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Team collaboration: comments, mentions, and emoji reactions

Collaborate inside MessageDesk without ever sending an unintended text. Use comments for internal notes, mentions to alert teammates, and emoji reactions to respond quickly without typing a message.

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Comments

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What are comments?

Comments are internal-only notes that appear inside a text thread but never go to contacts.
Use them for:
  • Internal handoffs.
  • Approvals or QA reviews.
  • Context before responding.
  • Reminders or documentation.
You’re in comment mode when the compose box turns purple (default theme).
On mobile, you can post comments, @mention teammates, react with emojis, delete comments, and reply in threads. Long-press any message or comment to open its action sheet. Thread replies open in a dedicated Thread screen.

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Mentions

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What are mentions?

Mentions let you notify teammates directly inside a conversation.
  • Type @ to mention one or more teammates (you can @yourself too).
  • Mentions trigger email and browser notifications that link to the conversation.
  • Great for follow-ups, approvals, or assigning the next step.
Example:
“@Jordan please confirm details before closing this ticket.”

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Emoji reactions

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What are emoji reactions?

Emoji reactions let you quickly acknowledge or respond to messages and comments without typing a full reply.
  • Available on messages and non-threaded comments.
  • Shown in the top-left corner of a message or comment.
  • Show a count of unique reactions. Click a reaction on desktop, or tap it on mobile, to see who reacted.
When to use reactions
  • 👍 Confirm you’ve seen a message.
  • 🎉 Celebrate a win.
  • ❤️ Show appreciation.
  • 👀 Indicate “reviewing” without replying.

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Inbound reactions from iPhone customers (“Loved”, “Liked”, etc.)

When a customer reacts to one of your texts from an iPhone (for example, tapping Loved on a product photo), Apple sends that reaction over SMS as plain text. You’ll see something like Loved "test outbound". How it appears in MessageDesk:
  • The reaction lands in the conversation as a normal inbound message containing the reaction text and a snippet of the message they reacted to.
  • You’ll get an inbound message notification just like any other reply.
  • MessageDesk doesn’t render the reaction as a native iOS-style Tapback bubble or attach it visually to the original outbound message. There’s no count or icon overlay on the original send.
Why: Carrier SMS doesn’t carry a structured “reaction” payload between iPhone and non-Apple platforms (Android recipients see the same text strings). MessageDesk receives only the text Apple emits.
Tips for iPhone-heavy audiences:
  • When sending product photos, ask customers to reply with the product name or number instead of (or in addition to) tapping a reaction. This keeps intent unambiguous.
  • Use the inbound text itself as the signal. Loved "Blue floral dress – $48" clearly maps back to what the customer wants.

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How to use comments, mentions & reactions

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1. Open a conversation

From your Inbox, open any conversation.

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2. Switch to comment mode

Use the Message Type dropdown to switch from Message to Comment.
The composer turns purple.
Comment Drop Down

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3. Mention teammates

Type @ anywhere in your comment to open the inline mention menu. You can mention:
  • One or multiple teammates.
  • Yourself (as a personal reminder).
How the inline mention menu works:
  • Type @ to open the menu, then keep typing to filter by name.
  • Use the arrow keys to navigate, then press Enter to insert the highlighted teammate, or click a name to insert it.
  • Teammates appear by their first + last name (no spaces). If a teammate hasn’t set a name, you’ll see their email instead.
Mentioning yourself is a quick way to set reminders or flag items for follow-up.
Comment @ Mention

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4. Write and send your comment

Type your comment, then click Send. It appears in the thread but doesn’t send as a text.
  • Optional: click + to attach media (images, files, and so on).
  • Switch back to Message mode to send an actual SMS.
Published Comment

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Post a comment on mobile

  1. Open a conversation in the MessageDesk mobile app.
  2. Tap the Message dropdown next to the send button, then select Comment.
  3. Type your comment. Type @ to open the mention picker, then tap a teammate to mention them.
  4. Tap the send button. The comment appears in the thread but doesn’t send as a text.
Scheduling isn’t available for comments. Long-pressing the send button only opens send and schedule options in Message mode.

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5. Add an emoji reaction

Hover over any message or comment, click the emoji icon, then choose a reaction.
Click an existing emoji to see who reacted.
Emoji Reaction

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Add an emoji reaction on mobile

  1. Long-press a message or non-threaded comment to open the action sheet.
  2. Tap Add Reaction, then choose an emoji.
  3. The reaction appears in the top-left corner of the message or comment, matching desktop.
  • Tap an existing reaction to see who reacted.
  • Tap a reaction you added to remove it.
  • Reactions sync in real time between desktop and mobile.

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Message actions on mobile

Mobile has no hover menu, so long-press a message bubble instead. The action sheet matches the desktop message hover menu:
  • Add Reaction. React to the message with an emoji.
  • Copy Message. Copy the message text to your clipboard.
  • Reply in Thread. Opens the Thread screen for that message so you can read and post internal replies about it. See Reply in a thread on mobile.
  • Delete Message. Only appears if your role has permission to delete messages on that phone line. See Inbox overview for who can delete messages.
Tap outside the sheet or swipe it down to dismiss without taking an action.

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6. Mentions trigger notifications

Mentioned teammates get:
  • An email notification with a direct link to the thread.
  • A browser push notification if enabled.
Mention Notification

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Find comments you’re mentioned in

  1. Go to your Inbox.
  2. Open My Inbox (left sidebar).
  3. Select the pre-saved view for Comments you’re mentioned in.
  4. Click a conversation to jump directly to your mention.
My Mentions

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Searching for comments

Comment search lives in Advanced Search, not Quick Search. Quick Search (⌘K) only returns contacts and conversations.
  1. Open Advanced Search:
    • On desktop, press ⌘K / Ctrl K to open Quick Search, then press Enter on a result or click Open Advanced Search.
    • On mobile or tablet, tap the search icon near the account settings icon.
  2. Type your search query and review the Comments results section, which has its own per-type filters and pagination.
  3. Click a comment result to open the conversation and scroll directly to that comment.
Search respects your existing permissions. You’ll only see comments from conversations you have access to.

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Comment threads

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What are comment threads?

Threads let you reply directly to a specific comment or message, keeping related discussions together.
  • Organize back-and-forth discussions.
  • Keep follow-ups separate from the main message feed.
  • Create and reply to threads on desktop (hover) or on mobile (long-press, then Reply in Thread).
Comment In Threaad

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Reply in a thread

  1. Hover over a comment or message, then click Reply.
  2. Type your reply.
  3. Click Send.
You can reply from the original comment or the last message in a thread. Both add to the same thread.
Comment Thread Extended

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Reply in a thread on mobile

On mobile, threads open in their own Thread screen instead of expanding inline in the conversation.
  1. Long-press a message or top-level comment, then tap Reply in Thread. If the item already has replies, you can also tap the replies row beneath it (for example, “3 replies”).
  2. The Thread screen opens with the original message or comment pinned at the top and replies listed below it, oldest to newest.
  3. Type your reply in the composer at the bottom. Thread replies are always internal comments, so there’s no Message/Comment toggle here. Type @ to mention a teammate or tap + to attach media.
  4. Tap send. Your reply appears at the bottom of the thread and in the replies row under the original item.
  • Tap View in conversation to jump back to the original message in the conversation.
  • Tap back to return to the conversation where you left off. An unsent thread draft is kept for the rest of your session.
  • Replies posted from desktop appear in the Thread screen in real time, and vice versa.
Threads are one level deep. You can reply to the original message or comment, but you can’t start a thread from a reply, on desktop or mobile.

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When to use threads

  • Follow-ups. Ask clarifying questions without cluttering the main chat.
  • Status updates. Keep progress notes in one place.
  • Focused discussions. Avoid cross-talk in busy conversations.

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Deleting comments

Delete comments you no longer need. Comments are soft-deleted. They’re removed from view but stay in the database for record-keeping.

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Delete a comment

  1. Hover over the comment in the conversation thread.
  2. Click the trash can icon (🗑️).
  3. MessageDesk removes the comment from the thread.

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Delete a comment on mobile

  1. Long-press the comment to open the action sheet.
  2. Tap Delete Comment.
  3. Confirm the deletion. MessageDesk removes the comment from the thread.
Delete Comment only appears on comments you have permission to delete.

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What happens when you delete a comment

  • Individual comments (non-threaded): Disappear from the conversation pane entirely.
  • Threaded comments: A placeholder showing “Comment was deleted” stays to preserve thread context.
Deleted comments are soft-deleted. They no longer appear in the conversation, but they stay in the database and still show up in conversation exports.

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Common team scenarios

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Tips & best practices

  • ✅ Keep one comment = one ask. Easier to read and act on.
  • 🧭 Add context before tagging. Summarize the issue or goal.
  • 👥 Mention the owner. Tag the responsible teammate so nothing slips through.
  • 📎 Attach files. Use screenshots, PDFs, or photos for clarity.
  • 🔁 Close the loop. Add a “Resolved, closing thread” note when finished.
  • ⚡ React instead of reply. Use emojis for quick acknowledgments to cut noise.

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Privacy & visibility

  • Comments are internal only. They’re never sent to contacts.
  • Mentions trigger email/browser notifications to the tagged teammates.
  • Comments stay in the conversation for historical context and auditing.

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FAQ

Do comments send to the customer?
No. They’re internal-only. How do I know I’m commenting, not texting?
The composer turns purple, and the message type shows Comment. Can I post comments from the mobile app?
Yes. Tap the Message dropdown next to the send button and select Comment. Type @ to mention teammates. Can I react to messages and comments from the mobile app?
Yes. Long-press a message or non-threaded comment, tap Add Reaction, and choose an emoji. Tap a reaction to see who reacted, or tap your own reaction to remove it. Can I mention multiple teammates?
Yes. Mention as many as needed. Can I attach media to a comment?
Yes. Use the + icon to upload files or images. Will I get notified if someone mentions me?
Yes. Mentions trigger email and browser notifications. How do I reply to a specific comment or message?
On desktop, hover over it and click Reply. On mobile, long-press it and tap Reply in Thread. Either way, your message appears as a threaded reply. Can I reply in threads from the mobile app?
Yes. Long-press a message or top-level comment and tap Reply in Thread, or tap the replies row under an item that already has replies. The Thread screen opens with the original pinned at the top and a comment-only composer at the bottom. Can I see all my mentions in one place?
Yes. In My Inbox, use the “Comments you’re mentioned in” view. Can I delete a comment?
Yes. Hover over the comment and click the trash can icon. On mobile, long-press the comment and tap Delete Comment. Individual comments disappear entirely. Threaded comments show “Comment was deleted” as a placeholder. Deleted comments are soft-deleted and still appear in conversation exports.

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Troubleshooting

I don’t see the Comment option.
Make sure you’re inside a specific conversation (not just the list). If it’s still missing, check with your admin about permissions. Can I search for comments?
Yes. Comment search lives in Advanced Search. On desktop, open Quick Search with ⌘K / Ctrl K and press Enter or click Open Advanced Search. On mobile or tablet, tap the search icon near account settings. My comment sent as a text.
You were probably in Message mode. Switch to Comment (purple composer) before sending. Mentions aren’t notifying teammates.
Make sure you used @ to select teammates from the inline menu (arrow keys + Enter, or click) instead of just typing their name as plain text.
Ask teammates to check email spam/junk folders if no notification appears.