wacli

---
name: wacli
description: Send third-party WhatsApp messages or sync/search WhatsApp history via wacli, not normal active chats.
license: MIT
---

# wacli

Use `wacli` only when the user explicitly asks you to message someone else on WhatsApp or when they ask to sync/search WhatsApp history.
Do NOT use `wacli` for normal user chats; OpenClaw routes WhatsApp conversations automatically.
If the user is chatting with you on WhatsApp, you should not reach for this tool unless they ask you to contact a third party.

Safety

- Require explicit recipient + message text.
- Confirm recipient + message before sending.
- If anything is ambiguous, ask a clarifying question.

Auth + sync

- `wacli auth` (QR login + initial sync)
- `wacli sync --follow` (continuous sync)
- `wacli doctor`

Find chats + messages

- `wacli chats list --limit 20 --query "name or number"`
- `wacli messages search "query" --limit 20 --chat <jid>`
- `wacli messages search "invoice" --after 2025-01-01 --before 2025-12-31`

Inspect / verify messages

- `wacli messages show --chat <jid> --id <message_id> --json --full`
- `messages show` requires both `--chat` and `--id`; do not pass the message ID as a positional argument.
- After sending, verify the stored message when exact formatting matters, especially multiline text.

History backfill

- `wacli history backfill --chat <jid> --requests 2 --count 50`

Send

- Text: `wacli send text --to "+14155551212" --message "Hello! Are you free at 3pm?"`
- Group: `wacli send text --to "1234567890-123456789@g.us" --message "Running 5 min late."`
- File: `wacli send file --to "+14155551212" --file /path/agenda.pdf --caption "Agenda"`
- Multiline: `--message` is literal by default; pass `--message-escapes` to interpret `\n`, `\r`, `\t`.

Notes

- Store dir: `~/.wacli` (override with `--store`).
- Use `--json` for machine-readable output when parsing.
- Backfill requires your phone online; results are best-effort.
- WhatsApp CLI is not needed for routine user chats; it's for messaging other people.
- JIDs: direct chats look like `<number>@s.whatsapp.net`; groups look like `<id>@g.us` (use `wacli chats list` to find).