Rate Limiting

WhatsApp enforces rate limits that can result in temporary bans if exceeded. There are no officially published limits, but the community has observed these approximate thresholds:

• Messages: ~50-80 messages per minute for individual chats, lower for new/unverified numbers
• Group operations: Creating groups, adding participants, and modifying settings are more tightly limited
• Media uploads: Slower rate limit than text messages; large files count more heavily
• Contact checks (isOnWhatsApp): ~50 numbers per request, batched automatically by whatsmeow
• Newsletter operations: Lower limits than regular messaging

Safe Sending Pattern

async function sendWithBackoff(
  client: WhatsmeowClient,
  messages: Array<{ jid: string; text: string }>
) {
  for (const { jid, text } of messages) {
    try {
      await client.sendMessage(jid, { conversation: text });
    } catch (err) {
      if (err instanceof WhatsmeowError && err.code === "ERR_SEND") {
        await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 5000));
        await client.sendMessage(jid, { conversation: text });
      } else {
        throw err;
      }
    }
    // Space out messages: 1-3 seconds between sends
    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 1000 + Math.random() * 2000));
  }
}

General Guidance

• Space out messages (1-3 seconds between sends)
• Avoid bulk operations on new/freshly paired numbers
• Handle temporary_ban events — they include an expiry time
• Monitor stream_error and keep_alive_timeout events as early warning signs
• Use sendPresence("available") before sending to simulate normal client behavior