The team's chat
Talk with your team on the site — the general channel, channels of your own (open, private or a group's), direct messages, files and pictures, reactions, threads, @mentions, editing and deleting.
Every team has a chat: a general channel for everyone in it, channels for a topic or a group of people, and direct messages between two members.
Where to find it
- Services → Chat in the site's header (shown once you are in a team), or /chat.
- On a team's page: Open the team's chat.
- The red dot on the Services button and the number beside Chat in its menu = unread messages.
On a computer the chat shows the list on the left (the team, its channels, the people) and the conversation on the right; on a phone the list first, then the conversation (← to go back). In several teams, choose the team at the top of the list.
Writing
Type in the box at the bottom and press Enter to send; Shift+Enter makes a new line. Links become clickable.
Mentions: type @ and the first letters of a name, choose the person (↑ ↓ and Enter, or a click). The name is marked in the message, and the person gets a notice — on the site, by e-mail and push (at most every 10 minutes; see Notifications).
New messages appear by themselves within a few seconds while the page is open. Older ones: Earlier messages at the top of the conversation.
Files and pictures
Three ways to attach: the paper clip left of the box, paste (Ctrl+V — a picture copied anywhere, a screenshot), or drop files onto the conversation. Up to 10 files a message, 25 MB each; a message may be files only. They show under the box while they upload (× removes one) — Send waits until all are up.
In the conversation pictures show as thumbnails; a click opens the viewer: ← → between the message's pictures, Copy the picture (then paste it anywhere — in a letter, another chat, a document), Download, Open the original, Esc closes. Other files show as a card with their size: a click downloads.
Files are kept privately: only the people who see the channel open them. Deleting a message deletes its files.
Reactions
Point at a message → ☺+ → choose an emoji. Under the message the reactions show with their count; your own are marked — a click on one puts it or takes yours off. Point at a reaction to see who gave it.
Threads
To answer one message without filling the channel: point at it → Reply in a thread (the arrow in a bubble). The thread opens on the right (on a phone over the conversation) with its own box to write — files and @mentions work there too. In the channel the message shows "3 replies"; a click opens the thread again.
Who started the thread and everyone who answered in it get a notice of new replies.
Channels
- General — everyone in the team, always there. Its topic may be set by the team's owner and administrators (the gear at the top).
- A new channel: + beside Channels → a name (sales, project-x …), a topic if you like, and Who sees it:
- The whole team — everyone in the team sees it and may write in it;
- Private — only the people you tick see it (you are always in it);
- A group of the team — the members of one of the team's groups, also those who join the group later (marked with the group's colour in the list).
- The gear at the top of a channel: who made it and the team's owner / administrators change its name, topic and (private) its people, or Delete the channel (its messages and files go with it, for everyone). Anyone in a private channel may Leave the channel. A group's channel follows the group: change who is in it on the team's page → Groups.
Direct messages
Under Direct messages every member of the team is listed: a click opens your conversation with them (made the first time). Only the two of you see it. Every direct message reaches the other person as a notice.
Editing and deleting
Point at your message: ✎ edits it (Enter saves, Esc cancels; it is marked "(edited)"), 🗑 deletes it — "Message deleted" stays in its place. The team's owner and administrators (and who made a channel) may delete anyone's message in a channel.
When something does not work
- No Chat in the Services menu — you are in no team: make one or accept an invitation (Teams).
- New messages do not appear — the page checks every few seconds only while it is visible; switch back to its tab, or reload it.
- No notice of a message — notices come only for direct messages and @mentions, and by e-mail / push at most every 10 minutes; check Profile → Notifications → Chat: a message for you.
- A colleague does not see a channel — it is private: open its gear and tick them.