Video Messages

Video messages allow you to send video content to your recipients through WhatsApp. You can send videos using either a URL or a previously uploaded Media ID.

Basic Usage

import WhatsApp from 'meta-cloud-api';

// Initialize client
const whatsapp = new WhatsApp({
  phoneNumberId: YOUR_PHONE_NUMBER_ID,
  accessToken: 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN'
});

// Send video message using a URL
const response = await whatsapp.messages.video(
  { 
    link: "https://example.com/video.mp4",
    caption: "Check out this video!"
  },
  15551234567
);

console.log(`Video message sent with ID: ${response.data.messages[0].id}`);

Parameters

The video() method accepts the following parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
message	object	The video message object
recipient	string or number	The recipient's phone number with country code
replyMessageId	string (optional)	ID of a message to reply to

Message Object Properties

Property	Type	Description	Required
link	string	URL of the video	Required if id is not provided
id	string	Media ID of a previously uploaded video	Required if link is not provided
caption	string	Text caption for the video	Optional

Examples

Sending a Video with a URL

const response = await whatsapp.messages.video(
  { 
    link: "https://example.com/product-demo.mp4",
    caption: "Product demonstration video"
  },
  15551234567
);

Sending a Video with a Media ID

If you've previously uploaded a video and have its Media ID:

const response = await whatsapp.messages.video(
  { 
    id: "1234567890",
    caption: "Video from our media library"
  },
  15551234567
);

Sending a Video without Caption

const response = await whatsapp.messages.video(
  { 
    link: "https://example.com/explainer.mp4"
  },
  15551234567
);

Replying with a Video

const originalMessageId = "wamid.abcd1234...";

const response = await whatsapp.messages.video(
  { 
    link: "https://example.com/response-video.mp4",
    caption: "Here's the video you requested"
  },
  15551234567,
  originalMessageId
);

Uploading Videos

Before sending videos with a Media ID, you need to upload them:

// Upload a video file
const uploadResponse = await whatsapp.media.upload({
  file: "/path/to/local/video.mp4",
  type: "video/mp4"
});

// Get the media ID from the response
const mediaId = uploadResponse.data.id;

// Now send the video using the media ID
const messageResponse = await whatsapp.messages.video(
  { 
    id: mediaId,
    caption: "Video uploaded and sent"
  },
  15551234567
);

Supported Formats and Limits

• Supported formats: MP4, 3GPP
• Maximum file size: 16 MB
• Codec requirements: H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec
• Audio streams: Single audio stream or no audio stream only

Video Types

Video Type	Extension	MIME Type
MP4	.mp4	video/mp4
3GPP	.3gp	video/3gpp

Error Handling

try {
  const response = await whatsapp.messages.video(
    { 
      link: "https://example.com/video.mp4",
      caption: "Check out this video!"
    },
    15551234567
  );
  console.log("Video message sent successfully:", response.data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error("Error sending video message:", error);
  
  // Handle specific error cases
  if (error.response && error.response.data) {
    if (error.response.data.error.code === 131053) {
      console.log("Media URL is not accessible or supported");
    } else if (error.response.data.error.code === 131052) {
      console.log("Media file size too big. Max file size: 16MB");
    } else {
      console.log("Error details:", error.response.data);
    }
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Optimize video quality and size: Keep videos under 16 MB and optimize them for mobile viewing.

2. Choose appropriate resolution: Videos on mobile devices don't need extremely high resolutions - optimize for the viewing experience.

3. Use compatible codecs: Ensure your videos use the H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec for best compatibility.

4. Use descriptive captions: Add context to your videos with clear captions.

5. Consider bandwidth limitations: Many users may have limited data plans, so avoid unnecessarily large files.

6. Test playback on mobile devices: Ensure your videos play well on a variety of mobile devices.

Related

• Media API - For uploading and managing media
• Image Messages - For sending images
• Audio Messages - For sending audio files