You're at a friend's dinner and someone asks for the photo from last summer's beach trip. It's in your 5AM library, somewhere. Or you just filmed your kid's first bike ride and want it safely in your library before your phone's storage fills up. Either way, the app you have open is WhatsApp.
So we met you there. 5AM on WhatsApp is a bot on one shared 5AM number. Connect your WhatsApp number to your 5AM account once, and the chat becomes a small window into your library: send media to save it, type a few words to find it.
What it does
Save by sending. Send a photo, video or audio file to the 5AM chat and it's saved to a private album called WhatsApp uploads. The bot replies with a link to that album. If you add a caption, it's kept with the saved item, which also makes the file easier to find later. Media sent as a WhatsApp document works too, as long as it's a supported image, video or audio format. PDFs and other documents are not saved.
Search with search or find. Type search beach photos or find birthday cake and you get up to five matches from your own library. Each match comes back as a thumbnail with its number, filename and a private link. Videos show their poster frame; audio, and anything still processing, comes back as a text line with a link. Links open only when you're signed in to your 5AM account, and the bot sends thumbnails, never your originals.
See your latest uploads. recent or latest returns your five most recent uploads in the same format.
Ask in plain language (if you turn AI on). With AI enabled, you can write things like "show me photos from the lake" and the bot searches your library for you. It can only search and list recent uploads; results always come from a real search of your library, not from the AI's imagination.
The small commands. app sends the App Store link for the 5AM iPhone and iPad app. help lists the commands. privacy explains what the bot keeps. STOP disconnects (UNLINK and DISCONNECT work too).
Limits worth knowing
- Each imported file can be up to 100 MiB. WhatsApp's own limits for some media types may be lower.
- Voice notes are saved as audio files. They are not transcribed into commands.
- The bot only replies to messages you send. It never messages you first.
- Replies are sent within 24 hours of your message; an older request won't get an answer.
- Uploads count toward your plan's storage, just like any other upload. If your storage is full, the bot tells you instead of saving. See pricing for plan allowances.
AI is off by default
When you connect, you choose whether to enable AI search, photo descriptions and conversational replies. The box starts unchecked. If you turn it on, relevant messages and media are sent to Google Gemini, and usage comes from your 5AM AI credits or your own configured Gemini key.
Without AI, uploads, filename and caption search, recent and every command still work. Anything else you type gets the help message.
How to get started
There are two ways to connect your number.
Message first (recommended)
- Send anything to the 5AM number, +1 (925) 365-8197, or tap wa.me/19253658197.
- The bot replies with a one-use link that works for 10 minutes.
- Open it while signed in to 5AM (if you need to sign in or sign up first, do it in the same browser tab and the link still works afterwards). The page shows which account will be connected.
- Choose whether to enable AI, then tap Connect this number.
- The bot confirms in WhatsApp. Your first message was not kept, so send that photo or request again.
Settings first
- Open Settings and find the 5AM on WhatsApp section.
- Enter your WhatsApp number starting with + and your country code, for example +1 202 555 0123.
- Choose whether to enable AI and click Connect WhatsApp.
- Tap Send connection message in WhatsApp and send the prefilled message from that number within 10 minutes. The Settings page updates once you're connected.
To disconnect, send STOP, or use Disconnect and clear context in Settings. Files you already saved stay in your library.
What the bot keeps
- No permanent chat transcript. For context, the bot keeps at most your last three exchanges from the past 24 hours.
- Disconnecting clears it. Stored conversation content is cleared when you disconnect.
- Your saved media stays yours. Files and captions you send remain in your library until you delete them.
- Thumbnails live in WhatsApp. Photos the bot sends you are WhatsApp messages, so WhatsApp's retention applies to them.
- Connection codes and links are stored only as hashes, work once and expire after 10 minutes.
- Message IDs and send statuses are kept for 30 days to prevent duplicate replies.
This describes 5AM's active database. Backups, WhatsApp and Google Gemini (if you enable AI) have their own retention.
Who it's for
- People who capture on their phone and want photos, clips and voice memos in their library without opening another app.
- People who share from chats. Find last summer's photo, open the private link, and share it however you normally would.
- Anyone with WhatsApp. If WhatsApp runs on your phone, you can use the bot, whether or not you have a 5AM app installed.
Who it's not for
It's not a general-purpose assistant. The bot can't delete files, create public share links, message other people, or run anything beyond saving, searching and listing your own media. For album sharing, editing and everything else, use 5AM itself. Need a person? Email [email protected].
5AM is not affiliated with or endorsed by WhatsApp or Meta.
Try it
Send "hi" to +1 (925) 365-8197 on WhatsApp, or connect from Settings. Then send your favourite photo from today and watch it land in your library.
