You can set up a WhatsApp auto-reply in three ways: use the free greeting and away messages in the WhatsApp Business app, add a rule-based bot through the WhatsApp Business Platform, or connect an AI assistant that reads each question and answers from your own information. The first takes five minutes but sends the same fixed text every time. The third is the only one that can actually answer questions and book appointments while you are closed.
This guide walks through all three, explains the 24-hour rule that shapes what you can send, and gives you message templates to copy.
Two problems an auto-reply can solve
A customer who messages you at 9 pm is often comparing a few businesses at once. Keep these two problems apart:
- Acknowledgement. The customer knows the message arrived and when to expect a human.
- Resolution. The customer gets the actual answer (opening hours, price, a free slot) without waiting.
The simple tools do the first. Only an AI assistant does the second.
Option 1: the WhatsApp Business app
The WhatsApp Business app is free and runs on your phone. It has three tools for automation. They are not available in the regular WhatsApp app, so you need to switch to Business.
Greeting message
Sent when a customer writes to you for the first time, or after a long quiet period. Good for a short welcome and what you can help with.
Away message
Sent outside the hours you choose, or at all times if you prefer. Most people want this one for after-hours messages.
Quick replies
Saved snippets you insert with a shortcut. You still press send, so this saves typing rather than automating.
Setup steps
- Open WhatsApp Business and go to Settings, then Business tools. Menu names vary a little between versions.
- Select Away message and turn it on.
- Write your message.
- Choose the schedule: always send, a custom schedule, or outside business hours.
- Choose the recipients: everyone, people not in your contacts, or selected contacts.
- Save. Then set up the greeting message and a few quick replies from the same menu.
If you pick "outside business hours", first make sure your business profile has the correct opening hours.
The limit of this option
Everything is fixed text. A customer asking "Do you have anything on Saturday?" and one asking "Where are you?" get the same reply. The app does not understand questions, cannot look at a calendar, and cannot book anything. It is a polite "we are closed" sign, fine for a one-person business with a few messages a day.
Option 2: rule-based bots on the WhatsApp Business Platform
The WhatsApp Business Platform is Meta's official API for businesses. It has no phone screen of its own; you use it through software from a provider. Most automation beyond the app runs on top of it.
The classic automation here is a rule-based bot, in two common forms:
- Menu bots: "Reply 1 for opening hours, 2 for prices, 3 to book." The customer picks a number or button, the bot sends the matching canned answer.
- Keyword bots: if the message contains "price", send the price list.
Rule-based bots are predictable, which is their strength. They are good for narrow, repetitive tasks. They struggle when a customer writes naturally: "Can I bring my daughter along and do both of us on Saturday afternoon?" does not match any branch, so the bot sends the menu again. Each new question type means another branch to maintain.
A visual flow builder lets you lay out such branches without code.
Option 3: an AI assistant that answers from your information
An AI customer assistant reads the message, works out what the customer wants, and replies using the information you gave it: your price list, services, opening hours, and policies. It copes with typos, two questions in one message, and customers writing in another language. If you want the background, read what an AI customer assistant is.
Three things separate a good assistant from a risky one:
- It answers only from your material. If the answer is not in your documents or website, it says it does not know instead of guessing.
- It hands over to a person. Complaints, special requests, or "let me talk to someone" should move to your team.
- It can do things. Showing free appointment slots and booking one is far more useful than only describing opening hours. See the appointment booking guide for how that works.
The 24-hour rule you should know
On the WhatsApp Business Platform, when a customer messages you, a 24-hour customer-service window opens. Inside it you can reply with free-form text. Once it closes, you can only contact that customer with a message template that Meta has approved, and template messages are charged by Meta. Pricing depends on country and template category, so check Meta's current rate card.
Practical consequences for auto-replies:
- A system that answers the moment a customer writes always sits inside the window.
- The real risk is the opposite: a message arrives in the evening, nobody replies until the next afternoon, and you lose the chance to answer with free text if the window then lapses.
- Do not try to get around it by sending mass promotional messages to people who never contacted you. Cold bulk messaging breaks WhatsApp's rules, and the usual penalty is losing the number. Use unofficial "bulk sender" tools and you risk exactly that.
What to write in an away message
A good away message is short and answers four questions:
- Did my message arrive? Thank them.
- When will someone answer? Give a concrete time.
- What can I send to speed things up? Ask for the details you need.
- What if it is urgent? Point them to the right place.
Three templates to adapt:
- General: "Thanks for your message! We're closed right now. We're open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00, and Saturday 10:00 to 15:00. We'll reply as soon as we open."
- Salon or studio: "Hi! The studio is closed at the moment. To request an appointment, tell us the service and the day and time that suit you, and we'll confirm first thing in the morning."
- Clinic or practice: "Thank you for contacting us. You've written outside opening hours, and we'll respond on the next working day after 9:00. If this is a medical emergency, please call your local emergency number."
Common mistakes
- Promising a reply time you cannot keep.
- Letting an assistant give medical, legal, or money advice. Write into its instructions that these go to a person.
- Forgetting to update. An outdated price list makes an assistant quote old prices.
- Using unofficial tools. Apps that automate a personal WhatsApp account can get the number banned.
How to set up WhatsApp auto-reply with Blinkerbot
Blinkerbot is the third option, ready-made. It connects through the official Meta API and answers WhatsApp messages around the clock.
- Start the 14-day free trial. No credit card is needed.
- Open the channels section and connect WhatsApp. In the Meta window, pick your business and number and verify it with the code Meta sends.
- Teach the assistant your business. Give it your website address and upload documents such as a price list or policies. Review what it learned before going live.
- Set your opening hours and decide what should happen when you are closed.
- Write short instructions on tone, for example how to address customers and how long replies should be.
- Test from another phone, including a question you left out of the documents, then turn it on and watch the first conversations in the shared team inbox.
When the assistant is unsure, it says so and can pass the conversation to your team. Customers can also send photos, voice notes, and PDFs, which it reads and answers in the customer's language. The full feature list is on the auto-replies page, and plans are on the pricing page.
Customer messages are personal data. Before automating, review your privacy notice, and for the legal details decide with a professional in your country.
Frequently asked questions
Is WhatsApp auto-reply free?
The greeting and away messages in the WhatsApp Business app are free. On the Business Platform, template messages sent outside the 24-hour window are charged by Meta, and the software you use may have its own subscription.
Can I set up an auto-reply on my personal WhatsApp?
The regular WhatsApp app has no built-in auto-reply. Switch to the WhatsApp Business app or use a provider connected to the official API. Third-party tools that automate a personal account can lead to the number being banned.
Will an AI assistant make up answers?
A well-configured assistant answers only from the documents and website you provide, and tells the customer when it does not know. Keeping your price list and policies current is the best safeguard.
Can an auto-reply book appointments?
The app's away message cannot. An AI assistant connected to a calendar can show free slots in the chat, book the one the customer picks, and handle rescheduling or cancellation.
Can I send promotions to everyone who ever messaged me?
Not freely. Outside the 24-hour window you need approved templates, and sending bulk messages to people who have not agreed to hear from you breaks WhatsApp's rules and puts your number at risk.
