Messaging

This guide covers Direct Messages (DMs) - one-to-one encrypted conversations. For group conversations, see Groups. For broadcast channels, see Channels.

Direct Messages Overview

Direct messages are:

• Private - End-to-end encrypted, only you and recipient can read
• One-to-one - Between you and one other person
• Offline-capable - Work without internet via mesh
• Persistent - Stored until delivered or expired

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Sending Messages

Starting a Conversation

From Contacts:

1. Go to Contacts tab
2. Tap a contact
3. Tap Message to start chatting

From Chats:

1. Go to Chats tab
2. Tap an existing conversation, or
3. Tap + to start a new message
4. Select a contact

Composing Messages

1. Tap the text input at the bottom
2. Type your message
3. Tap Send (arrow icon)

Your message is:

1. Encrypted with the recipient's public key
2. Signed with your private key
3. Queued for delivery via the mesh

What You Can Send

Type	Supported	Notes
Text	Yes	Up to several KB
Links	Yes	Tappable URLs
Emoji	Yes	Standard emoji
Files	Not yet	Planned for future
Images	Not yet	Planned for future
Voice	Not yet	Planned for future

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Message Status

Status Icons Explained

Icon	Status	What It Means	What to Do
Clock	Pending	Message queued, waiting for relay	Wait - a nearby device will relay it
Single check	Forwarding	Handed off to mesh, traveling	Message is on its way
Double check	Delivered	Reached recipient's device	Done! They received it
Warning/X	Error	Something went wrong	Check connectivity, retry
"EXP"	Expired	TTL exceeded before delivery	Message won't be delivered

Status Flow

Pending → Forwarding → Delivered
    ↓           ↓
  Error      Expired

Understanding Delivery Times

Scenario	Typical Time
Recipient nearby	Seconds
Same building/event	Minutes
Same city	Hours
Different cities	Hours to days
Remote areas	Days or longer

No internet required

Messages travel through device-to-device encounters. More Mycel users = faster delivery.

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Message Actions

Long-Press Menu

Long-press any message to see actions:

Action	Description
Copy	Copy message text to clipboard
Forward	Send to another contact/group
Delete	Remove message
Info	View message details

Copying Messages

1. Long-press the message
2. Tap Copy
3. Text is copied to clipboard
4. Paste anywhere

Forwarding Messages

1. Long-press the message
2. Tap Forward
3. Select destination:
4. A contact
5. A group
6. A channel (if you're the owner)
7. Confirm

The forwarded message:

• Shows as sent by you
• Doesn't indicate it's forwarded
• Is re-encrypted for the new recipient

Deleting Messages

1. Long-press the message
2. Tap Delete
3. Confirm

Local delete only

Deleting removes the message from your device. The recipient still has their copy.

Message Info

View details about a message:

1. Long-press the message
2. Tap Info
3. See:
4. Message ID
5. Sent timestamp
6. Delivery status
7. Encryption status
8. Recipient info

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Conversation Management

Pinning Conversations

Keep important chats at the top:

1. Go to Chats > Direct Messages
2. Swipe right on a conversation
3. Tap Pin

Pinned conversations:

• Stay at the top of your list
• Show a pin indicator
• Remain pinned until you unpin

To unpin: Swipe right again and tap Unpin

Archiving Conversations

Hide inactive chats:

1. Swipe left on a conversation
2. Tap Archive

Archived conversations:

• Move to the Archived tab
• Don't appear in main list
• Still receive messages (you'll be notified)

To unarchive:

1. Go to Archived tab
2. Swipe left on the conversation
3. Tap Unarchive

Organization Tips

Goal	Action
Prioritize important chats	Pin them
Clean up old conversations	Archive them
Find a specific chat	Use search

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Searching

Finding Messages

1. Go to Chats
2. Tap the search icon or search bar
3. Type your search query

Search looks in:

• Contact names
• Message content
• Group names

Search Tips

• Search by name to find a contact quickly
• Search by keyword to find messages about a topic
• Partial matches work (searching "meet" finds "meeting")

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Notifications

Message Notifications

When you receive a message:

• Notification appears (if enabled)
• Badge on app icon updates
• Unread count shown in Chats tab

Notification Settings

Control notifications in Settings > Notifications:

Setting	Effect
Popup	Floating preview appears
Sound	Audio alert plays
Vibration	Phone vibrates

Per-Conversation Muting

Mute specific conversations:

1. Open the conversation
2. Tap the header (contact name)
3. Toggle Mute
4. Select duration

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Encryption

How It Works

Every DM is end-to-end encrypted:

1. Key agreement - Your devices establish a shared secret using X25519
2. Encryption - Message encrypted with AES-256-GCM
3. Signing - Message signed with Ed25519 to prove it's from you
4. Transit - Only encrypted data travels through the mesh
5. Decryption - Only the recipient's device can decrypt

What This Means

• Relay nodes can't read - They only see encrypted blobs
• We can't read - No server has the keys
• Only recipient can read - Encryption is to their specific key

Verification

Each message is cryptographically verified:

• Signature proves sender identity
• Encryption ensures only recipient reads
• Tampering is detected and rejected

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Tips for Effective Messaging

For Reliability

• Keep app running - Background operation is essential
• Grant permissions - Location and Bluetooth needed for mesh
• Be patient - Mesh delivery takes time
• Check status - Watch for delivery confirmation

For Important Messages

• Verify delivery - Wait for double-check before assuming received
• Use multiple paths - Nostr + Nearby for faster delivery
• Consider timing - Send when recipient is likely active

For Organization

• Pin important contacts - Quick access to frequent chats
• Archive old conversations - Keep list clean
• Use search - Find old messages quickly

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Troubleshooting

"Message stuck on Pending"

• Check connectivity - Go to Mesh Lab > Nearby
• Are others nearby? - Need relay devices
• Wait - Messages queue until opportunity arises
• Check Queue - Mesh Lab > Queue shows status

"Message shows Error"

• Check recipient - Is their UID correct?
• Retry - Go to Queue, tap message, retry
• Check connectivity - Ensure mesh is active

"Not receiving messages"

• Check notifications - Are they enabled?
• Check mute - Is the conversation muted?
• Check background - Is Mycel running?
• Check battery - Is the app being killed?

"Messages taking too long"

• Normal for mesh - Delivery time varies
• Check Nostr - Internet relay speeds things up
• More users help - Encourage friends to use Mycel

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Conversation Types Comparison

Feature	Direct Message	Group	Channel
Participants	2	Multiple	Unlimited
Who can post	Both	Any member	Owner only
Encryption	E2E	Shared key	Optional
Best for	Private chat	Team discussion	Announcements
Guide	This page	Groups	Channels

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Next: Groups | Channels | How Delivery Works