# Chat

Source: https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat

> Message your team directly inside Astalty with direct messages and group channels.

> **Enabling Chat**
>
> Chat is an optional feature. The Account Owner can turn it on from the [Optional Features](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/optional-features#chat) page.

[Chat](https://app.astalty.com.au/chat) is Astalty's built-in messaging feature for one-on-one direct messages and shared group channels, keeping team communication organised in one place. See [Chat Privacy and Visibility](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/chat-privacy) for how membership and account-wide Admin access work.

## In this section

- [Chat Overview](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/chat-overview) - what Chat does, key concepts, and the interface
- [Status and Availability](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/status-and-availability) - set your availability, emoji and message, and see who is away or on leave before you message them
- [Direct Messages](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/direct-messages) - start and view one-on-one conversations
- [Group Channels](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/group-channels) - create channels and manage members
- [Post Approvals](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/post-approvals) - let members submit posts to a read-only channel, published once someone approves them
- [Messaging](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/messaging) - sending, mentions, reactions, pins, attachments, and search
- [Message Drafts](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/message-drafts) - half-written messages are saved automatically, and text is recovered if a send fails
- [Read Receipts](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/read-receipts) - see exactly who has and has not read a message you sent
- [Polls](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/polls) - ask a quick question in a conversation and collect answers in one place
- [Filtering Conversations](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/filtering-conversations) - the All, Direct and Groups tabs, and showing only unread conversations
- [Archiving Conversations](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/archiving-conversations) - hide conversations from your chat list and bring them back
- [Pinning Conversations](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/pinning-conversations) - keep important chats at the top of your chat list
- [Notifications](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/notifications) - desktop pop-ups, sounds, and the browser-tab unread count
- [Muting Conversations](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/muting-conversations) - silence a busy conversation's notifications without hiding it
- [Chat Configuration](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/chat-configuration) - admin settings and app management
- [Chat Privacy and Visibility](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/chat-privacy) - who can see your conversations, and what admins can and cannot access