# Messages and calls

> Chat one-to-one or in groups, send photos, GIFs and voice notes, react, forward and pin, call a member, and block someone.

Source: https://support.estage.com/community-messages
Part of the ESTAGE Support help center (https://support.estage.com). Full knowledge base: https://support.estage.com/llms-full.txt

---

**Messages** is the private chat inside your community. Members talk one-to-one or in groups,
send photos, videos, GIFs and voice notes, and call each other by voice or video.

Open it from the **Messages** icon in the top bar: it shows your latest **Chats**, and **View all**
opens the full Messages page. On a phone, Messages is in the bottom menu. Approved members can use
it; visitors and people waiting for approval can't.

## Starting a conversation

1. On the Messages page, select the pen icon (**New chat**) and choose **New message**.
2. Type a name in **Search members** and pick the person.

You can also select **Chat** on a member's card in the member directory.

## Creating a group

1. Select the pen icon (**New chat**) and choose **New group**.
2. Search for members in **Search members** and tick everyone you want in the group. Select
   **Next**.
3. Optionally add a photo, then enter a **Group Name**.
4. Select **Create Group**. The group opens, with you as its admin.

To add more people later, the group's admin selects **Add people** at the top of the chat, ticks
the members and selects **Add Selected**. Community admins can also rename a group they created,
change its photo (the pencil next to its name) and remove members.

## Sending messages

Type in **Type a message…** and press Enter or select send. Besides text you can send:

| What | How |
| --- | --- |
| **Photo or video** | Select **+** → **Photo or video** and pick a file. |
| **GIF** | Select **+** → **GIF** and search for one. |
| **Emoji** | Select the emoji button next to the text box. |
| **Voice note** | Hold the microphone button to record, release to send. Slide up to lock the recording, slide left to cancel. |
| **Video message** | Tap the microphone button once to switch it to a camera, then hold to record a round video message, up to 60 seconds. Tap again to switch back. |

One tick under your message means it was sent; two ticks mean it was read.

## Acting on a message

Hover over a message and select the smiley button next to it:

| Action | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Reactions | Add one of six emoji reactions. Select it again to take it back. |
| **Reply** | Quotes the message above yours. |
| **Copy text** | Copies the text of the message. |
| **Forward** | Opens **Forward message** — pick a conversation and the message is sent there, marked as forwarded. |
| **Edit** | Your own text messages only. Edited messages are marked *edited*. |
| **Delete** | Your own messages only. After you confirm, the message is deleted for everyone. |

> **Caution**
>
> Deleting a message you sent can't be undone, and it disappears for everyone in the chat.

## Searching

- **Your conversations** — select the search icon at the top of the list and type in **Search
  conversations**. Use **All**, **Unread** and **Online** to narrow the list.
- **Inside a chat** — select **Search messages** at the top of the chat and type in **Search in
  conversation**.

## Calling a member

> **Note**
>
> Calls work in one-to-one chats only — in a group chat there's no call button.

1. Open the chat with the person.
2. Select **Voice call** or **Video call** at the top. Their screen shows an incoming call.
3. They choose **Accept**, **Decline**, or — for a video call — **Audio** to answer without their
   camera.

During a call you can switch camera and microphone, share your screen with **Share screen**, and go
full screen.

## Pinning, muting and deleting a conversation

Right-click a conversation in the list (on a phone, press and hold), or select the name at the top
of an open chat to see its details:

| Option | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Pin conversation** / **Pin** | Keeps the conversation at the top of your list. |
| **Mute** | Stops notifications for this conversation. **Unmute** turns them back on. |
| **Share Contact** | Copies a link to the person's profile. |
| **Delete Conversation** / **Delete** | Removes the conversation from your list. The other person keeps their copy. If they write to you again, the conversation comes back. |

## Blocking someone

1. Open the chat with the person and select their name at the top.
2. Select **Block User**, then **Block**.

Neither of you can message or call the other while the block is on. To lift it, select **Unblock
User** in the same place.

## Things worth knowing

- **Messages are private.** Admins can't read, search or remove other members' messages, and there's
  no admin view of chats — see [Admin settings](https://support.estage.com/community-admin-settings#things-worth-knowing).
- **There's no setting to turn Messages off.** Members who are
  [banned](https://support.estage.com/community-moderation#banning-a-member) can't use Messages until the ban ends.
- **Story replies arrive here.** When someone replies to your [story](https://support.estage.com/community-stories), the
  reply opens a chat with them.