# The chat in the side menu

> How to open the chat column from the side menu, shrink it to a tab and expand it, what the program remembers, the unread badge, and all the differences from the Comunicazioni page (search, new chat, writing, selection).

Last updated: 23 October 2026. Source: https://narciso.io/en/docs/minichat/

The **chat column** is the narrow version of communications: it opens from **any page** of Narciso, without leaving what you are doing, and lets you read, reply and start new chats. For the full-page version see [Comunicazioni](https://narciso.io/en/docs/comunicazioni/).

All three roles (Titolare (owner), Responsabile (manager), Operatore (operator)) can use it; what you see depends on the location, as on the Comunicazioni page ([The conversation list](https://narciso.io/en/docs/elenco-conversazioni/)).

## Opening the chat

1. At the bottom of the side menu, press the **block with your own name** (photo or initial, name and role): the shelf of icons opens.
2. Press the **envelope** («Chat: Visualizza tutte le tue chat social in un unico posto» (Chat: View all your social chats in one place)). The shelf closes again and the column slides in from the right.

If the side menu is reduced to icons only, the block shows just the photo and the icons are laid out vertically; the envelope works in the same way.

### The red number on the envelope

On the envelope there is a **red dot with the number** of messages to read (from 99 upwards it reads **99+**). The count follows the rules for unread messages ([The conversation list](https://narciso.io/en/docs/elenco-conversazioni/)) and is the same on the tab too. It is the **only alert** for new messages: no sounds and no browser notifications ([Real-time updating and alerts](https://narciso.io/en/docs/aggiornamento-in-tempo-reale/)).

## The four states

| State | What it looks like | How you get there |
|---|---|---|
| **Chiusa** (Closed) | No panel and no tab | Pressing the envelope when the chat is open or shrunk |
| **Aperta** (Open) | Column about 320 points wide, full height, on the right edge, **over** the page (the page does not narrow: the column covers its edge) | Pressing the envelope when the chat is closed, or the tab |
| **Ridotta a linguetta** (Shrunk to a tab) | Only a glassy tab is left on the right edge, with the speech bubble icon and the red number | **›** arrow at the top right of the list |
| **Espansa** (Expanded) | Takes up the whole width to the right of the menu and shows the Comunicazioni page | **Espandi** (Expand) icon in the list |

### What each action does

| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Envelope, chat closed | The column reopens **as you left it**: same conversation, same text being written, same search and same filters. Closing only hides it |
| Envelope, chat open or shrunk | The chat **closes completely**, tab included |
| **›** arrow at the top right | Shrinks it to a tab. There is no «X»: to really close it, use the envelope |
| Tab | Reopens the column |
| Changing page from the menu with the chat **open** | The column stays where it is, over the new page |
| Changing page from the menu with the chat **expanded** | It goes back to a column by itself |

> **Note.** The **›** arrow is visible in the **list**, not inside a conversation: to shrink the panel from a conversation, first go back to the list with the left arrow. The **Esc** key does not close or shrink the panel, and there are no quick keys to open it ([Chat shortcuts](https://narciso.io/en/docs/scorciatoie-comunicazioni/)).

When closed or shrunk, the chat **keeps receiving**: the red number updates, and when you reopen it the list, the folders and the counters are read again.

### The tab

- It sits on the right edge, at the height you choose: **drag it up or down** while holding it pressed (with a finger too). It never goes off the screen.
- A click without movement reopens it as a column; the click that ends a drag does not open it.
- It has no tooltip when the mouse passes over it.

### The program remembers where you left it

The state of the panel (closed, open, tab, expanded) and the height of the tab are saved **on the server**, tied to your own user and to that login. If you reload the page, you find everything as it was.

- The memory lasts **12 hours** from the last change; after a new login or after 12 hours you start again with the chat closed.
- **Only the panel** is remembered: after reloading the page, the open conversation, the text, the attachments, the search and the filters do not come back, and you start from the list. If you close and reopen without reloading, on the other hand, everything stays.
- If the server does not respond, the panel starts closed, with no warning.

## The list in the column

At the top, a grey bar with the title (**TUTTI** (ALL), or the name of the open folder) and the icons. When the mouse passes over an icon, a black speech bubble appears with a title and an explanation.

| Icon | Speech bubble | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Left arrow (only in a folder) | «Indietro: Torna alla lista di tutte le chat» (Back: Return to the list of all chats) | Leaves the folder |
| Magnifying glass | «Cerca: Filtra le conversazioni per nome o testo» (Search: Filter conversations by name or text) | Opens the search field |
| Bin | «Elimina: Elimina permanentemente le conversazioni selezionate o trascinale qui per cancellarle» (Delete: Permanently delete the selected conversations or drag them here to delete them) | Opens the delete confirmation, **for the Titolare only** ([Muting, banning and deleting a conversation](https://narciso.io/en/docs/gestire-conversazioni/)) |
| **+** (in a folder: curved arrow) | «Nuova Chat: Avvia una nuova conversazione» (New Chat: Start a new conversation) | Starts a new chat; in a folder it leaves the folder |
| Two diagonal arrows | «Espandi: Espandi la chat nella schermata completa» (Expand: Expand the chat to the full screen) | Switches to the Comunicazioni page |
| Cogwheel | «Impostazioni: Assistente AI e filtri canali» (Settings: AI assistant and channel filters) | Opens the settings menu |
| **›** arrow | «Riduci: Chiudi o comprimi il pannello chat» (Reduce: Close or collapse the chat panel) | Shrinks it to a tab |

Rows, previews, loading in blocks, bot dots and grouping by client are as described in [The conversation list](https://narciso.io/en/docs/elenco-conversazioni/). The **Impostazioni menu** is the same as on the full page ([Comunicazioni settings](https://narciso.io/en/docs/impostazioni-comunicazioni/)); the **right-click** on a row or on a message opens the same menus ([Muting, banning and deleting a conversation](https://narciso.io/en/docs/gestire-conversazioni/), [Reading messages](https://narciso.io/en/docs/leggere-messaggi/)); **folders** are made by dragging rows ([Folders](https://narciso.io/en/docs/cartelle/)).

### Searching the list

1. Press the **magnifying glass**: the «Cerca...» (Search...) field appears under the bar.
2. **Click inside the field** (the cursor does not go there by itself) and type; about 0.3 seconds after the last character the list updates.
3. To close it, press the magnifying glass again: the text is cleared. There is no «X» in the field and it does not close with Esc.

It searches both **names and contacts** and the **text of messages**. With the search active, the list shows the conversations found in all folders, in a single list ordered by last message; the channel filters remain valid. The search text can be at most 200 characters long.

## Reading and writing in the column

When you open a conversation you see its header (photo with the channel, name, channel or bot status, «sta scrivendo...» (is typing...), the **Blocca IA** (Block AI) button when the bot is working) and the messages, which are read as on the full page ([Reading messages](https://narciso.io/en/docs/leggere-messaggi/)). A click on the **name** opens the client or supplier record, or the «Collega questa chat» (Link this chat) window if the conversation is not linked ([Linking a conversation to a client or a supplier](https://narciso.io/en/docs/collegare-a-un-cliente/)).

For a client on several channels, under the header there is the **channel strip**: one pill per channel, always one selected. A click shows **only the messages of that channel** and chooses that channel for the reply.

The writing bar has **Allega File** (Attach File), **Emoji & GIF**, the «Scrivi un messaggio...» (Write a message...) field and the green **INVIO** (Enter) strip on the right. Attachments are prepared and checked as on the full page, also by **dragging files** onto the chat or onto a row of the list ([Writing and sending a message](https://narciso.io/en/docs/scrivere-messaggi/), [Attachment viewer](https://narciso.io/en/docs/allegati/)). Voice notes you receive can be played; in neither view can you record or send them.

## What changes compared with the Comunicazioni page

| Aspect | Column | Comunicazioni page |
|---|---|---|
| Selecting several conversations | **No**: only one at a time, so no Shift+click and no **Ctrl+G** | Yes ([Folders](https://narciso.io/en/docs/cartelle/)) |
| Shift+Enter in the writing field | Starts a new line | Does nothing |
| Searching the list (magnifying glass of the column) | Searches **the text of messages too**, as well as names and contacts | Searches **names and contacts** only, not the text of messages |
| Searching inside the conversation | **Not available** | Available |
| «Scarica chat» (Download chat) | **Not available** | Titolare only ([Muting, banning and deleting a conversation](https://narciso.io/en/docs/gestire-conversazioni/)) |
| Email editor (subject, formatting) | **Not available**: plain text only | Available ([Writing and sending a message](https://narciso.io/en/docs/scrivere-messaggi/)) |
| New message | «Lista destinatari» (Recipient list) panel (below) | «Nuovo messaggio» (New message) page ([New message](https://narciso.io/en/docs/nuovo-messaggio/)) |

The data is **the same**: a message read or sent in one view also appears in the other.

### Expanding and going back

With **Espandi** the panel widens (about 0.3 seconds) and in place of the column the Comunicazioni page appears in a «drawer» version. In the switch the column is closed and then recreated: the unsent text, the prepared attachments, the search, the channel filters, the open folder and the selected conversation are **lost**, and the full page opens the **first conversation** in the list. Send or save what you need before expanding.

In the bar of the expanded page there are two buttons:

- **Riduci a colonna chat** (Shrink to chat column): goes back to the column;
- **Riduci a icona** (Shrink to icon): goes straight to the tab.

If you close the chat while it is expanded, when you reopen it you find it **expanded**: to go back to the column, use «Riduci a colonna chat».

## New chat in the column

1. Press **+** in the list. An empty conversation appears with the header «**NESSUN DESTINATARIO** · Clicca qui per sceglierne» (NO RECIPIENT · Click here to choose one) (with recipients: the name of the first, or «Nome e altri N» (Name and N others), and «Clicca per maggiori info» (Click for more info)).
2. A click on the header opens the **LISTA DESTINATARI** (RECIPIENT LIST). With **Aggiungi** (Add) the «Cerca destinatario» (Search recipient) row opens (field «Scrivi nome, email o telefono...» (Type name, email or phone...)): the suggestions are **only the conversations already loaded in the list**, with the label «Canale: …» (Channel: …); no match gives «Nessun contatto corrispondente» (No matching contact). **Continua** (Continue) closes the list.
3. For each recipient there are the **channel pills** that the contact has already used (never new channels): a coloured pill is selected, a white one is not. You can choose more than one channel. With a **right-click** (or Ctrl+click) on a pill, **Seleziona / Deseleziona specifico** (Select / Deselect specific) (that recipient only) and **… per tutti** (… for all) (all recipients) appear.
4. Write in the empty conversation and press Enter. Without recipients, «Seleziona almeno un destinatario per inviare il messaggio» (Select at least one recipient to send the message) appears. If even one of the chosen channels turns out to be disconnected, **nothing** is sent and the warning appears with **Riconnetti** (Reconnect) ([New message](https://narciso.io/en/docs/nuovo-messaggio/)).
5. The message goes to all the recipients on the chosen channels, with the attachments uploaded once for each channel. At the end the conversation of the **first** recipient opens.

> **Warning.** For **clients grouped on several channels** (a single row in the list) you must **click the pill of the channel you want**. If none is left selected, sending to that recipient **fails** and the message appears without a tick. «Seleziona per tutti» (Select for all) can also add a channel to a recipient who has never used it: in that case the same message may reach the same person twice. Before pressing Enter, check that each recipient has the right channels.

If you need to write to someone who **does not yet have a conversation**, the column is not enough: start from the address book or from [New message](https://narciso.io/en/docs/nuovo-messaggio/).

## What to do if...

| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| I cannot find the chat | Press the envelope in the side menu; if it is shrunk to a tab, press the tab (it may have been moved along the right edge) |
| The chat disappeared after changing page | It was closed with the envelope: reopen it from the envelope |
| I expanded and lost the text I was writing | This happens when expanding: the column is recreated. Send the message before expanding |
| The message appears without a tick after a new chat | For clients on several channels no pill was selected: write it again, choosing the channel |
| I cannot delete a conversation | Only the Titolare can ([Muting, banning and deleting a conversation](https://narciso.io/en/docs/gestire-conversazioni/)) |
| I do not see or hear anything when a message arrives | No sound and no browser notification: look at the red number on the envelope or on the tab |

## Related entries

- [Comunicazioni](https://narciso.io/en/docs/comunicazioni/)
- [The conversation list](https://narciso.io/en/docs/elenco-conversazioni/)
- [New message](https://narciso.io/en/docs/nuovo-messaggio/)
- [Muting, banning and deleting a conversation](https://narciso.io/en/docs/gestire-conversazioni/)
- [Comunicazioni settings](https://narciso.io/en/docs/impostazioni-comunicazioni/)