---
title: Reactions (Tapbacks) API | Sendblue Docs
description: Add iMessage tapback reactions via the Sendblue API
---

Send iMessage tapback reactions to messages. Tapbacks are the heart, thumbs up, and other reactions that appear on messages in iMessage.

## Send a Reaction

Add a tapback reaction to a message.

```
POST https://api.sendblue.co/api/send-reaction
```

### Request Body

| Parameter        | Type   | Required | Description                                                |
| ---------------- | ------ | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `from_number`    | string | Yes      | Your Sendblue line number (E.164 format)                   |
| `message_handle` | string | Yes      | The message handle/GUID to react to (from inbound webhook) |
| `reaction`       | string | Yes      | The reaction type to send                                  |
| `part_index`     | number | No       | For multi-part messages (default: 0)                       |

### Valid Reaction Types

| Reaction    | Description        |
| ----------- | ------------------ |
| `love`      | Heart reaction     |
| `like`      | Thumbs up          |
| `dislike`   | Thumbs down        |
| `laugh`     | Ha ha reaction     |
| `emphasize` | Double exclamation |
| `question`  | Question mark      |

### Example Request

Terminal window

```
curl -X POST 'https://api.sendblue.co/api/send-reaction' \
  -H 'sb-api-key-id: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'sb-api-secret-key: YOUR_API_SECRET' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "from_number": "+19175551234",
    "message_handle": "E8F2C3D1-A5B7-4E9F-8C1D-2A3B4C5D6E7F",
    "reaction": "love"
  }'
```

### Node.js Example

```
const axios = require('axios');


await axios.post(
  'https://api.sendblue.co/api/send-reaction',
  {
    from_number: '+19175551234',
    message_handle: 'E8F2C3D1-A5B7-4E9F-8C1D-2A3B4C5D6E7F',
    reaction: 'love'
  },
  {
    headers: {
      'sb-api-key-id': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
      'sb-api-secret-key': 'YOUR_API_SECRET',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }
  }
);
```

### Success Response (200)

```
{
  "status": "OK",
  "message": "Reaction request sent",
  "message_handle": "E8F2C3D1-A5B7-4E9F-8C1D-2A3B4C5D6E7F",
  "reaction": "love"
}
```

---

## Error Responses

### Missing from\_number (400)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "You must specify a valid `from_number` in the request body."
}
```

### Missing message\_handle (400)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "You must specify `message_handle` in the request body."
}
```

### Invalid Reaction (400)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "Invalid reaction. Must be one of: love, like, dislike, laugh, emphasize, question"
}
```

### Invalid part\_index (400)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "`part_index` must be a non-negative integer."
}
```

### Line Not Found (404)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "The from_number is not registered"
}
```

## Notes

1. **Message Handle**: The `message_handle` comes from inbound webhooks as the `message_handle` field. This is the Apple GUID for the message.

2. **iMessage Only**: Reactions only work on iMessage conversations, not SMS.

3. **Timing**: Reactions can be sent to messages received within the last few days. Very old messages may not accept reactions.

4. **Multi-part Messages**: Use `part_index` when reacting to a specific part of a multi-part message (e.g., an image in a message that also has text).