WhatsApp Auto-Reply: All the Ways to Activate It

When you can't be on your phone, WhatsApp answering machine It can be a great solution: it answers for you, makes it clear that you're busy, and prevents unanswered messages from piling up. There are several ways to achieve this depending on whether you use Android or iPhone, and there's also a feature being tested for calls that aims to become a voicemail within the app.

On Android you have very complete ways through third-party applications that work with notificationsOn iPhone, the route goes through WhatsApp Business to set up automatic messages and quick replies, and similar solutions exist on other platforms.

What is (and what isn't) the "auto-answering" on WhatsApp today?

The first thing to do is to distinguish the automatic responses to chat messages from the answering machine to voice calls. Standard WhatsApp doesn't include native auto-replies for chats; the closest thing comes with WhatsApp Business (welcome and absence messages) and with third-party apps on Android that reply from the notification itself.

In the Android beta, some users are already seeing an additional option when ending an unanswered call: Record voice messageUntil now, the only option was to retry the call or cancel, and in any case, manually type a text in the chat. The new option speeds things up: the system lets you leave a voice note that arrives in the chat along with the missed call notification.

This answering machine style feature can be used in two ways:

• From the screen that appears after an unanswered call, where you will see three buttons: call back, cancel, and record a voice message.
• From the chat missed call notification, recording the voice note directly from there. It's a natural evolution considering that more than 7.000 billion voice notes are sent on the platform every day.

For now, this answering machine for calls is in beta phase and is arriving in a limited way to some Android users, according to specialized sources such as WaBetaInfo. If you are interested in trying it now, you can sign up for the WhatsApp beta program on Google Play or update to the latest beta by downloading it from trusted repositories like APKMirror, Checking that the APK is signed by WhatsApp Inc. to ensure its authenticity, or check how answering machines work at Zoom.

Android: Automatic replies with AutoResponder and WhatsAuto

The WhatsApp app itself does not have its own response bot, but Android allows it to third-party apps “read” notifications and answer from them. That's the trick with tools like AutoResponder for WhatsApp (from the same developer who offers something similar for Telegram, Instagram or Messenger) or WhatsAuto, which replicate the behavior of a text answering machine.

The operation is direct: You grant the app access to notifications. When a message comes in, the tool intercepts it and sends the appropriate response from the notification. The first time it will ask you to enable that permission; just go to the notification access settings and activate the switch next to the app name. Then go back and you can create response rules.

AutoResponder

In AutoResponder, the free version allows you to configure from a general response to "all" messages to specific rules based on incoming text. When creating your first global rule, select the filter All and writes the message you want to return when any chat arrives. The system supports fine-tuning to apply the rule only to certain contacts or groups, so that, for example, you exclude family members or internal conversations.

If you want to go further, the Pro edition of AutoResponder (one-time payment of 14,99 €) unlocks cool features like activity schedules to define time slots in which the automatic response is activated, or more advanced behavior based on patterns. It's especially useful for keeping your phone silent outside of work hours while still providing a response to whoever texts you.

WhatsAuto

For its part, WhatsAuto It offers an interface very similar to WhatsApp and focuses on managing recipients well. You can decide which contacts or groups receive the response, and in the case of groups, there is an option to avoid spam: Send the message only once per group and not every time someone writes, so you don't overwhelm everyone.

WhatsAuto also includes a range of extras: support for multiple messaging apps with a single tool, option of create your own bot without technical knowledge, backup of your messages and rules to local storage or Google Drive, mode of smart answer with continuous shipping, delayed shipping, or one-time shipping, and programming so that the automatic mode is activated or deactivated at specific times (ideal for off-hours). It even has a driving mode AI-assisted, which detects when you're driving and answers for you to avoid distractions. As usual, the developers clarify that are not affiliated with WhatsApp, registered trademark of WhatsApp Inc.

iPhone and WhatsApp Business: Away Messages and Quick Replies

WhatsApp Business adds two key tools:

• Welcome message (sent the first time someone writes to you).
• Absence message (perfect as an answering machine when you are not available).

To configure them, go to «Tools for the company» (three dots icon or from the settings depending on the platform) and then in "Send message in absence". Activate the option, write your text, and choose when it should be sent.

The absence message can be activated always, En a custom schedule or alone outside business hours. It is also possible to decide who it is sent to: all, to those who are not in your agenda, to all except some contacts, or only to specific recipients. Keep in mind that the text is unique for everyone; there are no variations per user in this section.

Another very useful feature of WhatsApp Business is the quickly answers, designed to save time with frequent messages (address, schedule, conditions, etc.). You can save up to 50To create them, open WhatsApp Business, go to Business Tools > Quickly answers and press "Add". Write the message (remember that, on WhatsApp Web or Desktop, quick replies do not support media files) and define a shortcut keyboard. Save the changes and you're done.

If you're coming from the Android ecosystem, the feeling is that Business doesn't go as far as third-party apps in the fine-grained automation, but for most cases it covers the important stuff: answer when you are not there and speed up repetitive responses without relying on external tools.

In parallel to these features, remember that the new answering system for WhatsApp calls is currently being rolled out in the Android beta. As soon as it reaches the stable version, you'll gain an easy way to leave a voice message instantly when someone doesn't reach you on the phone within the app, without relying on traditional calls or handwriting.

About WhatsApp Auto-Reply

As a summary of capabilities: on Android, AutoResponder and WhatsAuto allow filter by contact/group, define schedules, delays and conditions; on iPhone, WhatsApp Business solves the absence and speeds up common responses with shortcuts; and as a complement, WhatsApp is fine-tuning a answering machine based on voice notes that is already accessible if you are on the beta channel.

With these pieces, you can have your WhatsApp ready for vacations, meetings, or driving, keeping your contacts informed effortlessly and without missing out on opportunities. The key is choosing the tool that fits your platform, write useful messages and activate only what is necessary to avoid unnecessary noise.