How do I turn off messaging and go back to live chat?

Question

How do I go back to the last version of chat? Can I disable messaging?

Answer

Before you turn off messaging for your entire account, an admin has options to disable the messaging experience for customers through smaller account changes. For example, remove a messaging widget or channel so customers cannot contact you, or disable messaging from the brand or account level entirely.

Note: The only way to use more than one type of widget, like the messaging and Web Widget (Classic), is to have a Multibrand account.

You can remove the messaging experience from:

1. The entire account (largest account change)
2. Bots
3. Brands
4. Widgets (smallest account change)

Entire account

Widgets

Bots

Brands

Entire account

Important: If you remove messaging from the entire account, you need to set back up the Web Widget (Classic) or your customers will not be able to chat with you.

See the steps to turn off messaging for the entire account:

1. Click on the product tray.
2. Select Admin Center.
3. Click the Channels icon.
4. Under Messaging and social, select Messaging.
5. Click Manage settings.
   
6. Deselect the checkbox next to Turn on messaging for your account.
7. Click Turn off messaging in the pop up window.
   
8. Click Save settings.

Widgets

Important: Removing a widget doesn't turn off messaging entirely. If you added messaging widgets in other locations on your website or mobile apps, those messaging widgets are still available.

See the following steps to remove a widget from the help center:

1. Click on the product tray.
2. Select Admin Center.
3. Click the Channels icon.
4. Under Messaging and social, select Messaging.
5. Click on the widget you want to remove.
6. Click the Installation tab.
7. Deselect the checkbox next to Automatically embed Web Widget in your help center.
   
8. Click Save.

You can also remove the widget from your website by deleting the code or from your mobile app by asking your developer to remove the Channel key from the mobile app code.

Bots

Important: Removing a bot does not disable messaging completely. However, if you remove a messaging bot from a channel, your customers cannot chat with you from that specific channel unless you configure and publish another messaging bot.

See the steps to remove a messaging bot from a channel:

1. Click on the product tray.
2. Select Admin Center.
3. Click the Channels icon.
4. Under Bots and automations, select Bots.
5. Hover over the bot and click Settings.
   
6. Deselect the checkbox next to the currently connected channel.
7. Click Save.
   
   
   

Brands

Important: If you remove messaging from a brand in your Multibrand account, you have the unique option to use the Web Widget (Classic) instead of the messaging widget. If you do not want any widget option available, remove the brand from messaging completely.

See the steps to remove messaging from a brand:

1. Click on the product tray.
2. Select Admin Center.
3. Click the Channels icon.
4. Under Messaging and social, select Messaging.
5. Click Manage settings.
   
6. Remove the brands from the Turn on messaging for these Web Widget (Classic) brands section.
7. Click Save settings.
   

Additional resources

For more information, see these articles:

• Disabling messaging for web and mobile channels
• Using Web Widget (Classic) to embed customer service in your website
• Adding Web Widget (Classic) to your website or help center
• Can I turn off Chat if my queue is too busy?