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Direct Messages

Overview​

Direct Messages (DMs) are private conversations outside of channels and teams. RocketChat supports both one-on-one DMs and group DMs with multiple people.

  • 1:1 DM — a private conversation between exactly two people.
  • 1:M DM — a private group conversation with several people at once. Unlike a private channel, it doesn't need a name or topic — it's created automatically for the people you select. A maximum of 8 users per DM is recommended.

A few things worth knowing about DMs: no one "owns" a DM the way a channel has an owner, membership can't be changed once it's created, and a DM can be hidden but not deleted.

Prerequisites​

Steps​

Start a DM from the menu bar​

  1. Click Create new (+) in the top menu bar, then select Direct Message.
  2. Select one or more users. Selecting more than one creates a group (1:M) DM.
  3. Click Create.

Start a 1:1 DM from within a room​

  1. Click the Members icon at the top right of the room header (or the kebab menu ⋮ → Team Members).
  2. Find the person in the member list — you can search or filter to online members only.
  3. Select them to open their User Info panel.
  4. Click Direct message below their name to open a private 1:1 conversation.

Favorite a DM​

  • Hover over the DM in the sidebar, click the kebab menu (⋮), and select Favorite to pin it to the top of your sidebar.
  • Or click the star icon at the top of the DM itself.
  • Repeat and select Unfavorite to remove it.

Screenshots​

Screenshot pending — Create new → Direct Message dialog with multiple users selected.

Screenshot pending — User Info panel with the Direct message button.

Troubleshooting​

  • Can't add someone to an existing group DM: membership is locked once a DM is created — start a new DM with the full group instead.
  • Accidentally created a duplicate group DM: RocketChat won't let you create a second DM with the exact same set of users — you'll be taken to the existing one.
  • Want to leave a DM: you can hide the conversation from your sidebar, but DMs can't be deleted outright.