How do I create and use canned replies in live chat?

Short answer

Open Live chat › Canned replies and add a reply with a shortcut, a title and the content. In a conversation, type / in the composer and keep typing the shortcut or title; choosing a reply fills the box. You can still edit it, and nothing is sent until you press send.

Create a canned reply

1. Go to Live chat › Canned replies.
2. Click to add a reply.
3. Enter a shortcut (up to 40 characters), for example refund-issued.
4. Enter a title (up to 80 characters) that describes the situation, for example "Refund issued, 3–5 days".
5. Write the content (up to 4,000 characters). Leave obvious gaps such as {order number} for details you will fill in each time.
6. To keep it for yourself only, turn on Personal (only visible to me). Otherwise it is available to every agent who can handle chats.
7. Save.

Insert a reply while chatting

1. In Live chat › Inbox, open the conversation.
2. In the composer, type /. If your cursor is not in a text field, pressing / also focuses the composer and opens the list.
3. Keep typing part of the shortcut or title to filter the list.
4. Choose the reply. It fills the composer.
5. Replace the placeholders and adjust the wording for this visitor, then send.

Personal vs site-level replies

What each role can do is explained in chat roles explained.

Keep the list useful

• Each reply shows a use count. Review it monthly: rewrite the most-used replies first and delete the ones nobody sends.
• Name shortcuts after the situation (/order-late, /reset-link), not numbers, so agents can guess them.
• Write one reply per situation instead of one long reply with options.

Writing tips and 40 examples are in canned responses: examples and how to write them.

Keyboard shortcuts in the inbox

These work when the cursor is not in a text field:

Troubleshooting

• I can't edit a site-level reply. Agent-only members cannot edit site-level replies by default. Ask an owner or admin to change your permissions, or create a personal reply.
• A colleague can't find my reply. It is probably personal. Personal replies are visible only to the person who created them.
• The list doesn't open when I type /. Check that the cursor is in the composer, or click outside any text field and press /.
• My text was cut off. Content is limited to 4,000 characters, titles to 80 and shortcuts to 40.
• For notes only colleagues should see, switch the composer to Internal note instead of using a canned reply.

Related

• Canned responses: 40 examples and how to write them
• Better ways to say "sorry for the inconvenience"
• Enable live chat
• Chat roles explained