TL;DR
WhatsApp still doesn't offer a true send-later button for regular chats. A simple reminder workflow lets you prepare the message now and send it at the right moment without sketchy third-party apps.
On iPhone
- Open the WhatsApp chat you want and write the message now.
- Copy the text.
- Open Reminders and create a new reminder with the person's name and the time you want to send it.
- Paste the message into the reminder note field.
- Set the date and time.
- When the reminder appears, open it, copy the text from the note, switch to WhatsApp, and send it.
On Android
- Open Google Keep or another notes app that supports time-based reminders.
- Create a new note, for example with the contact name as the title.
- Write the WhatsApp message in the note.
- Add a time reminder for the exact moment you want.
- When the notification appears, open the note, copy the text, jump into WhatsApp, and send it.
Why this is useful
- This is not true auto-send. You still tap Send yourself at the end.
- That is also the upside: no third-party automation app, no extra login, and no unnecessary risk to your WhatsApp account.
- It is perfect for birthday wishes, early-morning work messages, or anything you want to prepare at night and send later.
- As of April 27, 2026, WhatsApp is reportedly working on scheduled messages, but the feature is not broadly available in the regular app yet.