Media

Downloading received media

Incoming image, video, audio, document and sticker messages carry a media ID, not a file. downloadMedia looks up the temporary URL and downloads the bytes in one call:

import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";

if (event.message.type === "image") {
  const file = await wa.downloadMedia(event.message.image.id);

  file.data;     // Uint8Array
  file.mimeType; // "image/jpeg"
  file.fileSize; // bytes
  file.sha256;   // checksum from Meta

  await writeFile("photo.jpg", file.data);
}

If you only need the URL (e.g. to stream it yourself):

const info = await wa.getMediaUrl(mediaId);
// info.url expires after ~5 minutes and requires the Authorization header

WARNING

Media URLs require your access token and expire quickly. Don't store them or send them to browsers. Download the file and store it yourself (S3, R2, disk).

Uploading

uploadMedia returns a media ID you can send any number of times for 30 days. It accepts a Blob/File, ArrayBuffer, Uint8Array or Node.js Buffer.

import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";

const { id } = await wa.uploadMedia(await readFile("menu.pdf"), "application/pdf", "menu.pdf");
await wa.sendMedia(to, { type: "document", id, filename: "menu.pdf" });

Uploading for templates (resumable)

Template headers with media, and profile pictures, need an asset handle rather than a media ID:

const { handle } = await wa.uploadMediaResumable(imageBytes, "image/png", "header.png");

await wa.createTemplate({
  name: "new_collection",
  language: "en",
  category: "MARKETING",
  components: [
    { type: "HEADER", format: "IMAGE", example: { header_handle: [handle] } },
    { type: "BODY", text: "Our new collection is here!" },
  ],
});

// or
await wa.updateBusinessProfile({ profile_picture_handle: handle });

Deleting

await wa.deleteMedia(mediaId);