Quick answer
- A greeting message is sent automatically when a customer messages your WhatsApp Business number for the first time, or after 14 days without messages.
- Set it up in the WhatsApp Business app under Tools › Greeting message › Send greeting message.
- A good one names your business, says when you’ll reply, and asks what the customer needs, in two to four lines.
What is a WhatsApp Business greeting message?
A greeting message is an automatic message the WhatsApp Business app sends when a customer messages you for the first time, or for the first time after 14 days without messages. Someone who has messaged you in the last 14 days won’t get it again.
It does one job: tell the customer they’re in the right place and what happens next, while you get to the chat. It doesn’t answer their question. That’s the difference from the other two kinds of automatic reply:
| Greeting message | Away message | AI agent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When it’s sent | A customer’s first message, or their first after 14 days of no messages | Messages that arrive outside the hours you set | Every message |
| What it says | The same fixed text | The same fixed text | A reply to that customer’s question |
| Answers the question | No | No | Yes, from your knowledge base |
| Where you set it | WhatsApp Business app › Tools | WhatsApp Business app › Tools | An AI agent such as Wapzen, on Business or personal numbers |
How to set up a greeting message
- Open the WhatsApp Business app and go to the Tools tab. In some versions, it’s under Settings › Business tools.
- Tap Greeting message and turn on Send greeting message.
- Tap the message to edit it, paste one of the examples below, fill in the brackets, and tap OK.
- Tap Recipients and choose who gets it: everyone, everyone not in your address book, or everyone except the contacts you pick.
- Tap Save, then test it by messaging your business number from a phone that hasn’t messaged it in the last 14 days.
“Everyone not in your address book” is a good default: new customers get the welcome, while friends and suppliers you’ve saved don’t.
How to write a good greeting message
- Name your business in the first line, so the customer knows they reached the right place.
- Say when you’ll reply, such as “within an hour during business hours”. It stops people sending “hello?” three times.
- Ask for what you need to answer: an order number, a date, the service. It saves a round of messages.
- Keep it to two to four lines, with one link at most.
- Use formatting sparingly: bold for the one thing that matters, a short bulleted list for options. The free WhatsApp text formatter shows how it will look before you paste it.
General greeting message examples
Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details. Each one is short enough to read at a glance on a phone.
Friendly and simple
Hi there 👋 Thanks for messaging [Business]! How can we help you today?
With your reply time
Hello and welcome to [Business]! We usually reply within [1 hour] during business hours ([9 am–6 pm], Mon–Sat). Tell us what you need and we’ll get back to you soon.
With options
Hi! 👋 Welcome to [Business]. To help us reply faster, tell us what you’re looking for: - Prices - Delivery or pickup - Something else
Personal touch
Hi, this is [Name] from [Business]. Thanks for reaching out! Send me your question and I’ll get back to you personally.
With a link
Thanks for contacting [Business]! While you wait for our reply, you can browse everything we offer here: [link]
Short and formal
Thank you for contacting [Business]. A member of our team will reply shortly.
Two languages
Hi! 👋 Welcome to [Business]. We reply in English and [Hindi]: write in whichever you prefer.
Holiday season
Hi! Thanks for messaging [Business] 🎄 We’re open through the holidays with shorter hours: [hours]. How can we help?
Greeting message examples by industry
Thirty-two more, written for what customers in each kind of business usually ask first.
Online store
Product questions
Hi! Welcome to [Store] 🛍️ Ask us anything about our products, sizes or delivery, and we’ll help you find the right one.
Order status
Hello! Thanks for messaging [Store]. If it’s about an order, please share your *order number* and we’ll check it right away.
First-order offer
Welcome to [Store]! 🎉 New customers get [10% off] their first order with code *WELCOME10*. What can we help you find today?
Delivery and COD
Hi there! We deliver across [city] in [2–4 days], and cash on delivery is available. What would you like to order?
Catalog
Hi! 👋 Tap the shop icon at the top of this chat to see our catalog with prices. Questions about a product? Just ask here.
Restaurant and café
Menu and orders
Hi! Welcome to [Restaurant] 🍽️ Here’s our menu: [link]. Send your order with your address and we’ll confirm it with the total.
Table bookings
Hello! Thanks for messaging [Restaurant]. To book a table, send the date, time and number of guests, and we’ll confirm availability.
Hours and delivery
Hi! [Restaurant] is open [11 am–11 pm] every day, with delivery within [5 km]. What can we get you?
Café pickup
Hey! ☕ Welcome to [Café]. Ask about today’s specials, or place a pickup order and we’ll have it ready in [15 minutes].
Clinic and dental practice
Appointments
Hello, thank you for contacting [Clinic]. To book an appointment, please share the patient’s name, the service you need, and a preferred day and time.
Emergency notice
Welcome to [Clinic]. We reply to messages during clinic hours ([9 am–7 pm]). *For a medical emergency, call [emergency number] instead of messaging.*
Dental practice
Hi! Thanks for reaching out to [Dental Clinic] 🦷 Ask us about treatments, prices or appointments, and our team will reply shortly.
Test reports
Hello from [Clinic]. If you’re asking about test reports, please share the patient’s full name and the test date so we can find them.
Salon and spa
Salon booking
Hi there! 💇 Welcome to [Salon]. Tell us the service and the day you’d like, and we’ll find you a slot.
Price list
Welcome to [Salon]! ✨ Here’s our price list: [link]. Reply with the service you’d like to book.
Spa
Thank you for contacting [Spa] 🌿 Share your preferred treatment, date and time, and we’ll confirm your booking.
Real estate
Buy, rent or sell
Hello! Thanks for contacting [Agency]. Are you looking to *buy*, *rent* or *sell*? Share your budget and preferred area, and we’ll send matching listings.
Listing enquiry
Hi! Thanks for your interest in our listing. Please tell us which property you saw and a good time to call you.
Site visits
Welcome to [Agency] 🏡 To arrange a site visit, share the property you’re interested in and your preferred date.
Education and coaching
Course enquiries
Hi! Welcome to [Institute] 📚 Ask us about courses, fees and batch timings. Which course are you interested in?
Free demo class
Hello! Thanks for messaging [Academy]. Would you like to book a free demo class? Share the student’s name, grade and a preferred time.
Admissions
Welcome to [School] admissions. Our team replies [Mon–Fri, 9 am–4 pm]. Please share the student’s name and the grade you’re applying for.
Travel and hotels
Hotel bookings
Hello and welcome to [Hotel] 🏨 For bookings, share your check-in and check-out dates and the number of guests.
Tour packages
Hi! Thanks for contacting [Travel Agency] ✈️ Where would you like to go, and when? We’ll send you our best packages.
Guest information
Welcome to [Guesthouse]! Check-in is from [2 pm] and check-out by [11 am]. Ask us anything about your stay.
Home and local services
Quotes
Hi! Thanks for contacting [Business]. Describe the problem, send a photo if you can, and tell us your area, and we’ll share a quote.
Visit booking
Hello from [Business] 🔧 We’re available [Mon–Sat, 8 am–8 pm]. Share your address and a preferred time for the visit.
Urgent jobs
Thanks for your message! For urgent repairs, call us on [phone number]. For quotes and bookings, reply here and we’ll get back to you within [2 hours].
Gym and fitness
Memberships
Hey! 💪 Welcome to [Gym]. Ask us about memberships, class timings or a free trial session.
Classes
Hi! Thanks for reaching out to [Studio]. Want to try a class? Tell us which one and a day that suits you.
Agencies and professional services
Consultations
Hello, thank you for contacting [Firm]. Please briefly describe what you need help with, and we’ll arrange a call with the right person.
New projects
Welcome to [Agency]. We’d love to hear about your project. Share a few details and your budget, and we’ll reply within one working day.
Greeting message not working? Check these
- The 14-day rule. Anyone who messaged you in the last 14 days won’t get the greeting. Testing from your own second phone usually trips this: use a number that hasn’t messaged you in two weeks.
- Recipients. With “Everyone not in your address book”, saved contacts never get it, and that includes your test phone if it’s saved.
- Meta Business Agent. WhatsApp turns greeting messages off while Meta’s AI agent is connected. Disconnect it, then turn the greeting back on. Our guide to the WhatsApp Business AI agent shows how.
- Internet connection. Your phone needs to be online for the greeting to go out.
- The app itself. Update WhatsApp Business, turn the greeting off and on again, and restart the phone.
When a greeting message isn’t enough
A greeting buys you time, but the customer’s question is still waiting. If the same questions arrive every day (prices, delivery, timings, availability), an AI agent can answer the question itself, in seconds, from your own price list and FAQ.
Wapzen does this on the number you already use, linked by QR code, and it works on personal WhatsApp numbers too, which have no greeting or away messages at all. See WhatsApp auto reply for away message samples and the AI option side by side.
If an AI agent answers your chats, switch the greeting off or keep it to one line, so customers don’t get two messages at once.
Frequently asked questions
What is a greeting message in WhatsApp Business?
It's an automatic message the WhatsApp Business app sends when a customer messages you for the first time, or for the first time after 14 days without messages. It welcomes them and tells them what happens next, while you get to the chat.
How do I set up a greeting message on WhatsApp Business?
Open the Tools tab in the WhatsApp Business app, tap Greeting message, and turn on Send greeting message. Tap the message to edit it, tap OK, choose who receives it under Recipients, and save.
Why is my WhatsApp Business greeting message not working?
Most often the customer has messaged you in the last 14 days, so they don't get it again, or your Recipients setting leaves them out. WhatsApp also switches greeting messages off while Meta Business Agent is connected, and your phone needs an internet connection. Updating the app and turning the greeting off and on again can help.
What's the difference between a greeting message and an away message?
A greeting message welcomes customers on their first message, or their first after 14 quiet days. An away message replies when someone messages outside the hours you set. Both are fixed text set in the WhatsApp Business app's Tools tab, and you can use both.
Can I set a greeting message on personal WhatsApp?
No. Greeting and away messages are WhatsApp Business features, and personal WhatsApp has no auto reply. To reply automatically on a personal number, link it to an AI agent such as Wapzen.
Can I use bold text and emojis in a greeting message?
Yes. Emojis work as normal, and WhatsApp's formatting markers work too: *bold*, _italic_, and a hyphen and space for bullet points. Our free WhatsApp text formatter previews them before you paste.
How long should a greeting message be?
Short: two to four lines. Welcome the customer, say when you'll reply, and ask what they need. Customers read greetings on a phone, and long ones get skipped.