How To Set Up And Use WhatsApp “Out Of Office” & Away Messages

Essentials to know

• Automate instant acknowledgements: WhatsApp Business away messages automatically reply to incoming customer enquiries when you are closed, busy, or away.
• Choose from flexible scheduling options: Set your replies to “Always send,” use a “Custom schedule” for holidays, or sync them automatically with your profile’s business hours.
• Target specific recipients: Control who receives the automated message by selecting options like everyone, unknown numbers, or custom exceptions.
• Follow out-of-office best practices: Keep messages concise, state your availability clearly, provide a realistic response time, and avoid asking for sensitive details.
• Access them via WhatsApp Business: Away messages are a dedicated business feature and are not available on the standard WhatsApp Messenger app.

Many customers use WhatsApp because they expect a quick and convenient reply, but that doesn’t mean that, as a business owner, you need to be available every evening, weekend and public holiday.

WhatsApp Business Away Messages act like a digital sitter for your inbox. When you’re unavailable, the app can automatically let customers know that their message has arrived, explain when you’ll respond and direct them to useful information in the meantime.

Here’s how to set up an Away Message, choose the right schedule and write an automatic reply that protects your time without losing customer trust.

What is a WhatsApp Away Message?

An Away Message is an automatic reply sent by the WhatsApp Business app when a customer contacts you during a period you’ve marked as unavailable.

You can use one when:

• Your business is closed for the day
• You’re taking a weekend or public holiday off
• You’re on annual leave
• You’re working on-site and can’t check your phone
• Your team is experiencing an unusually busy period
• A service interruption is generating extra enquiries
• Customers contact you from different time zones

The message reassures customers that they haven’t been ignored. It can also set a realistic response time, share your opening hours or direct people to an FAQ, booking page or emergency contact.

Note: Away Messages aren’t a full-service automation tool. They send the same pre-written response according to your chosen schedule and recipients, so you’ll still need to check your messages and get back to enquiries when you next log into WhatsApp Business.

How to set up an Away Message on WhatsApp Business

You can activate an auto-reply in around a minute once you know what you want it to say. The wording of menu options may differ slightly depending on your phone and app version.

On Android

1. Open WhatsApp Business.
2. Tap the three-dot menu.
3. Select Business tools.
4. Tap Away message.
5. Turn on Send away message.
6. Tap the message to edit it, then select OK.
7. Choose a schedule.
8. Select which recipients should receive it.
9. Tap Save.

On iPhone

1. Open WhatsApp Business.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Select Business tools.
4. Tap Away Message.
5. Turn on Send Away Message.
6. Edit your message, then tap Save.
7. Choose a schedule.
8. Select your recipients.
9. Tap Save.

WhatsApp provides three scheduling options: Always send, Custom schedule and Outside of business hours. You can check the latest instructions in WhatsApp’s official Away Messages guide.

Always send vs custom schedule: which should you choose?

Always send

This setting sends your Away Message whenever an eligible contact messages you.

It’s useful when:

• You’re on annual leave
• The business is temporarily closed
• You’re handling a service interruption
• You can’t monitor WhatsApp for an extended period
• One person normally manages the inbox and is unavailable

Remember to turn it off when you return. Otherwise, customers may continue receiving an Away Message while you’re actively replying.

Custom schedule

This sends the message only between the dates and times you choose.

Use it for:

• Public holidays
• Planned annual leave
• Training days
• Temporary closures
• An evening event
• A known busy period

A custom schedule is helpful when the change is temporary and doesn’t match your usual opening hours.

Outside of business hours

This option uses the opening hours listed on your WhatsApp Business Profile. The Away Message is sent when eligible customers contact you outside those times.

It’s usually the best choice for your everyday out-of-office reply. You won’t need to switch it on and off each day, provided your profile hours remain accurate.

How to sync your Business Profile with your working life

In order for the “Outside of Business Hours” trigger to work properly, you’ll need to keep your business hours accurately updated. To change them:

1. Open WhatsApp Business.
2. Go to Business tools or Settings.
3. Select Business Profile.
4. Tap Business hours.
5. Add your normal opening and closing times.
6. Save your changes.

Customers can see these hours on your profile, while WhatsApp Business can use them to control your Away Message. WhatsApp allows businesses to list business hours and other useful information on their profiles.

It’s worth reviewing your schedule before public holidays, annual leave and seasonal changes, so your customers know exactly when they can expect a response.

How to choose who receives your Away Message

WhatsApp Business gives you several recipient options:

• Everyone: Sends the reply to anyone who messages you during the scheduled period.
• Everyone not in address book: Sends it only to people who aren’t saved as contacts.
• Everyone except: Sends it to everyone apart from the contacts you select.
• Only send to: Limits it to particular contacts.

These controls can help you avoid sending a formal out-of-office reply to someone unintended, such as a close colleague or a supplier you’re already speaking to.

For a dedicated business account, sending it to everyone may be simplest. If your contacts include a mixture of customers, friends and family, use the exclusions carefully.

Remember to review the list regularly. A former prospect may now be an active customer, while a personal contact could have been saved since you last updated the settings.

What should a good WhatsApp Away Message include?

A useful message normally contains five things:

• A friendly acknowledgement to confirm that the message has arrived.
• Your availability – briefly explain that you’re currently closed, away, or busy.
• A realistic response time to let the customer know when they can expect to hear from you.
• A helpful next step, such as linking to FAQs, opening hours, booking information or another genuinely monitored contact method.
• Your business name – make it clear that the customer has reached the right account.

For example:

“Thanks for contacting [business name]. We’re currently closed, but your message has reached us safely. We’ll reply when we reopen at 9am on Monday. In the meantime, you can find answers to common questions here: [link].”

WhatsApp Away Message best practice

Try these top tips to get the most out of the WhatsApp Away Message functionality.

Keep it concise

Customers should understand the message at a glance. Avoid adding long explanations, several links or unnecessary promotional copy.

Give a specific timeframe

“We’ll reply by 5pm tomorrow” is more helpful than “We’ll respond as soon as possible.”

Only promise a timeframe you can reliably meet. If Mondays are particularly busy, allow enough time to work through the weekend’s messages.

Sound like your business

A local tradie, beauty salon and accountancy firm won’t speak in exactly the same way. Keep the tone warm and human while remaining consistent with your brand.

Share another contact method carefully

Only provide an alternative phone number or email address if someone will answer it sooner. Otherwise, customers may repeat the same enquiry across several channels and create more work.

Don’t request sensitive information

An automatic reply shouldn’t ask customers to send passwords, card details, verification codes or unnecessary personal information.

Be careful with payments

You can confirm that a message or payment query has been received, but don’t automatically state that money has arrived. Check your own bank or payment account before confirming any transaction.

Can you put an out of office on WhatsApp Messenger?

No. Away Messages are a WhatsApp Business feature and aren’t available in the standard WhatsApp Messenger app.

If you currently use Messenger for personal conversations, you can install WhatsApp Business on the same phone. Each account needs its own number.

WhatsApp Messenger also supports multiple accounts on compatible iOS and Android devices, but this doesn’t add Business tools such as Away Messages to a personal account.

How do Away Messages and Quick Replies work together?

Away Messages acknowledge customers while you’re unavailable. Quick Replies help you answer recurring questions more efficiently when you return.

WhatsApp Business lets you create shortcuts for frequently used messages, including replies about prices, availability, delivery, bookings and opening hours.

For example, an Away Message could tell customers you’ll respond tomorrow. When you reopen, Quick Replies can help you answer everyone without typing the same information repeatedly.

Review each enquiry before using a saved reply so the response still feels relevant and personal.

Switching off when you’re off the tools

For an Aussie tradie, an Away Message makes it easier to put the phone down after a day on-site without leaving prospective customers wondering whether their enquiry arrived. For example:

“G’day, thanks for contacting [business name]. We’re off the tools for the day, but your message has come through. We’ll get back to you with the next steps tomorrow morning.”

This keeps the reply functional, friendly and clear.

Public holidays and RDOs

Use a custom schedule for public holidays, rostered days off and temporary closures. Public holidays can differ by state and territory, so update the message for the area where your business operates.

A weekend auto-reply can also help an Aussie small business maintain its reputation for good communication without expecting the owner to stay on their phone all weekend.

Improve your work-life balance with YourBusinessNumber

Away Messages work best when your business conversations are kept separate from personal chats.

With a dedicated number from YourBusinessNumber, you can use WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business on the same phone while keeping their accounts, messages and notification routines separate.

This helps you:

• Set professional business hours
• Automate replies outside those hours
• Avoid mixing customers with personal contacts
• Protect your private mobile number
• Create clearer work-life boundaries
• Manage business enquiries more consistently

Ready to make your WhatsApp setup work around your life? Get a virtual number for WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business today.