Inbox in Meta Business Suite puts your Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp messages, plus comments on your Facebook and Instagram posts, into one place where you can reply, label, filter and follow up. It also runs automations: instant replies, away messages, FAQs, location, contact and hours replies, and custom keyword replies that Meta sends automatically when you haven't answered.
If you're searching for Facebook auto reply or automated responses, this is where they live now. The setup is quick; the rules about which automation wins and when it fires are the part worth reading closely, so I've pulled those out of Meta's help pages below.
What you can do in Inbox
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Messages | Read and reply to Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp messages together, or filter by platform |
| Comments | See and reply to comments on Facebook and Instagram posts, or mark them to follow up |
| Organise | Mark as unread or follow up, or move to Spam or Done |
| Filters | Unread, needs follow-up, assigned person, and Ad response for messages that came from an ad |
| Availability status | Show people you're online or offline so they expect a delay |
| Search | Find people, labels or message content across Facebook, Messenger and Instagram |
| Customer details | Name, photo and location, plus your own labels, email, phone and private notes |
| Leads tab | Track, filter, sort and message your leads without leaving Inbox |
Instagram messages only show up once you've connected the account and allowed access to them. Meta sets access to allowed by default and asks you to sign in to Instagram again for security. If your account isn't linked yet, follow my guide to adding an Instagram account to Meta Business Suite.
Every automation template Meta offers
| Group | Automation | When it replies |
|---|---|---|
| Greet people | Instant reply | Someone messages you for the first time |
| Greet people | Away message | During the hours you've scheduled as away |
| Share information | Frequently asked questions | Someone taps one of up to 5 suggested questions |
| Share information | Location, Contact information, Hours | A message asks for that detail |
| Share information | Custom keywords | A message contains your keywords (desktop only) |
| Share information | Comment to message | A comment contains specific hashtags (desktop only) |
| Organise messages | Identify unanswered messages | Flags messages that haven't had a reply |
Automations work for Facebook Pages, Instagram business accounts and WhatsApp Business accounts connected to Meta Business Suite. Location, contact and hours replies can include an image or video, or a button with a custom label that sends people to your website.
How to set up an automated reply
- Open Inbox in Meta Business Suite. In the mobile app, tap the icon in the top-right corner, then Automations.
- Choose a template.
- Under Platforms, switch on Messenger, Instagram or WhatsApp. Some automations aren't available on every platform.
- Write the reply, or add up to 5 questions for the FAQ automation.
- For an away message, set the schedule: time zone, days, start and end times.
- Tap Save. You can edit or switch automations off at any time from Inbox.
The keyword rules that decide whether a reply fires
- Each keyword automation can include up to 5 keywords or phrases.
- Keywords are case-sensitive and must match exactly, or nothing is sent.
- The same keyword or phrase can only be used in one keyword automation.
- Inbox sends a keyword reply after 15 minutes unless you reply yourself first.
- If a template automation and a keyword automation are both triggered, Meta sends the template reply, not the keyword one. So with your away message on, people get the away message.
One more switch to watch: Meta says turning on Meta Business Agent pauses any existing automations, such as away messages or instant replies.
Fixes for commonly reported Inbox problems
| Problem | What Meta says to do |
|---|---|
| Can't turn off the away message | It has no on or off switch; set yourself as always available, 7 days a week, 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Mystery automated messages | Inbox automations end with Sent by automated response; ad replies carry an ad ID or match a click-to-message template; welcome messages follow Get Started; otherwise check Connected apps under Advanced messaging |
| No WhatsApp tab | Your region may not support connecting a WhatsApp Business account to Inbox |
| Some Instagram messages missing | Inbox only shows Instagram's main folder; move chats out of Hidden requests |
| Messages missing from All messages | Check the Done folder and others; a third-party messaging app may need conversation routing |
| Odd product text in ad comments | Advantage+ creative uses template text in Inbox; customers see real product details |
| Partnership ad comments missing | Only the creator of the content sees them in Inbox; use Ads Manager to manage them |
If an automation such as FAQs or custom keywords doesn't appear at all, Meta says access can be restricted by regional privacy rules in Europe and Japan.
Conversations that turn into leads also show up in Leads Center, and our Meta Leads Center guide explains where to find it.
My verdict
Set up three automations on day one: an instant reply that says when you usually answer, an away message on a real schedule, and FAQs for the questions you're tired of typing. Add keyword replies on desktop once you know which words your customers use, and remember the template-beats-keyword rule. It's all part of the free suite, as I explain in is Meta Business Suite free.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Frequently asked questions
Where are automated responses on Facebook now?
They're in Inbox in Meta Business Suite, under Automations. You can set instant replies, away messages, FAQs, location, contact and hours replies, and custom keyword replies.
How do I turn off the away message in Meta Business Suite?
The away message has no on or off switch. Meta says to set your schedule so you're always available, 7 days a week, from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Why isn't my keyword automation sending?
Keywords are case-sensitive and must match exactly. Inbox also waits 15 minutes for you to reply first, and if a template automation such as an away message is triggered, that reply is sent instead.
Can I set up keyword automations on my phone?
No. Meta says custom keyword Inbox automations are only available on Meta Business Suite desktop at the moment.
Why are some Instagram messages missing from Inbox?
Inbox only shows messages from your Instagram main folder. Messages in Hidden requests don't sync, so move them to the main folder on Instagram.
