Use the Messages conversation view
Read and reply to full SMS threads grouped by contact in the Messages split view.
The Messages page is your text-messaging hub. Every SMS is grouped by contact into a single thread, so you can see the full back-and-forth and reply without leaving the page.
How the Messages page is laid out
Messages uses a split layout. A scrollable conversation list sits on the left, and the active thread fills the pane on the right.
Each row in the list represents one contact and shows:
- The contact's name.
- A preview of the most recent message. Your own replies are prefixed with You:.
- A relative timestamp — the time for today, Yesterday, the weekday for the past week, or a short date for anything older.
- A small dot next to the preview when the last message was inbound, so unanswered texts are easy to spot.
Conversations are sorted with the most recent activity on top. The header shows a count badge, like 8 conversations, reflecting how many contacts you have an SMS history with.
The list groups by contact, not by individual text. A contact you've exchanged 40 messages with still appears as one row — open it to see the entire thread.
Open and read a thread
Go to Messages
Open Messages from the navigation. The most recent conversation opens automatically.
Pick a conversation
Click any contact in the left list. Their full SMS history loads on the right, oldest to newest, and the view scrolls to the latest message.
Read the thread
Inbound texts appear on the left and your sent texts on the right. Each bubble shows a timestamp, and your outbound messages include a delivery indicator.
Reply
Type in the message box at the bottom and press Enter, or use the template picker to drop in a saved SMS template before you send.
On a narrow screen the list and thread stack instead of sitting side by side. Use the back arrow at the top of a thread to return to the conversation list.
Before any threads exist
If no SMS has been sent or received yet, the list shows a No conversations yet empty state. Threads appear automatically once a contact replies or someone on your team sends a first text. Until you select a conversation, the right pane prompts you to Select a conversation.
You can start a text from a contact record in Contacts, and it will show up here as a new thread.
Messages vs. the Inbox
Think of the Messages page as your complete texting record and the Inbox as your triage feed. The Inbox surfaces what needs attention across channels; Messages keeps the entire SMS back-and-forth with each contact in one focused thread for quick follow-up.
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Last updated 2026-06-21