Create a New Direct Message

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Here you will find information on how to create 1:1 DMs and DMs with multiple users.

Create a 1:1 and 1:M DM from the menu bar

To create a direct message from the menu bar,

  1. On the Rocket.Chat menu bar, click the Create New icon, then select Direct Message.

  2. Select the user with whom you want to start a DM. You can add multiple users to create a 1:M DM. Now, click Create.

  3. A new direct message is opened with the user(s), and you can communicate privately.

To create a direct message from the menu bar,

  1. On the Rocket.Chat menu bar, tap the Create New icon, then select Direct Message.

  2. Select the user you want to start a DM with. Add multiple users to create a 1:M DM. Then, tap Create.

  3. A new DM is opened with the user(s), and you can now communicate privately.

Create a 1:1 DM from a room

You can open a 1:1 DM with a user if you are in the same room as them by following these steps:

  1. Click the Members icon at the top-right menu of the room screen or click the kebab menu to find the room members. The list of the room members is displayed.

  2. Select the member from the list with whom you want to start a DM. Alternatively, you can search for the member using the search bar.

  3. Next to the search bar, you can select whether you want to view all members or only online members.

  4. Once you have selected the member, their User Info page opens. Click the Direct message button below their avatar, and a DM room opens for you and that user.

You can open a 1:1 DM with a user if you are in the same room as them by following these steps:

  1. You can select the user profile directly by tapping the user avatar or the name. The User info page opens. Tap Message to begin a DM with that user.

  2. Alternatively, tap the room name to access the room options. Tap Members and select the user with whom you want to begin a DM. Select Direct message and a DM room opens for you and that user.

Here are some important features to note about DM rooms:

  • You can't create a multi-user DM with the same user combination.

  • Once a DM is created, the membership can't be updated. So, you can't add or remove members to the DM.

  • No one is the owner, unlike channels.

  • The DM can not be deleted. You can only hide the conversation.

  • You can not ignore, block, mute, or remove a user for multi-user DMs. Although, you can start a call or start a 1:1 DM with them.

We recommend a maximum of 8 users in a DM. However, contact your workspace administrator if you need to update it to suit your needs.

Mark DM as favorite

All DMs marked as favorites are listed at the top of the sidebar, making them easy to access.

To mark a DM as favorite,

  • At the top of the DM screen, click the star icon next to the DM header to mark it as Favorite.

  • To remove the DM from Favorites, click the star icon again.