WhatsApp Auto Reply for Business: How to Set It Up, With 20 Message Examples
A new enquiry lands at 9:40 pm. You see it at 8:15 the next morning. By then the person has messaged two other businesses, and one of them replied.
A WhatsApp auto reply for business fixes that gap for free. The WhatsApp Business app has three built-in tools: a greeting message (sent when someone messages you for the first time, or after 14 days of no contact), an away message (sent outside the hours you choose), and quick replies (up to 50 saved answers you send with a shortcut). Setup takes about 10 minutes under Tools in the app. Below are the steps and 20 messages you can copy.
At a glance
- Time: about 10 minutes
- Cost: free in the WhatsApp Business app
- Difficulty: easy
- You’ll get: an instant first reply day and night, plus saved answers for your most common questions
What are the three types of WhatsApp auto reply?
The WhatsApp Business app gives you one greeting message, one away message and a library of quick replies. The first two send themselves. Quick replies are saved text you send yourself with a few taps. Most small businesses need all three, and each does a different job.
| Type | When it sends | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting message | Automatically, on someone’s first message or after 14 days with no messages | Saying hello, setting expectations, asking one useful question |
| Away message | Automatically, on a schedule you set (always, custom times, or outside business hours) | Evenings, weekends, holidays, busy appointments |
| Quick replies | When you type “/” and pick one | Prices, address, opening hours, booking links, FAQs |
Worth knowing: You can only run one greeting message and one away message at a time, so write each to work for every kind of enquiry you get.
How to set up WhatsApp auto reply for business
Everything lives in the same place: open WhatsApp Business, tap Tools, then look under Organize your chats or Messaging. Menu names shift slightly between Android, iPhone and app versions, but the options are the same.
Greeting message
- Tap Greeting message and switch on Send greeting message.
- Tap the message text, paste your greeting and tap OK.
- Tap Recipients and pick who gets it.
- Tap Save.
Away message
- Tap Away message and switch on Send away message.
- Edit the text and tap OK.
- Tap Schedule: Always send, Custom schedule, or Outside of business hours.
- Tap Recipients, then Save.
Watch out: “Outside of business hours” only works if you’ve filled in your hours in your business profile. Set those first, or the option won’t do what you expect.
Quick replies
- Tap Quick replies, then the + button.
- Type the message and give it a shortcut, such as /prices or /address.
- Save. In any chat, type “/” and pick the reply you want.
For recipients, you get four choices on both automatic messages: everyone, everyone not in your address book, everyone except selected contacts, or only selected contacts. For most businesses, everyone not in your address book is the right pick for the greeting, so regular clients and suppliers don’t get a “welcome” every two weeks.
What makes a good business auto reply?
A good auto reply does three things in a few lines: confirms the message arrived, says when a human will reply, and asks one question that moves the enquiry forward. Keep it short. One provider’s guide suggests 100 to 250 characters is usually enough, which is about two or three lines on a phone.
| Works | Breaks | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “We reply within 1 hour, 9am to 6pm.” | “We’ll get back to you soon.” | A real time sets a promise people can trust |
| One question: “Which service do you need?” | A list of five questions | One question gets answered; five get ignored |
| A booking or price link | “Call us for details” | Many people message because they don’t want to call |
| Your business name | “Hi, thanks for your message!” | People message several businesses at once |
20 WhatsApp auto reply message examples
Copy any of these and swap the text in [square brackets]. They’re grouped by type, with examples from different kinds of businesses so you can borrow the structure even if your trade isn’t listed. If you want more welcome-style messages, see our 25 WhatsApp greeting messages for business.
Greeting messages (1–6)
1 · General small business
Hi, thanks for messaging [business name]. We usually reply within [1 hour] during opening hours. What can we help you with today?
2 · Dental clinic
Hello, and thanks for contacting [clinic name]. Are you looking to book a check-up, a hygiene visit, or something urgent? Reply with one word and we’ll take it from there.
3 · Law firm
Thank you for contacting [firm name]. So we can pass you to the right person, please tell us briefly what your enquiry is about (for example: family, property, employment). Please don’t send confidential documents here.
4 · Home services
Hi, it’s [business name]. Thanks for getting in touch. Send us your postcode and a photo of the job if you can, and we’ll come back with availability and a rough price.
5 · Estate agent
Hi, thanks for messaging [agency name]. Are you looking to buy, sell or rent? Reply with the area you’re interested in and one of our team will be in touch today.
6 · Small agency
Thanks for reaching out to [agency name]. Tell us a little about your business and what you’d like help with, and we’ll reply within [one working day]. Prefer a call? Book a slot here: [booking link]
Away messages (7–13)
7 · After hours, general
Thanks for your message. We’re closed right now and back at [9am] tomorrow. Leave your question here and we’ll reply first thing.
8 · After hours, with a booking link
Hi, we’re out of the office until [time]. You can book an appointment any time here: [booking link]. We’ll confirm it when we’re back.
9 · Weekend
Thanks for messaging [business name]. We’re closed for the weekend and reply to every message on Monday from [9am]. For anything urgent, please [call/email option].
10 · Holiday closure
Hello, our office is closed from [date] to [date] for the holidays. Your message is safe with us and we’ll reply when we reopen on [date]. Thank you for your patience.
11 · Clinic, urgent cases
Thanks for contacting [clinic name]. We’re closed right now. If you’re in pain or need urgent care, please contact [emergency service or out-of-hours line]. Otherwise we’ll reply when we open at [time].
12 · Busy on site or with clients
Hi, I’m with a client at the moment and will reply within [2 hours]. If you can, tell me what you need and your best time for a call.
13 · Home services, emergency callouts
Thanks for messaging [business name]. We’re outside normal hours. For emergencies (no heating, leaks), reply URGENT with your address and we’ll check availability. Everything else we’ll answer from [7am].
Quick replies (14–20)
14 · /hours
We’re open [Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm] and [Sat, 10am–2pm]. Messages outside those times are answered the next working morning.
15 · /address
You’ll find us at [address]. Here’s the map link: [map link]. Parking is [parking details].
16 · /prices
Our prices start from [price] for [service]. Every job is a little different, so if you send [details or a photo], we’ll give you an exact quote.
17 · /book
You can choose a time that suits you here: [booking link]. You’ll get a confirmation straight away.
18 · /qualify
Happy to help. Just three quick questions so I can point you the right way: what do you need, when do you need it by, and roughly what budget did you have in mind?
19 · /followup
Hi [name], just checking you got my last message about [topic]. Would you like me to hold [the slot/viewing/quote] for you?
20 · /review
Thanks again for choosing [business name], [name]. If you were happy with us, a short Google review would help a lot: [review link]
For more on that last one, our guide on how to ask for Google reviews has 15 more templates.
What most guides leave out
Most articles on this topic stop at “turn on the greeting message”. Three things matter more than the wording.
An auto reply is not a follow-up. The app sends one message and stops. If the person doesn’t reply, nothing chases them, and the enquiry quietly goes cold. Set yourself a simple rule: anyone who hasn’t replied within a day gets quick reply 19.
People need to reach you on WhatsApp first. Your auto reply only helps if your website, Google profile and social bios send people into a WhatsApp chat. A click-to-chat link with a pre-filled message does that. You can make one in seconds with our free WhatsApp Link Generator.
The app has limits. It doesn’t personalise much beyond basics, has no analytics on how many messages were sent or answered, and can’t run multi-step conversations. Those need the WhatsApp Business Platform (API) through a provider, which usually costs money. For a busy clinic or a team sharing one number, that can be worth it. For a one-person business, the free app is plenty.
Shortcut: If people ring rather than message, pair your WhatsApp auto reply with a missed call text back so callers get a reply as well.
Frequently asked questions
Is WhatsApp auto reply free?
Yes. Greeting messages, away messages and quick replies are built into the free WhatsApp Business app. Paid tools only come in if you move to the WhatsApp Business API through a provider for chatbots or multi-step flows.
Can I set up auto reply on normal WhatsApp?
Greeting messages, away messages and quick replies are WhatsApp Business app features, so you’ll need the free WhatsApp Business app rather than the standard WhatsApp app.
Why didn’t my greeting message send?
The greeting only goes out on someone’s first message or after 14 days without contact, so people who messaged you recently won’t get it. Also check your recipient setting: if it’s set to “not in address book”, saved contacts are skipped.
How many quick replies can I save?
Up to 50 in the WhatsApp Business app. Start with your five most common questions and add more as you notice yourself typing the same answer twice.
Can I have different away messages for evenings and holidays?
Not at the same time. You get one away message, so either write one that covers both, or change the text and schedule before a holiday and switch it back afterwards.
Should my auto reply include prices?
Only a starting price, if you have a clear one. A “from” price filters out poor-fit enquiries without making people feel quoted before you know the job.
Sources and update notes: Setup steps, recipient and schedule options from Rasayel’s WhatsApp Business app guide. The 14-day greeting rule, 50 quick replies and message length guidance from WATI. App limits versus the API from respond.io. Menu names can vary by app version. Last updated: October 2026.
How fast does your business really reply? We’ll test your enquiry channels, WhatsApp included, and show you where leads are slipping through, in a free 15-minute review.