---
title: "Turn on a Default Reply"
description: "Configure one WhatsApp account, enable a greeting, save, and test from another phone."
slug: "/features/autoresponder/default-reply"
---

In this tutorial, you will turn on a **Default Reply** for one WhatsApp account. It sends when no Chatbot item matches the customer message.

**Time needed:** 10 minutes

## Before you start

Make sure:

- You are logged in to Wabot.
- The WhatsApp account you will use shows **Online**.
- You have a second phone to send a test message. Do not test from the connected phone.

> Autoresponder is not keyword matching. For a reply that depends on words the customer types, use [Choose Keyword mode](/features/chatbots/keyword-mode).

## 1. Open Autoresponder

On the left menu, click **Autoresponder**.

You will see one card per WhatsApp account. **Status** may still say **Not Set**.

<figure class="doc-shot-ph shot-01-buka-autoresponder" data-shot="01-buka-autoresponder.png">
  <div class="doc-shot-ph-frame" role="img" aria-label="Autoresponder account list">
    <span class="doc-shot-ph-kicker">Screenshot example</span>
    <strong class="doc-shot-ph-title">Autoresponder account list</strong>
    <span class="doc-shot-ph-hint">Clean UI. No real names, emails, or chats.</span>
  </div>
</figure>

## 2. Configure the account

On the account card, click **Configure**.

The page title is **Default Reply**.

## 3. Enable and write the greeting

Set **Status** to **Enable**.

Leave **Sent to** on **All** for this test.

Leave **Reply Using AI?** on **Normal Mode**.

Under **Text Message / Caption**, type a short greeting.

> Hi, thanks for messaging us. A team member will reply shortly.

You can add optional media under **Media (Optional)**.

Click **Save**.

<figure class="doc-shot-ph shot-02-default-reply-form" data-shot="02-default-reply-form.png">
  <div class="doc-shot-ph-frame" role="img" aria-label="Default Reply Enable and text">
    <span class="doc-shot-ph-kicker">Screenshot example</span>
    <strong class="doc-shot-ph-title">Default Reply Enable and text</strong>
    <span class="doc-shot-ph-hint">Clean UI. No real names, emails, or chats.</span>
  </div>
</figure>

## 4. Send a test from another phone

From the second phone, send a short WhatsApp to the connected number.

> Hello

Open **Live Chat** and check that conversation.

## Make sure it worked

This tutorial worked when:

- The account card shows **Status** as **Enabled**.
- **Send To** shows **All**.
- The second phone received your greeting.
- The same reply appears in **Live Chat**.

## If it didn’t work

### Nothing was sent

- Confirm **Status** is **Enable**, then **Save** again.
- Confirm the WhatsApp account is still **Online**.
- Send a message that does not match a Chatbot keyword item.

### You see a yellow chatbot warning

If Chatbots already has a **Default Reply**, Autoresponder only sends when that Chatbot reply fails. Turn the Chatbot default off, or test with a message that the Chatbot does not answer.

### You tested from the same phone

Use a different phone. The connected number cannot message itself.

## Next

The greeting now replies to everyone. Next, send it only to individual chats or only to groups.

[Choose who receives the reply →](/features/autoresponder/sent-to)