How to Set Up WhatsApp Auto Reply: Step-by-Step Guide 2026

Missing a WhatsApp message from a potential customer costs you sales. Studies show that 78% of customers buy from the business that responds first — and if you do not reply within 5 minutes, 50% of them have already moved to a competitor. WhatsApp auto reply solves this: every message gets an instant, professional acknowledgement — whether it is 2pm or 2am.

In this guide, we cover everything from the basic Business App setup to advanced API-powered automation. You will have your first auto-reply running within 10 minutes.

1. Types of WhatsApp Auto Reply

There are four main types of WhatsApp auto reply, each serving a different purpose:

2. Setting Up Auto Reply in WhatsApp Business App

Setting Up a Greeting Message

1. Open WhatsApp Business App on your phone
2. Tap the three dots (⋮) in the top right corner > Settings
3. Tap Business Tools > Greeting Message
4. Toggle "Send greeting message" to ON
5. Tap the edit icon to customise your message
6. Under "Recipients," choose who receives it: All contacts, New contacts only, or a specific list
7. Tap Save

When it sends: Automatically to anyone who messages you for the first time, or after 14 days of inactivity in a conversation.

Setting Up an Away Message

1. Go to Settings > Business Tools > Away Message
2. Toggle "Send away message" to ON
3. Tap the edit icon to write your message
4. Under Schedule, choose: Always, Custom Schedule (set your business hours), or Outside business hours
5. Under Recipients, choose who receives the away message
6. Tap Save

Tip: Set your schedule to match your actual business hours. Customers who message during business hours should not receive an away message — it destroys the customer experience.

Setting Up Quick Replies

Quick replies are not auto-replies but dramatically speed up responses:

1. Go to Settings > Business Tools > Quick Replies
2. Tap the + button to add a new quick reply
3. Write the full response text
4. Set a shortcut keyword (e.g., /price, /hours, /location)
5. Tap Save

When typing a message, type / followed by your shortcut to instantly insert the full response. Saves 2–3 minutes per conversation on common queries.

3. Advanced Auto Reply via ChatDaddy (API)

The WhatsApp Business App auto-reply is limited: no personalisation, no conditional logic, no chatbot flows, no keyword matching beyond simple away/greeting. For any business handling volume, the API is the only viable solution.

With ChatDaddy's automation builder, you can create:

• Conditional auto-replies: Different messages based on contact tags, time of day, previous interactions
• Personalised replies: "Hi {{first_name}}, thanks for reaching out!"
• Keyword-triggered flows: "Price" triggers your pricing information and a quote request form
• Multi-step sequences: First reply → wait 30 seconds → send menu → wait for response → route to agent
• AI-powered replies: Natural language understanding that handles any question intelligently

How to Set Up Auto Reply in ChatDaddy

1. In ChatDaddy, go to Automation > Workflows
2. Click "New Workflow"
3. Set the trigger: "New contact messages" or "Message received contains [keyword]"
4. Add an action: "Send message" — write your auto-reply text
5. Add additional steps if needed (ask a question, show menu, assign agent)
6. Set the timing condition (always, or only outside business hours)
7. Enable the workflow and save

4. Keyword-Triggered Auto Replies

Keyword auto-replies let you provide instant, specific answers to common questions without a human agent. Examples of high-value keyword triggers:

5. 20 Auto Reply Message Templates

Greeting Messages

1. Simple welcome:
"Hi {{first_name}}! Welcome to [Business Name]. How can we help you today? Reply with a number:
1️⃣ Product info
2️⃣ Pricing
3️⃣ Order status
4️⃣ Speak to a team member"

2. E-commerce welcome:
"Hey {{first_name}}! Thanks for reaching out to [Store Name] 🛍️ We're here to help with orders, returns, and anything else. What can we do for you?"

3. Service business welcome:
"Hi {{first_name}}, thanks for contacting [Business Name]. Our team will reply shortly. In the meantime, visit our FAQ: [link]. Average response time: under 15 minutes."

Away Messages (After Hours)

4. Standard away:
"Hi {{first_name}}! Thanks for your message. We're currently closed — our hours are Mon–Fri 9am–6pm. We'll reply first thing when we're back. For urgent matters, email [email]."

5. With self-service:
"Hi {{first_name}}! We're away right now but you can still:
📦 Track your order: [link]
📖 Read our FAQ: [link]
We'll reply during business hours (9am–6pm Mon–Fri)."

6. High-volume period:
"Hi {{first_name}}! We're experiencing high message volume. Your message is important to us — we'll reply within 2 business hours. Thank you for your patience!"

Order/Purchase Confirmations

7. Order confirmation:
"Hi {{first_name}}, your order #{{order_number}} for {{product_name}} has been confirmed! We'll send a shipping update shortly. Questions? Just reply here."

8. Shipping update:
"Good news {{first_name}}! Your order #{{order_number}} has shipped. Track it here: {{tracking_link}}. Expected delivery: {{delivery_date}}."

Appointment / Booking

9. Appointment confirmed:
"Hi {{first_name}}, your appointment is confirmed for {{date}} at {{time}} at {{location}}. Reply CHANGE to reschedule or CANCEL to cancel."

10. Appointment reminder (24h before):
"Hi {{first_name}}, friendly reminder: you have an appointment tomorrow at {{time}}. We look forward to seeing you at {{location}}. Reply CONFIRM to acknowledge."

6. Auto Reply Best Practices

• Always use the customer's name: "Hi {{first_name}}" vs. "Hi there" — personalisation matters even in automated messages
• Set realistic expectations: If you say "We'll reply in 15 minutes," make sure you do. Broken promises are worse than no promise.
• Include self-service options: Every away message should offer something useful the customer can do right now
• Keep it brief: Auto-reply messages under 5 lines get read. Long paragraphs get skipped.
• Match your brand voice: A luxury brand should not use casual emoji-heavy language. A youth brand probably should.
• Test before activating: Send a test message to yourself before going live — always.
• Review monthly: Outdated auto-replies (wrong hours, old promotions, incorrect links) erode trust

7. App vs. API Auto Reply Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions