> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wsapi.chat/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Send a text message

> Send a text message to a WhatsApp contact or group. The response contains the message ID, which can be used later for reply, edit, delete, star, and other actions.



## OpenAPI

````yaml /openapi/wsapi-api.yaml post /messages/text
openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: WSAPI - WhatsApp API
  description: >-
    RESTful HTTP API for WhatsApp via whatsmeow. Supports multi-instance
    connections, connections, webhook event delivery, and HMAC-SHA256 signing.
    Includes self-service instance management endpoints served by the API
    Gateway.
  version: 2.0.0
servers:
  - url: https://api.wsapi.chat
    description: WSAPI API
security:
  - ApiKeyAuth: []
tags:
  - name: Account
    description: >-
      Customer account management — instances, subscriptions, and default
      settings (CustomerApiKey auth)
  - name: Session
    description: WhatsApp session management (login, logout, status)
  - name: Messages
    description: Send and manage WhatsApp messages
  - name: Groups
    description: Group management
  - name: Communities
    description: Community management
  - name: Contacts
    description: Contact lookup and management
  - name: Users
    description: Own account management, user lookup, and profile information
  - name: Media
    description: Media download
  - name: Chats
    description: Chat listing, info, settings, and management
  - name: Calls
    description: Call management
  - name: Newsletters
    description: Newsletter/channel management
  - name: Status
    description: Status/stories posting
paths:
  /messages/text:
    post:
      tags:
        - Messages
      summary: Send a text message
      description: >-
        Send a text message to a WhatsApp contact or group. The response
        contains the message ID, which can be used later for reply, edit,
        delete, star, and other actions.
      operationId: sendText
      parameters:
        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/XInstanceId'
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/SendTextRequest'
            examples:
              simpleMessage:
                summary: Plain text message
                value:
                  to: 1234567890@s.whatsapp.net
                  text: Hello world!
              withMentions:
                summary: Text with user mention
                value:
                  to: 1234567890@g.us
                  text: Hi @1234567890
                  mentions:
                    - 1234567890@s.whatsapp.net
              reply:
                summary: Reply to a previous message
                value:
                  to: 1234567890@s.whatsapp.net
                  text: On it!
                  replyTo: '01234567890123456'
                  replyToSenderId: 1234567890:12@s.whatsapp.net
      responses:
        '201':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Created'
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '409':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/DeviceNotPaired'
        '503':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/ServiceUnavailable'
components:
  parameters:
    XInstanceId:
      name: X-Instance-Id
      in: header
      required: true
      description: The ID of the WhatsApp instance to use
      schema:
        type: string
        default: '{{instanceId}}'
  schemas:
    SendTextRequest:
      type: object
      required:
        - to
        - text
      properties:
        to:
          type: string
          description: Recipient JID (user or group)
        text:
          type: string
          description: Message text
        mentions:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
          description: JIDs of mentioned users
        replyTo:
          type: string
          description: Message ID to reply to
        replyToSenderId:
          type: string
          description: Sender JID of the message being replied to
        isForwarded:
          type: boolean
          description: Mark message as forwarded
        ephemeralExpiration:
          type: string
          enum:
            - 'off'
            - 24h
            - 7d
            - 90d
          description: Disappearing message timer
    Error:
      type: object
      description: Standard error response returned by all API endpoints
      required:
        - detail
        - status
      properties:
        detail:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable error message
          example: invalid request body
        status:
          type: integer
          description: HTTP status code
          example: 400
  responses:
    Created:
      description: Resource created
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            type: object
            properties:
              id:
                type: string
                description: ID of the created resource
          example:
            id: '01234567890123456'
    BadRequest:
      description: Bad request
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            status: 400
            detail: invalid request body
    Unauthorized:
      description: Authentication failed
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            status: 401
            detail: unauthorized
    DeviceNotPaired:
      description: Device is not paired. Complete the pairing process first.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            status: 403
            detail: device not paired
    ServiceUnavailable:
      description: Instance not available (not connected or service is nil)
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            status: 503
            detail: instance not available
  securitySchemes:
    ApiKeyAuth:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: X-Api-Key
      description: >-
        Instance or customer-level API key. Either the instance's own API key or
        the customer's API key is accepted. Must be paired with the
        X-Instance-Id header to identify the target instance.

````