The best WhatsApp auto reply does three jobs in under 40 words: it admits nobody has read the message yet, it names a real time you will respond, and it gives the sender one useful thing to do while they wait. You set it up in the WhatsApp Business app under Business tools, then Away message. Below are 20 samples you can paste straight in, grouped by situation.
Does normal WhatsApp have auto reply?
No. In 2026 the standard WhatsApp app still has no built in auto reply. Meta AI sits inside WhatsApp, but it answers questions you ask it. It will not reply to your customers on your behalf. Real auto replies live in the free WhatsApp Business app: away messages, greeting messages and quick replies.
If you earn money through WhatsApp, move that number to WhatsApp Business. It is a normal app store download, your chats carry over during setup, and customers see almost no difference beyond a small business label on your profile.
Third party auto responder apps for regular WhatsApp exist on Android. Skip them. They work by hijacking your notifications, they break constantly, and they can get your account banned.
How do you set an auto reply on WhatsApp Business?
On Android:
- Open WhatsApp Business and tap the three dots at the top of the Chats tab.
- Tap Business tools, then Away message.
- Switch on Send away message and write your text.
- Pick a schedule: Always send, Custom schedule, or Outside of business hours.
- Choose who receives it, then save.
On iPhone, open the Settings tab, tap Business tools, then Away message. The options are identical from there.
Two things nobody tells you. Away messages only go out while your phone has an internet connection, so a dead battery means silence until you charge it. And WhatsApp will not fire the same away message at one person repeatedly in a short window, so your regulars do not get spammed while you sleep.
What makes a WhatsApp auto reply actually work?
Read the samples below and you will spot a pattern. The best auto reply for WhatsApp Business does most of this:
- Names a time. “Back at 9 am” beats “as soon as possible” every single time.
- Gives one next step. Ask for an order number, a postcode, a photo. Your real reply gets faster.
- Sounds like a person. Use your name. “James will reply by 9” reads warmer than “our team will respond shortly”.
- Stays short. One WhatsApp bubble. Nobody reads a wall of text from a robot.
Swap your own hours and name into any sample below, or feed your details into the auto reply message generator and let it draft a few versions for you to compare.
WhatsApp auto reply message samples for after hours
Set these to Outside of business hours in your away message schedule, so they only run when your listed hours end.
- Thanks for messaging Sophie’s Bakes. We are closed for the day and back at 8 am. Leave your order details now and I will confirm first thing.
- You caught us after closing. We answer WhatsApp from 9 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday. Your message is saved and you are first in the queue tomorrow.
- Hi, this is James at Fixed Right Plumbing. The workshop is closed tonight. For emergencies call +44 20 7946 0958. Everything else gets a reply by 9 am.
- We are offline until morning. Tell me exactly what you need and one of us will sort it right after we open at 8:30.
- Closed for today. Asking about an order? Reply with your order number and the answer will be waiting when you wake up.
Auto reply messages for when you are busy
Run these on Always send while you are tied up, then switch the toggle off the moment you are free again.
- In meetings until 3 pm. Nobody has read this yet, but you are in the queue and I answer in order.
- Hands full with a customer right now. Give me 30 minutes and you will hear back.
- Driving between jobs. If it is urgent, call +1 212 555 0164. Otherwise expect a text within the hour.
- Quick heads up: today is packed and replies are taking up to two hours. Every message gets answered.
- On site until this evening. Send photos and details now so I can give you a proper answer when I stop.
Holiday auto reply messages for WhatsApp Business
Use Custom schedule with your exact closure dates so the message switches itself off the day you reopen.
- We are closed for the bank holiday and back Tuesday at 9 am. Orders sent today will be processed Tuesday morning.
- Happy holidays from everyone at Emma’s Florals. We reopen January 2. Leave your message and it goes top of the pile.
- Away until Monday, July 20. Urgent bookings: email hello@emmasflorals.com. Everything else gets a reply the day we return.
- The shop is closed for our summer break, July 14 to 21. You can still place orders here and we will confirm them all on July 22.
- Closed for Thanksgiving week, back Monday at 9 am Eastern. Thanks for your patience and enjoy the break.
Best greeting messages for new WhatsApp customers
These belong in the greeting message slot, not the away message. WhatsApp sends a greeting when someone messages you for the first time, or after 14 days of silence in that chat. Build yours with the WhatsApp Business greeting builder if you want tailored versions for different customer types.
- Welcome to Sophie’s Bakes. Tell me what you are after and I will reply within the hour, any day between 8 am and 6 pm.
- Hi, thanks for reaching out. To speed things up, send your postcode and what you need quoted. James will come back with a price today.
- Great to hear from you. Browse the catalog right here in this chat, or type MENU and I will send today’s list.
- Thanks for your first message to us. A real person reads every chat, usually within 20 minutes during opening hours.
- Hello and welcome. Prices are in the catalog above. For anything custom, describe it here and Emma will quote you by end of day.
Why is my WhatsApp away message not sending?
Nine times out of ten it is one of these four problems:
- The schedule is empty. Outside of business hours only works if you actually saved opening hours on your business profile. No hours means WhatsApp has no idea when “outside” begins.
- Your phone is offline. The away message sends from the handset itself. Airplane mode overnight, a dead battery, or patchy hotel wifi all kill it quietly.
- That contact already received it. WhatsApp deliberately waits before resending the same away message to one chat, so texting yourself twice in five minutes proves nothing.
- The recipients filter excludes them. If you picked a custom list or “everyone not in address book”, saved contacts may never see it.
Test it properly instead: ask a friend like Sophie, someone who has not messaged your business number today, to text you outside your set hours and report back.
FAQs
Does WhatsApp auto reply work when my phone is off?
No. Away messages send from your phone, so it needs power and a connection. Linked devices let you chat from a laptop, but the away message itself still depends on the phone being online.
What is the difference between an away message and a greeting message?
A greeting message welcomes people who text you for the first time or return after 14 quiet days. An away message covers a schedule you choose, like nights, weekends or a holiday closure. Most businesses should run both at once.
Can I send different auto replies to different people?
Partly. The recipients setting lets you target everyone, only numbers outside your address book, or a custom list. You cannot write separate texts per group though, so keep the wording general enough for any sender.
How do quick replies fit in?
Quick replies are manual shortcuts, not automation. Save your common answers under Business tools, then type / in any chat to drop one in. Pair them with an away message: the auto reply buys you time, and the quick reply closes the conversation fast once you are back.
