Channels and categories

A room's channels are its separate conversations, grouped under categories in the room's sidebar. A room holds up to 10 live channels and 10 categories; an archived channel does not count. Creating, renaming, reordering, archiving and deleting them takes Manage Channels, which moderators and above have unless the owner turns it off.

The channel types

How to add a channel

1. 1.

   Point at a category in the room's sidebar and choose its + (Create channel). For a category, use the + at the top (Create category).

2. 2.

   Type a name and pick the Channel type.

3. 3.

   Create it. The name is written in lower case with dashes, such as week-1-questions.

How to reorder or delete

1. 1.

   Drag a channel or category to a new place in the sidebar.

2. 2.

   To delete one, drag it onto Drop here to delete, or use Delete channel in Room Settings → Channels.

3. 3.

   Confirm. Deleting cannot be undone.

How to archive a channel

1. 1.

   Open Room Settings → Channels.

2. 2.

   Choose Archive on the channel, then Archive channel.

3. 3.

   To bring it back, find it under Archived at the foot of the page and choose Unarchive.

An archived channel leaves the sidebar for everyone. Its messages and threads stay readable for anyone who opens it. Nobody can post, react or edit a message in it, or start, rename or reply to a thread. A lesson's thread block that shows one of its threads keeps showing it, read only.

Rules and limits

• A channel keeps the type it is made with.
• Deleting a channel deletes all its messages and threads. Before it goes, you are told how many lessons show its threads; their thread blocks then say the thread is not available.
• Deleting a category keeps its channels, which move to the top without a category. A new channel needs a category to go in.
• The last live channel in a room cannot be archived, and neither can a course room's announcements channel. Unarchiving needs a free place under the 10-channel limit.
• Room Settings → Channels is where you rename a channel, move it to another category and set its auto-delete.

If something goes wrong

"This room has reached the maximum limit of 10 channels."

Archive or delete a channel you no longer need first. Categories have the same limit.

"A room needs at least one channel…"

The last live channel cannot be deleted or archived. Create another first.

"This room already has 10 channels. Archive or delete one before you unarchive this one."

Make a free place, then choose Unarchive again.

"The announcements channel cannot be archived."

It is how a course reaches its students, so it stays live.

"You don't have permission to change…"

Manage Channels is off for your role.