WhatsApp auto reply messages: greeting, away and quick replies (setup + samples)

A WhatsApp auto reply message is a reply your business sends automatically when a customer writes to you. In the WhatsApp Business app you get two built-in types, a greeting message for first contact and an away message for when you are closed, plus quick replies that let you send saved answers in a few taps. On the WhatsApp Business API, auto replies are built in the platform connected to your number and can be as smart as you need, from a simple after-hours notice to an AI assistant.

This guide shows how to set up each option, which rules apply in 2026 (including Meta’s new charge for service messages), and gives you more than 25 sample messages you can copy and adapt.

What types of WhatsApp auto replies are there?

Before you write anything, pick the right kind of automation for the job.

Type	Where it exists	When it is sent	Best for
Greeting message	Business app	When someone starts a conversation with you	Welcoming new customers, setting expectations
Away message	Business app	When someone writes outside your set hours	Saying when you will reply
Quick replies	Business app (and most API inboxes as saved replies)	When you or an agent choose to send them	Answering repeated questions fast
Rule-based auto reply	API platform	When a keyword, button tap or time condition matches	Menus, FAQs, routing
AI auto reply	API platform	On any message, answered from your content	Free-text questions, many topics, many languages

The Business app options are simple and free, but they send the same text to everyone. API auto replies can react to what the customer actually wrote, route the chat to the right team and work across several agents on one number. If you are unsure which one you need, our comparison of the WhatsApp Business app vs API walks through the trade-offs.

How to set up a greeting message in the WhatsApp Business app

WhatsApp describes the greeting message as a custom welcome sent automatically when a new customer starts a conversation with your business. To turn it on:

1. Open the WhatsApp Business app and go to Business tools (shown as Tools in newer versions).
2. Tap Greeting message and switch it on.
3. Edit the text. Keep it short and tell people what to do next.
4. Choose who receives it if your version of the app offers that option.
5. Save.

Menu names move around between app versions and between Android and iPhone, so if you cannot find an option, check WhatsApp’s own help article for your device (linked in the sources below).

Before you switch it on, complete your business profile: business name, description, hours, address and website. WhatsApp calls the profile your digital storefront, and customers see it before they write. A complete profile makes your greeting shorter, because you do not need to repeat basic facts.

How to set up an away message

An away message answers people who write outside your business hours so they know when to expect a reply.

1. In Business tools, tap Away message and switch it on.
2. Write the message. Always say when you will be back.
3. Choose when it is sent. Tying it to your business hours is the usual choice, and a custom schedule is handy for holidays.
4. Choose who receives it if the option is shown, then save.

Tip: if the away message follows your business hours, check that the hours in your profile are correct, including weekends. A wrong schedule is an easy way to send customers an away message in the middle of the day.

How to use quick replies for FAQ answers

Quick replies are saved messages for questions you answer all the time: prices, opening hours, delivery, how to order. You give each one a shortcut that starts with a slash, such as /hours or /delivery, and when you type the shortcut in a chat, WhatsApp suggests the saved text.

1. In Business tools, tap Quick replies, then add a new one.
2. Write the message.
3. Set a shortcut such as /hours.
4. Save. In any chat, type the shortcut and pick the suggested reply.

Quick replies are not automatic: a person still has to send them. They save time, but they do not answer anyone while you are asleep. That is where API automation comes in.

How do WhatsApp auto replies work on the API?

The WhatsApp Business API (officially the WhatsApp Business Platform) has no settings screen of its own, so there is no greeting or away switch. Instead, the platform you connect it to receives each incoming message and decides what to send back. That gives you more control, but a few Meta rules apply.

The 24-hour customer service window

When a customer messages you, a 24-hour customer service window opens, and it resets every time they write again. Inside it you can send any reply, including automated ones. Once it closes, you can only reach the customer with an approved template message. Auto replies are always answers to an incoming message, so they fall inside the window.

A path to a human is required

The WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy allows automation when you reply during the 24-hour window, but it also requires prompt, clear and direct escalation paths. Meta lists examples: an in-chat transfer to a human agent, a phone number, email, web support on your site, in-store visits or a support form. In practice, every auto reply flow should tell people how to reach a person.

What auto replies cost since October 1, 2026

Meta charges per message on the API. Since October 1, 2026, free-form replies inside the customer service window, called service messages, are charged again. According to Meta’s pricing page:

• Each business phone number gets 1,000 free service messages per month. The allowance resets monthly and unused messages do not roll over.
• From the 1,001st service message, Meta charges the published service rate for the recipient’s market. On the October 2026 rate card this matches the utility rate.
• Utility templates sent inside an open window are also charged since the same date.
• Messages in a free entry point window, which opens when you reply to someone who came from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad, are not charged. Meta says this window may remain open for up to 7 days.

For example, a business that sends 4,000 automated and agent replies a month to UK customers from one number pays for 3,000 of them. At the October 2026 UK service rate of $0.022, that is about $66 for the month. The same volume to customers in India, at $0.0014 per message, is about $4.20. You can model your own volume in the bulk messaging calculator.

The practical lesson: an auto reply that sends three separate bubbles costs three messages. Combine text where you can, and avoid sending an automatic “thanks for your message” followed immediately by a second automated answer.

WhatsApp auto reply message samples

Adapt these to your tone and replace the bracketed parts. Keep each message under a few lines and always end with a next step.

Greeting messages

Hi, thanks for messaging [Business]! Tell us what you need and we will reply within the hour during opening times (Mon-Fri, 9:00-18:00).

Welcome to [Business]. To help you faster, reply with:
1 - Order status
2 - Book an appointment
3 - Talk to our team

Hello and welcome! You can browse our catalog right here in WhatsApp. If you have a question about sizes or delivery, just ask.

Hi! This is [Business]. We answer every message personally. Please share your order number if your question is about an order.

Thanks for reaching out to [Clinic]. For appointments, send the day and time that suits you. For emergencies, call [phone number].

Away messages

Thanks for your message. We are closed right now and will reply when we open at 9:00 tomorrow. For urgent help, call [phone number].

Hi! Our team is offline until Monday at 9:00. Leave your question here and we will answer first thing.

We are closed for [holiday] from [date] to [date]. Orders placed online still ship on [date]. We will reply to every message when we are back.

Thanks for writing to [Business]. Our hours are Mon-Sat, 10:00-19:00. We will get back to you as soon as we open.

Our support team is busy right now. Your message is in the queue and someone will reply within [time]. You do not need to send it again.

Quick replies for common questions

/hours  We are open Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 and Sat 10:00-14:00. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.

/delivery  Standard delivery takes 2-4 working days. Orders placed before 14:00 ship the same day.

/returns  You can return unused items within [X] days. Reply "return" with your order number and we will send the steps.

/payment  We accept cards, bank transfer and cash on delivery.

/location  You can find us at [address]. Here is the map: [link]

/order  To order, send the product name, size and delivery address. We will confirm the total before you pay.

API auto replies with buttons

On the API you can add up to three reply buttons or a list menu, so the customer taps instead of typing. A good pattern:

Hi [first name], thanks for contacting [Business]. What can we help with? [Track my order] [Book a visit] [Talk to a person]

After hours, keep the same menu but change the last option:

Our team is offline until 9:00. You can still track an order or book a visit now, or leave a message for the team. [Track my order] [Book a visit] [Leave a message]

Best practices for WhatsApp auto replies

• Set expectations with a time. “We will reply soon” is vague. “We reply within 2 hours, Mon-Fri” is useful.
• Offer a way to a person. It keeps you within Meta’s policy and stops customers from feeling stuck.
• Do not ask for sensitive data. WhatsApp’s policy says not to ask people to share full card numbers, financial account numbers or ID numbers in chat.
• Avoid loops. If a customer has already received your greeting today, do not send it again on every message.
• Personalize where you can. On the API, use the customer’s name and the context of their message.
• Review monthly. Look at the questions that still reach your team and turn the common ones into quick replies or automated answers.

How to set up WhatsApp auto replies in MonoChat

MonoChat connects your number to the WhatsApp Business API, and with Coexistence you can keep using the WhatsApp Business app on the same number. Auto replies are then built in the no-code workflow automation builder:

1. Choose a trigger. Start a flow from an incoming message, a button tap or a keyword.
2. Add conditions. Branch on business hours, the customer’s language, a keyword or a contact field, so the after-hours reply differs from the daytime one.
3. Send the reply. Use plain text, reply buttons or a list menu, and add delays where a pause feels more natural.
4. Hand over. Route the conversation to the right team in the shared unified team inbox, with the full history, when the customer asks for a person or the flow cannot help.

For questions that do not fit a menu, switch on an AI assistant. The WhatsApp chatbot answers from your own documents and web pages, replies in the customer’s language and passes the chat to an agent when needed. Our guide on how to build a WhatsApp chatbot covers that step in depth, and WhatsApp customer service at scale shows how auto replies fit into a full support setup.

You can start on MonoChat’s free Basic plan with one agent and one channel at app.monochat.ai, and compare paid plans on the pricing page.

Sources

• WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy
• WhatsApp Business app features
• How to use greeting messages (WhatsApp Help Center)
• How to use away messages (WhatsApp Help Center)
• How to use quick replies (WhatsApp Help Center)
• Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta for Developers)
• Interactive reply buttons messages (Meta for Developers)