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# update

> Redact the body of a previously sent message.

### messages.update

Redact the body of a previously sent message. The API accepts only an empty
string for `body`; any other value is rejected. Messages still in progress
(`queued` or `initiated`) can't be redacted, and a redacted body can't be
recovered.

### Schema

```yaml
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: API
  version: 1.0.0
paths:
  /api/messaging/messages/{message_id}:
    patch:
      operationId: subpackageMessages_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`.


        Use this SignalWire REST operation for message redaction by message
        segment ID. Integrations built around Message SIDs can use the
        Compatibility API's [Update
        message](/docs/compatibility-api/rest/messages/update-message) operation
        instead.


        #### 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:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/uuid'
      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
    description: SignalWire API
components:
  schemas:
    uuid:
      type: string
      format: uuid
      description: Universal Unique Identifier.
      title: uuid
    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
    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
        - whatsapp
      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

```

## Parameters

**`message_id`** `str` — required

ID of the message to redact.

---

**`body`** `str` — required

New body. Pass `""` to redact. Keyword-only.

---

**`extras`** `Mapping[str, Any] | None` — default: None

Additional request body fields merged into the payload as sent.

---

**`request_options`** `RequestOptions | None` — default: None

Per-call timeout and retry overrides. See
[`RequestOptions`](/docs/server-sdks/reference/python/rest/request-options).

---

## Returns

`Message` — the updated message with its body cleared.

## Response Example

### Response (200)

```json
{
  "id": "c2d3e4f5-a6b7-8901-cdef-234567890abc",
  "from": "+15559876543",
  "to": "+15551234567",
  "body": "Your order #12345 has shipped!",
  "status": "queued",
  "direction": "outbound",
  "kind": "sms",
  "media": [],
  "number_of_segments": 1,
  "error_code": null,
  "error_message": null,
  "created_at": "2024-05-06T12:20:00Z",
  "project_id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
  "status_callback_url": null,
  "message_uri": "/api/messaging/logs/c2d3e4f5-a6b7-8901-cdef-234567890abc"
}
```

## Example

```python {9}
from signalwire.rest import RestClient

client = RestClient(
    project="your-project-id",
    token="your-api-token",
    host="your-space.signalwire.com",
)

redacted = client.messages.update("message-id", body="")
print(redacted["body"])  # ""
```