WhatsApp Auto Reply for Business: Greeting, Away and Keyword Replies

In the WhatsApp Business app, auto replies are built in: a greeting message for new chats, an away message for when you’re closed, and up to 50 quick replies you insert by typing “/”. They run from your phone and need it to be online.

On the WhatsApp Business API there’s no built-in greeting or away message: Meta delivers each incoming message to your software, and the software decides what to reply. That’s where keyword replies, business-hours messages, chatbots and AI come in. This guide covers both, with auto reply examples you can copy.

Auto replies in the WhatsApp Business app

Set them up in Business tools (or Tools) in the app. Two limits catch people out: the phone needs an internet connection for greeting and away messages to send, and when Meta’s AI agent is switched on for your app, greeting and away messages are turned off automatically.

Auto replies on the WhatsApp Business API

The API works differently. Meta’s documentation lists greeting messages, away messages, quick replies and labels as not supported on the Cloud API: those are Business app features. Instead, each incoming message arrives at your software through a webhook, and the software sends the reply. In practice your provider gives you these tools:

• Keyword auto-replies: reply automatically when a message matches a word such as “price” or “timings”.
• Business hours: an away message, or a template, when someone writes outside your opening hours.
• Welcome chatbot: a menu with buttons or a list when someone messages for the first time.
• AI assistant: answers questions from your documents and website, and hands over to a person.
• Quick replies: saved answers your whole team can insert in the shared inbox.

Meta also offers ice breakers (up to 4 tappable questions, 80 characters each, shown the first time someone chats with you) and commands (up to 30, shown when the customer types “/”). Tapping one just sends a normal message to you, so your chatbot or team still writes the answer.

15 WhatsApp auto reply message examples

Sample messages for example businesses. Keep them short, set expectations, and give a next step.

Greeting messages

• “Hi! Thanks for messaging Example Store 👋 Reply 1 for prices, 2 to track an order, or 3 to talk to our team.”
• “Welcome to Example Clinic. To book an appointment, tell us your preferred day and time. For emergencies, please call 98XXX XXXXX.”
• “Hello from Example Academy! Which course are you interested in: Class 10, Class 12 or JEE?”
• “Thanks for reaching Example Realty. Are you looking to buy or rent, and in which area?”
• “Hi! You’ve reached Example Salon. Tap Book to choose a service and time.”

Away messages

• “Thanks for your message! We’re open 10 AM to 7 PM, Monday to Saturday, and will reply first thing tomorrow.”
• “We’re closed for Diwali until 3 November. Orders placed online will ship from 4 November.”
• “Our team is busy right now. We usually reply within 30 minutes.”
• “It’s after hours, but you can still track your order here: example.com/track”
• “Thanks for writing to Example Clinic. We’re closed now; for urgent help please call 98XXX XXXXX.”

Keyword auto replies

• price → “Here’s our price list (PDF). Reply with a product name for details.”
• timings → “We’re open 10 AM to 7 PM, Monday to Saturday.”
• location → “We’re at Shop 4, Example Market, Andheri West. Map: example.com/map”
• track → “Please share your order number and we’ll check its status.”
• agent → “Connecting you to a team member now.”

Good practice for auto replies

1. One clear next step per message: a question, buttons or a link.
2. Don’t pretend to be a person. Make it clear when a bot is answering, and offer a human.
3. Match keywords loosely (“price”, “prices”, “rate”) and test them with real messages.
4. Don’t reply to every message in an ongoing conversation; that annoys customers.
5. Keep sensitive details out: never ask for card numbers or health details in an automated chat.
6. Review weekly: read chats where the bot failed and add the missing answers.

For bigger journeys than single replies, see WhatsApp chatbots and WhatsApp automation.

Auto replies in Automate AI

• Keyword auto-replies with text or buttons, matched exactly or anywhere in the message.
• Business hours with an away message or template when you’re closed.
• Chatbot flows built with the no-code flow builder: menus, buttons, lists, questions and media.
• AI Assistant that answers from your documents and website, by text or voice note, and hands over when a customer asks for a person (AI Assistant).
• Quick replies your whole team can use in the shared inbox.

Everything runs on Automate AI’s servers, so replies go out even when nobody’s phone is on, and you can keep using the Business app on the same number with coexistence.