A 100% AUTOMATIC text-reply / response option?

This is about 3 years late, but I've found a way to create a 100% automatic text-reply and it's been saving my life as of late, so if anyone else has had this problem, here you go.

First off, your phone needs to be recent enough/updated enough to have the "Do Not Disturb While Driving" setting. Go to settings and then go to Do Not Disturb. Where it says "DO NOT DISTURB WHILE DRIVING" click activate, and select manually. Go back to the Do Not Disturb settings page, scroll all the way to the bottom, and where it says "Auto-reply to", select all contacts. Where it says "Auto-reply", you can personalize the automatic message that anyone who texts you will receive. I have it set so it says something like "I'm not checking my messages right now - I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Next, go to Control Center in your settings. Click customize controls, and add "Do Not Disturb While Driving" to your control center. Make sure you can access your control center when your phone is locked.

Now, lock your phone. Open your control center and the button for "Do Not Disturb While Driving" should look like a little car. Press that and it should turn on. Test your auto-reply by having a friend text you and see what comes up.

Now, there are a few conditions to this working.

-Your phone can't die. If it dies, it'll stop sending the automatic reply and you'll have to turn it on when you charge your phone and it turns on again. If your phone isn't on you for a long period of time, this can be a problem.

-Your phone will send an automatic message that you can't change saying that if the message is urgent, the person can reply "urgent" and the message will come through. If you know you can't respond for an extended period of time, make sure to say that in your customizable auto-reply message.

Besides these few conditions, I've found this to be pretty foolproof.

Not sure if this works but found these instructions.

I found this and am about to try it out myself.

It is an automatic reply app for text messaging. I do not know if it is what you are talking about but it looks like it does send automated replies. We will see.

https://www.textmagic.com/text-message-automation/

RockChalk72 wrote:

Not sure if this works but found these instructions.

They'll work fine for sending a vacation reply for email. Unfortunately, they won't work for text messages, which is what the OP wanted, when they posted three years ago. I'm guessing they're back from vacation by now.

Sorry not an iphone feature, so you won't have an auto-reply.

I can't say the same for apps, have you search the app store?

You might want to call your cell provider and ask that question and see if they have something available, SMS is within their purview. I don't know of anything that will do this for iMessage.

kristenb83 wrote:

it has the ability to do a ton of things that I don't need,

It also has the rather interesting ability to let you sync your SMS messages to a tablet (iPhone or Android) and use your mobile number to send messages from that device as well. And, while you are abroad, should you have access to a computer and internet, you can log onto your Verizon account and send messages from your mobile number from a computer.

This worked very well. Thanks so much.

This is absolutely the best option I have found for my iPhone. Thank you so much for the tip!

Still 100% NOTHING for AT&T Wireless iPhone users! AT&T does offer a Drive time app that auto kicks in at 15 mph, but shuts off all Bluetooth, calling (including 911), and then doesn't show the calls or messages made for however long you were going 15mph or faster!

Sweet solution AT&T Wireless! Thanks!!!

Does it still work when the phone is off or on airplane mode? I'm sure it does but just want to make sure the app doesn't have to be running and connected to work.

I downloaded, deleted, and reloaded the Verizon Messages app and correctly set up auto-reply, but it never worked. I even stopped in a Verizon store and they didn't seem to understand what their auto-reply was supposed to do. I even tried turning off my iPhone Imessage to see if that worked, so that perhaps the auto-reply would kick in via SMS. Nothing.

So basically: I typed in an auto-reply message, turned auto-reply button on, and put the time for it to kick in. Nothing. I had several texts and asked if the testers received an auto-reply and they said, "No."

Any suggestions?

Meg St._Claire...do you know if the auto-reply actually works with iPhone? Thanks.

I'm going on a vacation and want to completely unplug.

You are NOT "unplugged" if your phone is automatically replying for you. Just tell a few friends about your trip, and that you are not bringing your phone. Turn your phone off hard, leave it behind and walk out the door. It's the ONLY way to be unplugged.