Write greeting and away messages for WhatsApp Business, plus Ramadan hours and holiday closures, in English and Arabic. Set your hours once and copy all four.
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Ramadan
Holiday
Greeting message
The Business app sends it on a customer’s first message, or their first after 14 days without messages.
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Away message
Schedule it for outside business hours. The app sends it only while your phone has internet.
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Ramadan hours
Swap it in as your away message for Ramadan, and update the hours on your profile to match.
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Holiday closure
Set it as your away message on a custom schedule that covers the days you’re closed.
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Quick answer
Updated 30 Oct 2026
In the WhatsApp Business app, open Business tools, then Away message. Turn it on and choose when it sends: always, on a custom schedule, or outside business hours once your hours are on your profile. The app sends it only while your phone has internet. The WhatsApp Business API has no built-in away message, so your inbox or provider sends it.
Where auto-replies live
Step 01
Business app
Greeting and away messages are under Business tools. Greetings go on a customer’s first message, or their first after 14 days without messages.
Step 02
Business API
There’s no built-in greeting or away message. Your inbox or provider sends them as normal replies inside the 24-hour customer service window.
Step 03
Your profile
Set business hours on your WhatsApp profile too, so customers see when you’re open before they message. Update them for Ramadan and holidays.
Good auto-replies
Your hours
Say when you’re open, days first and then times. It answers the most common after-hours question before anyone asks it.
When you’ll reply
Promise a time you can keep. “As soon as we open” beats “shortly” when the message arrives at 11pm.
Ramadan timings
Hours change for the month. Saudi labour law caps Muslim employees at 6 hours a day, and the UAE cut private-sector hours by 2 hours a day in Ramadan 2026.
Holiday dates
Give the day you’re back, not just “after Eid”. Eid dates follow the moon sighting, so update the message once they’re announced.
Questions
When does WhatsApp send the greeting message?
In the WhatsApp Business app, when a customer messages you for the first time, or for the first time after 14 days without messages. Anyone who messaged you in the last 14 days won’t get it.
Why didn’t my away message send?
The Business app sends away messages only while your phone has an internet connection. Check the schedule too: “Outside of business hours” works only once business hours are set on your profile.
Can I set auto-replies on the WhatsApp Business API?
Not inside WhatsApp itself. Meta’s API has no built-in greeting or away message, so your inbox or provider sends them. Meta does offer ice breakers: up to four tap-to-send questions shown the first time someone chats with you.
Do auto-replies cost money on the API?
They count as service messages. Since 1 October 2026 Meta charges for service messages again, after a free tier of 1,000 delivered service messages per number each month.
When is Ramadan 2027?
It is expected to begin in early February 2027, depending on the moon sighting. Write your Ramadan message now and switch it on once the start is confirmed.
Can I use Arabic and English together?
Yes. Choose Both and every message comes in English and Arabic. The Business app holds one greeting and one away message, so many GCC businesses put both languages in the same message.
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FlowFlex runs on the official WhatsApp Business API, with broadcasts and a shared team inbox your whole team can answer from.
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