> For a complete index of all SignalWire documentation pages, fetch https://signalwire.com/docs/llms.txt

# Redact a message

PATCH https://%7BYour_Space_Name%7D.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/{message_id}
Content-Type: application/json

Redact the body of a previously sent message. This endpoint clears the message body for compliance, privacy, or moderation purposes — it does not support arbitrary updates to message attributes. The only accepted value for `body` is an empty string (`""`); any other value is rejected.

Messages that are still in progress (`queued` or `initiated`) cannot be redacted. Messages in terminal states such as `delivered`, `undelivered`, or `failed` are eligible. Once redacted, the original body is overwritten and cannot be recovered.

The `:message_id` path parameter is the message segment ID — the same ID returned by the create endpoint and shown in `/api/messaging/logs`.

#### Permissions

The API token used to authenticate must have the following scope(s) enabled to make a successful request: _Messaging_.

[Learn more about API scopes](/docs/platform/your-signalwire-api-space).

Reference: https://signalwire.com/docs/apis/rest/messages/update-message

## OpenAPI Specification

```yaml
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: signalwire-rest
  version: 1.0.0
paths:
  /api/messaging/messages/{message_id}:
    patch:
      operationId: update-message
      summary: Redact a message
      description: >-
        Redact the body of a previously sent message. This endpoint clears the
        message body for compliance, privacy, or moderation purposes — it does
        not support arbitrary updates to message attributes. The only accepted
        value for `body` is an empty string (`""`); any other value is rejected.


        Messages that are still in progress (`queued` or `initiated`) cannot be
        redacted. Messages in terminal states such as `delivered`,
        `undelivered`, or `failed` are eligible. Once redacted, the original
        body is overwritten and cannot be recovered.


        The `:message_id` path parameter is the message segment ID — the same ID
        returned by the create endpoint and shown in `/api/messaging/logs`.


        #### Permissions


        The API token used to authenticate must have the following scope(s)
        enabled to make a successful request: _Messaging_.


        [Learn more about API scopes](/docs/platform/your-signalwire-api-space).
      tags:
        - subpackage_messages
      parameters:
        - name: message_id
          in: path
          description: >-
            The message segment ID — the same ID returned by the create endpoint
            and shown in `/api/messaging/logs`.
          required: true
          schema:
            type: string
            format: uuid
        - name: Authorization
          in: header
          description: >-
            SignalWire Basic Authentication using Project ID and API Token.


            The client sends HTTP requests with the Authorization header
            containing

            the word Basic followed by a space and a base64-encoded string of
            project_id:token.

            The project ID will be used as the username and the API token as the
            password.


            Example:

            ```

            Authorization: Basic base64(project_id:token)

            ```
          required: true
          schema:
            type: string
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Response returned when a message has been successfully redacted.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Message.Message'
        '400':
          description: The request is invalid.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode400'
        '401':
          description: Access is unauthorized.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode401'
        '404':
          description: The server cannot find the requested resource.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode404'
        '422':
          description: The request contains invalid parameters. See errors for details.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Message.MessagesUpdateStatusCode422'
        '500':
          description: An internal server error occurred.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode500'
      requestBody:
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/Message.UpdateMessageRequest'
servers:
  - url: https://%7BYour_Space_Name%7D.signalwire.com
components:
  schemas:
    Message.UpdateMessageRequest:
      type: object
      properties:
        body:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Must be an empty string (`""`) to redact the message. Any non-empty
            value is rejected with `body_must_be_empty`. This is the only field
            that can be updated.
      required:
        - body
      description: >-
        Request body for redacting the body of a previously sent message. Only
        `body` may be updated, and it must be an empty string.
      title: Message.UpdateMessageRequest
    uuid:
      type: string
      format: uuid
      description: Universal Unique Identifier.
      title: uuid
    Message.MessageStatus:
      type: string
      enum:
        - queued
        - initiated
        - sent
        - delivered
        - undelivered
        - failed
        - read
      description: Delivery state of a message.
      title: Message.MessageStatus
    Message.MessageDirection:
      type: string
      enum:
        - inbound
        - outbound
      description: The direction of a message.
      title: Message.MessageDirection
    Message.MessageKind:
      type: string
      enum:
        - sms
        - mms
      description: The kind of message.
      title: Message.MessageKind
    Message.Message:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/uuid'
          description: >-
            The unique ID of the message. This is the `MessageSegment` ID,
            consistent with the dashboard and the `/api/messaging/logs`
            endpoint.
        from:
          type: string
          description: The source phone number.
        to:
          type: string
          description: The destination phone number.
        body:
          type: string
          description: >-
            The message body text. Returns an empty string when the message has
            been redacted.
        status:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Message.MessageStatus'
          description: Delivery state of the message.
        direction:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Message.MessageDirection'
          description: The direction of the message.
        kind:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Message.MessageKind'
          description: The kind of message.
        media:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
            format: uri
          description: >-
            Array of URLs for any media attachments on the message. Empty for
            SMS.
        number_of_segments:
          type: integer
          description: Number of segments the message body was split into for delivery.
        error_code:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          description: >-
            Provider-specific error code if delivery failed. Null when no error
            occurred.
        error_message:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          description: >-
            Human-readable error message if delivery failed. Null when no error
            occurred.
        created_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          description: Date and time when the message was created.
        project_id:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/uuid'
          description: The ID of the project the message belongs to.
        status_callback_url:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          format: uri
          description: >-
            Callback URL configured to receive message status events. Null if no
            callback was configured.
        message_uri:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Relative URL for retrieving the message via the
            `/api/messaging/logs` endpoint.
      required:
        - id
        - from
        - to
        - body
        - status
        - direction
        - kind
        - media
        - number_of_segments
        - error_code
        - error_message
        - created_at
        - project_id
        - status_callback_url
        - message_uri
      description: A message record. Returned by the create and update endpoints.
      title: Message.Message
    TypesStatusCodesStatusCode400Error:
      type: string
      enum:
        - Bad Request
      title: TypesStatusCodesStatusCode400Error
    Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode400:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/TypesStatusCodesStatusCode400Error'
      required:
        - error
      description: The request is invalid.
      title: Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode400
    TypesStatusCodesStatusCode401Error:
      type: string
      enum:
        - Unauthorized
      title: TypesStatusCodesStatusCode401Error
    Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode401:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/TypesStatusCodesStatusCode401Error'
      required:
        - error
      description: Access is unauthorized.
      title: Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode401
    TypesStatusCodesStatusCode404Error:
      type: string
      enum:
        - Not Found
      title: TypesStatusCodesStatusCode404Error
    Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode404:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/TypesStatusCodesStatusCode404Error'
      required:
        - error
      description: The server cannot find the requested resource.
      title: Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode404
    Types.StatusCodes.RestApiErrorItem:
      type: object
      properties:
        type:
          type: string
          description: The category of error.
        code:
          type: string
          description: A specific error code.
        message:
          type: string
          description: A description of what caused the error.
        attribute:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          description: The request parameter that caused the error, if applicable.
        url:
          type: string
          description: A link to documentation about this error.
      required:
        - type
        - code
        - message
        - url
      description: Details about a specific error.
      title: Types.StatusCodes.RestApiErrorItem
    Message.MessagesUpdateStatusCode422:
      type: object
      properties:
        errors:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Types.StatusCodes.RestApiErrorItem'
          description: List of validation errors.
      required:
        - errors
      description: The request contains invalid parameters. See errors for details.
      title: Message.MessagesUpdateStatusCode422
    TypesStatusCodesStatusCode500Error:
      type: string
      enum:
        - Internal Server Error
      title: TypesStatusCodesStatusCode500Error
    Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode500:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/TypesStatusCodesStatusCode500Error'
      required:
        - error
      description: An internal server error occurred.
      title: Types.StatusCodes.StatusCode500
  securitySchemes:
    SignalWireBasicAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: basic
      description: >-
        SignalWire Basic Authentication using Project ID and API Token.


        The client sends HTTP requests with the Authorization header containing

        the word Basic followed by a space and a base64-encoded string of
        project_id:token.

        The project ID will be used as the username and the API token as the
        password.


        Example:

        ```

        Authorization: Basic base64(project_id:token)

        ```

```

## SDK Code Examples

```python
import requests

url = "https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id"

payload = { "body": "" }
headers = {
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.patch(url, json=payload, headers=headers, auth=("<project_id>", "<api_token>"))

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id';
const credentials = btoa("<project_id>:<api_token>");

const options = {
  method: 'PATCH',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Basic ${credentials}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: '{"body":""}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"body\": \"\"\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("PATCH", url, payload)

	req.SetBasicAuth("<project_id>", "<api_token>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Patch.new(url)
request.basic_auth("<project_id>", "<api_token>")
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"body\": \"\"\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.patch("https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id")
  .basicAuth("<project_id>", "<api_token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"body\": \"\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('PATCH', 'https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id', [
  'body' => '{
  "body": ""
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
    'auth' => ['<project_id>', '<api_token>'],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;

var client = new RestClient("https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id");
client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("<project_id>", "<api_token>");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.PATCH);

request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"body\": \"\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let credentials = Data("<project_id>:<api_token>".utf8).base64EncodedString()

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Basic \(credentials)",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = ["body": ""] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages/message_id")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "PATCH"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```