WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One handy feature is the ability to schedule messages to be sent automatically at a specific date and time in the future. This can be useful for sending birthday wishes, meeting reminders, or any other timely messages. Here is a guide on how to automatically send scheduled texts on WhatsApp.
Using Third-Party Apps
The easiest way to schedule WhatsApp messages is by using third-party apps. There are several apps available for both Android and iOS that provide this functionality.
Android Apps
Some popular Android apps that allow scheduling WhatsApp messages include:
- SKEDit – Schedule Messages
- Schedule Messages+
- Scheduled
- Cron App
The main steps to schedule a WhatsApp text using these apps are:
- Download and install the scheduling app on your Android phone.
- Open the app and grant it the required permissions.
- Create a new scheduled message and select WhatsApp as the app.
- Enter the recipient’s name or number and type out the message text.
- Select the date and time for the message to be sent.
- Confirm the scheduled message. It will be delivered automatically at the set time.
iOS Apps
For iPhone users, some good options are:
- SKEDit – Schedule Messages
- Schedule Messages – Message Scheduler
- Cron App
The process is quite similar:
- Get the scheduling app from the iOS App Store.
- Give the required permissions when prompted after installing.
- Create a new scheduled message for WhatsApp.
- Add the recipient and message text.
- Pick the date and time to send it.
- Confirm the scheduled message.
The advantage of using these apps is that they provide a simple interface for scheduling messages. The main limitation is that they require installing a separate app just for this purpose.
Using WhatsApp Business API
For businesses and developers, the WhatsApp Business API provides programmatic access to send scheduled messages. This requires coding to integrate the API into your backend systems.
Here are the key steps:
- Sign up for a WhatsApp Business account and get approved to use the WhatsApp Business API.
- Obtain the API credentials like app ID, app secret, access tokens, etc.
- Integrate the WhatsApp Business SDK into your app backend.
- Use the SDK interfaces to schedule message sending.
- Set the recipient phone number, message text, date/time to send.
- The message will be queued and delivered at the specified time.
The Business API allows sending messages to users who have not saved your business number in their contacts. This is the main advantage over normal WhatsApp. But it requires more technical work to implement the API.
Using Google Assistant Routines
If you use an Android phone with Google Assistant, you can schedule WhatsApp texts through Routines in the Google Home app.
Here are the steps to try this out:
- Open the Google Home app on your Android phone.
- Go to the Routines section. Create a new Routine.
- Add a time-based trigger for when you want the message to be sent.
- Add the action as “Send a WhatsApp message” and configure the recipient name/number and message text.
- Enable the Routine and it will send the message at the set time automatically.
The cool aspect is being able to integrate WhatsApp scheduling into other Google Assistant features. But it only works on Android currently.
Using Tasker App (For Advanced Users)
Tasker is a powerful Android automation app that can schedule sending WhatsApp messages based on various triggers.
Here are the basic steps involved:
- Install Tasker app from the Play Store on your Android device.
- Give all the required permissions.
- Create a new Task and add an Action as “Send WhatsApp message”.
- Configure the recipient, message, and variables if needed.
- Create a Profile with a Time context to trigger the task.
- Link the profile to the task you created.
This takes more learning to master Tasker app but provides maximum flexibility to schedule messages based on time, date, events, etc. Some programming knowledge helps.
Using WhatsApp Web
The WhatsApp desktop browser version at web.whatsapp.com can also be used to schedule sending messages with some workarounds.
The main steps are:
- Open web.whatsapp.com in your desktop browser and scan the QR code to link.
- Search for the Chrome Auto Text Expander extension and add it to Chrome.
- Create a keyboard shortcut to auto-populate a message template text.
- In WhatsApp Web, type the shortcut in the message box to populate the text.
- Use Windows Task Scheduler or Mac Automator to open WhatsApp Web at a specific time.
When WhatsApp Web opens at the scheduled time, your message text will be auto-filled and ready to send. Just press Enter to send it.
This method works but requires installing extensions and scheduling tasks on your desktop. It’s more complex overall.
Conclusion
Scheduling WhatsApp messages for future delivery can be handy for both personal and business uses. The easiest options are to use the purpose-built third-party apps available for Android and iOS devices.
For more customization and automation, businesses can utilize the WhatsApp Business API. Power users can try automation apps like Tasker as well.
The key is picking the method that best matches your technical skill level and requirements. With the right tools, sending scheduled WhatsApp messages is simple and straightforward.
Hope this guide gave you a good overview of the available options. Let me know if you have any other questions!
| Method | Platform | Complexity |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party apps | Android, iOS | Simple |
| WhatsApp Business API | Android, iOS | Advanced |
| Google Assistant | Android | Intermediate |
| Tasker | Android | Advanced |
| WhatsApp Web | Desktop browser | Intermediate |