⚡Quick answer -

Auto-Reply Settings allow you to send one Greeting message during business hours and one Away message outside business hours—fully automated per WhatsApp number, based on its time zone schedule. Configure Business Hours first, then select a canned Greeting and Away message. Both replies suspend automatically if a chatbot is active.

When should I use this guide?

Use these steps when you want every new WhatsApp contact to receive an immediate, consistent first response, especially when agents are busy or the office is closed.

1. Prerequisites & role permissions

• Feature is available on all plans.

• Business Hours must be enabled to use an Away message.

2. How the feature works

Alt-text: Flowchart showing decision path for Greeting vs. Away message.

Video Walkthrough

3. Step-by-step configuration

3.1 Open the Auto-Reply modal

1. Go to WhatsApp → Accounts.
2. Click the WhatsApp number you want to edit; the Auto-Reply modal opens.

Alt text: Accessing the settings modal

3.2 Tab 1 – Business Hours (mandatory)

1. Toggle Enable Business Hours to ON.
2. Select the correct Time Zone.
3. For each day, set Open/Closed and define time ranges (15-minute increments). Tip: Overnight shifts—e.g., 10:00 PM-6:00 AM—are supported.
4. (Optional) Toggle Copy to All Numbers to clone this schedule to every active number; confirm the overwrite when prompted. Be aware that this is a one-time push that will overwrite and standardise the business hours and master toggle state for all other configured WhatsApp numbers.
5. Greeting/Away Interaction Logic (for New Contacts Outside Hours):
   This crucial interaction is controlled by the "Do not send welcome message during non-business hours" setting (located on the Greeting Tab).
• If UNCHECKED: The customer receives the Greeting message first, followed by the Away message. (This results in two automated messages).
• If CHECKED: The customer receives only the Away message.

3.3 Tab 2 – Greeting message

1. Toggle Enable Greeting to ON.
2. From Canned Message Selector, choose a template (variables like {{contact.name}} are supported.
3. Select a Cool-down period: 1, 7, 15 (default), 30, or 90 days. This ensures a contact only receives the greeting once within that period.
4. Click Save. Look for the “Greeting updated.” toast.

Sample Greeting template (copy-paste):

Alt text: Greeting Message Setup

3.4 Tab 3 – Away message

1. Ensure Business Hours (Tab 1) is ON.
2. Toggle Enable Away to ON.
3. Select a canned message. System throttles delivery to 1 per 30 minutes per contact.
4. Click Save. Confirm the “Away message updated.” toast.

Alt text: Away message set-up

4. Interaction logic matrix

5. Edge cases & limitations

• If a chatbot is enabled on the number, both Greeting and Away messages are suppressed.

• Greeting cool-down is per contact; if set to 15 days, the same contact won’t see it again until day 16.

• Away message always respects the 30-minute throttle; you cannot lower this interval.

• Copy-to-All is a one-time push; later edits on one number won’t sync automatically.

6. Verifying success

1. From an external phone, send a first-time message to the configured number.
2. Check that the expected Greeting or Away message arrives within a few seconds.
3. In the agent inbox, verify that the automated message shows the Auto-Reply label. 

7. Troubleshooting

8. Plan availability

Auto-Reply Settings are included in all subscription plans at no additional cost.

Keywords: WhatsApp auto reply, greeting message, away message, business hours, canned messages