Message Types

Message types for sending and receiving WhatsApp messages

Baileys provides comprehensive TypeScript types for working with WhatsApp messages.

Core Message Types

WAMessage

Extends proto.IWebMessageInfo with additional Baileys-specific fields.

key · WAMessageKey · required

Unique identifier for the message

message · WAMessageContent

The actual message content (proto.IMessage)

messageTimestamp · number | Long

Unix timestamp when message was sent

messageStubParameters · any

Parameters for stub messages (system messages)

category · string

Message category classification

retryCount · number

Number of times message delivery has been retried

WAMessageKey

Extends proto.IMessageKey with additional routing information.

remoteJid · string

JID of the chat (group or individual)

fromMe · boolean

Whether the message was sent by you

id · string

Unique message ID

participant · string

Sender’s JID in group chats

remoteJidAlt · string

Alternative JID format (Baileys extension)

participantAlt · string

Alternative participant format (Baileys extension)

server_id · string

Server-assigned ID (Baileys extension)

addressingMode · string

Addressing mode: ‘pn’ or ‘lid’ (Baileys extension)

isViewOnce · boolean

Whether this is a view-once message (Baileys extension)

Message Content Types

AnyMessageContent

Union type for all possible message content:

type AnyMessageContent =
  | AnyRegularMessageContent
  | { forward: WAMessage; force?: boolean }
  | { delete: WAMessageKey }
  | { disappearingMessagesInChat: boolean | number }
  | { limitSharing: boolean }

AnyRegularMessageContent

Union of all regular message types you can send:

Text Messages

{
  text: string
  linkPreview?: WAUrlInfo | null
} & Mentionable & Contextable & Editable

text · string · required

The message text

linkPreview · WAUrlInfo | null

Link preview metadata

mentions · string[]

Array of mentioned JIDs

contextInfo · proto.IContextInfo

Context info (quoted message, etc.)

edit · WAMessageKey

Key of message to edit

Media Messages

See AnyMediaMessageContent below

Poll Messages

{
  poll: PollMessageOptions
} & Mentionable & Contextable & Editable

Contact Messages

{
  contacts: {
    displayName?: string
    contacts: proto.Message.IContactMessage[]
  }
}

Location Messages

{
  location: WALocationMessage
}

Reaction Messages

{
  react: proto.Message.IReactionMessage
}

Button Reply

{
  buttonReply: ButtonReplyInfo
  type: 'template' | 'plain'
}

Pin Messages

{
  pin: WAMessageKey
  type: proto.PinInChat.Type
  time?: 86400 | 604800 | 2592000 // 24h, 7d, or 30d
}

AnyMediaMessageContent

Union type for all media message types:

Image

{
  image: WAMediaUpload
  caption?: string
  jpegThumbnail?: string
  width?: number
  height?: number
  mentions?: string[]
  contextInfo?: proto.IContextInfo
}

Video

{
  video: WAMediaUpload
  caption?: string
  gifPlayback?: boolean
  jpegThumbnail?: string
  ptv?: boolean // video note
  width?: number
  height?: number
  mentions?: string[]
  contextInfo?: proto.IContextInfo
}

Audio

{
  audio: WAMediaUpload
  ptt?: boolean // voice note
  seconds?: number // duration
}

Document

{
  document: WAMediaUpload
  mimetype: string
  fileName?: string
  caption?: string
  contextInfo?: proto.IContextInfo
}

Sticker

{
  sticker: WAMediaUpload
  isAnimated?: boolean
  width?: number
  height?: number
}

WAMediaUpload

Union type for media upload sources:

type WAMediaUpload = 
  | Buffer 
  | { stream: Readable } 
  | { url: URL | string }

Special Message Types

PollMessageOptions

name · string · required

Poll question

values · string[] · required

Array of poll options

selectableCount · number

Number of options users can select (default: 1)

messageSecret · Uint8Array

32-byte secret to encrypt poll selections

toAnnouncementGroup · boolean

Whether poll is for announcement group

EventMessageOptions

name · string · required

Event title

startDate · Date · required

Event start date/time

description · string

Event description

endDate · Date

Event end date/time

location · WALocationMessage

Event location

call · 'audio' | 'video'

Type of call event

isCancelled · boolean

Whether event is cancelled

isScheduleCall · boolean

Whether this is a scheduled call

extraGuestsAllowed · boolean

Whether guests can bring +1

Message Generation Options

MessageGenerationOptions

timestamp · Date

Manual message timestamp

quoted · WAMessage

Message to quote/reply to

ephemeralExpiration · number | string

Disappearing message timer

messageId · string

Custom message ID override

mediaUploadTimeoutMs · number

Timeout for media uploads

statusJidList · string[]

JID list for status broadcasts

backgroundColor · string

Background color for status

font · number

Font type for status

Message Updates and Events

MessageUpsertType

type MessageUpsertType = 'append' | 'notify'

• notify: New message that should trigger a notification
• append: Historical message being synced, no notification needed

WAMessageUpdate

key · WAMessageKey · required

Key identifying the message to update

update · Partial<WAMessage> · required

Partial message data with updates to apply

MessageUserReceipt

Alias for proto.IUserReceipt containing:

userJid · string

User who sent the receipt

receiptTimestamp · number | Long

When the receipt was sent

readTimestamp · number | Long

When the message was read

playedTimestamp · number | Long

When media was played

Utility Types

DownloadableMessage

Messages that contain downloadable media:

mediaKey · Uint8Array | null

Encryption key for media

directPath · string | null

Direct download path

url · string | null

Download URL

MessageReceiptType

type MessageReceiptType =
  | 'read'
  | 'read-self'
  | 'hist_sync'
  | 'peer_msg'
  | 'sender'
  | 'inactive'
  | 'played'
  | undefined

MinimalMessage

Minimal message data for references:

type MinimalMessage = Pick<WAMessage, 'key' | 'messageTimestamp'>

Example Usage

import { AnyMessageContent } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

// Send a text message
const textMsg: AnyMessageContent = {
  text: 'Hello @1234567890',
  mentions: ['[e-mail]']
}

// Send an image
const imageMsg: AnyMessageContent = {
  image: { url: 'https://example.com/image.jpg' },
  caption: 'Check this out!',
  mentions: ['[e-mail]']
}

// Send a poll
const pollMsg: AnyMessageContent = {
  poll: {
    name: 'What\'s your favorite color?',
    values: ['Red', 'Blue', 'Green'],
    selectableCount: 1
  }
}

// Delete a message
const deleteMsg: AnyMessageContent = {
  delete: messageKey
}

// Forward a message
const forwardMsg: AnyMessageContent = {
  forward: originalMessage,
  force: true
}