---
title: Project Messages
description: Talk with clients and teammates in project conversations, keep internal discussions private, and control who can see each conversation.
icon: message-square
---

Messages keep every conversation tied to a project, so the history stays with the work. You can talk with clients, keep a conversation internal to your team, or limit it to a few people. This page explains who sees what and how to start and manage conversations.

## How conversations work

Every conversation belongs to one project. When you start one, **Who can see this** sets its audience:

| Who can see this     | Who sees the conversation                                                         |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Clients and team** | Everyone on the project, including clients with portal access.                    |
| **Team only**        | Your team only. Never shown in the portal. This is the default for a new message. |
| **Specific people**  | Only the teammates and clients you add.                                           |

Each task also has its own conversation, its **Discussion**, which your team and the clients assigned to the task can see. See [Tasks](/docs/projects/tasks).

- In a conversation clients can see, the message box says **Clients see this**. Turn on the **Team only** switch before sending to make that one message visible to your team only; the box then says **Only your team sees this**.
- Type `@` to mention someone. Mentions notify people who can already see the conversation; they never give anyone new access. In **Team only** conversations and internal messages you can only mention teammates.
- Files you attach follow the same visibility as the conversation and the message.

## How to use the Messages inbox

**Messages** in the sidebar is one inbox for every conversation you can access, across all projects.

1. Filter by **Project**, by **Source** (**Conversations** or **Tasks**), or by **Status**: **Unread**, **Mentions**, **Assigned**, or **Needs response**.
2. Search by title or message text.
3. Select a conversation to read and reply.

A project's **Messages** tab is the same inbox, filtered to that project. Conversations, filters, and replies work the same way in both places.

## How to start a conversation

1. Click **New message** in the Messages inbox or in a project's Messages tab.
2. Choose the **Project** if it isn't already set.
3. Under **Who can see this**, choose **Clients and team**, **Team only**, or **Specific people**. For **Specific people**, add the teammates and clients who should see it.
4. Optionally add a **Title**. If you leave it blank, Upclient uses the first message.
5. Write your message and click **Send**.

Check the audience before you send: **Team only** is selected by default, so clients don't see a new conversation until you choose **Clients and team** or add them.

## How to change who is in a Specific people conversation

1. Open the conversation's options menu and choose **Manage access**.
2. Add or remove people under **Other participants**, then click **Update access**.

- People you add can read the whole conversation, including earlier messages and files, and are notified.
- People you remove lose access immediately, but this can't undo what they've already read.
- Upclient posts a note in the conversation whenever someone is added or removed.
- A **Specific people** conversation always keeps at least one teammate. Only teammates can manage access; clients can't.
- To leave the conversation yourself, click **Leave** in the same dialog, then **Update access**. You can only leave if another teammate stays.

Access to **Clients and team** and **Team only** conversations follows project membership. To change who sees them, change the project's [members](/docs/projects/members).

## Renaming and deleting

- Use **Rename** or **Delete** in the conversation's options menu. Deleting a conversation removes all of its messages.
- Delete a single message from its menu.