After hours
Thanks for your message! We're closed right now and will reply tomorrow from 9am. If it's about an order, add your order number and we'll have it ready.
WhatsApp auto reply
How to set up an auto reply on WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business calls its auto reply an away message. It lives under Tools, and you decide when it goes out and who gets it. Here's the setup, plus a few replies you can copy.
In the WhatsApp Business app
Turn on an away message in 6 steps
1
Open Tools
Tap the Tools tab and choose Away message.
2
Switch it on
Turn on Send away message. It's the same switch on Android and iPhone.
3
Write the reply
Tap the message to edit it. Say when you'll get back to people and where they can go in the meantime.
4
Pick a schedule
Under Schedule, choose Always send, Custom schedule, or Outside of business hours.
5
Pick who gets it
Under Recipients, send it to everyone or only to some of your customers.
6
Save
Tap Save. From then on the reply goes out by itself, as long as your phone is online.
Schedule
- Always send: every incoming message gets it.
- Custom schedule: only between a start and end time you set. Handy for a vacation.
- Outside of business hours: only while you're closed. This option only appears once your hours are in your business profile.
Recipients
- Everyone: anyone who messages you.
- Everyone not in address book: only people you haven't saved as a contact.
- Everyone except…: leave a few contacts out.
- Only send to…: just the contacts you pick.
Greeting messages are set up in the same place, under Tools. They go to people messaging you for the first time, or after 14 days without a message.
Sample replies
3 away messages you can copy
On vacation
Hi, we're away until August 18. We'll read everything when we're back and reply as soon as we can. For anything urgent, email hello@yourbusiness.com.
With customers
Thanks for getting in touch. We're busy with customers right now and will check our phone within the hour. Hours and directions are on yourbusiness.com.
Where it stops
One reply for everyone, sent from your phone
- Everyone gets the same text, whether they want your opening hours or want to complain.
- It only goes out while your phone has an internet connection.
- It doesn't answer anything. It tells people you'll reply later, and then you still have to.
With Tobachat
Replies that match the question
In Tobachat, an auto reply is a flow. It runs on the WhatsApp Business API, so your phone can be switched off.
The right reply for each question
When a customer types "opening hours" or taps a button, the flow sends that answer instead of a generic "we'll be in touch".
Answers from what you know
Questions no flow catches go to the AI agent, which answers from the business details you've written down, evenings included. By default its reply waits in the inbox as a suggestion, and only sends by itself if you turn that on.
Open or closed
The flow checks your business hours and picks the daytime or evening reply itself.
Handed to your team
If no reply fits, the chat lands in the shared inbox with the question right there.
30 days free, no credit card required
Prefer a hand getting started? We'll get you started
Price
What it costs
Automation and the shared inbox come with every plan, integrations from Growth. Meta charges separately for each message you send, with no markup from us.
FAQ
WhatsApp auto replies, answered
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