Can you auto forward WhatsApp messages?
No, not inside WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business. Forwarding in WhatsApp is always a manual action: you press and hold a message, tap Forward and pick up to 5 chats. There is no rule, filter or schedule that does this for every new message. Call forwarding from your mobile provider does not help either, because it only diverts phone calls, not WhatsApp messages.
So when people search for WhatsApp auto forward, they end up with one of the options below. They differ in who sees what, and in which number the customer gets the reply from.
What WhatsApp can and cannot do
| Method | Automatic? | Reply comes from | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward each message by hand | No | Your coworker's own number | You stay the middleman; the customer gets a stranger's number |
| Linked device for your coworker | Yes, everything | Your number | Coworker sees every chat and number, max 4 devices |
| Away message (WhatsApp Business) | Only a fixed reply | Your number | Nobody actually handles the question |
| Call forwarding on your phone | Calls only | n/a | Does not work for WhatsApp messages |
| InBetween | Yes | Your number | Paid after 30 days (or free Basic, 25 messages) |
How it works, in 3 steps
- Create an account at app.in-between.tech with your email address and a password. No card needed.
- Connect WhatsApp: scan the QR code or enter the pairing code, exactly like WhatsApp Web. Your phone keeps working as normal.
- Enter your coworker's number. From then on every customer message reaches your coworker. When they reply, the answer goes back to the customer from your business number.
Photos, locations, voice notes and documents come along. With Pause you stop forwarding temporarily, for example in the evening. Messages wait until you switch it back on.
Forward customer messages automatically. Replies go back from your number.
Try free for 30 daysWhen this is useful
- You own the business and you no longer want to relay every customer question by phone.
- Your technician, planner or crew needs to see the question, but not your whole WhatsApp.
- You want customers to always message one number, even when the person behind it changes.
- You want a record: in the dashboard you can read every conversation.
Auto forward apps for WhatsApp
On Android you will find apps that promise WhatsApp auto forward. Most of them read your phone notifications and resend the text through your own WhatsApp. Check these points before you install one:
- They need access to all your notifications, so they can read more than WhatsApp.
- They often send the text only, and photos, voice notes or documents do not come along.
- The phone has to stay on and online, and the app stops when the system closes it to save battery.
- The forwarded message comes from your number to your coworker, and the coworker cannot reply to the customer from your number.
- They are not made by WhatsApp. Automating your own account may conflict with WhatsApp's terms.
InBetween is not an official Meta product either. It uses the linked-device technology of WhatsApp Web, so it runs on a server and not on your phone, forwards photos, locations, voice notes and documents, and sends the coworker's reply back from your business number.
Auto forward WhatsApp messages to a group
WhatsApp cannot automatically forward messages to a group. By hand you can forward one message to a group like to any chat. InBetween does not forward to a WhatsApp group. Each customer conversation goes to one coworker at a time; on Pro or Pro+ new customers are offered to all your coworkers (up to 2 or 20) and the first to answer Yes gets that customer. If several people must see and answer every chat at the same time, a shared inbox fits better; see WhatsApp shared inbox options.
What it does not do
Each customer conversation goes to one coworker at a time, with up to 2 coworkers on Pro and 20 on Pro+. It is not a team inbox where five agents answer side by side, and it does not send marketing broadcasts. For that, a WhatsApp Business API platform is a better fit; see InBetween vs Trengo, Superchat and Bird.
Frequently asked questions
Can I auto forward to a group or several coworkers at once?
Not to a group, but you can have several coworkers: up to 2 on Pro and 20 on Pro+. A new customer is offered to all of them, the first to answer Yes gets that customer, and from then on that customer's messages go only to that coworker. You can switch a customer in the dashboard, for example during a holiday.
Is there a WhatsApp setting to auto forward messages?
No. WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business only offer manual forwarding to up to 5 chats. Automatic forwarding needs an outside service such as InBetween.
Does it work with WhatsApp Business?
Yes. It works with both the regular WhatsApp app and the WhatsApp Business app.
Can my coworker see customer phone numbers?
Not by default. Your coworker sees "Customer 1", "Customer 2" and so on. You can choose to show numbers in the dashboard.