Out of office note WhatsApp template

Your phone buzzes. Again. The blue checkmarks appear – and now the clock is ticking.

Those two blue checkmarks are more than a read receipt. They're social pressure in pixel form. Your customer knows you've seen their message. And they expect a response. Now.

The problem? You're on a flight to Barcelona. Or it's Sunday evening. Or you're knee-deep in a project that needs your full attention.

The solution is simple, yet underestimated: a well-crafted WhatsApp out-of-office message.

Not a lazy "I'm not here" text – but real expectation management. A social lubricant that prevents disappointment on the sender's end and takes the pressure off you to respond immediately. Some call it "digital self-care." We call it: working professionally.

In this guide, you'll get:

22 templates for every situation (including marketing templates that sell while you're away)

A step-by-step setup guide

The truth about why most "solutions" don't work for businesses

What Is a WhatsApp Out-of-Office Message – and Why Do You Need One?

An out-of-office message is an automatic reply sent when you or your team aren't available. Sounds basic? It's not.

Because this is about more than politeness:

Expectation management: Your customer immediately knows their message arrived – and when they can expect a response. No uncertainty, no frustration, no triple-texting.

Professionalism: A well-written away message sets you apart from businesses that simply don't respond. And there are shockingly many of those.

Digital self-care: Blue checkmarks create pressure – for you and your team. An automatic reply removes that pressure. That's not luxury, it's burnout prevention.

Marketing opportunity: Smart businesses use out-of-office messages as a mini sales channel. More on that later.

Bottom line: If you don't use an away message, you leave customers in the dark and your team in constant stress mode.

The Checklist: Do This BEFORE You Activate

Before you turn on your out-of-office message, run through these four points. Sounds like basics – but they're constantly forgotten:

✅ Backup contact informed? Does your colleague know they're listed as emergency contact in your message?

✅ Emergency contact defined? Phone number or email for urgent cases set up?

✅ WhatsApp Status updated? (Pro tip – see below)

✅ Time period set correctly? Nothing's more embarrassing than a vacation message still running two weeks after you're back.

How to Set Up an Out-of-Office Message in WhatsApp Business App

The WhatsApp Business App has a built-in feature for away messages. It's fine for getting started – but keep reading to learn why growing businesses quickly hit its limits.

Step-by-step guide:

Open the WhatsApp Business App

Tap the three dots (Android) or "Settings" (iOS)

Go to Business Tools → Away Message

Toggle on "Send away message"

Tap the pencil icon to edit your message

Under "Schedule," choose when the message should be sent:

Always send – for extended absences

Custom schedule – for specific time periods

Outside of business hours – the most practical option for daily use

Under "Recipients," select who receives the message (Tip: choose "Everyone")

That's it. Done in 2 minutes.

💡 Pro Tip: The WhatsApp Status Hack

In addition to your away message, use your WhatsApp Status. A simple image with "🏖️ On vacation until [date]" or "📞 Available again Monday" signals to your contacts before they text that you're currently unavailable. This reduces incoming messages and saves you the work of catching up later.

Stay Away from Third-Party Apps: Why "AutoResponder" Isn't a Solution

You may have heard of apps like "AutoResponder for WA" that promise to auto-reply on your personal WhatsApp. Sounds convenient – but it's problematic for several reasons.

The security risk: These apps need access to all your notifications. That means: they read everything. Every message. Including confidential customer data and internal discussions.

The GDPR problem: For businesses, using such apps is virtually impossible to operate in a data-protection-compliant way. You're sharing customer data with a third party whose servers are located who-knows-where – and whose privacy practices you can't control.

The iPhone problem: What many don't know: Apps like "AutoResponder" work primarily on Android. Apple blocks access to other apps' notifications on iPhones (the so-called "sandbox principle"). The result: these apps are unreliable to unusable on iOS. You set everything up – and it still doesn't work.

The better alternative: If you want to go beyond the Business App's basic functionality – say, for automated flows, CRM integration, or scheduled messages – use the official WhatsApp Business API. It runs device-independently, is secure, and scales with your business.

22 WhatsApp Out-of-Office Messages to Copy

Now let's get practical. Here are 22 templates for different situations – all written so you can copy and customize them directly.

Category 1: The Classic (Outside Business Hours)

Template 1 – Short and professional: > Thanks for your message! We're currently out of the office but will get back to you on the next business day. For urgent matters, reach us at [phone number].

Template 2 – With specific hours: > Hi! Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM. We'll respond as soon as possible – promise.

Template 3 – Weekend: > Thanks for reaching out! We're taking a break over the weekend. We'll be back for you on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Category 2: Vacation & Extended Absence

Template 4 – Classic vacation: > We're on vacation from [start date] to [end date] and can't respond to messages during this time. We'll be fully back for you on [date]!

Template 5 – With backup contact: > Our team is on vacation until [date]. For urgent matters, please contact [name/department] at [contact]. We'll get back to you after our vacation!

Template 6 – Company-wide closure: > Company vacation from [start date] to [end date]. Your message has been received – we'll take care of it starting [date]. Thanks for understanding!

Category 3: Holidays & Seasonal Events

Template 7 – Christmas: > Ho ho ho! 🎄 From Dec 24 to Jan 2, we're taking a holiday break. We'll be back for you on January 3rd. Happy holidays!

Template 8 – Easter: > Happy Easter! 🐰 From [start date] to [end date], our team is on Easter break. We'll get back to you afterward – promise!

Template 9 – Long weekend: > Quick break! We're taking [date] off for a short recharge. We'll be reachable again on [date].

Category 4: Trade Shows, Events & Off-Site Meetings

Template 10 – Trade show: > We're live at [trade show name]! 🎪 Stop by – Booth [number], Hall [X]. Responses might take a bit longer today, but we'll get back to you!

Template 11 – Company event: > Today is team day for us – we'll respond tomorrow. Thanks for understanding!

Template 12 – Training/Workshop: > Our team is in training today and unavailable. We'll be back for you tomorrow!

Category 5: Technical Issues & High Volume

Template 13 – Technical problems: > Oops – we're experiencing technical difficulties. Our team is working on it. Thanks for your patience, we'll be in touch as soon as everything's running again!

Template 14 – High inquiry volume: > Thanks for your message! We're currently receiving a lot of inquiries – so our response will take a bit longer than usual. We're on it!

Template 15 – After a sale/promotion: > Wow, our [sale/promotion] was a huge success! 🎉 Because of that, we need a bit more time for responses. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Category 6: Creative & Personality-Driven

These templates work for agencies, startups, or brands with a casual tone. In B2B contexts, only use if it fits your brand.

Template 16 – System reboot: > Error 404: Employee not found. 🏖️ I'm on vacation until [date] to reboot my system. I'll be back online after that!

Template 17 – Beach mission: > Currently testing beach chair quality. 🌴 For urgent questions, contact [colleague/contact]. Back on [date]!

Template 18 – Offline mode: > I'm currently in offline mode. No WiFi, no stress. Back at full battery capacity on [date]!

Category 7: Marketing & Sales (The IKEA Principle)

Smart out-of-office messages sell while you're away. The principle: Give your customers tools to help themselves – links, codes, resources. This way they don't feel dismissed, but get real value.

Template 19 – With discount code: > Thanks for your message! We're on vacation until [date] – but our shop never sleeps. 😉 Here's your exclusive 15% code: [CODE]. We'll be in touch after [date]!

Template 20 – With content link: > Hi! We're currently unavailable. But maybe our new guide can help in the meantime: [link]. If not, we'll get back to you personally starting [date]!

Category 8: Internal Communication (To Colleagues)

These templates are for internal chats – feel free to keep it casual here.

Template 21 – Short and sweet: > On vacation until [date]. For urgent stuff: ask [backup]. ✌️

Template 22 – With a wink: > If you're reading this: I'm gone. Really gone. Until [date]. Everything else can wait – or go to [name].

GDPR & WhatsApp: What Businesses Need to Know

This is where it gets serious. Most businesses use WhatsApp Business incorrectly – and risk legal trouble.

The specific problem with the app on your phone:

The WhatsApp Business App syncs your entire address book with Meta's servers by default. That means: contact data from people who don't even use WhatsApp and never consented to this ends up on servers in the US.

This isn't a gray area – it's a GDPR violation. You're processing personal data (phone numbers, names) without legal basis and without consent from the affected parties.

The solution: WhatsApp Business API

The API solution (like Chatarmin offers) works fundamentally differently:

No automatic address book upload: Contacts are only processed when they actively communicate with you

EU servers: Data stays in the EU

Data Processing Agreement (DPA): Legal protection included

Documentation: Traceable for your data protection officer

Sounds like overhead? It's not. It's the only way to use WhatsApp in business in a legally compliant way – especially when handling customer data.

Why the Business App Isn't Enough for Growing Companies

The WhatsApp Business App is a good starting point. But as your business grows, you hit hard limits:

No team functionality: One device, one login. Multiple support agents? Impossible.

Limited automation: One away message – that's it. No flows, no conditions, no intelligent responses based on customer behavior.

No CRM connection: Customer data stays isolated on the phone. Integration with Shopify, Zendesk, or Klaviyo? Not possible.

No reporting: You don't know how many messages come in, how fast you respond, or where bottlenecks are.

Device dependency: The app must run on a phone that's online. Phone off = no away message.

How BEMS Home solved this: The furniture retailer drastically reduced response times with automated WhatsApp flows – and relieved their support team. That doesn't work with the phone app.

From Out-of-Office Message to Automated Support

An away message is the first step. But what comes next?

If you want to use WhatsApp as a real channel, think bigger:

Quick replies: Pre-defined answers to common questions – send with one click. Saves time on standard inquiries.

WhatsApp chatbots: Automated conversations that handle simple requests independently. Around the clock, without anyone needing to be in the office.

Automated flows: Complex processes like order status checks, appointment bookings, or returns – completely without manual effort.

Farbenlöwe shows how it's done: When inquiry volume is high, automation handles the routine, the team focuses on complex cases. The result: happy customers, relaxed employees.

Conclusion: Set Up Your Away Message – But Do It Right

A WhatsApp out-of-office message isn't a nice-to-have. It's the foundation for professional customer communication – and for protecting yourself from the constant pressure of blue checkmarks.

The good news: In the WhatsApp Business App, it's set up in 2 minutes.

The less good news: For everything beyond that – team access, CRM integration, GDPR compliance, intelligent automation – you need more than the phone app.

Your next step:

Want to see what automated WhatsApp support looks like in practice? No pitch deck, but real insights into what works for e-commerce businesses?

👉 Book a demo – and we'll show you what this could look like for your business.

FAQ: Common Questions About WhatsApp Out-of-Office Messages

Can I save multiple away messages for different occasions?

Not in the WhatsApp Business App – you can only have one active message. With the API solution, different messages based on time of day, day of week, or customer segment are possible.

Are away messages also sent in group chats?

No, the feature only works for individual chats.

How often is the away message sent to the same contact?

By default, once within 24 hours – so your customer doesn't get the same response with every message.

Can I use emojis in my away message?

Yes, absolutely. One or two emojis lighten up the message and make it more personal. Just don't overdo it – three emojis are enough.

Does the away message work when my phone is offline?

With the Business App: No. The phone must be on and connected to the internet. With the API solution: Yes – it runs server-based and independent of your device.

Can I set up automatic replies on iPhone?

Yes, through the WhatsApp Business App that works fine. However, external automation apps like "AutoResponder" barely work on iPhones, as Apple blocks access to other apps' notifications.

What's the difference between a greeting message and an away message?

The greeting message is automatically sent on first contact or after 14 days of inactivity. The away message is only sent during defined times or when you're unavailable.

Are WhatsApp away messages GDPR compliant?

Critical with the app – because of automatic address book uploads, data from non-users ends up on US servers. Legally compliant use is only possible via the WhatsApp Business API with an appropriate DPA.

Can I send away messages only to specific contacts?

Yes. In the Business App, under "Recipients" you can set whether all contacts, only people not in your address book, or only specific selected contacts receive the message.

How do I avoid spam loops from automatic replies?

WhatsApp has this built in: The away message is sent only once every 24 hours per contact by default. This prevents two auto-responders from endlessly replying to each other.