to 6, and we'll reply as soon as we're back. |
| On holiday | We're on holiday and back on Monday. We'll answer every message when we return. Thanks for your patience! |
| Busy | We're with other customers right now and will get back to you within the hour. |
Keep them short, say when you'll answer, and tell people what to send you so you can help in one reply. To get more people messaging you in the first place, make a chat link and QR code with WhatsApp link generator.
When greeting and away messages aren't enough
Greeting and away messages send the same text to everyone and can't answer a question. They also stop when your phone is offline. Businesses that get many messages use the WhatsApp Business Platform, where replies can match what people ask, all day, with no phone involved.
MuChat runs on the WhatsApp Business Platform: keyword replies answer prices, menus and bookings straight away, a default reply catches everything else, and flows with buttons collect what you need before your team takes over. If Meta offers it for your number, the WhatsApp Business app keeps working alongside. See WhatsApp automation, and for sending one message to many people, WhatsApp broadcast lists.
Answer every WhatsApp message
MuChat replies to WhatsApp messages straight away and sends template broadcasts to the people who opted in. The Free plan needs no card.