--- title: "Facebook auto reply: set it up on Messenger and comments" description: "How to set up automatic replies on Facebook step by step: what Meta gives you for free, how to answer comments on Messenger, and examples to copy." url: https://socialmaker.ai/blog/facebook-auto-reply language: en --- # Facebook auto reply: how to set up automatic replies on Messenger and comments How to set up automatic replies on Facebook step by step: what Meta gives you for free, how to answer comments on Messenger, and examples to copy. Published on October 12, 2026 · 11 min read ![An upholsterer in his fifties, with a salt-and-pepper mustache and glasses pushed up on his head, smiles at his phone at the workbench of his shop, next to a half-finished armchair and rolls of fabric](https://socialmaker.ai/blog/facebook-auto-reply/portada.webp) It's 11 PM. On your business's Facebook Page, someone comments “Price?” on the photo you posted this afternoon, and a little earlier someone else messaged you on Messenger asking for a quote. If nobody answers, both of them wait until tomorrow, and in the meantime they can ask someone else. Automatic replies solve exactly that: the person gets something useful right away (your prices, your hours, [your menu](https://socialmaker.ai/menus-and-catalogs) or [your booking page](https://socialmaker.ai/bookings)) and you pick up the conversation when you can. In this guide you'll see what Facebook gives you for free and how to set it up, how to answer comments on Messenger, ready-to-copy messages and the rules that keep you out of trouble. Animation: from 9 PM to 8 AM, three Messenger messages and one comment on a post arrive at an upholstery shop. Without an automatic reply, each person waits until morning; with one, each gets something useful right away. 1. Messenger **Lucy R.** 9:30 PM · Hi, how much to reupholster 6 dining chairs? · Hi! Thanks for messaging Morales Upholstery. Here are our prices and photos of past work; we'll confirm your quote first thing tomorrow. See prices Automated reply · Waiting for a reply 2. Comment **Carl M.** 11:05 PM · Price? 🙏 · Hi! We saw your comment. Tap the button and I'll send you our prices and fabrics. Show me Automated reply · Waiting for a reply 3. Messenger **Anna G.** 12:40 AM · Are you open Saturday? · Hi! We're closed right now. We're open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Here's where to find the shop. Get directions Automated reply · Waiting for a reply 4. Messenger **George P.** 6:15 AM · Do you pick up furniture at home? · Hi! We're closed right now; we open at 9 AM. Send us your address and which piece it is, and we'll confirm. Automated reply · Waiting for a reply Tap “With automatic replies” to see the same night, with every person answered right away. ## Why it pays to reply fast on Facebook Facebook is still where a lot of people message businesses. In the US, 71% of adults use Facebook, according to the [Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/11/20/americans-social-media-use-2025/) (2025), and that rises to 74% among Hispanic adults ([Pew](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/)). And people who write expect a quick answer: about three in four consumers expect a reply within 24 hours or sooner, and 73% say they'll buy from a competitor if a brand doesn't respond on social, according to the [2025 Sprout Social Index](https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-customer-service-statistics/) (survey in the US, UK, Canada and Australia). **Good to know** What almost nobody knows: Facebook's instant replies and away messages **don't count** toward your Page's response rate or response time ([Meta](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/201893553741970)). They make sure nobody is left without an answer, but you still have to carry the conversation. ## What Facebook gives you for free If you have a Facebook **Page** (not a personal profile), you already have automatic replies at no cost. They live in **Meta Business Suite**, under **Inbox → Automations**, and work for Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp Business ([Meta](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/395965998733706)). Almost all of them can be set up on desktop or in the Meta Business Suite app: | Automation | What it does | | --- | --- | | **Instant reply** | Greets people the first time they message you. | | **Away message** | Replies when you're not available, on the schedule you choose. | | **Frequently asked questions** | Shows the person up to 5 questions to tap, each with its answer. | | **Hours**, **Location** and **Contact information** | Reply when someone asks for that, with a button to your website if you want. | | **Custom keywords** | Reply to messages that contain certain words (up to 5). Desktop only. | | **Comment to message** | Sends a private message to people who comment certain words or hashtags on your posts. Desktop only. | Two details: Meta's help describes **Comment to message** in two ways (with keywords on one page and with hashtags on another), so check what your account asks for. And if your business or your customers are in Europe or Japan, some won't show up: because of privacy rules, **Frequently asked questions**, **Contact information** and **Location** aren't available there, and **Custom keywords** may be missing too ([Meta](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/137609341049884)). ## How to set them up, step by step 1. Open Meta Business Suite on your computer · Sign in and choose your business Page. 2. Go to Inbox → Automations · You'll see the automations you already have and whether they're on. 3. Click “Create automation” · It's at the top right. Pick a template, like **Instant reply** or **Away message**. In some accounts the instant reply shows up as **Auto reply**. 4. Write your message and choose the channel · Mark where it's used (Messenger, Instagram or both). For the away message, pick your time zone and the days and hours you're not available. 5. Save and test · Click **Save changes**. It can take a few minutes to appear. Then ask someone to message your Page to see how it arrives. **Tip** On your phone, use the **Meta Business Suite** app (Inbox → the three dots at the top → Automations), not the Facebook app: you can't turn on the instant reply there ([Meta](https://www.facebook.com/help/iphone-app/1615627532020480)). - **Keywords** can only be set up on desktop, allow up to 5 per automation and have to match exactly, including upper and lower case ([Meta](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/395965998733706)). - The keyword reply **isn't instant**: Meta sends it after 15 minutes, if you haven't answered before then. - If a template (like the away message) and a keyword are triggered at the same time, only the template is sent. - The away message has no toggle: it works on its schedule. To turn it off, set yourself as available every day and at all hours ([Meta](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1553463246785273)). - Meta's automatic messages end with “Sent by automated response”. ![A Colombian home baker in her thirties ties a ribbon on a cake box in her kitchen in Medellín; her phone lies face down next to some cupcakes](https://socialmaker.ai/blog/facebook-auto-reply/pasteleria.webp) While you do your work, the automatic reply takes care of whoever messages you. ## How to answer Facebook comments on Messenger Many questions don't arrive on Messenger: they arrive as comments. “Price?”, “info”, “do you ship?”. What works best is answering in public, so the person knows you saw it, and sending them the details privately. According to [Sprout Social](https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-customer-service-statistics/), 51% of people who reach out publicly expect a public acknowledgement first before moving to a private message (Sprout survey, Q4 2025). For automatic messages, Meta has a rule: you can send **only one private message** per comment, within 7 days, and the conversation continues only if the person replies ([Meta](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/messenger-platform/discovery/private-replies)). That's why that first message should have a button: when they tap it, they've replied, and you can send everything they asked for. Meta's **Comment to message** sends the private message and is set up on desktop. With [SocialMaker's automatic replies](https://socialmaker.ai/automations) you build both the public reply and the message, from your phone too: 1. Connect your Facebook Page · In **Automations**, tap **Connect my Facebook Page** (if your Instagram is already connected, tap **Connect account**) and choose your Page. The connection is official: SocialMaker is a Meta Tech Provider and never asks for your password. 2. Create a comment automation · If you have more than one account, first tap **Switch account** and choose the Page. Then tap **New automation**, choose **Start from scratch** (or a template) and then **Comment on a post**. It can reply on one post, on all of them, only on new ones or on the next one you publish. 3. Write the keyword and the public reply · For example, **PRICE**. Add two or more public replies, like “We just sent you a message on Messenger!”: they take turns, so your Page doesn't repeat the same text every time (up to 2 on the free plan). 4. Build the Messenger message · A greeting with a button and, when the person taps it, what you promised: your link, your menu, your catalog or the booking card. 5. Turn it on and test it · Ask someone to comment the keyword from their own account: comments from your own Page don't trigger it. If that person already commented on that post, they won't get another message: test with another account or on another post. **Tip** If you use SocialMaker, turn off Meta's instant reply: with both on, the person may get two greetings. And don't turn on Meta's Comment to message on the same posts: Facebook only allows one private message per comment. **Good to know** SocialMaker's free plan lets you keep one comment automation active, on the post you choose, with a message and your link. The booking card, products, keyword replies on Messenger and the first-message greeting start with the Starter plan: see [pricing](https://socialmaker.ai/pricing). ## Write your replies in a minute Add your business name, your hours and, if you want, a link: we'll give you the messages ready to paste in each place. Write your automatic replies Your business name What kind of business is it? Your business hours · The way you'd say it out loud, for example: Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM. · Link (optional) · Your menu, shop, booking page or WhatsApp. If you leave it empty, the messages won't mention it. **Reply to the first message** Hi! Thanks for messaging Morales Upholstery. Tell us what you're craving and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. Paste it in Meta Business Suite: Inbox → Automations → Instant reply. **After-hours message** Hi! Morales Upholstery is closed right now. We're open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Leave us a message and we'll reply as soon as we open. Paste it in Meta Business Suite: Inbox → Automations → Away message, with your schedule. **Reply to a comment** On the post Thanks for commenting! We sent you a message on Messenger 📩 On Messenger Hi! We saw your comment. Would you like to place an order? The public one goes in the public replies of your SocialMaker automation (or you write it yourself). The Messenger one goes in Meta’s “Comment to message” or, in SocialMaker, as the message that arrives after the button. Read them before you paste them and change anything that doesn't sound like you. We don't save anything you type here. Copy each message and paste it where we show you underneath. ## Examples to copy - Price · Hi! Thanks for asking. Here's our updated price list. If you're looking for something specific, send us a photo and we'll help. - Hours · Hi! We're open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM. How can we help? - Location · Hi! Here's how to get to our shop. If you're driving, there's parking across the street. - Shipping · Hi! Yes, we ship. Tell us your city or ZIP code and we'll let you know the cost and how long it takes. - Food order · Hi! Here's today's menu. You can order from the link or send us your order right here. - Appointment · Hi! Pick the day and time that work best for you at this link. If you don't see a time that fits, message us and we'll find one. - Quote · Hi! To give you an exact price, send us a photo and the measurements. We'll get back to you with a quote as soon as we can. - Out of stock · Hi! That model sold out, but here are the ones that arrived this week. Do you like any of them? - After hours · Hi! We're closed right now. We'll reply tomorrow from 9 AM. In the meantime, here are our prices. - Comment: public reply · Thanks for commenting! We sent you a message on Messenger 📩 - Comment: Messenger message · Hi! We saw your comment. Tap the button and we'll send you all the details. - Promotion · Hi! The promotion runs until Sunday. Here it is with all the details. ## Rules that keep you out of trouble - **Only reply to people who messaged or commented.** In general, the person has to message you or comment first; automatic replies aren't a way to write to people who never contacted you ([Meta](https://developers.facebook.com/devpolicy/)). - **Reply while the conversation is fresh.** Facebook lets you answer with automatic messages for a while after the person writes; if too much time passes, you can't anymore. - **Respect people who don't want more messages.** If someone asks you to stop or blocks you, that's the end of it. - **Don't ask for card details by message.** Meta forbids it: if you charge, send a payment link. - **Say it's automatic.** Meta's messages already say so at the end, and in some places, like California, disclosing it is required ([Meta](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/messenger-platform/policy)). - **Give the comment a clear reason.** Meta reduces the reach of posts that ask for comments or reactions just for the sake of it ([Meta](https://transparency.meta.com/features/approach-to-ranking/content-distribution-guidelines/engagement-bait/)) and doesn't say how it treats “comment PRICE and I'll send you the list”. Use it when you'll really send something useful, not on every post. - **Don't give things away in exchange for comments.** Meta's rules forbid offering something of value in exchange for engagement ([Meta](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/spam/)). If you want the details, in [auto replies without getting blocked](https://socialmaker.ai/blog/instagram-auto-replies-without-getting-blocked) we explain what Meta checks and how to avoid problems, and in [Instagram auto reply examples](https://socialmaker.ai/blog/instagram-auto-reply-examples) you'll find 40 more examples. ![A Black woman in her sixties, with short gray hair and glasses, types on her laptop at the wooden counter of her plant nursery, surrounded by ferns and seedling trays, in golden afternoon light](https://socialmaker.ai/blog/facebook-auto-reply/vivero.webp) With the repetitive part handled, your time goes to the people who really want to buy. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I set up an automatic reply on Facebook? In Meta Business Suite, go to **Inbox → Automations → Create automation**. Choose **Instant reply** to greet people or **Away message** for when you're not available, write your message and save. ### Can I do it on a personal profile? No. Meta's automations are for Facebook Pages, Instagram business accounts and WhatsApp Business. If you sell from your personal profile, create a Page for your business. ### How do I turn off or change the automatic reply? In **Inbox → Automations**, find the automation in your list and use its toggle or **Edit**. The away message has no toggle: change its schedule. ### Why can't I find it in the Facebook app? Because it isn't there. Use the **Meta Business Suite** app or your computer. ### Does it improve my response time? No. According to Meta, instant replies and away messages don't count toward your response rate or response time: for that, you have to answer yourself. ### Can I reply to comments automatically? Yes. Meta has **Comment to message** on desktop, and with [SocialMaker's automations](https://socialmaker.ai/automations) you choose the post, the keyword, the public replies that take turns and the message with a button that arrives on Messenger. ### How much does it cost? Meta's automations are free. On SocialMaker, the free plan includes one active comment automation; the rest start with the Starter plan ([pricing](https://socialmaker.ai/pricing)). Written by **Andros Blandon** SocialMaker **Share this article** [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Facebook%20auto%20reply%3A%20how%20to%20set%20up%20automatic%20replies%20on%20Messenger%20and%20comments%20https%3A%2F%2Fsocialmaker.ai%2Fblog%2Ffacebook-auto-reply) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsocialmaker.ai%2Fblog%2Ffacebook-auto-reply) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsocialmaker.ai%2Fblog%2Ffacebook-auto-reply) [X](https://x.com/intent/post?text=Facebook%20auto%20reply%3A%20how%20to%20set%20up%20automatic%20replies%20on%20Messenger%20and%20comments&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsocialmaker.ai%2Fblog%2Ffacebook-auto-reply) **Create your first automation for free** Pick a template, connect your Instagram and let SocialMaker reply for you in minutes. [Start for free](https://socialmaker.ai/register?quiero=automatizaciones) ## Keep going with the step-by-step guides [**Reply to DMs, story replies, mentions and Messenger** The other triggers: words sent by direct message, replies to your stories, mentions, and messages to your Facebook page.](https://socialmaker.ai/help/reply-to-dms-stories-and-mentions) [**Create your first automation** Step by step: someone comments a word on your post and gets your link, your booking page or your coupon by DM.](https://socialmaker.ai/help/create-your-first-automation) [**Connect Instagram and Facebook** How to connect your professional Instagram account and your Facebook page to automate messages and publish from SocialMaker.](https://socialmaker.ai/help/connect-instagram-and-facebook) [**Comments and messages that rotate** Reply with several different comments (up to 15, depending on your plan), use the ideas to tap and try several versions of the private message.](https://socialmaker.ai/help/rotating-comments-and-messages)