WhatsApp auto reply: how to set it up and what to do in groups
A guide for people who serve customers and run large groups on WhatsApp Business, with a generator for greeting, away and quick reply texts.
How it works in practice
Direct answer: WhatsApp Business has three auto reply features: the greeting message, sent on first contact or after 14 days without a chat; the away message, sent outside business hours or on a schedule you set; and quick replies, "/" shortcuts that you send yourself. All three are under Tools and were built for one-to-one chats with customers. In groups, automatic answers to questions and welcomes for new members need a bot.
In short:
- Greeting, away and quick replies are under Tools in the WhatsApp Business app.
- The greeting goes out on first contact or after 14 days without a chat.
- In groups, welcomes and command replies need a bot.
The three types of auto reply in WhatsApp Business
| Feature | When it is sent | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting message | On the customer's first contact or after 14 days without a chat | Introduce the business and its hours |
| Away message | Always, on a custom schedule or outside business hours | Say when you will answer |
| Quick replies | When you type "/" and pick the shortcut | Price, delivery time, address, payment methods |
The rules for each feature are in the WhatsApp Help Center: greeting messages, away messages and quick replies. The app stores up to 50 quick replies, and the phone needs an internet connection for greeting and away messages to go out.
How to set up an auto reply, step by step
- Open Tools in the WhatsApp Business app.
- Greeting: tap Greeting message, turn it on, edit the text and choose recipients (everyone, everyone not in your address book, everyone except, or only some).
- Away: tap Away message, turn it on, edit the text and choose the schedule: always, custom or outside business hours. The last option only appears if hours are set in your business profile.
- Quick replies: tap Quick replies, write the message and set a shortcut such as /delivery.
- Test from another number before you share the contact.
If the greeting is not sent, check the recipients and the 14-day rule. The Help Center says greeting messages are turned off when Meta's AI agent is connected to the number.
Greeting, away and quick reply generator
Enter the business name, your hours and the three questions you get most. The texts are ready to paste into the app, and the last box shows the command version for a group with a bot.
The texts are generated in your browser from what you type. Review them before use. For more templates, use the quick reply generator.
Auto replies in WhatsApp groups
Greeting and away messages were built for one-to-one chats with customers. In a group with hundreds of members, the same questions come up several times a day and new members join without reading the rules. The answer is a bot connected to your own number that replies in the group.
- Automatic welcomes in the group or in private for new members. Templates in rules and welcomes.
- Commands such as .delivery or .menu that answer a common question instantly. See useful admin commands.
- Automatic answers to FAQs and link moderation, so the group does not turn into a help desk.
- Scheduled messages with service hours and notices: how to schedule messages.
More on what a bot does in a group in WhatsApp group bot.
Best practices for auto replies
- Say when the person will get an answer. A concrete time prevents the second and third message from the same customer.
- Keep it short: two or three lines. Links and long lists work better as a quick reply.
- Review after every change in hours, prices or delivery times. Outdated automatic text causes complaints.
- Do not use automation to message people who did not ask. It leads to reports and can restrict the number.
Read also
FAQ
How do I set up an auto reply in WhatsApp Business?
When is the greeting message sent?
Does auto reply work in WhatsApp groups?
How many quick replies can I save?
Can the away message run only outside business hours?
