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title: Messages & Channels

parent: User Guide

nav_order: 3

last_updated: 2026-07-11

description: Send and receive messages, manage channels, configure encryption, search conversations, and use quick chat, reactions, and message actions.

aliases:

• channels

• direct-messages

• messaging

• conversations

Meshtastic supports two communication modes: channel broadcasts and direct messages.

Channels are shared communication groups. All nodes configured with the same channel key can read and send messages on that channel.

Every Meshtastic device comes with a default LongFast channel. This is an unencrypted channel used for general mesh communication.

Channels support multiple encryption levels:

│ 🔒 Security Tip: Always configure a unique PSK for private communications. The default channel is

│ intentionally open so new users can discover the mesh — but you should create a separate

│ encrypted channel for anything sensitive.

1. Navigate to Settings → Channels.

2. Tap Add Channel or scan a QR code.

3. Configure the channel name and encryption key.

4. Share the channel URL/QR code with others who need access.

Tapping a channel shows its details and sharing options.

Direct messages (DMs) are point-to-point encrypted communications between two specific nodes.

1. Open the Messages tab.

2. Select a node from your contacts list or tap a node in the node list.

3. Type your message and tap Send.

A status label appears under your own outgoing messages only (incoming messages from others show no status label):

When a message fails to deliver, the error indicator shows what went wrong:

│ 💡 Tip: Most delivery errors resolve themselves. If a node is intermittently reachable, the mesh

│ will retry. For persistent "No Route" errors, check that intermediate Router nodes are online.

Pre-configured messages for rapid communication:

• Access via the Quick Chat button in the message input area

• Choose from built-in phrases or custom messages

• Customize quick chat messages in Settings → Quick Chat

• Useful when typing is impractical (gloves, small screen, urgent)

!Quick chat option

Each quick chat entry has a short Name (the button label), the Message it inserts, and an Instantly send toggle — when enabled, tapping the button sends the message immediately instead of placing it in the input field for editing:

!New quick chat dialog with name, message, and instantly-send toggle

The channel list shows each channel with its latest message preview.

You can search the full history of any conversation directly from the chat screen:

1. Open a conversation (a channel or a direct message).

2. Tap the search icon in the top bar.

3. Type into the Search messages… field. The search runs as you type, across all stored messages in that conversation.

4. Use the N / M result counter and the previous / next arrows to jump between matches, which are highlighted in the conversation.

!Message search bar with result counter and previous/next arrows

│ 💡 Tip: Search is full-text and stays within the conversation you opened it from — it doesn't

│ search across other channels or contacts. It matches against the messages already stored on your

│ device, so it works fully offline.

Messages appear as chat bubbles — sent messages on the right, received messages on the left. Each bubble shows the sender, timestamp, and delivery status. Messages with replies include a quoted preview of the original message above the response.

Messages support lightweight inline Markdown. Received messages render the styling with the syntax characters removed:

│ Inline code │ BT383838 codeT383838 │ monospace T383838code │

│ Link │ T383838LINK0 │ a tappable label │

└───────────────┴────────────┴──────────────────┘

When composing, focus the message field and type at least three characters to reveal a formatting toolbar below the input. Select text and tap a style to wrap it (tap again to remove it); with no selection, a style inserts an empty pair with the cursor between the markers. The link button opens a dialog to enter a URL. As you type, the draft styles live in the field while the underlying text keeps its Markdown characters.

│ 💡 Tip: Formatting is carried as literal characters on the mesh — the same bytes iOS sends.

│ Clients that don't support Markdown (older apps, plain firmware clients) will show the raw T383838**/T383838~~

│ characters. URLs, email addresses, and phone numbers are still auto-linked whether or not you use

│ Markdown.

Type T383838@ while composing to mention a node — a picker suggests matching contacts as you type. In a received message, a mention appears as a highlighted chip showing the node's name; tap it to jump straight to that node's detail page.

React to messages with emoji:

• Long-press a message to open the actions menu

• Tap Add Reaction to choose an emoji

• Reactions appear below the message bubble

• Multiple users can react to the same message

• React to your own messages or others' messages

!Emoji reaction badges displayed beneath a message

│ 💡 Tip: Reactions are lightweight — they use minimal mesh bandwidth compared to full text

│ messages.

Long-press any message to access:

• Copy — copy message text to clipboard

• Reply — quote the message in your response

• React — add an emoji reaction

• Translate — translate a received message into your device language and toggle between the original and translated text (Google Play build only; uses on-device translation)

• Delete — remove a message you sent (local deletion)

Messages are queued and transmitted based on priority:

1. Emergency/alert messages (highest)

2. Direct messages

3. Channel broadcasts (lowest)

• Maximum length: 200 bytes (approximately 200 characters for ASCII text)

• The 200-byte cap applies to the in-app composer — the mesh payload limit itself is ~233 bytes, so messages from other senders (e.g., App Functions or Android Auto) may arrive slightly longer

• Rate limiting: The mesh enforces airtime fairness; heavy message volume may be throttled

• Delivery: Messages are retried automatically if no acknowledgment is received

• Use channels for group coordination

• Use direct messages for private person-to-person communication

• Keep messages short — mesh bandwidth is limited

• Configure encryption for sensitive communications

• Nodes — tap a node to start a direct message

• Settings — Radio & User — configure channel encryption and presets

• MQTT — bridge channel messages to the internet

• Channel configuration — detailed channel settings on meshtastic.org