# Write, react and manage messages

> Send messages with files, voice notes, emoji and GIFs, mention people, react, reply in threads, pin, translate, and edit or delete what you sent.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-writing-messages
Section: Communicate > Chat and calls
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

Everything you write in Chat goes through the message box at the bottom of a conversation. Beside it are the buttons that add a file, a voice note, an emoji or a GIF, and start a meeting. Once a message is sent, you and everyone else can react to it, reply to it in a thread, pin it or translate it, and you can edit or delete your own.

## Before you start

- **Sign in and open a conversation.** See [PlexiiChat: channels and messages](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-overview) and [Direct messages and channels](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-conversations-and-channels).
- **Plans.** Writing and managing messages is part of every plan.
- **Some extras use the AI member.** **Translate**, **Clarify this draft before sending** and thread summaries work in your organisation's conversations once an admin has set up the AI member. See [Set up the AI member in chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-ai-member).
- **GIFs need a Tenor key.** To search GIFs, add a Tenor API key in **Settings > AI**, under **AI · API keys**.

## Send a message

1. Click in the box marked **Write a message…** at the bottom of the conversation.
2. Type your message. Press `⇧` `Enter` on a Mac or `Shift` `Enter` on Windows to start a new line.
3. Press `Enter`, or click the send button at the right.

Your message appears on the right of the conversation. Rest the pointer on any message to see the time it was sent.

## Mention someone

1. Type `@` and the start of the person's handle or name. A list of matching people in the conversation opens.
2. Press `↓` and `↑` to choose, then `Enter` or `Tab`. Or click their name.

The handle goes into your message. Once sent, the mention shows as the person's name, highlighted. Mentions of you stand out in the accent colour.

A mention reaches the person even when they have set the conversation to notify them only about mentions. It also lists the message in their **Activity** and their **Needs you**. See [Search and catch up in chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-search-and-catch-up).

## Add a file, a voice note, an emoji or a GIF

The buttons to the left of the message box add to your message. Rest the pointer on one to see its name.

| Button | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Attach a file or image** (the paper clip) | Choose a file from your computer. It uploads straight away and waits above the message box with its name. Click the cross on it, **Remove attachment**, to take it off. |
| **Record a voice note** (the microphone) | Starts recording. The message box reads **Recording… tap stop when done**. Click **Stop recording** to finish, and the voice note waits above the message box. |
| **Emoji** (the smiling face) | Opens a set of emoji. Click one to add it to the end of your message. |
| **GIF** | Opens **Search GIFs…**. Type to search, then click a GIF to attach it. |
| **Start a meeting** (the video camera) | Starts a meeting in PlexiiMeet straight away. See [Start a meeting from a desk, document or chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help/meet-from-desk-or-document). |

A message can carry one attachment. Add text too if you want, then send it as usual.

How attachments look in the conversation:

- **Images and GIFs** show in the message. Click an image to open it on its own.
- **Videos** and **voice notes** play in the message.
- **Other files** show as a chip with the file's name and size. Click it to download the file.

## Clarify a draft before you send it

When you have typed something, a magic-wand button appears beside the message box: **Clarify this draft before sending**.

1. Type your message.
2. Click **Clarify this draft before sending**. Your words are rewritten into a clearer message in the box.
3. Read it. Send it as it is, change it, or click the button again, now **Revert to your original wording**, to get your own words back.

Nothing is sent until you send it. This uses your organisation's AI member. See [Set up the AI member in chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-ai-member).

## React to a message

1. Rest the pointer on a message and click **Add reaction** (the smiling face with a plus) beside it.
2. Click one of the six quick reactions.

Reactions sit under the message with how many people chose each. Click a reaction to add yours, or click it again to take yours away.

## Reply in a thread

A thread keeps a side conversation under one message, so the main conversation stays easy to follow.

1. Rest the pointer on a message and click **Reply in thread** under it.
2. The **Thread** column opens on the right with the message at the top.
3. Type in the box marked **Reply…** and press `Enter`.

Once a message has replies, it shows how many, for example **3 replies**. Click that to open the thread. Click **Close thread** (the cross) to close the column.

In a thread with three replies or more, click **Summarise** at the top for a short summary, with numbered links to the messages it came from. This uses your organisation's AI member.

In the stream view, a thread opens under its message instead, with a box marked **Reply in thread…**.

## Pin a message

Pin the messages people need to find again, such as an agreed date or a link.

1. Rest the pointer on a message and click the pin under it, **Pin message**.
2. The message appears in the pinned bar at the top of the conversation, for example **2 pinned**.

To unpin, click the cross beside it in the pinned bar, or click the pin under the message again, **Unpin message**. Pins are shared, so everyone in the conversation sees the same ones.

## Translate a message

1. Above the conversation, choose a language in the list. Its tooltip reads **Translate messages to**. PlexiDesk remembers your choice on this computer.
2. Rest the pointer on a message, click **Message actions** (the three dots) and click **Translate to** and your language, for example **Translate to Spanish**.

The translation replaces the text, and **· translated** shows beside the time. Open **Message actions** again and click **Show original** to switch back. Translations are only for you; nobody else's view changes.

## Edit or delete your message

1. Rest the pointer on your message and click **Message actions** (the three dots).
2. Click **Edit** or **Delete**.

- **Edit** puts the text in a box. Change it and press `Enter` or click **Save**. Press `Esc` or click **Cancel** to stop without saving. An edited message shows **· edited** beside its time.
- **Delete** removes the message straight away, for everyone. In its place, everyone sees **This message was deleted**.

You can only edit and delete your own messages.

## Add a message to Attention

When a message needs an answer or some work from you, rest the pointer on it and click the bell beside it, **Add to Attention — you choose how it's filed (Respond by default)**. The bell stays filled while the item is open. See [Capture something into Attention](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-capture).

## When Plexii drafts a message for you

When you ask Plexii, the assistant, to write to someone in a chat, it offers a **Draft message** card. Applying it opens Chat on that conversation with the message already in the box. Read it, change anything, and send it yourself. See [Review and apply Plexii's changes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/plexii-proposals).

## In the Plexii panel

The Plexii panel's **Message** tab has the same message box, with the microphone inside the box at its right. To start a meeting from there, use **Meet** above the conversation. See [Open, move and resize the Plexii panel](https://plexiidesk.com/help/plexii-panel).

## Tips

- **Thread the details.** Answer a question in its thread, so the channel stays a list of topics rather than one long scroll.
- **Pin decisions.** A pinned message is the quickest way back to what was agreed.
- **Speak instead of typing.** A voice note is faster than a long message when you are explaining something.

## Common questions

**The GIF picker says it needs a key.** It reads **GIF search needs a free Tenor API key.** Add one in **Settings > AI**, under **AI · API keys**, then search again.

**My file did not attach.** If the message box says **Could not upload that file.**, check the file is no larger than 50 MB and try again.

**Recording says Microphone is not available.** PlexiDesk could not use your microphone. Check that another app is not using it and that PlexiDesk is allowed to use it in your computer's privacy settings.

**Clarify or Translate did nothing.** Both use your organisation's AI member and work in the organisation's conversations. Ask an admin to set it up. See [Set up the AI member in chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-ai-member).

**Can I edit someone else's message?** No. You can react to it, reply in its thread, pin it or translate it.

**Can I undo a delete?** No. Copy anything you need from a message before you delete it.

## Related tasks

- [PlexiiChat: channels and messages](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-overview)
- [Direct messages and channels](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-conversations-and-channels)
- [Search and catch up in chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-search-and-catch-up)
- [Set up the AI member in chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help/chat-ai-member)
- [Capture something into Attention](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-capture)
- [Keyboard shortcuts](https://plexiidesk.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts)