Glossary
What are quick replies in Messenger and Instagram?
Quick replies are buttons a business adds under one of its messages so the person can answer with a tap instead of typing: “Yes, send it”, “Price list”, “Talk to someone”. They sit just above the text box, vanish once one is tapped, and the button’s words appear in the chat as the person’s answer.
Updated 6 October 2026
Quick replies are up to 13 buttons attached to a business’s message. Tapping one posts its words as the person’s reply, and the buttons disappear.
How quick replies work
- Up to 13 buttons on a message, each with a title of 20 characters or fewer.
- Each button carries a payload of up to 1,000 characters that the person never sees. It tells the business’s system exactly which button was tapped.
- When someone taps, the buttons are dismissed, the title is posted to the chat as their message, and the business’s webhook receives the title with the payload.
- Text buttons can include a small image, at least 24 × 24 pixels.
- Messenger adds two special types: one offers the phone number on the person’s account and one their email address, each sent with a single tap.
Quick replies belong to the message they arrive with and disappear after a tap. They suit a choice the person makes now, not options they’ll need again later; that is what a persistent menu or a link is for.
Typed answers don’t carry the payload
The payload only arrives when a button is tapped. If someone types “yes” instead of tapping Yes, the business receives an ordinary text with no payload, and an automation listening only for the button misses it. A good set-up matches the typed words too.
This matters in comment-to-DM flows. The private reply that answers a comment is plain text without buttons, so people answer it by typing. Quick replies come in from the next message, once the chat is open: “Which guide do you want?” with Beginner and Advanced underneath.
Quick replies vs saved replies
The name causes mix-ups. In Meta’s messaging API, quick replies are buttons the customer taps. Saved replies, a feature of business inboxes such as Meta Business Suite, are answers the business stores and inserts by hand to save typing. Some people call those quick replies too, but the customer only ever sees an ordinary message.
Writing quick replies that get tapped
- Two to four options is plenty. With a dozen, people stop reading and type instead.
- Write each title as the person’s answer, in their words: “Yes please” rather than “Confirm”.
- Stay within 20 characters. “Send me the beginner guide” is too long; “Beginner guide” fits.
- Add a way out, such as “Something else”, when the options might not cover everyone.
An example
After someone replies YES to a private reply, the next message asks “Which plan are you after?” with three quick replies: Starter, Pro and “Not sure yet”. They tap Pro and get the Pro link.
Questions people ask
How many quick replies can one message have?
Up to 13, each titled in 20 characters or fewer. Most messages read better with two to four.
Do quick replies work in Instagram DMs?
Yes. Apps using Meta’s messaging API can attach quick replies to messages in Instagram DMs as well as Messenger, within the usual 24 hours after the person’s last message.
What does the business see when I tap a quick reply?
The words on the button, posted in the chat as your message, plus a hidden payload telling its system which button you chose. Typing the same words yourself sends only the text.
Can quick replies collect an email address?
On Messenger, yes. The email type shows a button with the address on the person’s account; nothing is shared unless they tap it, and they can type a different address instead.
Are quick replies the same as saved replies?
No. Quick replies are buttons the customer taps. Saved replies are answers a business keeps in its inbox and pastes in itself, so the customer just sees a normal message.
Sources
Related terms
- Ice breakersIce breakers are up to four frequently asked questions a business shows in its Instagram or Messenger chat. Tapping one starts the conversation.
- Persistent menuA persistent menu is a set of buttons a Facebook Page keeps available in its Messenger chats, linking to things like opening hours, products or support.
- Generic template (message cards)A generic template is a DM card with a title, an optional image and subtitle, and up to three buttons. Up to 10 cards in one message make a carousel.
- Private replyA private reply is a single DM that an Instagram professional account or Facebook Page sends someone because of their comment, within 7 days of it.
- DM keywordA DM keyword is a word or phrase, such as PRICE or MENU, that sets off an automatic reply when someone sends it to your account in a direct message.
- ChatbotA chatbot is software that answers messages automatically, either by following rules you set, like keywords and buttons, or by writing replies with AI.
More terms
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