Starting a DM Conversation
From the Members Roster
Open the Members Drawer
On the PTT screen, tap the people icon to open the members drawer.
Tap a Member
Tap on any team member's name to open their action sheet.
Select Message
Tap the Message button (chat icon) in the action sheet. This navigates you to the Messages tab with a DM conversation open.
From the Direct Tab
- Go to the Messages tab
- Tap the Direct tab (alongside the channel tabs)
- Tap any existing conversation to continue it
DM Interface
The DM conversation view looks similar to channel messages:
- Messages appear in chronological order with timestamps
- Date separators appear between messages from different days
- You can send text and images
- Typing indicators show when the other person is typing
The conversation header shows the recipient's name, and a back arrow returns you to the DM thread list.
How DMs Work
DMs use the same WebSocket relay as channel messages but with a different routing key:
- Channel messages use
hubId:channelIndexas the key - DMs use
hubId:recipientUserIdas the key
This means DMs are hub-scoped — you can have different DM conversations with the same person in different hubs.
The member rows in the roster show inline quick-action icons. The chat icon lets you start a DM with one tap, without opening the full action sheet.
DM vs. Whisper
Both features enable 1-on-1 communication, but they serve different purposes:
| Feature | Direct Message | Whisper Call |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Text + images | Full-duplex voice |
| Latency | Near-instant text | Real-time audio |
| History | Saved to device | No recording |
| Availability | Always | Both users must be online |
| Best for | Sharing info, notes, details | Private voice conversation |
Choose DMs for information that needs a written record. Choose Whisper for private conversations that are better spoken.