---
title: "Can I Set a Delay Before Comment Autoreply?"
description: "Yes — with the Message delays setting. Every automation has it, including the comment sources, and it adds a natural typing pause before Fuely AI replies, so…"
canonical_url: https://chatfuel.com/docs/instagram/can-i-set-a-delay-before-comment-autoreply
markdown_url: https://chatfuel.com/docs/instagram/can-i-set-a-delay-before-comment-autoreply.md
last_updated: 2026-08-12
lang: en
site: https://chatfuel.com/docs
llms_txt: https://chatfuel.com/llms.txt
---

# Can I Set a Delay Before Comment Autoreply?

Yes — with the Message delays setting. Every automation has it, including the comment sources, and it adds a natural typing pause before Fuely AI replies, so…

Yes — with the **Message delays** setting. Every [automation](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/automations) has it, including the comment sources, and it adds a [natural typing pause](https://chatfuel.com/docs/ai-features/how-to-add-a-pause-between-messages) before Fuely AI replies, so the answer doesn't feel instant and robotic.

> **Note:** Message delays is a natural pause, not a scheduler — there is no option to postpone a [comment autoreply](https://chatfuel.com/docs/instagram/instagram-comment-autoreply) by minutes or hours.

## Set it up in Automations [#set-it-up-in-automations]

1. Go to **Fuely AI** → **Automations**.
2. Open the comment automation you want — **post & reel comments** or **ad comments** — or **Main bot** to change the delay everywhere.
3. Adjust **Message delays**.

By default the setting is inherited from Main bot; override it on a comment automation if you want different pacing there.

## Or ask the AI Co-Worker [#or-ask-the-ai-co-worker]

Tell it what you want in chat:

*"Add a short pause before the AI replies to comments."*

It applies the change and confirms what it set.

## Tips [#tips]

* **Use a natural tone** — pacing is only half of it. Write **Additional instructions** that make Fuely AI sound conversational and human.
* **Combine public + DM replies** — a short public reply under the comment plus a longer private message lets the conversation continue at the commenter's pace.