wassenderCan a normal WhatsApp account auto reply?
Not by itself. The standard WhatsApp app has no automatic reply feature. WhatsApp Business adds a greeting message, an away message and quick replies, but it does not answer a question like "what is the price?" with a specific answer, and switching apps is not always an option for a number your customers already know.
A WhatsApp auto reply on WhatsApp Web works differently: an extension runs in your own WhatsApp Web tab on desktop Chrome, reads incoming messages as they arrive in that tab, and sends the reply you wrote from your own account. Nothing is moved to a separate platform and your number stays the same.
The trade-off is simple and worth knowing up front: it only replies while the computer is on and WhatsApp Web is open. If you close the laptop at night, the auto reply stops until you open it again.
What you can automate
Keyword replies answer repeat questions. You list the words customers use, such as price, cost, السعر or بكام, and write one reply. When a message contains one of those words, the reply goes out, and it can include the customer's name.
A welcome message runs once when a new contact writes to you for the first time, and an away message covers conversations that no other rule answers, optionally only outside your business hours. A numbered menu bot can also guide people to prices, opening hours or a human.
How matching works
Each rule has a match type. Any word replies when the message contains one of your keywords, All words needs every keyword, and Exact message needs the whole message to match. Any word is the usual choice for questions like "How much is the large cake?".
A cooldown stops the same rule from replying again to the same person for a few minutes, so a customer who writes "price?" three times does not get three identical answers. If two rules match, the first enabled rule in the list wins, so keep overlapping keywords in one rule.
Write replies people can act on
A good auto reply answers the question and gives the next step: "Our cakes start at $12. Reply menu for sizes and delivery." Avoid vague replies that only say a person will answer soon, unless that is the only honest thing to say.
Be clear when a reply is automatic and when a human will follow up. Keep prices, hours and promises current; an outdated price in an auto reply creates more work than it saves.
A complete example: a bakery's first week
Start with three rules, not twenty. Rule one: keywords price, cost, how much, السعر, بكام, match Any word, reply "Hi [name|there], our cakes start at $12 for a small size and $25 for a large one. Reply menu for all sizes." Rule two: keywords address, location, where, العنوان, reply with your street, a landmark and your opening hours. Rule three: keywords delivery, deliver, توصيل, reply with the areas you cover and the delivery fee.
Set a 5-minute cooldown on each rule. Add a welcome message for new contacts and an away message for after closing time. That is enough to cover most of the repeated questions a small shop gets in a day, and it is small enough that you can remember what each rule says.
After a week, scroll through your chats and note the questions you still typed by hand more than twice. Each one is a candidate for a new rule. Questions that need a judgement, such as a custom cake design, stay with you.
Common mistakes with WhatsApp auto replies
Keywords that are too short or too common. A rule on the word "hi" or "ok" will fire on almost every message and answer things it should not. Use words that only appear in the question you mean to answer, and test them against a few real messages in the simulator.
Overlapping rules. If "price" is in one rule and "price list" is in another, the first enabled rule in the list wins, and the customer may get the wrong answer. Keep related keywords in one rule, or order the list so the more specific rule comes first.
Replies that promise what nobody delivers. "Someone will call you in 5 minutes" is a problem on a busy day. Write what is true on your worst day, such as "we reply within a few hours during opening times", and keep the reply short enough to read on a phone in one glance.
Keep it running smoothly
Because the replies come from your WhatsApp Web tab, treat that computer as part of the shop. Keep it plugged in, stop it from sleeping during opening hours and keep WhatsApp Web open in desktop Chrome. If you close the tab, the rules simply wait until you open it again.
Review your rules whenever something changes: a new price, new hours, a holiday. One outdated reply can send dozens of customers the wrong number before you notice. A quick monthly check of every rule in the list is a good habit.
Auto replies answer people who wrote to you first, which is the most natural kind of message. They are not a way to start conversations. For messages you start yourself, such as offers and reminders, use campaigns with human pacing and a daily limit.
Test before you switch it on
Wassender includes a simulator in the panel. You type sample customer messages and see which rule answers, and nothing is sent to WhatsApp. Test one matching question, one unrelated question and the welcome message before enabling Autopilot.
Turn on opt-out keywords at the same time. When someone sends stop or إلغاء as a whole message, they are added to your opt-out list and skipped by future campaigns.
Step by step
- Install Wassender from the Chrome Web Store and open WhatsApp Web in desktop Chrome.
- Open Autopilot and add a keyword rule: the words customers use, the match type and your reply.
- Set a cooldown so the same rule does not repeat to one person within a few minutes.
- Turn on the welcome message and, if you want, an away message for outside business hours.
- Test a few sample messages in the simulator and fix any unclear answer.
- Enable Autopilot and keep WhatsApp Web open while it runs.
Plan: Keyword replies, welcome and away messages are part of the free plan; the numbered menu bot needs Unlimited.
Frequently asked questions
Does the auto reply work when my computer is off?
No. Wassender runs inside your WhatsApp Web tab, so the computer must be on and WhatsApp Web open for replies to be sent.
Do I need WhatsApp Business for this?
No. It works with a normal WhatsApp account as well as a Business account, because it uses the WhatsApp Web session you already have.
Can it reply in Arabic?
Yes. You can write replies in any language, and keyword matching handles common Arabic spelling variants.
Will it reply to my groups?
Autopilot is built for customer chats. Test your rules in the simulator and keep keywords specific so replies only go where you expect.
Is an auto reply safe for my account?
No tool can promise that. Replies to people who wrote to you first are the most natural kind of message; keep them useful and avoid repeating the same text.