--- title: Chat Overview description: "With ChurchTools Chat, you can stay in touch with people from your congregation, your small group, or even the planning team for the next worship service. You can access the chat both through the **app** and on **the web**. We’ll…" url: "https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/my-churchtools/chat-en/chat-overview/" updated: "2026-07-31" category: Chat --- # Chat Overview With ChurchTools Chat, you can stay in touch with people from your congregation, your small group, or even the planning team for the next worship service. You can access the chat both through the **app** and on **the web**. We’ll briefly walk you through both options here so you can get an overview. ## The chat feature in the app If you're [logged in to the ChurchTools app](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/my-churchtools/registrieren-und-einloggen/registrieren-und-einloggen-in-der-app/), you can easily contact people from your congregation via chat. Of course, you can chat with **individual people** (1). Search for the person using the *magnifying glass icon* (2) and invite them to chat with you. As soon as they accept your *invitation* (3), you’re all set. If you’re part of a group, you’ll chat with everyone at the same time in a **group chat** (4), which is started and managed by a person with permission directly through the respective group in ChurchTools. The person responsible for each group role decides whether members with that role are allowed to participate and, if so, whether they can read and/or write. This also allows for read-only chats. You can learn more about this in the article [“How to manage the chat for my group?”](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/communication-groups/how-to-manage-the-chat-for-my-group/) And because it makes sense to discuss and coordinate events that you plan together, **event chats** (5) offer a special feature: everyone assigned to a role for an event can message each other in a time-limited chat. For each role, a decision is made as to whether employees from that role should participate in the chat. The chat starts automatically or directly through the event. Once the event is over, the chat can be automatically deleted. You can find all the details in [“How to use the event chat?”](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/churchtools-modules/planning-events/how-to-use-the-event-chats/) If you tap and hold a chat, you can *mark* it *as unread or read* (6), or *turn* notifications for the chat *on or off* (7). You can also *delete* one-on-one chats in the same way. **Note** You can't delete group chats or event chats this way, since they're managed through the groups or events settings. [![Screenshot App Chat Overview](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/App_Chat_Overview.jpg)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/App_Chat_Overview.jpg) ## Web Chat Web Chat lets you continue your chats from the ChurchTools app in your browser. Web Chat is not a replacement for the chat feature in the app, but rather a supplement to it. All chats you’re currently participating in within the app will also appear in Web Chat. **Tip** Vermisst du im Web-Chat einen Chat, kannst du ihm über die App beitreten, danach erscheint der Chat auch im Web-Chat. Alternativ kannst du dich von einer anderen Person direkt im Web-Chat mit deiner Chat-ID einladen lassen, danach erscheint der Chat ebenfalls in der App. Das funktioniert auch, wenn die andere Person nicht zu deinem ChurchToools, sondern zu dem ChurchTools einer anderen Gemeinde gehört. Wie das geht, erklären wir dir im Artikel [Wie chatte ich mit ChurchTools-Nutzern anderer Gemeinden?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/mein-churchtools/chat/wie-chatte-ich-mit-churchtools-nutzern-anderer-gemeinden/) You can *access Web Chat*from the " *Chat* " section in your *user menu*. For brief instructions on how to do this, see the article " [Logging In to Web Chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/my-churchtools/web-chat/einloggen-im-web-chat/)." Click on your avatar to access your profile menu (1), where you can configure **general settings** for your web chat, such as notifications and security. Use the **search** function (2) to quickly find specific chats. And use the **compass needle**icon (3) to search for and discover public chats from other communities. **Tip** You can set the web chat to your language: To do this, click on your avatar to open the General Settings, then select Settings. Under ‘Language’, choose the system language that suits you. Use the *context menu* (4) for all chats to set how your chats **are sorted** and **displayed**, and use the *pencil icon* (5) to the right of it to start **new chats and groups**. We explain exactly how to do this in the article ["How to start new chats in Web Chat?"](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/my-churchtools/web-chat/wie-starte-ich-neue-chats-im-web-chat/) Below that, you'll find various *filter options* (6) that let you quickly find the chats you need right now. If you hover over one of your chats, a *context menu* (7) appears in the row next to it. From there, you can configure various **settings** for the chat and**exit** it. Click the *bell icon* (8) to the right of the chat **to mute** it. To learn more about what you can do with individual chats in Web Chat, see the article [“How to use chats in Web Chat?”](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/my-churchtools/web-chat-en/how-do-i-use-chats-in-web-chat/) **Note** When you leave, the chat room is initially archived. After the page is refreshed, the chat is then deleted. [![Screenshot Web Chat Profile menu](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Web-Chat_Profile-menu.png)](https://staging.churchtools.academy/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Web-Chat_Profile-menu.png) ## Read more - [Log in to the app](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/my-churchtools/registrieren-und-einloggen/registrieren-und-einloggen-in-der-app/) - [Log in to Web Chat](https://staging.churchtools.academy/de/help/my-churchtools/web-chat/einloggen-im-web-chat/) - [Troubleshooting: Why can't I chat with someone?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/my-churchtools/chat-en/troubleshooting-why-cant-i-chat-with-someone/) - [How to chat with ChurchTools users from other congregations?](https://staging.churchtools.academy/en/help/my-churchtools/chat-en/how-do-i-chat-with-churchtools-users-from-other-congregations/)