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WhatsApp Chat Reader (Unofficial)

Unofficial read-only MCP server for your local WhatsApp chat history (stays on your machine).

Open source Open in the app JSON README (API)

About

Unofficial read-only MCP server for your local WhatsApp chat history (stays on your machine).

Details

Kind
MCP servers
Topic
Communication
Publisher
nabheetcloud
Origin
official
Category
ferramentas
Transport
local
Version
0.1.0
Last push
2026-07-05T13:37:10Z
Repository state
ativo
Language
Python
License
MIT
Added
2026-08-29 03:02:07
Updated
2026-08-29 03:02:07
Origin id
io.github.NabheetCloud/wa-chat-reader

README

# wa-chat-reader

<!-- mcp-name: io.github.NabheetCloud/wa-chat-reader -->

**Unofficial, read-only [MCP](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) server for your local WhatsApp chat history.**

`wa-chat-reader` reads the WhatsApp `ChatStorage.sqlite` database that the WhatsApp
desktop app keeps on your machine and exposes two tools to any MCP client (Claude
Code, Claude Desktop, etc.) so you can summarize, search, and reason over your own
messages. Everything runs locally — **no data ever leaves your computer.**

> ⚠️ **Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to WhatsApp or Meta.**
> "WhatsApp" is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc. This is an independent,
> unofficial tool that only reads a database WhatsApp already stores on your device.

---

## Privacy & security

This tool touches highly sensitive data — your private conversations. Read this first.

- **Read-only.** The database is opened with SQLite `mode=ro&immutable=1`; the server
  never writes to, modifies, or deletes anything.
- **Local-only.** There is no network code. Messages are returned to your MCP client
  and nowhere else. Whatever LLM/client you connect will, of course, see the message
  text you ask it to read — you control that by choosing which client to run.
- **Your consent, your data.** Only run this against your own device and your own
  chats. Do not use it to access anyone else's messages.
- **macOS access.** The WhatsApp database lives in a protected group container. The
  process running this server needs **Full Disk Access**
  (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access), or point
  `WHATSAPP_DB_PATHS` at a readable copy you export yourself.
- **Scope control.** `WHATSAPP_MAX_DAYS` (default 30) caps how far back any single
  call can read.

---

## Install

Requires Python ≥ 3.10. Recommended: [`uv`](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) so the server
runs in an isolated environment.

```bash
# one-shot run (no install)
uvx wa-chat-reader

# or install with pip
pip install wa-chat-reader
wa-chat-reader
```

## Use in Claude Code

```bash
claude mcp add wa-chat-reader -- uvx wa-chat-reader
```

Or install as a plugin (see the marketplace section below), then ask Claude things like:

- "Summarize my unread WhatsApp group chats from the last 3 days."
- "List the WhatsApp chats I've been active in this week."

## Configuration

All configuration is via environment variables (all optional):

| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `WHATSAPP_DB_PATHS` | platform default | `;`-separated candidate paths to `ChatStorage.sqlite` (first readable wins) |
| `WHATSAPP_BACKUP_PATHS` | — | `;`-separated fallback paths, tried after the primary paths |
| `WHATSAPP_MAX_DAYS` | `30` | Max look-back window (days) a caller may request |
| `WHATSAPP_DEBUG` | `false` | `true` for verbose logging to stderr |
| `WHATSAPP_LOG_FILE` | — | Optional path to also write logs to a file |

Default database locations:

| OS | Path |
|---|---|
| macOS | `~/Library/Group Containers/group.net.whatsapp.WhatsApp.shared/ChatStorage.sqlite` |
| Windows | `~/AppData/Roaming/WhatsApp/Databases/ChatStorage.sqlite` |
| Linux | `~/.local/share/whatsapp/ChatStorage.sqlite` |

## Tools

| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| `get_whatsapp_messages` | Concatenated message text from group and personal chats within a look-back window. Params: `days` (1–max), `chat_type` (`all`/`groups`/`personal`). Read-only. |
| `get_whatsapp_chat_list` | Active chat names (no message bodies) within a look-back window. Param: `days`. Read-only. |

Both tools are annotated `readOnlyHint: true`.

## Bonus: activity dashboard

`whatsapp_dashboard.py` renders a self-contained, offline HTML dashboard of your
messaging activity (volume over time, daily/weekly rhythm, top chats) straight from
the same database:

```bash
python3 whatsapp_dashboard.py            # -> whatsapp_dashboard.html
```

The generated HTML contains real contact names — it is git-ignored and meant to stay
local.

## Develop

```bash
git clone https://github.com/NabheetCloud/wa-chat-reader
cd wa-chat-reader
pip install -e .
python3 simple_whatsapp_mcp.py           # run from source without installing
```

## License

[MIT](./LICENSE) © 2026 Nabheet Madan

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