Guide · Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger auto reply.Meta's built-in replies, then automations.

In Meta Business Suite, open Inbox, then Automations, then Create automation, and pick Instant reply (a greeting for someone's first message) or Away message (on a schedule you set). Both are free. Meta lists automated responses as unavailable for messages to or from Europe and Japan, and they don't branch, so keyword flows, comment to Messenger and an API need a tool on Meta's Messenger Platform.

Updated October 8, 2026 · Checked against Meta Business Help: set up Inbox automations, Meta Business Help: Inbox automations, Meta Business Help: automations on mobile and 8 more sources

How do you set up an instant reply on Facebook Messenger?Inbox, Automations, Instant reply.

On desktop, Meta Business Suite is the shortest way. Facebook's own route (switch into your Page, the Messenger icon, then Automations) opens the same screen.

1. Open the automationsMeta Business Suite, Inbox, then Automations, then Create automation at the top right.
2. Pick Instant replyUnder “Greet people”. Choose the channel (Messenger, and Instagram if it's connected) and write the message.
3. Turn it onSave, then check that its Status is on. Editing works the same way later.

Meta's rules for it: an instant reply is your Page's “first response to new messages”, so a person gets it once. It isn't sent while your Page's messaging status is set to Away, and it doesn't count toward your response rate or response time. Each automatic message ends with “Sent by automated response”.

How do you set an away message on Messenger?It follows a schedule, not a switch.

Create automation, then Away message. Set a Schedule: a time zone, the days, and the start and end times when you're away. Meta's help center is explicit that “The Away message automation doesn't have a switch that you can turn on or off”; it's active only during the hours you scheduled. To stop it for good, set your schedule to always available: 7 days a week, 00:00 to 23:59.

What else can Messenger answer on its own?Templates for the common questions.

Automation	What it does	Limits Meta documents
Frequently asked questions	Questions shown when someone opens a chat, each with its answer	Up to 5 questions (4 in the Instagram app)
Location, Contact information, Hours	Answers when people ask where, how to reach you or when you're open	Can carry an image, a video or a button
Custom keywords	A reply when a message contains your keyword	Up to 5 keywords, case-sensitive, exact match, desktop only; sent after 15 minutes unless you answer first
Comment to message	A message to people who comment a keyword on your posts	Desktop only
Identify unanswered messages, Assign admins	Labels and routing inside your inbox	Organisation only, nothing is sent
From scratch	A condition (new message, label, assignment) and actions	Sent before the other automations

From Meta's Business Help Center (Inbox automations, set up on desktop, on mobile), read on October 8, 2026.

Why isn't my Messenger auto reply working?Five usual reasons.

The person is in Europe or JapanMeta lists automated responses among the features unavailable “for messages to or from people or businesses” in these regions, for privacy rules.
Meta Business Agent is onTurning on Meta's AI agent pauses every existing automation, away messages and instant replies included.
Your Page is set to AwayInstant replies aren't sent while the messaging status is Away; the away message is.
The keyword doesn't match exactlyCustom keywords are case-sensitive and must match exactly. When an away message and a keyword reply both apply, Meta sends the away message only.
You're on the phoneCustom keywords and Comment to message are set up on desktop only.

Automate it in BreakreachKeyword flows and comment to Messenger.

Breakreach runs the same automations on a Facebook Page as on Instagram, through Meta's Messenger Platform: Comment to DM in Messenger, DM automations for keyword DMs, any-DM welcome replies and m.me ref links, with questions, buttons and a handoff to your Inbox. They need one more Page permission from Meta (`pages_manage_metadata`), submitted for review on October 8, 2026: until it's approved, Facebook Pages work only for accounts testing the app. Instagram works for everyone today.

app.breakreach.com/dashboard/northbeam/automations

app.breakreach.com/dashboard/northbeam/automations

The Automations page with the Comment to DM cards for Instagram and for a Facebook Page, then the DM templates

Or with the APIThe same calls as Instagram, with a Page id.

/v1/comment-dm-rules and /v1/dm-automations take a Facebook Page's account id from GET /v1/accounts. The same caveat applies: until Meta approves the Page permission, these calls work only for accounts testing the app. Full reference: the DM automations API.

Comment to Messenger on a Page post

A Page post's id is {page-id}_{post-id}; GET /v1/comment-dm-rules/media lists the Page's latest posts.

POST /v1/comment-dm-rules

curl https://api.breakreach.com/v1/comment-dm-rules \  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BREAKREACH_API_KEY" \  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \  -d '{    "accountId": "6701a2f4c9e84b0012a3b4c9",    "mediaId": "104981234567890_122101234567890",    "keywords": ["ticket"],    "dmText": "Hi {username}! Your seat for Saturday: https://northbeam.coffee/cupping",    "publicReplies": ["Sent you the link in Messenger!"]  }'

A welcome reply, once per person

any_message answers every first message; reentry once keeps it to one reply per person.

POST /v1/dm-automations

{  "accountId": "6701a2f4c9e84b0012a3b4c9",  "trigger": { "type": "any_message" },  "reentry": "once",  "steps": [{ "type": "message",    "text": "Thanks for messaging Northbeam Coffee {first_name}! A person will answer within a few hours." }]}

An m.me link that starts a flow

A ref trigger on a Page returns its m.me link, for a QR code on the counter or a button on your site.

ref link

curl https://api.breakreach.com/v1/dm-automations \  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BREAKREACH_API_KEY" \  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \  -d '{ "accountId": "6701a2f4c9e84b0012a3b4c9", "trigger": { "type": "ref", "ref": "counter" },        "steps": [{ "type": "message", "text": "Welcome! Here is the menu of the day" }] }' # {"automation":{ …, "refLink":"https://m.me/104981234567890?ref=counter" }}

Or ask ChatGPT or ClaudeThe same tools, for a Page.

With Breakreach connected, name the Page: the assistant calls create_dm_automation or create_comment_dm_rule with the Page's account id.

When people comment TICKET on the cupping post, send them the booking link in Messenger.

Who wrote to the Page this week and hasn't had a reply?

Claude· Breakreach connected

On the Northbeam Coffee Facebook Page, answer every first message with our hours and say a person will reply soon.

breakreach · create_dm_automation

{
  "accountId": "6701a2f4c9e84b0012a3b4c9",
  "trigger": { "type": "any_message" },
  "reentry": "once",
  "steps": [{ "type": "message", "text": "Thanks for messaging Northbeam Coffee! We're open 8 AM to 6 PM. A person will reply soon." }]
}

Done on the Facebook Page: everyone who writes for the first time gets your hours and the promise of a reply, once each.

What are Messenger's rules for automated replies?From the Messenger Platform docs.

Rule	What Meta documents
Who starts	“A person must initiate the conversation”
Reply window	24 hours after their message; promotional content is allowed inside it
After 24 hours	The human agent tag, for a person answering, within 7 days. Since April 27, 2026, the confirmed event, account and post-purchase update tags return an error
Comment replies	One private reply per comment, within 7 days
Speed	Automated bots “must respond to user input within 30 seconds”
Send rate	300 calls a second per Page for text; a Page that sends more than 40 messages a second stops sending until volume drops
Daily formula	200 × the number of people the Page can message, per 24 hours
Disclosure	Where the law requires it, say the person is talking to an automated service

From Meta's send a message, private replies, rate limits and policy pages, read on October 8, 2026.

Facebook Messenger auto reply message samplesThree to start from.

Hi {first_name}, thanks for messaging Northbeam Coffee! We're open every day from 8 AM to 6 PM. A person will answer the rest of your message shortly.150 characters
Hi {first_name}, we're closed right now. We open again at 8 AM and we'll answer your message then.98 characters
Thanks for your message! This is an automatic reply: someone from the team reads every message and answers within a few hours.126 characters

Twenty more, for Instagram and Messenger, each with its API body: auto-reply message examples.

Breakreach

One place for Instagram and Messenger replies. Comment DMs, keyword flows and handoffs, next to your posts.

Try Breakreach

Comment hasguide

Here's the Morning Light brew guide…

DMs sent

northbeam.coffee

Morning Light is here. Comment GUIDE for the brew recipe

maya.brewsGUIDE please

Just now · Reply

northbeam.coffeeSent! Check your DMs

Just now

northbeam.coffee

Instagram · Direct

northbeam.coffee replied to your comment

GUIDE please

Here's the Morning Light brew guide: https://northbeam.coffee/guide Tag us in your first cup!

Sources

Read on October 8, 2026. Breakreach's own limits come from its code.

FAQ

Messenger replies, answered.

Short answers, sourced above.

In Meta Business Suite, go to Inbox, Automations, Create automation, and pick Instant reply. Choose the channel, write the message, save, and check its status is on. From Facebook, switch into your Page, open Messenger, then Automations.

Create automation, then Away message, and set a schedule with your time zone, days and hours. It has no on/off switch: it runs during the hours you scheduled.

Usually one of these: the person is in Europe or Japan, where Meta lists automated responses as unavailable; Meta Business Agent is on, which pauses automations; or your Page's messaging status is Away.

Yes. Meta Business Suite has a Comment to message automation on desktop, and tools on the Messenger Platform can send one private reply per comment within 7 days, like Breakreach's Comment to DM for Facebook Pages (pending Meta's approval of one permission).

An automation or a person can reply within 24 hours. After that, only a person can answer, with the human agent tag, within 7 days.

Keep reading

Auto-reply message examplesWelcome, away, FAQ and link replies.

How to automate Instagram DMsComments, keywords, stories, ref links.

Auto DM from commentsComment to DM, in the app or the API.

Instagram DM limitsWhat Meta documents, with links.

DM automations APIFlows, runs, webhooks, MCP tools.

ManyChat alternativesPrices checked on each vendor's page.

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