> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getarca.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Chat

> A shared workspace chat room for your team, with access control and inbox notifications when you're away.

Chat gives your workspace a single shared conversation. Post rich-text messages, mention teammates, and stay in sync without leaving Arca. When someone is not currently in Chat, they get an inbox notification (and push on mobile) so nothing is missed.

Chat is a paid Arca App billed monthly through Stripe. There is one conversation per workspace — no channels or direct messages in this version.

## Subscribe to Chat

Only the workspace **Owner** can purchase Chat.

Go to **Settings → Arca Apps**, find **Chat**, and click **Buy Now**. After checkout completes and the subscription is active, Chat appears in the left sidebar for members who have access.

Use **Manage Subscription** on the same card to open the Stripe billing portal if you need to update payment details or cancel.

<Note>
  Chat stays hidden while the subscription is canceled or past due. Re-activate billing to bring it back.
</Note>

***

## Open Chat

Click **Chat** in the left sidebar. You will see the workspace conversation and a composer at the bottom. Messages support rich text and `@mentions`. If the Giphy app is enabled, you can also insert GIFs the same way you do in task comments.

<Note>
  File attachments are not available in Chat yet.
</Note>

***

## Access control

By default, every workspace member can use Chat once it is subscribed. The **Owner** and **Admins** always have access. They can restrict Chat to a subset of members.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Chat">Click **Chat** in the left sidebar.</Step>

  <Step title="Manage Access">
    In the Chat header, click **Manage Access**. Select the members who should
    use Chat, then save.
  </Step>
</Steps>

* An **empty** allowlist means everyone in the workspace can use Chat.
* A **non-empty** allowlist means only the Owner, Admins, and the listed members can use Chat.
* When someone loses access, their unread Chat notifications for that workspace are cleared.

***

## Notifications

If you are currently viewing Chat, new messages arrive live over the connection and do not create inbox noise.

If you are elsewhere (or on mobile), you receive an inbox notification for new Chat messages. On desktop, opening the notification takes you to Chat. On mobile, Chat opens in the Inbox for now — there is no dedicated Chat screen on the mobile app yet.

You can turn Chat message notifications on or off under **Settings → Notifications**.

***

## Delete messages

You can delete your own messages. Workspace Owners and Admins can delete any message in the room.