# Start Direct and Group Messages

> Message one teammate or a group of up to nine people, then mute or leave the conversation.

Source: https://jobwisepro.com/help/team-chat/direct-and-group-messages
Category: Team Chat
Updated: 2026-10-28

Start a direct message with one teammate or a group message with two to eight others, then mute or leave the conversation. Both are listed under **Direct messages** in the sidebar of the [team chat](/go/chat) page. Channels are listed under **Channels** in the same sidebar, and [Create and Manage Channels](/help/team-chat/create-and-manage-channels) covers them.

## Start a direct message

A direct message is a conversation with one teammate, and picking that teammate again reopens it.

1. Click the **plus icon** in the **Direct messages** header.
   - If you have no direct messages yet, click **Message a teammate** instead.
2. In the **New Message** window, type the teammate's name in the **Search people** box.
3. Click the teammate's name in the list.
4. Click **Open message**.

The conversation opens, and its row appears under **Direct messages**. To write in it, see [Send and Edit Messages](/help/team-chat/send-and-edit-messages).

## Start a group message

A group message holds you and two to eight other teammates.

1. Click the **plus icon** in the **Direct messages** header to open the **New Message** window.
2. Click each teammate who belongs in the group.
   - When eight teammates are picked, the other names are disabled.
3. Click the **x icon** beside a picked teammate's name to remove them.
4. Click **Create group**.
   - With one teammate picked, the button reads **Open message** and starts a direct message.

![New Message window with two teammates picked above the search box and the Create group button](/help-shots/team-chat/direct-and-group-messages/new-message.png)

The group opens, and its row is named with the other people's first names, separated by commas.

> **Note:** Picking the same people again reopens their group unless one of them has left it. A different set of people starts a new group.

## Mute a conversation

Mute a conversation to quiet it while it stays in your list.

1. Open the options menu on the conversation's row.
2. Click **Mute conversation**.
   - If the conversation is already muted, click **Notify for every message** to unmute it.

The row loses its unread count and bold name, and a mention count still shows. For notification levels, see [Set Chat Notifications and Unread Counts](/help/team-chat/chat-notifications-and-unread).

> **Tip:** Right-click a conversation's row to open the same options menu.

## Leave a group

Leave a group you are finished with, which removes it from your list.

1. Open the options menu on the group's row.
2. Click **Leave conversation**.
3. In the confirmation dialog, click **Leave conversation** to confirm you are leaving the group.

The group leaves the sidebar. If it was open, the page returns to the team chat page.

> **Warning:** Leaving a group ends your access to its messages. To message those people again, start a new group, which opens without the earlier messages.

## Who can start a conversation

- **Permission:** the **Chat** permission must be **Edit** or **Full**. **Edit (assigned)** does not qualify. Owners count as **Full**.
- **Without that access:** the **plus icon** and **Message a teammate** do not appear.
- **Direct message:** one other teammate. It can't be left, so mute it instead.
- **Group message:** two to eight other teammates, nine people in all. You can leave it.
- **Teammate with no chat access:** the conversation does not open.
- **Group after someone left:** picking the same people starts a new group without the earlier messages.