# Quick start

> Go from signing in to answering your first conversation and turning on the AI.

Source: https://docs.message24.net/start/quick-start/

This guide takes you from a new account to a live channel with the AI answering customers. It takes about 15 minutes if you have your social accounts at hand.

## 1. Sign in

1. Go to [message24.net](https://message24.net) and choose **Start free**.
2. Choose **Sign in with Google** or **Sign in with Apple**.

## 2. Create your business

The first time you sign in, Message24 asks for two things:

1. **Phone Number**: your business contact number (the +964 prefix is already filled in).
2. **Business Name**: the name customers know you by.

Select **Continue**. Message24 creates your business and a starting schedule called "Default Business Hours" (Saturday to Thursday, 9am to 6pm, Iraq time). You can change it later.

## 3. Connect a channel

After you create your business you land on **Add a Channel**. Pick the platform your customers use most and follow its guide:

- [Facebook Messenger](/owners/channels/facebook-messenger/)
- [Instagram](/owners/channels/instagram/)
- [WhatsApp](/owners/channels/whatsapp/)
- [Telegram](/owners/channels/telegram/)
- [TikTok](/owners/channels/tiktok/)
- [Website chat](/owners/channels/website-chat/)

:::tip
Connecting Facebook or Instagram needs admin access to the Page or account. If you don't have it right now, select **I'll do this later**. You can add products and teach your AI first, and connect a channel whenever you're ready.
:::

Facebook, Instagram and TikTok import your recent conversations when you connect. The channel shows **Syncing** until the import finishes, then **Ready**.

## 4. Answer your first conversation

1. Open **Inbox**.
2. Select a conversation. New conversations appear here as customers message you.
3. Type your reply and send it. It is delivered on the same platform the customer used.

While setup is unfinished, the Inbox shows a checklist titled "Get your AI answering customers". You can do the remaining steps in any order. See [Inbox](/owners/daily/inbox/) for everything else you can do there.

## 5. Get the AI ready

The AI can only use what you give it. Before turning it on:

1. **Add your products.** Go to **Products** and import a CSV or add them by hand. See [Products](/owners/catalog/products/). If you don't sell products, choose "I don't sell products" on the checklist.
2. **Teach your AI.** Go to **Settings > Knowledge Base** and write articles about delivery, returns, opening hours and whatever customers ask most. See [Knowledge base](/owners/ai/knowledge-base/).
3. **Check your balance.** Go to **Settings > Billing**. Without balance the AI stops replying. See [Billing](/owners/account/billing/).

## 6. Turn on the AI

The AI starts replying on a channel once that channel has working hours assigned.

1. Go to **Settings > AI Settings**.
2. Find the channel and, under **Replies during**, choose a schedule such as "Default Business Hours".
3. The channel's badge changes to **AI on**.

To see how the AI will answer before real customers do, open the **Try it out** tab on the same page. See [AI settings](/owners/ai/ai-settings/) for schedules, handoff to your team and per-channel options.

:::note
If the badge says **AI paused** or **AI off**, the line under it explains why, for example no balance or a schedule with no active hours.
:::