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

# Send typing indicator

> Sends a typing indicator to a chat. Returns a delivery ID
with `status: "pending"`.




## OpenAPI

````yaml POST /v1/typing
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Messages.dev API
  version: '1.0'
  description: >
    The Messages.dev API lets you send and receive iMessages programmatically.


    ## Recommended: use the TypeScript SDK


    `@messages-dev/sdk` (`npm install @messages-dev/sdk`) is the recommended

    integration for TypeScript and Node.js. It wraps every endpoint below with

    a typed client, handles cursor pagination, throws typed errors, and ships

    `verifyWebhook()` which gets the HMAC scheme right

    (`HMAC(${timestamp}.${body})` with replay protection). See the

    [SDK reference](/sdk).


    The REST API documented here is the underlying transport — use it

    directly from any language without TypeScript.


    ## Conventions


    All endpoints are prefixed with `/v1` and return JSON. Request and response

    fields use `snake_case`. All IDs include a type prefix (e.g. `msg_`,
    `cht_`).


    Write operations (POST /messages, /audio-messages, /reactions, /typing,
    /receipts)

    are **asynchronous**. They return a delivery ID with `status: "pending"`.
    Use

    `GET /outbox` or webhooks to track delivery.


    ## Capabilities


    - Send and receive text messages, with optional file attachments and
    reply-to threading.

    - Send native iMessage **audio messages** (waveform balloon) via `POST
    /v1/audio-messages`.
      Inbound voice memos arrive on `message.received` with `is_audio_message: true` and
      include Apple's on-device `transcription`.
    - Send **iMessage reactions** (`love`, `like`, `dislike`, `laugh`,
    `emphasize`, `question`)
      via `POST /v1/reactions`. Receive inbound reactions via the
      `reaction.added` / `reaction.removed` webhooks.
    - Send **typing indicators** and **read receipts**.

    - Upload files and send them as attachments (or as **vCard contact cards** —
    see Recipes).

    - **Group chats**: send to a `cht_...` chat ID returned by `GET /v1/chats`.

    - **Webhooks** for `message.received`, `message.sent`, `reaction.added`,
      `reaction.removed`. Signed with HMAC-SHA256 over `${timestamp}.${body}`.

    ## Contact-first restriction


    To protect lines from being flagged as spammers, you can only send to a
    contact

    after they have messaged your line first. Attempting to send to a contact
    that

    has not messaged in returns `403 contact_has_not_messaged`. The sandbox line
    is

    pre-paired with your phone number once you activate it.


    ## Recipes


    A few capabilities are compositions of existing endpoints rather than a

    dedicated route. The SDK wraps each as a single call.


    | Capability | Mechanism | SDK helper |

    |---|---|---|

    | Send a contact card | `POST /v1/files` (`Content-Type: text/vcard`) →
    `POST /v1/messages` with the returned file ID in `attachments` |
    `client.sendContactCard()` |

    | Send a native audio message | `POST /v1/files` (audio mime) → `POST
    /v1/audio-messages` with the file ID as `audio_message` |
    `client.sendAudioMessage()` |

    | Reply to a specific message | `POST /v1/messages` with `reply_to:
    "msg_..."` (or a raw iMessage GUID) | `replyTo` parameter on every send
    method |

    | Send into a group chat | `POST /v1/messages` with a `cht_...` chat ID as
    `to`. Discover chats via `GET /v1/chats`. | Same `to` parameter |

    | Test webhooks locally | Build a real signed delivery yourself, then POST
    it to your handler — `verifyWebhook()` accepts it without a test-mode flag.
    | `signWebhook` / `buildWebhookDelivery` |
servers:
  - url: https://api.messages.dev
    description: Messages.dev API
security:
  - BearerAuth: []
tags:
  - name: Lines
    description: Your iMessage phone numbers and Apple IDs
  - name: Chats
    description: Conversations on a line
  - name: Messages
    description: Send and retrieve messages
  - name: Reactions
    description: iMessage reactions (love, like, etc.) on messages
  - name: Typing
    description: Typing indicators
  - name: Read Receipts
    description: Read receipt tracking
  - name: Delivery
    description: Track delivery status of write operations
  - name: Files
    description: Upload and retrieve file attachments
  - name: Webhooks
    description: Real-time event notifications
paths:
  /v1/typing:
    post:
      tags:
        - Typing
      summary: Send typing indicator
      description: |
        Sends a typing indicator to a chat. Returns a delivery ID
        with `status: "pending"`.
      operationId: send-typing-indicator
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              type: object
              required:
                - from
                - to
              properties:
                from:
                  type: string
                  description: Sender line handle (phone number or Apple ID)
                  example: '+15551234567'
                to:
                  type: string
                  description: Recipient handle
                  example: '+15559876543'
                state:
                  type: string
                  description: Typing state. Defaults to `on`.
                  enum:
                    - 'on'
                    - 'off'
                  default: 'on'
      responses:
        '201':
          description: Outbox item created
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/OutboxItemCreated'
        '400':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/BadRequest'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
components:
  schemas:
    OutboxItemCreated:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          description: Delivery ID (e.g. `obx_abc123`)
        status:
          type: string
          const: pending
        request_id:
          type: string
    Error:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          type: object
          properties:
            type:
              type: string
              description: Error category
              enum:
                - authentication_error
                - authorization_error
                - invalid_request_error
                - not_found_error
                - rate_limit_error
            code:
              type: string
              description: Machine-readable error code
            message:
              type: string
              description: Human-readable error description
            param:
              type: string
              description: The parameter that caused the error, if applicable
        request_id:
          type: string
          description: Unique request identifier for debugging
  responses:
    BadRequest:
      description: Invalid request
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              type: invalid_request_error
              code: missing_required_parameter
              message: The 'from' query parameter is required.
              param: from
            request_id: req_abc123
    Unauthorized:
      description: Authentication failed
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              type: authentication_error
              code: missing_api_key
              message: >-
                Missing Authorization header. Use 'Authorization: Bearer
                sk_live_...'
            request_id: req_abc123
  securitySchemes:
    BearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      description: |
        Use an API key as a bearer token: `Authorization: Bearer sk_live_...`

        Each key has a set of scopes that gate which endpoints it can call:
        `messages:read`, `messages:write`, `chats:read`, `lines:read`,
        `reactions:read`, `reactions:write`, `typing:read`, `typing:write`,
        `receipts:read`, `receipts:write`, `webhooks:read`, `webhooks:write`,
        `outbox:read`, `files:read`, `files:write`. Keys can also be restricted
        to a subset of lines.

````