How to Control Who Can Post and Reply in a Chat or Activity Feed
You can choose who is allowed to post new messages and who is allowed to reply in a group chat or activity feed. For example, only teachers can post while families read along, or everyone can reply, but only staff can start new messages. Posting and replying are set separately.
💡 This guide is for group chats and activity feeds that live on a screen. For a group chat started with the New Chat button, use the What members can do switches instead. See Managing a Group Chat You Started.
🔐 Your Options for Posting and Replying
Each chat or feed has two settings under Permissions, and each has three choices.
Messages (who can post a new message or post)
- All chat members can post in this chat
- Only specific account types can post messages, such as Staff only
- Only editors/moderators can post messages
Replies (who can reply to a message, or comment on a post in an activity feed)
- All chat members can reply to messages
- Only specific account types can reply to messages
- Only editors/moderators can reply to messages
⚙️ How to Change Who Can Post or Reply
- Open the chat or feed and open its settings:
- In a group chat, tap the ⓘ info icon, then Open Settings.
- In an activity feed, tap the ⚙️ settings icon.
- Or go to ⚡ Administrative Superpowers → All screens & forms and select the screen.
- Scroll down to Permissions. If you see Show more permissions, tap it.
- Under Messages, choose who can post.
- Under Replies, choose who can reply.
- If you choose Only specific account types, tick the account types that are allowed.
- Tap Save Changes.
📣 How to Make an Announcements-Only Chat or Feed
To let only teachers or staff post while everyone else reads:
- Under Messages, select Only editors/moderators can post messages.
- Under Replies, choose whether members can still reply, or select Only editors/moderators can reply to messages to turn replies off for everyone else.
- Under Chat Editors/Moderators, tap Manage Editors and add the teachers or staff who should post.
- Tap Save Changes.
For more on adding editors, see How to Make Someone an Editor of a Specific Screen or Chat.
✅ Who Can Always Post and Reply
These people can always post and reply, no matter which options you choose:
- Chat editors/moderators of that chat or feed, even if their account type isn't ticked
- School admins with the All Members or All screens & forms permission
❓ Good to Know
- Can't post or reply? Members who aren't allowed to post won't see the message box, and members who aren't allowed to reply won't see the reply option. Check the chat's Messages and Replies settings.
- If you choose Only specific account types and leave every account type unticked, only editors/moderators and admins can post or reply.
- These settings control posting and replying only. To control who can see the chat or feed, see Restricting Screens by Groups.