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Baileys supports various message modification operations including editing, deleting, reacting, starring, and pinning messages.

​
Editing messages

Edit the content of messages you’ve sent: 
const msg = await sock.sendMessage(jid, { text: 'Original message' })

// Edit the message
await sock.sendMessage(jid, {
  text: 'Updated message text',
  edit: msg.key
})
You can only edit messages you sent (fromMe: true). WhatsApp has a time limit for editing messages (typically 15 minutes).

​
Edit with message key

If you have the message key from storage: 
const messageKey = {
  remoteJid: jid,
  fromMe: true,
  id: 'MESSAGE_ID'
}

await sock.sendMessage(jid, {
  text: 'New text content',
  edit: messageKey
})

​
Deleting messages

​
Delete for everyone

Delete a message for all participants in the chat: 
const msg = await sock.sendMessage(jid, { text: 'Message to delete' })

// Delete for everyone
await sock.sendMessage(jid, { delete: msg.key })
You can only delete messages you sent within a certain time window (approximately 2 days). Older messages cannot be deleted for everyone.

​
Delete message from storage

Use with a stored message key: 
const key = {
  remoteJid: jid,
  fromMe: true,
  id: messageId
}

await sock.sendMessage(jid, { delete: key })

​
Delete for yourself only

To delete messages for yourself only, use chatModify: 
await sock.chatModify(
  {
    clear: {
      messages: [
        {
          id: 'MESSAGE_ID',
          fromMe: true,
          timestamp: '1654823909'
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  jid
)

​
Delete as admin (groups)

Group admins can delete any message: 
// Delete someone else's message in a group (requires admin)
const messageKey = {
  remoteJid: groupJid,
  fromMe: false,
  id: messageId,
  participant: senderJid
}

await sock.sendMessage(groupJid, { delete: messageKey })

​
Reactions

React to messages with emojis: 
await sock.sendMessage(
  jid,
  {
    react: {
      text: '❤️', // Emoji reaction
      key: message.key // Message to react to
    }
  }
)

​
Remove a reaction

Use an empty string to remove your reaction: 
await sock.sendMessage(
  jid,
  {
    react: {
      text: '', // Empty string removes reaction
      key: message.key
    }
  }
)

​
Common reactions

const reactions = {
  like: '👍',
  love: '❤️',
  laugh: '😂',
  surprised: '😮',
  sad: '😢',
  angry: '😠'
}

await sock.sendMessage(
  jid,
  {
    react: {
      text: reactions.love,
      key: message.key
    }
  }
)

​
Pinning messages

Pin important messages in chats: 
await sock.sendMessage(
  jid,
  {
    pin: {
      type: 1, // 1 to pin, 0 to unpin
      time: 86400, // Duration in seconds (24 hours)
      key: message.key
    }
  }
)

​
Pin durations

DurationSeconds
24 hours86400
7 days604800
30 days2592000

​
Pin for 7 days

await sock.sendMessage(
  jid,
  {
    pin: {
      type: 1,
      time: 604800, // 7 days
      key: message.key
    }
  }
)

​
Unpin a message

await sock.sendMessage(
  jid,
  {
    pin: {
      type: 0, // 0 to unpin
      time: 0,
      key: message.key
    }
  }
)

​
Starring messages

Star messages for later reference: 
// Star a message
await sock.chatModify(
  {
    star: {
      messages: [{ id: messageId, fromMe: true }],
      star: true
    }
  },
  jid
)

// Unstar a message
await sock.chatModify(
  {
    star: {
      messages: [{ id: messageId, fromMe: true }],
      star: false
    }
  },
  jid
)

​
Star multiple messages

await sock.chatModify(
  {
    star: {
      messages: [
        { id: 'MESSAGE_ID_1', fromMe: true },
        { id: 'MESSAGE_ID_2', fromMe: false },
        { id: 'MESSAGE_ID_3', fromMe: true }
      ],
      star: true
    }
  },
  jid
)

​
Receiving modification events

​
Message edits

sock.ev.on('messages.update', (updates) => {
  for (const update of updates) {
    if (update.update.message) {
      console.log('Message edited:', update.key.id)
      console.log('New content:', update.update.message)
    }
  }
})

​
Message deletions

sock.ev.on('messages.update', (updates) => {
  for (const update of updates) {
    if (update.update.messageStubType === 1) { // REVOKE
      console.log('Message deleted:', update.key.id)
    }
  }
})

​
Reactions received

sock.ev.on('messages.upsert', async ({ messages }) => {
  const m = messages[0]
  
  if (m.message?.reactionMessage) {
    const reaction = m.message.reactionMessage
    console.log('Reaction emoji:', reaction.text)
    console.log('Reacted to:', reaction.key.id)
    console.log('From:', m.key.participant || m.key.remoteJid)
    
    if (reaction.text === '') {
      console.log('Reaction removed')
    }
  }
})

​
Complete modification workflow

// Send a message
const msg = await sock.sendMessage(jid, { text: 'Hello!' })
console.log('Sent message:', msg.key.id)

// Edit the message
await sock.sendMessage(jid, {
  text: 'Hello, updated!',
  edit: msg.key
})
console.log('Edited message')

// React to it
await sock.sendMessage(jid, {
  react: {
    text: '👍',
    key: msg.key
  }
})
console.log('Added reaction')

// Pin it
await sock.sendMessage(jid, {
  pin: {
    type: 1,
    time: 86400,
    key: msg.key
  }
})
console.log('Pinned message')

// Star it
await sock.chatModify(
  {
    star: {
      messages: [{ id: msg.key.id!, fromMe: true }],
      star: true
    }
  },
  jid
)
console.log('Starred message')

// Later: delete it
await sock.sendMessage(jid, { delete: msg.key })
console.log('Deleted message')

​
Error handling

try {
  await sock.sendMessage(jid, {
    text: 'Updated text',
    edit: messageKey
  })
} catch (error) {
  if (error.message.includes('edit time expired')) {
    console.log('Cannot edit: time limit exceeded')
  } else if (error.message.includes('not found')) {
    console.log('Message not found')
  } else {
    console.error('Edit failed:', error)
  }
}

​
Limitations and restrictions

Time limits:
  • Editing: ~15 minutes after sending
  • Deleting for everyone: ~2 days after sending
  • Reactions: No time limit
  • Pinning: Available anytime
Permissions:
  • You can only edit/delete your own messages
  • Group admins can delete any message in their groups
  • Anyone can react to any message
  • Anyone can pin/unpin in individual chats; group settings may restrict pinning

​
Best practices

  • Store message keys when you send messages for later modification
  • Check if enough time has passed before attempting edits/deletes
  • Handle errors gracefully when modifications fail
  • Validate emoji reactions before sending (use valid Unicode emojis)
  • Consider the user experience when pinning messages (don’t overuse)
  • Implement a local database to track starred messages

​
Advanced usage

​
Modify message with quote

// Edit and quote in one operation (for context)
const original = await getMessage(originalId)

await sock.sendMessage(
  jid,
  {
    text: 'Correction: updated information',
    edit: messageToEdit.key
  },
  { quoted: original }
)

​
Batch delete messages

const messagesToDelete = [msg1, msg2, msg3]

for (const msg of messagesToDelete) {
  try {
    await sock.sendMessage(jid, { delete: msg.key })
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 500)) // Rate limit
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Failed to delete:', msg.key.id, error)
  }
}

​
Auto-react to specific messages

sock.ev.on('messages.upsert', async ({ messages }) => {
  const m = messages[0]
  
  if (m.key.fromMe) return // Don't react to own messages
  
  const text = m.message?.conversation || m.message?.extendedTextMessage?.text
  
  if (text?.toLowerCase().includes('thanks')) {
    await sock.sendMessage(
      m.key.remoteJid!,
      {
        react: {
          text: '😊',
          key: m.key
        }
      }
    )
  }
})

​
Next steps

Sending messages

Learn the core sendMessage API

Receiving messages

Handle incoming messages and events

Text messages

Work with text, mentions, and quotes

Media messages

Send and receive media files

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