# What are predefined messages and how to use them?

Predefined messages consist of 3 types of messages that let you easily strike up the conversation and manage your conversations faster.

Welcome message
---------------

The welcome message displays automatically when a visitor opens the chat window.

To set up the welcome message:

1.  Go to **[Chats](https://app.getresponse.chat/#/).**

2.  Access **Predefined messages** tab.

![Predefined messages tab shown.](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1419/Picture-1.png)

3.  Select **Welcome message**.

![Welcome message tile shown. ](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1420/Picture-2.png)

4.  Enable the toggle if you want the welcome message to display when a visitor opens the chat window.
5.  Type your welcome message.

![Welcome message settings shown.](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1422/Picture-3-1024x512.png)

6.  Click on **Save settings**.

Auto reply message
------------------

You can set up your auto reply message when you’re away from chats or outside of your working schedule.

To set up the auto reply message:

1.  Go to the **Auto reply message** tile.

![Auto reply message tile shown.](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1426/Picture-4.png)

2.  Provide your **Away message**. You can use up to 100 characters.

![Away message settings shown. ](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1428/Picture-5.png)

3.  (Optional) Switch the auto reply message to be displayed if you don’t reply after a specified time. For example, if you don’t reply to the first message after 2 minutes, even though the chats are enabled, we will post the auto reply after this time.
4.  Click **Save settings** to contiune.

**Quick replies**
-----------------

Quick replies allow you to define a shortcut and write a longer message under that shortcut.

To set up quick replies:

1.  Go to **Quick replies** tab.

![Quick replies tile shown. ](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1433/Picture-6.png)

2.  Click on the **Create quick reply** button.
3.  **Create quick reply** window will open. Type your shortcut and message. You can add emojis.

![Create quick reply window shown. ](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1435/Picture-7.png)

4.  Click on the **Create** button to finish.

Your quick replies will be saved under the **Quick replies** tab. You can edit and delete them. Click on the action menu (vertical ellipsis) and click on **Edit** or **Delete.**

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1436/Picture-8-1024x163.png)

You will also see how many times it was used during chats under the **Uses** column.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1438/Picture-9-1024x282.png)

**How to send a quick reply in a chat?**
----------------------------------------

1.  Go to **Active chats** and click on a given chat. 
2.  Click on the **Quick replies** icon under the **Send reply in chat** window.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1442/Picture-10-1024x144.png)

3.  This will open a list of all your quick replies.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1443/Picture-11.png)

4.  Select your quick reply and click on the **Send chat message** button.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1444/Picture-12.png)

Alternatively, you can also type slash /, and after slash type the first letters of a shortcut. For example, /Than and this will let quickly search for a given quick reply. The quick replies list is dynamically filtered.

![](https://us-wd.gr-cdn.com/help/sites/9/2021/09/1449/Screenshot-2021-09-23-at-16.48.31-1024x188.png)