WhatsApp Business Auto Reply: How to Set It Up, With Messages to Copy
By Darrel, co-founder of Kai Dojo · Published 5 October 2026 · Facts checked 5 October 2026
The free WhatsApp Business app has three auto reply tools: away messages, greeting messages and quick replies. This guide shows how to set up each one, gives you messages you can copy, and explains what none of them can do.
The examples are written for a small gym, because gyms get most of their enquiries on WhatsApp and many arrive after the front desk closes. Swap the details and they work for a salon, a clinic or a tuition centre.
We build Kai Dojo, a WhatsApp assistant for gyms, so we have an interest here. For many businesses the free tools below are enough, and this guide says when.
What auto replies does WhatsApp Business have?
Two of the tools send on their own. The third saves you typing.
| Tool | When it sends | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Away message | Automatically, when someone messages during the hours you set | Nights, weekends, holidays, class time |
| Greeting message | Automatically, on someone's first message and after 14 days with no contact | Welcoming new enquiries and pointing them to the basics |
| Quick replies | Only when you type the shortcut in a chat and send it | Answering the same five questions fast |
All three are free and come with the WhatsApp Business app. Personal WhatsApp does not have them. If your business still runs on a personal account, install WhatsApp Business and register your business number with it first.
How do you set up an away message on WhatsApp Business?
Set your opening hours in your business profile first, so the away message can follow them. Then, from WhatsApp's Help Centre:
- Open the Tools tab and tap Away message.
- Turn on Send away message.
- Tap the message to edit it, then tap Save.
- Tap Schedule and choose Always send, Custom schedule or Outside of business hours.
- Tap Recipients and choose Everyone, Everyone not in address book, Everyone except or Only send to.
Pick Outside of business hours for everyday use. It reads the hours in your profile, so when you change your hours the away message follows. Use Always send for a closure, such as Chinese New Year, and remember to switch it back.
For recipients, Everyone not in address book is a sensible default. Your regulars, saved in your contacts, will not get a "we're closed" reply every time they message about a class.
Your phone has to be on and online for the away message to send. WhatsApp's Help Centre says the device "must have an active internet connection". A phone that is switched off overnight sends nothing.
Menu names can differ slightly between Android and iPhone, and between app versions.
How do you set up a greeting message?
WhatsApp's Help Centre says a greeting message is "automatically sent to your customers when they first message you", and it goes again when someone messages after 14 days with no contact (WhatsApp Help Centre). To set it up:
- Open the Tools tab and tap Greeting message.
- Turn on Send greeting message.
- Edit the message and tap Save.
- Choose who receives it under Recipients.
If you turn on both, read the greeting and the away message side by side and make sure they do not repeat each other.
How do quick replies work?
A quick reply is a saved message with a short keyword. In the Tools tab, tap Quick replies, add the message and give it a shortcut, such as trial. In any chat, type / and pick it from the list.
Quick replies do not send on their own. They help whoever is on the desk answer the common questions in seconds and give everyone the same, correct answer. When your prices change, update the quick reply once.
Away message examples for a gym
Replace the parts in square brackets. Keep each message short enough to read on a lock screen.
After hours
Hi, thanks for messaging [Gym name]! The desk is closed now and we'll reply from [8am]. Our timetable and prices are here: [link]. If you'd like to try a class, you can book a trial here: [booking link]
While coaches are teaching
Hi! Our coaches are on the mats right now. We'll reply after the [7pm] class, usually by [9pm]. Timetable and prices: [link]
Weekend
Thanks for your message! We reply to weekend messages by [12pm on Monday]. If you want to start this week, beginner classes are on [Monday at 7pm] and you can book a trial here: [booking link]
Public holiday or closure
Hi! [Gym name] is closed from [date] to [date] for [Chinese New Year]. Classes restart on [date]. We'll reply to every message when we're back. Happy holidays!
For a gym that sells mostly trials
Hi, thanks for reaching out! Most people start with a trial class, and no experience is needed. Book here: [booking link]. A coach will reply to any other questions from [8am].
Greeting message examples for a gym
Hi, welcome to [Gym name]! Ask us anything about classes, prices or trials. Our timetable is here: [link]
Hi! Thanks for messaging [Gym name]. If you're new, tell us what you'd like to train and when you're free, and we'll suggest a class to start with.
The second one asks for the two details a coach needs to recommend a class, so the first human reply can go straight to a suggestion.
Quick reply examples for a gym
| Shortcut | Message |
|---|---|
/trial |
Our trial class is [price or free]. Book here: [booking link]. No experience needed. |
/price |
Our memberships: [list]. The trial is separate, so you can try before you decide. |
/timetable |
Here's this week's timetable: [link]. Beginner classes are marked [B]. |
/directions |
We're at [address], [5] minutes from [Outram Park MRT, exit 4]. [Parking details.] |
/bring |
Wear comfortable gym clothes and bring water. We lend [gloves and wraps] for your first class. |
What makes a good away message?
- A real reply time. "We'll reply from 8am" sets an expectation you can meet. "We'll get back to you ASAP" tells the person nothing.
- A link that answers the common questions. Timetable and prices cover most enquiries. Link them so the person can read while they wait.
- A way to book without you. If you have an online booking link, put it in. Some people would rather book at midnight than wait for a reply.
- Your tone. Write it the way your desk staff talk. A gym that is friendly in person should not sound like a bank at night.
- No promises you cannot keep. Do not say "we'll reply within the hour" on a schedule that runs all night.
What can WhatsApp auto replies not do?
They cannot read the message. Every person who writes during your away hours gets the same text, whatever they asked.
Here is a message a gym might get at 11:52pm on a Tuesday:
hi, saw your ad. is muay thai ok if i've never done any martial arts before? im quite unfit lol
The away message sends a timetable link and says someone will reply at 8am. The question was whether a complete beginner will cope, and nothing answers it. By 8am she may have messaged two other gyms, and one of them may have replied first.
Auto replies also cannot book a class, take a detail like an old injury and pass it to a coach, or follow up when someone goes quiet. For those you need a person on the phone, or a chatbot connected to your number. Our WhatsApp chatbot guide covers how chatbots work, what they cost in Singapore, and how to choose one.
When is an auto reply enough?
For a lot of businesses it is. An away message plus a few quick replies is enough when:
- you get a handful of enquiries a week
- someone replies within an hour or so during the day, and evenings are quiet
- most questions are about times and prices, and your links answer them
It stops being enough when enquiries pile up at night and at weekends, when people ask things a link cannot answer, and when the gym down the road replies first. Count how many messages arrived outside your hours last month, and how many of those people booked. That tells you what the gap is worth.
Where Kai fits
Kai Dojo is a done-for-you WhatsApp assistant for gyms in Singapore. It reads each enquiry, answers from the gym's own timetable, prices and FAQs, and works towards a booked trial class. When it does not know something, such as an injury question, it tells the person a coach will follow up and stops replying on that conversation.
Kai costs S$200 a month, or S$150 a month on a 12-month subscription. Meta bills its WhatsApp message charges to your own account, separately. The full details are on how Kai works for gyms.
The quickest way to see the difference from an away message is to message the demo gym yourself and ask it something awkward.
Or book a call and we will show you Kai answering as your gym.
WhatsApp Business auto reply FAQ
Is WhatsApp Business auto reply free?
Yes. Away messages, greeting messages and quick replies are built into the free WhatsApp Business app. Meta's per-message charges apply to the WhatsApp Business Platform, which chatbot providers use, not to these app features.
Can I set an auto reply on my personal WhatsApp?
No. Away and greeting messages are WhatsApp Business features. Install the free WhatsApp Business app and register your business number with it to use them.
Does the away message send if my phone is off?
WhatsApp's Help Centre says your device must have an active internet connection to send away messages. A phone that is switched off, or out of signal, will not send them.
When does WhatsApp send a greeting message?
When someone messages your business for the first time, and again when they message after 14 days with no messages between you.
Can a WhatsApp auto reply answer questions?
No. It sends the same fixed text to everyone who messages in the set hours, whatever they asked. To answer the actual question you need a person, or a chatbot connected to your number.
Sources checked 5 October 2026: WhatsApp Help Centre, how to use away messages; WhatsApp Help Centre, how to use greeting messages; WhatsApp Help Centre, how to use quick replies.