Opening a conversation
Click any row in the conversation list to open it. The message thread appears in the centre pane and the input bar sits at the bottom, ready to type.
Typing a reply
Click inside the input bar and start typing. Press Enter to send. If you want a line break without sending, press Shift + Enter.
Formatting your message
The toolbar above the input bar includes basic text formatting:
- Bold —
Ctrl/Cmd + B - Italic —
Ctrl/Cmd + I - Ordered and unordered lists
- Hyperlinks — select text, then click the link icon
Formatting is supported for live chat and email conversations. On messaging channels like Instagram or Facebook Messenger, plain text is sent regardless of formatting applied.
Attachments and files
Click the paperclip icon in the toolbar to attach a file. You can also drag and drop a file directly onto the input bar. Supported types include images, PDFs, and common document formats. The visitor will receive a download link or an inline preview depending on the channel.
Emoji
Click the emoji icon (smiley face) to open the emoji picker, or type a colon followed by the emoji name (e.g. :thumbsup) and select from the inline suggestion.
GIFs
Click the GIF icon next to the emoji picker to search and insert an animated GIF. GIFs are supported in live chat conversations.
Inserting saved replies and articles
Type / in the input bar to open the saved replies picker and insert a message template instantly. Type ? to search and link a knowledge base article, or # for a documentation page. See
Use saved replies for full details.
Switching between public and private
The eye icon (or Public/Private toggle) in the input bar controls who sees your message. Public messages go to the visitor; Private notes are visible only to your team. The toggle persists until you change it. See Private notes and @mentions for more.
Email conversations
If the conversation came in via email, your reply is sent as an email from your configured sender address. The reply-to threading is automatic — the visitor's next reply comes back into the same conversation. The chat header shows an Email badge when this mode is active.
What's next
If this conversation needs to be handled by a different teammate, see Assign a conversation to a teammate.