Send Images over WhatsApp in PHP - Complete Guide

Automate WhatsApp image sharing using the WhatsMate WA Gateway REST API

Posted on October 19, 2017   Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Twitter Share on Google+

Last reviewed: February 11, 2026  

Automate WhatsApp Image Sharing with PHP

Looking to automate WhatsApp image sharing, visual notifications, or media delivery from your PHP applications? This guide walks you through sending images to WhatsApp users using PHP and the WhatsMate WA Gateway REST API. Perfect for PHP developers, web administrators, and automation enthusiasts who want to integrate visual content delivery into their PHP-based workflows.

📋 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  1. A WhatsMate WA Gateway account - Required for API access
  2. Recipient registration - Each recipient must register with the Gateway first
  3. PHP development environment - PHP installed and configured (version 5.4 or higher)
  4. Web server access - Ability to run PHP scripts on a web server
  5. Image file ready - Have the image you want to send available on your server

⚠️ Important: Recipients must register with the WhatsMate WA Gateway before they can receive messages. Unregistered users will not receive any messages from the Gateway. Registration instructions are available on the official WhatsMate site.

📝 Step-by-Step Implementation

Follow these steps to send your first image to a WhatsApp user from a PHP script:

1. Copy the PHP Code Template

Start by copying the following source code into your PHP file:

2. Configure a few Parameters

Customize these key parameters in the PHP code:

  • Line 2: Replace YOUR_INSTANCE_ID_HERE with your WhatsApp gateway instance ID
  • Lines 3-4: Update YOUR_CLIENT_ID_HERE and YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE with your Premium Client ID and Secret
  • Line 6: Replace /tmp/your_image.jpg with the path to your image file on the server
  • Line 11: Replace 12025550108 with the target phone number (including the country code)
  • Line 13: Replace Lovely Gal with an optional caption for your image

3. Upload the PHP File

Upload the PHP script to your web server in a directory accessible via HTTP/HTTPS.

4. Send Your Image

Access the PHP script through your web browser to deliver your image to WhatsApp:

https://yourdomain.com/path/to/send-image-individual.php

🔧 Common Use Cases

This automation approach is ideal for:

  • Visual system monitoring - Send server status screenshots or graphs to WhatsApp from PHP web applications
  • Automated photo sharing - Deliver daily photos or visual updates via WhatsApp using PHP scripts
  • Image-based reports - Share charts, diagrams, or visual data through WhatsApp from PHP systems
  • Media content delivery - Distribute images as part of automated WhatsApp workflows in PHP web apps
  • Integration with PHP image processing - Combine with PHP GD library or ImageMagick to generate or modify images for WhatsApp delivery

🚀 Get Started Today

Ready to automate your image sharing over WhatsApp with PHP? You’ll need a trial account to access the API. Sign up for a 2-week trial and start sending images within minutes!

Next Steps: Once you’ve mastered basic image sending, explore advanced features like sending documents or group messages through the WhatsMate WA Gateway API documentation.