Using itchat in Python to Capture and Save Recalled WeChat Messages

This guide walks through building a Python tool that monitors WeChat conversations using the itchat library and automatically saves any recalled messages, including text, pictures, and voice recordings.

Step 1: Install itchat Run pip install itchat to obtain the library.

Step 2: Log in Use itchat.auto_login(True) to log in to the web version of WeChat. Because the official web API is restricted, the tutorial explains a workaround that allows the script to authenticate.

Step 3: Send a test message After logging in, you can send a message to a friend with itchat.send('test', toUserName) to verify the connection.

Step 4: Register message listeners Define a decorator @itchat.msg_register([TEXT, PICTURE, FRIENDS, CARD, MAP, SHARING, RECORDING, ATTACHMENT, VIDEO]) and a function resever_info(msg) that extracts the message content, type, sender, timestamp, and stores these details in a global dictionary.

Step 5: Handle recall notifications Register another listener for system messages with @itchat.msg_register(NOTE) . When a recall notice (containing the phrase "撤回了一条消息") arrives, parse the XML payload to obtain the original msgid . Use this ID to retrieve the original message from the dictionary, then:

If the recalled message is a voice recording, save the file, compose a notification, and forward both the text and the audio file to the file helper.

If it is text, compose a notification with the original text and send it to the file helper.

If it is a picture, save the image, compose a notification, and forward the image to the file helper.

After processing, delete the entry from the dictionary to free memory.

Step 6: Full script The complete script combines the above steps, creates a directory for saved files, and runs itchat.run() to keep the bot active. The code is shown below:

import itchat
from itchat.content import *
import os
import time
import xml.dom.minidom

temp = '/Users/yourname/Documents/itchat' + '/' + '撤回的消息'
if not os.path.exists(temp):
    os.mkdir(temp)

itchat.auto_login(True)

dict = {}

@itchat.msg_register([TEXT, PICTURE, FRIENDS, CARD, MAP, SHARING, RECORDING, ATTACHMENT, VIDEO])
def resever_info(msg):
    global dict
    info = msg['Text']
    msgId = msg['MsgId']
    info_type = msg['Type']
    name = msg['FileName']
    fromUser = itchat.search_friends(userName=msg['FromUserName'])['NickName']
    ticks = msg['CreateTime']
    time_local = time.localtime(ticks)
    dt = time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", time_local)
    dict[msgId] = {"info": info, "info_type": info_type, "name": name, "fromUser": fromUser, "dt": dt}

@itchat.msg_register(NOTE)
def note_info(msg):
    if '撤回了一条消息' in msg['Text']:
        content = msg['Content']
        doc = xml.dom.minidom.parseString(content)
        result = doc.getElementsByTagName('msgid')
        msgId = result[0].childNodes[0].nodeValue
        msg_type = dict[msgId]['info_type']
        if msg_type == 'Recording':
            recording_info = dict[msgId]['info']
            info_name = dict[msgId]['name']
            fromUser = dict[msgId]['fromUser']
            dt = dict[msgId]['dt']
            recording_info(temp + '/' + info_name)
            send_msg = '【发送人:】' + fromUser + '\n' + '发送时间:' + dt + '\n' + '撤回了一条语音'
            itchat.send(send_msg, 'filehelper')
            itchat.send_file(temp + '/' + info_name, 'filehelper')
            del dict[msgId]
            print('保存语音')
        elif msg_type == 'Text':
            text_info = dict[msgId]['info']
            fromUser = dict[msgId]['fromUser']
            dt = dict[msgId]['dt']
            send_msg = '【发送人:】' + fromUser + '\n' + '发送时间:' + dt + '\n' + '撤回内容:' + text_info
            itchat.send(send_msg, 'filehelper')
            del dict[msgId]
            print('保存文本')
        elif msg_type == 'Picture':
            picture_info = dict[msgId]['info']
            fromUser = dict[msgId]['fromUser']
            dt = dict[msgId]['dt']
            info_name = dict[msgId]['name']
            picture_info(temp + '/' + info_name)
            send_msg = '【发送人:】' + fromUser + '\n' + '发送时间:' + dt + '\n' + '撤回了一张图片'
            itchat.send(send_msg, 'filehelper')
            itchat.send_file(temp + '/' + info_name, 'filehelper')
            del dict[msgId]
            print('保存图片')

itchat.run()

Running the script will display a console output confirming successful login and message handling, and the file helper will receive notifications and saved media whenever a friend recalls a message.