Skip to main content

Send messages

You can send messages in public and private channels as well as to other users in Mattermost. Depending on when you compose a message, you can send it immediately, schedule it for later, or set its priority.

Mattermost may notify you when a recipient's availability is set to Do Not Disturb, and the recipient's local time is outside of regular business hours (between 10PM and 6AM). This warning displays directly above the message text field.

Enter a message in the text field, then select Send Select the Send icon to post your message. to send the message.

Rewrite messages with AI​

You can use AI to enhance your messages before sending them. This feature helps you improve writing quality, fix spelling, adjust message length, or transform your text based on specific needs.

From Mattermost v11.5, when you use AI Rewrite while composing a reply in a thread, the AI incorporates context from the thread to generate suggestions that better fit the ongoing conversation.

From Mattermost v11.7, Rewrite is accessed through the AI Actions AI Actions icon. menu, alongside any custom prompts your system admin has made available.

On Web/Desktop or Mobile:

  1. Type your message in the message compose field.
  2. Open the AI Actions AI Actions icon. menu from the message actions, then select Rewrite.
  3. Select a bot from the list of available AI agents.
  4. Choose from available rewrite options:
    • Improve writing: Enhance clarity and professionalism
    • Fix spelling: Correct spelling and grammar errors
    • Shorten: Make your message more concise
    • Elaborate: Add more detail and context
    • Simplify: Use clearer, easier-to-understand language
    • Summarize: Condense your message to key points
    • Custom prompt: Specify your own transformation instructions
  5. Review the AI-generated suggestion. Select Regenerate to try again or Discard to return to your original message.
  6. Select Send Select the Send icon to post your message.

Send burn-on-read messages​

From Mattermost v11.3, burn-on-read messages stay concealed until recipients reveal them. After revealing, the message is deleted for that recipient when the timer expires. Burn-on-read messages can't be replied to or edited. You can send burn-on-read messages unless your system admin has disabled the ability to do so in your Mattermost instance.

  1. Compose your message.
  2. Select the Burn-on-read Burn on Read icon. icon in the message toolbar.
  3. Select Send Select the Send icon to post your message.

Recipients see a concealed placeholder with Reveal. After revealing, a timer shows when the message will be deleted.

As the message sender, hover over the Burn-on-read Burn on Read icon. icon above the sent message to see how many recipients have read the message. You can also delete the burn-on-read message for all recipients before the timer expires by selecting the Burn-on-read Burn on Read icon. icon above the sent message.

Draft messages​

From Mattermost v7.7, when composing new messages, it's easy to return to a message in progress later, unless your system admin has disabled global drafts in the System Console.

By default, message drafts are synchronized on the Mattermost server and are accessible everywhere you access Mattermost, including a web browser or the desktop app. Limit drafts to your current Mattermost client only by going to Settings > Advanced > Allow message drafts to sync with the server to disable draft synchronization.

Draft messages are added to a Drafts view available at the top of the channel sidebar.

Global drafts makes it easy for you to find all messages in progress.

Edit messages​

All users can edit their own sent messages, unless the system admin has restricted the ability to do so.

  1. Using Mattermost in a web browser or the desktop app, select the More Use the More icon to access additional message options. icon next to a message that you've sent.

Select the More option to edit or delete a sent message.

  1. Select Edit to edit your own messages. Editing a message won't trigger new @mention notifications, or desktop notifications.

Restore a previous version of an edited message​

From Mattermost v7.9, Mattermost Enterprise or Professional customers can edit or delete messages after sending them if your system admin hasn't restricted the ability to do so using advanced permissions.

Message recipients can't see your message edit history, and restoring a previous message version won't trigger new @mention notifications.

  1. Select the word Edited next to your message.
  2. In the right pane, review all previous versions of the message.
  3. Select the Restore Use the Restore icon to restore a previous version of an edited message. icon next to the version you want to restore.
  4. Select Confirm.

Select Edited next to an edited message, and then select the version you want to restore.

Delete messages​

All users can delete their own sent messages, unless the system admin has restricted the ability to do so.

  1. Using Mattermost in a web browser or the desktop app, select the More Use the More icon to access additional message options. icon next to a message that you want to delete.
  2. Select Delete to delete your own messages. Select Delete again to confirm.

Do more with your messages​

Do more with your Mattermost messages using the following features: