Writing messages
The message box keeps your draft, formats spoilers and maths, and can take dictation. Translation and read aloud run on your device.
Drafts
An unsent draft stays with its chat and shows in the chat list. Discarding one can be undone.
Formatting
| Write | You get |
|---|---|
||text|| | A spoiler, hidden until tapped |
$formula$ | Maths inside a sentence |
$$formula$$ | Maths on its own line |
@username or @all | A mention. A mention of you is outlined, and Mentions of you lists them |
A formula that can't be drawn appears as typed.
The formatting toolbar
Above the message box: Bold, Italic, Strikethrough, Code, Link, Code block, Bulleted list, Numbered list and Quote. On a wide screen the toolbar shows from the start; on a phone, Formatting (Aa) shows or hides it. A message with no formatting is sent as plain text. Pasted text keeps only these kinds of formatting. Messages written with the old AChat's editor show with their formatting too.
A code block is highlighted for common languages when it is shown. The thread reply box has the same tools as the chat's box.
Suggestions while you type
Type @ and the start of a name to pick someone from the chat, or @all. Type / at the start of an empty box for commands: /shrug adds ¯\(ツ)/¯, /clear clears your draft and /export opens Save a copy. Anything else that starts with / is sent as typed.
Full screen and long messages
Write in full screen gives the message box the whole window; Esc returns. A long message folds after a few lines, with Show more.
Links
A web address in a message is a link that opens in a new tab. Show link previews (Account › Preferences › This device) adds a card with the page's title and image. It is off by default. When it is on, AChat's own server reads the page and passes its image on, so the linked site never sees your device; in an end-to-end encrypted chat this means the link leaves your device.
Stickers and emoji
Seven stickers ship with AChat, so nothing is downloaded. A sticker your version doesn't know shows as not available.
Dictation
Dictate turns speech into text in the message box, through your browser's speech service. Some browsers send your voice to their provider to turn it into text, and AChat tells you so before it listens. Where dictation isn't available, you can type or record a voice note.
Translation
Translate a message on your device. For some languages your browser first downloads a language pack, which stays on the device. Where translation isn't available, the message isn't sent anywhere.
Read aloud
Read aloud plays a message with a voice on your device. A browser without an on-device voice doesn't offer it. It plays even in a muted chat.
Unread messages
A divider marks where new messages start, and a button jumps to them.