Allowing multiple messaging conversations

Multi-conversations let your end users conduct multiple messaging conversations simultaneously, providing faster resolutions to their support issues and a more satisfying customer experience. This feature is available on the Web Widget, iOS SDK, and Android SDK channels.

Note: Multi-conversations are not available for Unity SDK or social messaging channels.

See Understanding multi-conversations for messaging for information about considerations to be aware of before turning on multi-conversations, the feature’s limitations and requirements, and its impact on user experiences.

Zendesk customers who have access to the Sunshine Conversations API can set custom titles and avatars for multi-conversations.

This article includes the following topics:

• Turning on multi-conversations
• Removing the new conversation button

Turning on multi-conversations

Important: Read and understand these considerations before turning on multi-conversations.

You can turn on multi-conversations for Web Widget, Android SDK, or iOS SDK in Admin Center.

To turn on multi-conversations

1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Messaging.
2. At the top of the page, click Manage settings.
3. Under Web Widget and Mobile SDKs, expand Multi-conversations.
4. Click Set up multi-conversations.
5. Click Turn on multi-conversations for your account, then select the channels on which you want to offer multi-conversations.
   

   Note: Turning on multi-conversations for one messaging channel updates all web, iOS, and Android messaging channels. Any channels not selected during this step will perform as described in Removing the New conversation button.
6. Click Save.

After you have turned on multi-conversations for a channel, you can manage settings on the Manage channels page or from the Basics tab configuration for Web Widget or mobile SDKs.

Removing the new conversation button

You can remove the New conversation button from a channel to prevent end users from creating new conversations.

However, when you remove the New conversation button, it’s important to understand that end users will not completely revert back to the single-conversation experience.

After the New conversation button is removed, end users:

• Won’t be able to create additional conversations.
• Will see the conversations list when clicking or tapping the launcher button, if they have started multiple conversations.
• Will be able to access all conversations from the conversations list.
• Will raise new issues in their existing conversations from the conversations list.

End users will continue to receive push notifications (for mobile channels), and proactive messages will be appended to the latest updated conversation.

To remove the New conversation button from a channel

1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Messaging.
2. At the top of the page, click Manage settings.
3. Under Web Widget and Mobile SDKs, expand Multi-conversations.
4. Click Manage channels.
5. On the Manage channels page, deselect the channels where you want to remove the New conversation button.
6. Click Save. The New conversation button is removed from those channels.