whatsmcp

Get Media

wa_get_media

Read-only

Fetch the attachment (image/video/audio/document/sticker) a received message carried. A small attachment comes back as base64 in media_base64; a large one comes back as media_url, a time-limited link to GET the bytes. Use the message_id from wa_list_messages. 'refused' means no retrievable media for that id.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`account_id`	No	the account that received the message, from wa_list_accounts; omit it when the workspace has only one account
`message_id`	Yes	the message id whose attachment to fetch, from wa_list_messages (a WhatsApp message id, or on a Telegram account one of the form <chat>_<n>)

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`mime`	No
`size`	No	the attachment size in bytes
`status`	Yes	ok (media returned, inline or as a url) or refused
`refusal`	No
`media_url`	No	a time-limited (1h) URL to GET a large attachment's bytes, present instead of media_base64 when the attachment is over the inline cap
`media_base64`	No	base64 of the attachment, present for a small attachment

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedNov 2, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / refusal / properties / account_status / description

Previous value: -"when the number is not working: its status — starting, not_running, whatsapp_down, suspended, pairing, unlinked or locked"New value: +"when the number is not working: its status — starting, not_running, whatsapp_down (telegram_down for a Telegram account), suspended, pairing, unlinked or locked"

Changed3 schema fields changedOct 26, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / account_id / description

Previous value: -"the account that received the message, from wa_list_accounts"New value: +"the account that received the message, from wa_list_accounts; omit it when the workspace has only one account"

changedInput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "account_id",
-  "message_id"
-]New value: +[
+  "message_id"
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / refusal / properties / candidates

Added value: +{
+  "description": "on an account_ambiguous refusal: the accounts to choose from — retry with one of these as account_id",
+  "items": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "account_id": {
+        "description": "the id to retry with as account_id",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "name": {
+        "description": "the account's WhatsApp display name",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "phone": {
+        "description": "the account's phone number, E.164",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "status": {
+        "description": "whether the number works right now — live, connecting, or why not, as wa_list_accounts reports it",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "account_id"
+    ],
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "type": [
+    "null",
+    "array"
+  ]
+}

Changed1 schema field changedOct 26, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / message_id / description

Previous value: -"the WhatsApp message id whose attachment to fetch, from wa_list_messages"New value: +"the message id whose attachment to fetch, from wa_list_messages (a WhatsApp message id, or on a Telegram account one of the form <chat>_<n>)"

Changed4 schema fields changedOct 23, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / media_base64 / description

Previous value: -"base64 of the attachment, present when status is ok"New value: +"base64 of the attachment, present for a small attachment"

addedOutput schema / properties / media_url

Added value: +{
+  "description": "a time-limited (1h) URL to GET a large attachment's bytes, present instead of media_base64 when the attachment is over the inline cap",
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / size

Added value: +{
+  "description": "the attachment size in bytes",
+  "type": "integer"
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / status / description

Previous value: -"ok (media returned) or refused"New value: +"ok (media returned, inline or as a url) or refused"

Changed3 schema fields changedOct 14, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / refusal / properties / account_status

Added value: +{
+  "description": "when the number is not working: its status — starting, not_running, whatsapp_down, suspended, pairing, unlinked or locked",
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / refusal / properties / account_status_reason

Added value: +{
+  "description": "the detail of account_status, e.g. no_egress, stopped, no_plan",
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / refusal / properties / since

Added value: +{
+  "description": "when the number stopped working, RFC3339, when known",
+  "type": "string"
+}

First observedSep 27, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Goes well beyond the readOnlyHint/idempotentHint annotations by disclosing the size-dependent return contract: small attachments arrive as base64 in media_base64, large ones as a time-limited media_url to GET separately. It also defines the 'refused' failure semantic, which is the kind of thing an agent otherwise discovers only by trial.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three short sentences: what it fetches, how the payload varies by size, and the failure case. Front-loaded with the core action and free of repetition or filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present the description need not document return fields, yet it still covers the branching payload shape and the refusal case. Combined with annotations and full schema coverage, an agent has everything needed to call it and interpret the result.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so both parameters are already documented, including the account_id omission rule and the Telegram id format. The description reinforces that message_id comes from wa_list_messages but adds no syntax or format detail the schema lacks, so baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb (fetch) and resource (the attachment a received message carried), and enumerates the media kinds covered, so an agent knows this is binary retrieval rather than message text. It never names the obvious sibling wa_get_message, leaving the attachment-vs-message-body distinction implicit.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives a concrete prerequisite chain by telling the agent to use the message_id from wa_list_messages, and pre-empts the most likely confusing outcome by defining what 'refused' means. No explicit when-not-to-use or named alternative is provided.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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