Skip to main content
POST
Twitter DM API: send direct messages with media
10 credits per send · Compare plans

Send direct messages with the Twitter DM API

Use this route for approved, one-to-one messages. It sends text or one uploaded media attachment. SDKs, support tools, and server jobs can call it. Choose the connected X account and the recipient’s numeric user ID. Use Twitter profile lookup when you only know a username. Follow X’s Direct Message rules for every message.

Authenticate and select the recipient

Authenticate with an x-api-key header or an OAuth bearer token. The connected X account sends the message on the user’s behalf. The path userId identifies the recipient, not the sender. Send only messages approved by your workflow. Honor recipient privacy, consent, and opt-out decisions. Read DM history only for approved conversation context.

Send text or one media attachment

Provide non-empty text for every direct message. Upload media first with Upload Media. Place its mediaId inside a one-item media_ids array. The upload costs another 10 credits. Empty or multi-item arrays return 400 invalid_input. This route also rejects reply_to_message_id. It does not send group messages or accept public media URLs.

Poll and verify the direct message

A 200 response contains a terminal write action. A 202 response requires polling through statusUrl. Wait for terminal: true before closing the send job. Xquik settles a pending DM within 15 minutes of the send:
  • success with messageId means X sent it. You pay once.
  • failed with x_dm_not_sent means the conversation shows no DM from the sender since shortly before the send. You pay nothing, and safeToRetry is true. If you deleted the DM on X yourself, check before you send it again.
  • expired means Xquik could not check the conversation. You pay nothing. Check the conversation before you send again.
Store writeActionId, recipient ID, account, request hash, and messageId. Delete DM takes that messageId later. If the connection drops, retry with the same idempotency key. Never create another write while the first action remains nonterminal. The Xquik POST limit is 120 requests per minute.

Handle every Twitter DM API response

Fix request fields after 400. Replace authentication after 401, then add credits after 402. Reconnect the X account after 403. Keep the original request after a 409 idempotency conflict. 422 x_dm_not_allowed means this sender cannot message that person. Try another approved sender or ask the person to allow DMs. Honor Retry-After after 429. 429 x_rate_limited means X paused DMs from that account. Its DMs then get 429 until X’s reset, and Xquik sends nothing to X. You pay nothing. Retry-After and nextAction.afterMs give the wait. After 500 or 503, inspect safeToRetry before retrying.

Twitter DM API questions

Can I automate customer support direct messages?

Yes. Queue approved replies and store the exact sent text. Avoid unsolicited bulk messaging and honor every opt-out.

Can I send images or video through the API?

Upload the file first, then send its single mediaId. This endpoint accepts one attachment per message.

Does this endpoint retrieve message history or create webhooks?

No. Use Get DM History for prior messages. This send route does not configure incoming-DM notifications.

Can third-party tools and generated SDKs call this route?

Yes. Use the documented REST fields and authentication. Leave reply_to_message_id unset when a generated SDK exposes it.

Headers

string
required
Your API key. OAuth bearer authentication is also supported. Generate a key from the dashboard.
string
required
Unique key for this intended send. Reuse it only for an exact network replay.
string
required
Must be application/json.

Path parameters

string
required
DM recipient: user ID, username with or without @, or URL-encoded profile URL, such as x.com/nasa. An unknown username returns 422 x_target_not_found. See path IDs.

Body

string
required
X username or account ID of your connected sender account.
string
required
Non-empty direct message text.
string[]
Optional one-item array containing an uploaded media ID.

Response

Durable write recovery

Send one unique Idempotency-Key per intended write. Replay the same account, target, payload, and media after a lost response. Keep the original key for that replay.
  1. Store id, the nested hash in request, billing, and statusUrl.
  2. Poll after Retry-After or pollAfterMs when terminal is false.
  3. Retry only when safeToRetry is true.
  4. Use a new key when nextAction.requiresNewIdempotencyKey is true.

200 terminal or 202 active

  • After HTTP 200, store the result and settled billing.
  • After HTTP 202, poll the same action. Never submit another write.
  • After HTTP 400, fix the named field. Use a new idempotency key.
  • After HTTP 401, fix authentication. Do not retry unchanged.
  • After HTTP 402, fund the account before another write.
  • After HTTP 403, reconnect the account.
  • After HTTP 409, keep the original action. Use a new key for new input.
  • After HTTP 422, fix the rejected request before retrying.
  • After HTTP 429, wait for Retry-After. Follow nextAction.
See Get Write Action Status for every lifecycle field, terminal state, billing field, and retry rule.