Having issues with Facebook’s auto reply feature not working properly? Don’t worry – with a few simple troubleshooting steps, you can get auto reply working again in no time.
What is Auto Reply on Facebook?
Facebook’s auto reply feature allows you to set up predefined auto-responses to incoming messages when you are unable to respond yourself. When enabled, auto reply will automatically send a message to anyone who messages you, letting them know you are currently unavailable.
Auto reply can be useful in many situations, like when you are on vacation, busy with work, or simply don’t want to be disturbed. It’s an easy way to let people know you aren’t ignoring them, but just can’t respond right away.
Common Auto Reply Issues
While auto reply is generally reliable, there are a few common issues that can crop up:
- Auto reply not sending messages
- Auto reply sending the wrong pre-set message
- Auto reply randomly turning on or off
- Messages coming through even when auto reply is enabled
If you are noticing any of these problems, don’t worry – the fix is usually pretty simple. The following troubleshooting guide will help you get auto reply working properly again.
Check Your Auto Reply Settings
The first thing to check whenever auto reply isn’t working right is your auto reply settings. To check your settings:
- Go to your Facebook page and click on the arrow in the top right corner
- Select “Settings & Privacy” then click on “Settings”
- Click on “General” in the left sidebar
- You should see “Auto-Reply” as one of the options – click on it
Here you will see the current auto reply settings for your account. Check that the following is correct:
- The status is toggled to “On”
- The correct auto reply message is entered in the text box
- The dates and times are accurate for when you want auto reply enabled
If any of these settings look incorrect, update them to match what you want for your auto responder. Be sure to click “Save Changes” at the bottom when you are done.
Make Sure Auto Reply Supports Your Language
Auto reply is only available in certain languages on Facebook. If your language is not supported, auto reply will not work no matter what settings you have configured.
As of October 2022, auto reply supports the following languages:
- English
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- Italian
- French
- German
If your Facebook account is not set to one of those languages, switch it to an supported language to see if that fixes the issue with auto reply.
Check for Facebook Outages
Like any software platform, Facebook can suffer occasional outages where certain features become unavailable. If auto reply stops working suddenly, check if Facebook is currently experiencing any widespread technical issues.
You can check the Facebook Business Status Page to see if any outages are listed related to messaging, APIs, or other functions that could impact auto reply.
If there is an outage, you will simply need to wait until Facebook engineers resolve the problem on their end before your auto responder will work again.
Update the Facebook App
If you typically access Facebook on your mobile device, make sure you are running the latest version of the Facebook app. Outdated versions of the app can sometimes disrupt features like auto reply.
To update the Facebook app:
- Go to the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android)
- Search for “Facebook”
- If an Update button is shown, tap it to update to the latest version
- If no update is available, you’re already running the newest version
Updating the app forces a refresh of all cached data and settings, which could resolve any auto reply glitches.
Toggle Auto Reply Off and On
Sometimes simply turning auto reply off and back on again is enough to fix any erratic behavior. To quickly toggle it:
- Go to your Auto Reply settings
- Switch the status to “Off”
- Wait about 10-15 seconds
- Toggle it back “On” and save changes
Toggling the feature off and on essentially refreshes everything and syncs your account with the newest auto reply settings.
Log Out and Back In
If other troubleshooting steps don’t work, log out of Facebook completely and log back in. This forces your account to re-authenticate and reconnect with Facebook’s servers.
- Click the arrow in the top right and select “Log Out”
- Exit out of the Facebook app or website entirely
- Close and re-open the Facebook app, or go back to www.facebook.com
- Enter your login details and log back in
Once you log back in, check to see if auto reply is now working. Re-connecting your account may resolve any syncing issues preventing it from functioning.
Clear Browser Cookies and Cache
If you primarily use Facebook through a web browser, try clearing your cookies and cache. An overabundance of old Facebook site data can sometimes disrupt Facebook functionality.
To clear cookies and cache:
- Chrome: Open Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, select Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data, then select all time options and check cookies, cached images/files, etc. Click Clear Data.
- Firefox: Open Firefox, click the three lines in the top right, go to Options > Privacy & Security > Scroll down to Cookies and Site Data and Cache and click Clear Data
- Safari: Open Safari, click Safari in the top left > Clear History and Website Data
Once cleaned out, refresh Facebook in your browser and see if that fixes any auto reply problems.
Try Auto Reply on Mobile vs Desktop
Determine if auto reply works properly when accessing Facebook through mobile apps versus the desktop site:
- Turn on auto reply as desired from your mobile device
- See if auto replies are correctly sent from mobile
- Check the desktop site and test if auto reply works there as well
If auto reply only fails on one platform but not the other, it points to an underlying platform-specific issue, rather than your account settings.
Contact Facebook Support
If you still cannot get auto reply working after trying all troubleshooting steps, you may need to contact Facebook support. Describe the specific auto reply problem you are experiencing in as much detail as possible.
To contact Facebook support:
- Go to the Facebook Help Center
- Review articles for your issue and follow troubleshooting steps
- If still unresolved, select “Contact Us” > “Report a Problem”
- Choose Messenger as the product, then explain your auto reply issue
Facebook support can investigate your account specifics to determine why auto reply may not be functioning correctly. They may need to reset internal settings related to your account.
Use an Auto Reply App
If the standard Facebook auto reply feature still does not work after troubleshooting, consider third-party auto reply apps. These apps plug into Facebook to provide enhanced auto responder capabilities.
Popular options include:
- ReplyBot – Advanced auto reply, multiple messages, follow up reminders
- chat.io – Auto reply based on keywords, link metrics
- Robot.Chat – Sequence-based messaging flows
- Reply.io – Auto reply by groups, schedule, export metrics
The functionality varies by app, but most offer more robust auto responding compared to Facebook’s default tools. The installation process typically involves linking your Facebook account to the app.
Conclusion
When Facebook’s built-in auto reply feature stops working correctly, a few simple troubleshooting steps usually get it functioning again. Check your settings, app versions, and Facebook system status. Toggling auto reply off and on, reconnecting your account, and clearing browser data can also help resolve common auto reply problems.
For more persistent issues, contact Facebook support or try implementing a third-party auto reply app for expanded functionality. With the right troubleshooting, you can get auto reply working properly again and ensure you never miss an important conversation.