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

# Image messages

# Image messages

Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Image messages are messages that display a single image and an optional caption.

![](https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.2365-6/440788911_1344094656981591_356280964045551612_n.png?_nc_cat=110\&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=e280be&_nc_ohc=yBfXYvM2iUQQ7kNvwFOWyDC&_nc_oc=Adk8bvcp2OBHXFQKZOdJeTwFaN71dMZTWf0xKt4sRQkwLgAOBl3XyD4mjgcBoU_04Xk&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&_nc_gid=CDLrC_kPWJw6E02g5F8S-w\&oh=00_Afkmogwlj2xkiK2nzlpNpMq7P499Ro2L4z22wkRFK7VUXw\&oe=69550B89)

## Request syntax

Use the [POST /\<WHATSAPP\_BUSINESS\_PHONE\_NUMBER\_ID>/messages](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/reference/whatsapp-business-phone-number/message-api) endpoint to send an image message to a WhatsApp user.

```
curl 'https://graph.facebook.com/&lt;API_VERSION&gt;/&lt;WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER_ID&gt;/messages' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer &lt;ACCESS_TOKEN&gt;' \
-d '
\{
  "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
  "recipient_type": "individual",
  "to": "&lt;WHATSAPP_USER_PHONE_NUMBER&gt;",
  "type": "image",
  "image": {
    "id": "&lt;MEDIA_ID&gt;", <!-- Only if using uploaded media -->
    "link": "&lt;MEDIA_URL&gt;", <!-- Only if using hosted media (not recommended) -->
    "caption": "&lt;MEDIA_CAPTION_TEXT&gt;"
  }
}'
```

## Request parameters

| Placeholder                                               | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Example Value                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `&lt;ACCESS_TOKEN&gt;`<br />*String*                      | **Required.**<br />[System token](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/access-tokens#system-user-access-tokens) or [business token](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/access-tokens#business-integration-system-user-access-tokens).            | `EAAAN6tcBzAUBOZC82CW7iR2LiaZBwUHS4Y7FDtQxRUPy1PHZClDGZBZCgWdrTisgMjpFKiZAi1FBBQNO2IqZBAzdZAA16lmUs0XgRcCf6z1LLxQCgLXDEpg80d41UZBt1FKJZCqJFcTYXJvSMeHLvOdZwFyZBrV9ZPHZASSqxDZBUZASyFdzjiy2A1sippEsF4DVV5W2IlkOSr2LrMLuYoNMYBy8xQczzOKDOMccqHEZD` |
| `&lt;API_VERSION&gt;`<br />*String*                       | **Optional.**<br />Graph API version.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | v24.0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| `&lt;MEDIA_CAPTION_TEXT&gt;`<br />*String*                | **Optional.**<br />Media asset caption text.<br />Maximum 1024 characters.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | `The best succulent ever?`                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `&lt;MEDIA_ID&gt;`<br />*String*                          | **Required if using uploaded media, otherwise omit.**<br />ID of the [uploaded media asset](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/business-phone-numbers/media#upload-media).                                                                                                            | `1013859600285441`                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `&lt;MEDIA_URL&gt;`<br />*String*                         | **Required if using hosted media, otherwise omit.**<br />URL of the media asset hosted on your public server. For better performance, we recommend using `id` and an [uploaded media asset ID](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/business-phone-numbers/media#upload-media) instead. | `https://www.luckyshrub.com/assets/succulents/aloe.png`                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| `&lt;WHATSAPP_BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER_ID&gt;`<br />*String* | **Required.**<br />WhatsApp business phone number ID.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | `106540352242922`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| `&lt;WHATSAPP_USER_PHONE_NUMBER&gt;`<br />*String*        | **Required.**<br />WhatsApp user phone number.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | `+16505551234`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |

## Supported image formats

Images must be 8-bit, RGB or RGBA.

| Image Type | Extension | MIME Type  | Max Size |
| ---------- | --------- | ---------- | -------- |
| JPEG       | .jpeg     | image/jpeg | 5 MB     |
| PNG        | .png      | image/png  | 5 MB     |

## Example request

Example request to send an image message with a caption to a WhatsApp user.

```
curl 'https://graph.facebook.com/v24.0/106540352242922/messages' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer EAAJB...' \
-d '
\{
  "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
  "recipient_type": "individual",
  "to": "+16505551234",
  "type": "image",
  "image": {
    "id" : "1479537139650973",
    "caption": "The best succulent ever?"
  }
}'
```

## Example response

```
\{
  "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
  "contacts": [\
    {\
      "input": "+16505551234",\
      "wa_id": "16505551234"\
    }\
  ],
  "messages": [\
    {\
      "id": "wamid.HBgLMTY0NjcwNDM1OTUVAgARGBI1RjQyNUE3NEYxMzAzMzQ5MkEA"\
    }\
  ]
}
```

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Request syntax

Request parameters

Supported image formats

Example request

Example response

***