Get started with Chats

Chats is where your one-to-one and group conversations live. Messages, photos, videos, voice notes and calls in Chats are end-to-end encrypted, so only the people in the conversation can read or hear them.

Your chat list

Open Chats in the navigation bar. Each row shows the person or group, the latest message, when it arrived, and how many messages you haven't read. Other things you may see on a row:

Tap a row to open the chat. Long-press a row, or tap its photo, to see quick actions: Camera, Open chat, Voice call and Video call, plus Pin Conversation, Mute Notifications, Lock Chat, Mark as Read, Clear Conversation, Delete Chat and Block User.

A conversation

At the top of a chat you'll see the person's name and whether they're online, typing…, recording audio... or when they were last seen. Tap the name to open their profile. The icons on the right start a voice or video call, and the menu holds search and more.

At the bottom is the composer:

• The emoji button opens emoji, GIFs and stickers.
• The paper clip (Attach) opens Gallery, Camera, Location, Contact, All Files, Layout, Poll, ZapCloud and Zappy.
• The camera button takes a photo or video; hold it to record a video note.
• The microphone records a voice message. When you've typed something, it turns into Send.

What you can do in a chat

• Send messages with formatting, mentions, effects and scheduling.
• Send photos and videos, files, your location, contacts and polls.
• Record voice messages and video notes.
• React, reply, edit, forward, star, pin and delete messages.
• Translate a message, or have Zappy catch you up.