# Group Channels

Source: https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/group-channels

> Create named group channels for team or project conversations.

> **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.

Create a named group channel when more than two team members need to share one conversation, such as for a team, project or announcement stream.

![A group channel open on the Chat page, with the channel header highlighted showing Riverside SIL House, 6 members and 1 online, above a message that mentions Priya Nair, Hannah Clarke and Ava Chen.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/group-chat-1.png)

> **Seeing only your group channels**
>
> Select the **Groups** tab above your chat list to hide direct messages and leave only your group channels. See [Filtering Conversations](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/filtering-conversations).

## Creating a Group Channel

To create a new group channel:

1. Navigate to [Chat](https://app.astalty.com.au/chat)
2. Click the **New Message** button (compose icon) at the top of the channel list
3. Search for and select two or more team members, or select one or more **User Groups** to automatically include all of their members
4. Optionally, enter a **Group Name** (e.g., "SIL House A" or "Monday Team Meeting")
5. Click **Create** to create the channel

The **Group Name** field only appears once your selection makes it a group - two or more individual members, or at least one User Group. Selecting a single member keeps it a direct message instead, with no name field; see [Direct Messages](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/direct-messages). The name is optional - a group left unnamed displays as a list of its members' names instead (e.g., "Jane Doe, John Smith, Alex Lee +2 others" once there are more than three).

Once the channel is created, all added members will see the channel in their channel list, and a system message confirms the channel has been created unless **Group created** is hidden.

> **System messages can be turned off**
>
> Your administrator can hide any of the automatic notices described on this page, so a system message may not appear. See [Hiding System Messages](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/chat-configuration#hiding-system-messages).

## Creating a Separate Group with the Same Members

If you start a group chat with a set of members (or a linked User Group) that exactly matches an existing group channel, Astalty asks whether you want to reuse the existing conversation or start a fresh one:

![The Chat already exists dialog, saying a group chat with these members already exists (Monday Team Standup), with Cancel, Open existing and Create new group buttons.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/chat-duplicate-group-prompt.png)

- **Open existing** - takes you to the group channel that already contains those members.
- **Create new group** - creates a separate, brand-new group channel with the same members, kept independent of the existing one.
- **Cancel** - closes the prompt without creating or opening anything, so you can adjust your selection.

This lets you keep several distinct group chats for the same people - for example, giving each Participant their own dedicated conversation even when the same Support Workers appear in more than one group.

> **Note**
>
> This prompt only appears for group channels. Starting a direct message with someone you already have a conversation with always reopens the existing conversation.

## Updating a Group Channel Name

To update the name of an existing group channel:

1. Open the group channel
2. Click on the channel name in the header
3. Enter the new name
4. Confirm the change

A system message is displayed in the channel indicating that the channel name has been updated, unless **Group renamed** is hidden.

## Updating a Group Channel Photo

A group channel shows coloured initials by default. You can replace them with a custom photo so the channel is easier to tell apart in the chat list.

To set or change the photo:

1. Open the group channel
2. Click **Actions** > **Manage Channel**
3. In the **Channel Details** panel, click the camera icon on the channel's photo
4. Select **Change photo** (skipped if no photo is set yet)
5. Upload a JPG, PNG or HEIC image, up to 50MB

![The Channel Details panel for the Riverside SIL House group channel, with a camera icon on the channel's initials photo beside the Channel Name field, above the Read-only channel toggle and the Linked User Groups section.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/group-channel-photo-upload-guide.png)

The photo replaces the channel's initials in the chat list, the channel header and chat search, and updates for everyone in the channel immediately. Anyone who can rename the group can also change its photo - admins, by default.

To remove a photo and return to coloured initials, click the camera icon and select **Remove photo**, then confirm.

> **Note**
>
> Direct messages always show the other person's own photo and do not support a custom one. Group channel photos appear on both the web and mobile apps.

## Managing Channel Members

Group channels support flexible membership management. You can add or remove individual members, or link User Groups for automatic membership syncing.

> **Note**
>
> Direct message conversations are always between two people and do not support adding or removing members.

### Viewing Channel Members

To view the current members of a group channel:

1. Open the group channel
2. Click the **Members** option in the channel header

This will open a dialog showing all current members of the channel.

![The Riverside SIL House group channel with the Pins tab open, and an arrow pointing to the 6 members count in the channel header.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/group-members-1.png)

### Adding Members

To add a member to a group channel:

1. Open the group channel
2. Click the **Members** option in the channel header
3. Click **Add Members**
4. Search for and select the team member(s) you would like to add
5. Confirm your selection

A system message appears in the channel for each member that is added, unless **Members added to group** is hidden.

### Removing Members

To remove a member from a group channel:

1. Open the group channel
2. Click the **Members** option in the channel header
3. Find the member you wish to remove
4. Click the remove option next to their name
5. Confirm the removal

The removed member will no longer see the channel in their channel list. A system message indicates that the member has been removed, unless **Member removed from group** is hidden - which is the usual choice when a removal needs to stay confidential.

> **Note**
>
> You cannot remove yourself from a channel.

## Linking User Groups

You can link one or more **User Groups** to a group channel. When a User Group is linked:

- All current members of the User Group are automatically added to the channel
- When new users are added to the User Group in the future, they will automatically be added to the channel
- When users are removed from the User Group, they will automatically be removed from the channel (unless they were also added manually or are covered by another linked User Group)

To link a User Group:

1. Open the group channel
2. Click the **Members** option in the channel header
3. Select the **User Groups** tab or section
4. Search for and select the User Group(s) you would like to link
5. Confirm your selection

A system message confirms the User Group has been linked, unless **User groups added** is hidden.

### Unlinking User Groups

To unlink a User Group from a channel:

1. Open the group channel
2. Click the **Members** option in the channel header
3. Navigate to the **User Groups** section
4. Click the remove or unlink option next to the User Group
5. Confirm the removal

When a User Group is unlinked, members who were added solely through that User Group will be removed. Members who were also manually added, or who are covered by another linked User Group, will remain.

## Read-Only Channels

A read-only channel lets everyone see the conversation while preventing members from posting - ideal for announcement-style channels where only certain people should be able to send messages. You can keep a channel read-only for everyone while still allowing specific members to post.

> **Only the Channel Creator Controls Posting**
>
> Only the person who created the group channel can turn read-only mode on or off and choose which members can post. Not even an Admin can change these on a channel someone else created.

### Making a Channel Read-Only

1. Open the group channel
2. Click **Actions** > **Manage Channel**
3. In the **Channel Details** panel, turn on the **Read-only channel** toggle

Once read-only is on, members can still read the channel but cannot post, unless you specifically allow them to.

### Allowing a Member to Post

With the channel set to read-only:

1. In the **Channel Details** panel, find the member in the **Members** list
2. Click the three dots (actions menu) next to their name
3. Click **Allow posting**

![The Channel Details panel with an arrow to the Read-only channel toggle, which is on. A member's three-dot actions menu is highlighted and open, with an arrow pointing to Allow posting above Remove from channel.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/chat-read-only-allow-posting-guide.png)

To remove a member's posting permission, open the same actions menu and select **Stop allowing posting**. They will keep read access but will no longer be able to post.

### Seeing Who Can Post

Members who have been granted posting permission display a **Can post** chip next to their name in the **Channel Details** panel, making it easy to see who can post in a read-only channel.

![The Channel Details panel with the Read-only channel toggle on, and a Can post chip beside Priya Nair in the Members list.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/chat-read-only-can-post-guide.png)

> **Letting everyone else submit posts for approval**
>
> Turn on **Allow posts for approval** to let the members who cannot post submit one anyway. It stays hidden until someone who can post approves it. See [Post Approvals](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/post-approvals).

## Message History for New Members

When a new member is added to a group channel, whether they can see messages sent before they joined depends on the **Show Message History to New Members** setting in your [Chat Configuration](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/chat-configuration). If enabled, new members can see the full history. If disabled, they will only see messages sent after they joined.

Pinned messages are an exception. Current members can see every pinned message and its attachments, including pins sent before they joined. Earlier pins are labelled **Sent before you joined** and do not offer the **Jump to message** action. See [Pinned Messages](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat/messaging#pinned-messages).

![Chat Settings with the Members section highlighted, showing Show Message History to New Members set to Disabled.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/show-messages-1.png)