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Editing and Deleting Messages

Status: Complete

Chatalot allows you to edit and delete your own messages, and provides moderation tools for admins to manage other users' messages.

Editing Messages

How to Edit

There are two ways to start editing a message:

  1. Right-click context menu: Right-click on your message and select Edit.
  2. Arrow Up shortcut: When the message input is empty, press the Up Arrow key to edit your most recent message in the channel.

When editing:

  • The message content is replaced with an editable text input.
  • Press Enter to save your edit.
  • Press Escape to cancel without saving.

Edit Window

Messages can only be edited within 15 minutes of being sent. After that window closes, the edit option is no longer available.

The 15-minute limit is enforced server-side. Even if the client shows an edit option, the server will reject edits on messages older than 15 minutes.

"Edited" Indicator

When a message is edited, an (edited) label appears next to the timestamp. This is visible to all channel members.

Edit History

Every edit is recorded. Any channel member can view the full edit history of a message:

  1. Right-click on an edited message.
  2. Select View Edit History.
  3. A modal displays all previous versions of the message with timestamps.

Edit history preserves the old ciphertext, so previous versions can be decrypted and viewed.

Deleting Messages

Deleting Your Own Messages

  1. Right-click on your message.
  2. Select Delete.
  3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog that appears.

Deleted messages are permanently removed and cannot be recovered.

Deleting Others' Messages

Admins and owners can delete messages from other users:

  1. Right-click on the message.
  2. Select Delete.
  3. Confirm the deletion.

Permission: Only users with admin or owner role can delete other users' messages. See Channel Permissions for the full permission matrix.

What Happens When a Message Is Deleted

  • The message is removed from the channel for all users in real time (via WebSocket broadcast).
  • If the deleted message was a thread root, the thread panel closes.
  • If the deleted message had replies, those replies remain but the "replying to" reference shows the message as unavailable.
  • If the message was pinned, the pin is also removed.

Message Context Menu

Right-click on any message to access the context menu with the following options:

Action Availability
Reply All members
Edit Own messages only (within 15 min)
Delete Own messages, or any message for admins/owners
Pin / Unpin Admins and owners
Bookmark All members
Copy Text All members
View Edit History All members (on edited messages)
React All members
Start Thread All members
Report All members