Send images and files in Apple Messages
Use an Image or Document template to send product images, instructions, or a receipt in an open customer conversation. Bird fetches the source file and prepares it for Apple during message processing.
Prepare a fetchable file
Host the intended file at a public HTTPS URL that can be fetched without browser cookies or a sign-in. Use a purpose-specific file that is safe to expose at that URL. A private drive preview page is not a direct file URL.
The send-message reference defines the media constraints:
| Use | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Outbound attachment | Each file is smaller than 100 MB. Supply the correct file name and media type. |
| Native interaction or rich-link image | PNG, up to 200 kB per image; interactive images total at most 5 MB. |
| Published iMessage app icon | PNG smaller than 15 kB. See app experiences. |
Keep the URL available while processing completes. A signed URL that expires too soon can cause a failure after the message was accepted. Test the URL without a signed-in browser and confirm that it returns the actual file rather than an HTML page.
Configure the template
- Open Templates and choose New template > Image or Document.
- In Content, give the draft a Template name and enter a useful Message that explains the attachment.
- In Apple delivery, set Attachment URL, File name, and Media type. For example, a PDF uses a
.pdffile name andapplication/pdf. - Select the business in Personalization, then save the draft.
- Prepare and review the message, checking the actual customer and file before sending.
Bundled preview artwork is not an attachment source for a real send. Supply your intended URL explicitly.
Check the result
Inspect the submitted message and events, then open the attachment on an authorized Apple test device. Check legibility, the file name, and whether the content makes sense without the surrounding website.
If the message fails after acceptance, inspect its error before changing the template. Common causes include an inaccessible URL, an unexpected media type, a file above the size limit, or invalid PNG data. Changing a file extension does not convert its format.
To download an incoming attachment in the dashboard, select its filename in the conversation transcript. You need read access to Apple Messages in the workspace.
To retrieve an incoming file through the API, use Get a message attachment. Take message.id from the amb.received webhook event and the attachment's zero-based position in that message's content.attachments array. Authenticate with a workspace API key that has amb:read; the response contains the decrypted file bytes. Download the file when the message arrives and store your own copy, because availability after Apple's retention period is not guaranteed.