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Chat Rooms

Better Messages supports independent chat rooms that function as public or restricted group conversations.

How it works​

Chat rooms are created as a WordPress custom post type and can be embedded anywhere on your site using shortcodes. Unlike regular conversations that are initiated between specific users, chat rooms are persistent spaces that users can join and leave freely. Each chat room can have its own access rules, including which user roles can join and whether guest (non-registered) users are allowed to participate.

Key capabilities​

  • Persistent chat rooms that exist independently of specific users
  • Embed anywhere using the shortcode [better_messages_chat_room id="123"]
  • Configurable access by user role
  • Optional guest access for non-registered visitors
  • Unlimited number of participants
  • Auto-join settings for automatic participation
  • All messaging features available (file sharing, reactions, mentions, etc.)
  • Support for video and audio calls within chat rooms (WebSocket version)
  • Dedicated admin page for managing chat rooms with full CRUD operations and participant management
  • Online users sidebar panel showing currently online members in the chat room

Admin management​

Chat rooms have a dedicated administration page at WP Admin → Better Messages → Chat Rooms where administrators can:

  • Create, edit, and delete chat rooms
  • Manage participants — add or remove users
  • Search users by name, login, or email when adding participants

Online users sidebar​

Chat rooms include an expandable/collapsible sidebar panel that shows currently online members. A toggle button in the chat header allows users to show or hide the panel.

How to enable​

Chat rooms are managed through WP Admin → Better Messages → Chat Rooms.

Creating a chat room:

  1. Click Add New to create a new chat room
  2. Set the chat room name
  3. Configure allowed roles (which user roles can join)
  4. Optionally enable guest access for non-registered users
  5. Publish the chat room

Embedding a chat room: Use the shortcode on any page or post:

[better_messages_chat_room id="123"]

Replace 123 with the actual chat room post ID.