A greeting message is the auto-reply someone gets the first time they message your business. An away message replies when you're closed, and quick replies are saved answers you send with a shortcut. Set all three free in the WhatsApp Business app under Settings > Business tools, then automate them at scale on the official API. It means no enquiry sits unanswered, even overnight.
WhatsApp Business Greeting and Away Messages: Templates You Can Copy
The short answer
A greeting message is the auto-reply someone gets when they first message your business, or come back after 14 days of quiet. An away message goes out when you’re closed or offline. Quick replies are saved answers you fire off manually with a shortcut.
Set all three in the free WhatsApp Business app under Settings > Business tools. They take ten minutes. And they mean no enquiry sits unanswered, even at 11pm on a Sunday.
Below you’ll find 15+ templates you can copy today, plus how to automate properly once one phone can’t keep up.
Greeting, away and quick replies: what’s the difference
Three tools, three jobs.
A greeting message sends automatically the first time a customer texts you. It’s your digital namaste, your welcome in. You write it once and WhatsApp sends it for you.
An away message also sends automatically, but only outside the hours you set. Closed for the day? On a festival break? This one buys you time and sets expectations.
A quick reply is different. It doesn’t fire on its own. You type a shortcut like /price or /hours and WhatsApp drops in a full saved answer. Handy for the same questions you answer forty times a week.
Greeting and away are automatic. Quick replies are manual shortcuts. Keep that split in your head and the rest is easy.
Why these three messages matter
First impressions happen fast on WhatsApp. Someone messages at midnight because your Instagram ad caught them. If nothing comes back, they assume you’re shut or sloppy, and they message the next shop on the list.
A greeting reply lands in one second. That alone keeps the lead warm.
Away messages do the night shift. Most small teams can’t sit on chat around the clock, and you shouldn’t have to. A good away message tells people when you’ll reply, so they wait instead of leaving.
Quick replies save your sanity. “What are your timings?” “Do you deliver to Kukatpally?” “What’s the price?” You answer these all day. A shortcut turns a two-minute reply into two seconds.
Speed is the whole game here. Leads that get a reply within five minutes convert far better than ones left for an hour. Automation is how you hit that window while you sleep. For the wider picture, our WhatsApp marketing guide for India walks through the full setup.
Greeting and welcome message templates
Copy any of these into Settings > Business tools > Greeting message. Swap the bracketed bits for your details.
- Retail or general: “Hi, thanks for messaging [Business name]. We’ve got your message and we’ll reply within [X] minutes during working hours. Meanwhile, tell us what you’re looking for.”
- Service business: “Namaste and welcome to [Business name]. Tell us what you need help with and we’ll get the right person to reply shortly. For quick answers, type ‘menu’.”
- Clinic or salon: “Hi, thanks for reaching [Business name]. To book, reply with your name, preferred date and service. Our team will confirm your slot soon.”
- E-commerce: “Hey, welcome to [Business name]. Looking for order help, sizing or a new order? Reply with a word and we’ll sort it. Orders above ₹999 ship free.”
- Short and friendly: “Hi there. Thanks for messaging [Business name]. We’re on it and will reply very soon.”
Keep greetings under three lines. People skim.
Away and after-hours message templates
These go under Settings > Business tools > Away message. Set a schedule so they only fire when you’re closed.
- After hours: “Thanks for your message. We’re closed right now and open [Mon to Sat, 10am to 7pm]. We’ll reply first thing tomorrow. For anything urgent, call [number].”
- Weekend: “Hi, thanks for reaching out. Our team’s off for the weekend and back Monday morning. Drop your query here and we’ll reply first thing.”
- Festival break: “Happy [Diwali] from all of us at [Business name]. We’re away till [date] and will reply as soon as we’re back. Wishing you and your family a lovely one.”
- Short break: “Thanks for messaging. The team’s on a short break and will be back by [time]. Leave your question and we’ll reply the moment we return.”
- High volume: “Thanks for your patience. We’re getting a lot of messages right now and will reply within [X] hours. Your query is safely in the queue.”
An away message that gives a real time beats a vague one. “Back Monday 10am” holds people. “We’ll reply soon” doesn’t.
Quick reply templates for FAQs
Save these under Settings > Business tools > Quick replies. Give each a shortcut so you can fire it in a second.
- Pricing (/price): “Our packages start at ₹[X]. Here’s the full list: [link]. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest the best fit.”
- Timings (/hours): “We’re open Mon to Sat, 10am to 7pm. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.”
- Location (/location): “We’re at [full address]. Here’s the map pin: [Google Maps link]. Parking is available right outside.”
- Delivery (/delivery): “Yes, we deliver across Hyderabad. Orders placed before 4pm go out the same day. Delivery is free above ₹[X].”
- Payment (/pay): “We accept UPI, cards and cash. For online orders, we’ll send a secure payment link once you confirm.”
- Catalogue (/catalogue): “Here’s our full catalogue: [link]. Reply with the item name or code and we’ll check stock for you.”
Want sharper wording for promos and offers? Our WhatsApp promotion message examples piece has plenty you can lift.
A group introduction message
If you run a broadcast list or a customer group, pin a clear intro so new joiners know the deal.
“Welcome to the [Business name] updates group. You’ll get offers, new stock and tips here about twice a week. We won’t spam you. To reach us directly, message [number]. To leave, just exit anytime, no hard feelings.”
Keep it honest about how often you’ll post. People stay in groups that respect their notifications.
How to set these up in the free WhatsApp Business app
The free app covers the basics well.
Open WhatsApp Business, tap the three dots, then Settings > Business tools. You’ll see Greeting message, Away message and Quick replies as separate options.
For the greeting, toggle it on, write your text, and pick who receives it (everyone, or only people not in your contacts).
For the away message, toggle it on, write it, then set a schedule: always, outside business hours, or a custom window.
For quick replies, add each saved answer and give it a shortcut like /price. Then in any chat you type / and pick it.
That’s it. Ten minutes, no cost.
Automating at scale on the WhatsApp Business API
Here’s the honest bit.
The free app has one greeting, one away message and simple quick replies you send by hand. It runs on a single phone. That’s fine for a solo shop or a small team.
But it caps out fast. You can’t branch a conversation (press 1 for sales, 2 for support). You can’t auto-reply based on what someone typed. You can’t have ten agents on one number. And you can’t send template broadcasts to thousands without risking a ban.
That’s where the official WhatsApp Business API comes in. It’s built for volume and proper automation.
We built Wamark, The Pixel Mark’s own WhatsApp platform, to sit on that API. It lets you build no-code chat flows, so a customer who types “price” gets the right menu without a human touching it. You get keyword auto-replies, a shared team inbox, broadcast campaigns and analytics on what’s actually converting.
So your greeting can do more than say hello. It can qualify the lead, answer the top three questions and book a call, all before your team wakes up. If you want a hand setting that up, our WhatsApp marketing service covers strategy, flows and compliance.
A quick word on opt-in and compliance
WhatsApp is strict, and India’s rules are getting stricter too.
Auto-replies to people who message you first are fine. That’s them starting the chat.
Sending messages to people who didn’t opt in is where accounts get banned. Before you broadcast offers or updates, get a clear yes: a checkbox at checkout, a “send me deals on WhatsApp” tick, a reply that says “start”. Keep a record of it.
Same for groups. Add people who asked to join, not your whole contacts list. One spam report and your number takes a hit.
Play it clean and WhatsApp stays a channel you own for years.
Ready to set this up properly
Templates get you moving today. Real automation keeps enquiries answered while you focus on the actual work.
If you’d like us to build your greeting, away flow and auto-replies (and connect it all to the API), book a free consult on our contact page. We’ll map it to how your customers actually message you.
