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Update Participants

wa_update_participants

Add members to a WhatsApp group (action=add), make members admins (action=promote), or make admins ordinary members again (action=demote), by phone number or JID. Adding needs the account to be a member (and, for private groups, an admin); promote and demote need an admin. To remove members, use wa_remove_participants.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
actionYesadd (new members), promote (members to admin) or demote (admins to members); to remove members use wa_remove_participants
membersYesmembers — phone numbers (E.164) or JIDs, comma- or space-separated
group_jidYesthe group (…@g.us) JID, as returned by wa_list_groups
account_idYesthe account, as returned by wa_list_accounts

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
itemsNothe rows of a list operation
statusYesok (the operation succeeded) or refused (see refusal; for wa_update_group, applied lists the changes that took effect before it)
appliedNowa_update_group only: the settings that were changed, in order — on a refusal, the ones that took effect before it
refusalNopresent only when status is refused
summaryNoa human-readable result
group_jidNothe new group's JID (wa_create_group only) — use it as wa_send_message's 'to'
invite_linkNothe group's invite link (wa_create_group or wa_get_group_invite_link)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • 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"
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • 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"
      +  ]
      +}
  3. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • 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"
      +}
  4. First observed

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnly=false and destructive=false, so the description's main added value is the permission model, which it supplies clearly. It leaves gaps on multi-member behavior (partial failures, what happens when a listed member is already in the group or already an admin) and does not note that these operations are not idempotent.

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?

Two sentences, front-loaded with the action enumeration before prerequisites and the sibling pointer. No filler or restated title.

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

Completeness4/5

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

With an output schema present, return values need not be explained, and permissions plus sibling routing are covered. The remaining shortfall is behavioral detail on bulk member operations (ordering, partial success, duplicate handling) for a four-required-parameter mutation.

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 description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all four parameters including action values and the comma/space-separated member format. The description's 'by phone number or JID' restates the schema's member format rather than adding syntax or edge-case guidance, so the baseline 3 applies.

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

Purpose5/5

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

States a specific verb and resource (add/promote/demote participants in a WhatsApp group) and enumerates each action's effect in plain language. It explicitly distinguishes itself from the sibling wa_remove_participants, which handles removal.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

Gives per-action prerequisites ('adding needs the account to be a member (and, for private groups, an admin); promote and demote need an admin') and names the alternative tool for the excluded case ('To remove members, use wa_remove_participants'). An agent can pick the right action and know whether it has permission without further reading.

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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