HighLevel Missed-Call Text-Back: Full Setup Guide

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What You'll Need Before You Start

• A HighLevel account (any plan — the feature is available on Starter and above)
• A HighLevel/LeadConnector phone number assigned to your sub-account
• About 20 minutes

If you don't have a HighLevel number yet, you can purchase one inside the platform during setup. More on that below.

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Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Log In and Go to Your Sub-Account

Log in to HighLevel. Navigate to the sub-account you want to configure (the one associated with your business). You'll see the left sidebar with Settings at the bottom.

Step 2: Open Phone System Settings

1. Click Settings in the left sidebar.
2. Under Settings, find and click Phone System.
3. In Phone System, click Voice.
4. Under Voice, click Voicemail & Missed Call Text Back.

You're now in the right place.

Step 3: Select Missed Call Text Back

At the top of the Voicemail & Missed Call Text Back page, you'll see two tabs or sections:

• Voicemail
• Missed Call Text Back

Select Missed Call Text Back.

Step 4: Enable the Feature

Toggle the feature on. Once enabled, you'll see a message composition field and additional options.

Step 5: Write Your Auto-Reply Message

This is the text that gets sent to anyone who calls and doesn't get through. Keep it:

• Short — under 160 characters if possible (standard SMS length)
• Personal — use your name and business name
• Actionable — give them a next step

> "Hey, this is Mike at ABC HVAC. Sorry I missed your call — I'm on a job. I'll call you back within 30 min, or you can text me here. -Mike"

• Don't make it sound automated or robotic
• Don't promise a callback time you can't keep
• Don't over-explain or get wordy

Step 6: Customize Merge Fields (Optional)

HighLevel supports merge fields that pull in contact and business information. These can make the message feel more personal, but be careful:

• Merge fields for the business name or your name are safe and useful
• Merge fields for the contact name only work if the caller is already in your system — for new callers, the field will be blank or show a placeholder

For most contractors, a simple hard-coded message with your name and business is safer than relying on merge fields for new leads.

Step 7: Adjust Ring Duration (Optional)

You can control how long the phone rings before the call is considered "missed" and triggers the text-back. HighLevel defaults to around 20 seconds, but you can adjust:

1. In the same Voice settings area, look for Ring Duration or Voicemail Settings.
2. Set it between 15 and 25 seconds — long enough for you to notice the call, short enough that the caller isn't waiting forever.

If you want finer control (e.g., different behavior on the first missed call vs. the second from the same person), you'll need to use a Workflow instead of the simple toggle. More on that below.

Step 8: Send a Test Message

HighLevel includes a Send Test Message button. Use it.

Send a test to your own phone. Verify:

• The message arrives within seconds
• The text reads naturally
• The sender number is your business number

Step 9: Save

Click Save. The feature is now live.

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Important: Phone Number Setup

For missed-call text-back to work, calls need to hit a HighLevel/LeadConnector phone number. There are a few ways to set this up:

Option A: Buy a New Number Inside HighLevel

If you don't already have a HighLevel number:

1. Go to Settings → Phone System → Numbers.
2. Purchase a local number in your area code.
3. Assign it to your sub-account.
4. Start using this number as your business line, or forward your existing number to it.

Option B: Use Your Existing HighLevel Number

If your business already uses a LeadConnector number (from the HighLevel phone system), you're already set. Just enable the feature.

Option C: Port Your Existing Business Number

You can port your current business number into HighLevel. This takes a few days to a couple of weeks. Until the port completes, the feature may not work on that number.

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Going Beyond the Basic Feature: Workflow Version

The native missed-call text-back toggle sends an SMS for every missed call. If someone calls three times in five minutes, they get three texts. That can be annoying.

A better approach for some contractors is to use a Workflow (automation) instead of the simple toggle:

1. Create a new Workflow triggered by "Missed Call."
2. Add a Wait step (e.g., 20 minutes) so rapid retries don't trigger multiple texts.
3. Add a filter to check if this is the first missed call from this contact today.
4. Send the SMS only if it's the first missed call.

This takes about 15 extra minutes to set up but creates a better experience for your callers.

We'll cover this in a separate advanced guide.

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A2P 10DLC: What You Need to Know

If you're texting U.S. phone numbers from a local (10-digit) number, you need A2P 10DLC registration. This is a carrier requirement — not a HighLevel rule.

The short version:

• You register your business and your messaging use case
• It takes a few days and involves some paperwork
• There are small monthly carrier fees (usually a few dollars)
• Without it, your texts may not be delivered reliably

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Common Questions

A: Yes. Missed-call text-back is available on all HighLevel plans. You just need a phone number in the system.

A: The feature only triggers on calls that hit a HighLevel/LeadConnector number. If calls go to a different number or phone system, it won't fire. You'd need to forward calls to your HighLevel number or use it as your primary business line.

A: The basic toggle doesn't support this. You'd need to use a Workflow, which can check the day/time and send different messages accordingly.

A: Near-instant — typically within seconds of the missed call.

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What's Next?

Once your missed-call text-back is running, the next step is making sure you actually follow up. The text-back buys you a conversation, but you still need to book the job. HighLevel's CRM and pipeline features can help with that.

Or if you just need message ideas:

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