Send a message to another attendee without requesting a meeting. The chat opens under Networking for both of you.
Where to find it
Open the person's profile from People (or the name your organizer gave it) and select Chat in the bar at the bottom. The button is the same in the mobile app and the web app.
If you already have a meeting with the person, or a chat that has a reply, Chat opens that conversation. While a chat request is unanswered, the profile has no Chat button. Open the chat from Networking > Chats or with View chat on the person's card in People.
Send the first message
Select Chat on the profile.
On Start conversation, enter your message in Message. The field is required and takes up to 500 characters; the counter shows how many you used. The placeholder suggests what to write: "Take a moment to tell <name> who you are and why you want to chat."
Select Start conversation.
The app shows "Chat started" and opens the chat. The header reads Chat with <first name>. The other person gets a push notification, "Chat request from <your name>", with your message, and the chat appears in their Networking > Chats.
Reply to a chat someone started
The chat appears in your Networking > Chats with the first message. Open it and write your reply. There is nothing to accept first. See Use the Networking tab.
After the first message
Keep writing. A chat is not paused while you wait for a reply; only meeting requests limit your messages.
To send a message, select the send button. In the web app, you can also press Enter. Press Shift + Enter for a new line. In the mobile app, the return key adds a new line.
To turn the chat into a meeting, select Suggest meeting on the person's profile, or in the menu (⋯) at the top right of the chat. See Suggest a meeting.
The person's card in People now shows View chat.
Find the chat later under Networking > Chats. See Use the Networking tab.
Good to know
Chat appears only at events where the organizer turned on open chat. Without it, contact people through a meeting request.
Chat is inactive, and selecting it shows "<name> is not available for networking", when the person opted out of networking or their ticket does not allow requests.
If you skipped networking when you joined, profiles show Start networking instead of Chat. Set up your profile first. See Set up your networking profile.
Messages to or from a person you blocked, or who blocked you, are not delivered.
Until the other person replies, your follow-up messages send them no push notification; they see them when they open the chat. After a reply, each new message sends a push notification unless the chat is hidden. See Meeting and chat notifications.
To copy a message, press and hold it (mobile app) or right-click it (web app) and select Copy text.
You can't edit or delete a message after you send it.
"<first name> is typing..." shows above the message field while the other person writes.
Messages longer than 1,000 characters are cut at 1,000 characters.
Troubleshooting
"Please write a message"
The message is empty or contains only spaces. Enter your message.
I can't find the chat
Open Networking > Chats and select the Hidden filter. See Meetings or chats are missing.
The chat has stopped working
See Fix chat problems.