# Root User Documentation

> User guides for the Root collaborative platform. Root is a community platform with channels, roles, and integrated apps.
> Generated: 2026-10-29

This file contains complete user documentation for the Root platform.
Root is a community platform with channels, roles, permissions, and integrated apps.

---

# Member Guides

Guides for community members: account setup, joining communities, and using Root features.

## <img src="/img/app-icons/root-bridge.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Bridge App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/bridge

---
title: Bridge App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/root-bridge.png
---

#  Bridge App

Automatically send your community's data to outside services on a schedule.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Bridge?

Bridge is a data export app that sends snapshots of your community's information to external services via webhooks. You choose which data to include (channels, roles, member counts, and more), point it at a URL, and Bridge delivers a JSON payload on a regular schedule. This lets you feed community data into dashboards, bots, analytics tools, or any service that accepts HTTP webhooks.

## How it works

A *bridge* is a configured webhook export. Each bridge defines a target URL, which community data fields to include, and optional custom fields. Bridge delivers the selected data as a JSON payload to the target URL on a fixed schedule.

### Data fields

When creating a bridge, you select which community data to include in each delivery. Fields are grouped into categories:

| Category | Fields |
|----------|--------|
| **Community Info** | Community Name, Community Description, Community Icon |
| **Member Statistics** | Member Count |
| **Structure** | Channels, Channel Groups, Roles |
| **Voice** | Voice Channels |

Only selected fields appear in the delivered payload. The **JSON Preview** next to the form (below it on a phone or narrow window) shows exactly what will be sent with your current selection. You can change your selection at any time by editing the bridge.

> **Caution:** **Voice Channels** includes the Root user IDs of the members in each voice channel. Those IDs are sent to the service at your webhook URL, outside Root.

### Custom fields

Each bridge can include *custom fields*: key-value pairs that are added to every delivery. Use these to tag payloads with identifiers, environment names, or any metadata your receiving service needs.

### Webhook URL

The webhook URL must start with `https://` and point to a public address on the internet. Addresses on a private network, such as `localhost` or `192.168.x.x`, are rejected. Bridge does not follow redirects: a `3xx` response counts as a failed delivery, so use the final URL.

### Delivery schedule

Bridges deliver data every 15 minutes. Bridge checks for due deliveries every 60 seconds, builds a snapshot of the selected community data, and sends it as an HTTP POST request to the target URL. The request times out after 10 seconds if the target does not respond. Any `2xx` response counts as a successful delivery. Each delivery is a single JSON object with these top-level keys:

- `communityId`, `exportId`, `exportName`, and `timestamp`: identify your community and this bridge, and record when the snapshot was taken.
- `data`: the selected community data fields (channels, roles, and so on).
- `custom`: your custom key-value fields.

### Signed deliveries

Every bridge has its own *signing secret*, so the receiving service can check that a delivery really came from that bridge. Each request carries two headers:

| Header | Value |
|--------|-------|
| `X-RootBridge-Timestamp` | When the request was sent, in Unix seconds |
| `X-RootBridge-Signature` | `sha256=` followed by the hex HMAC-SHA256 of the timestamp, a period (`.`), and the raw request body, using the signing secret as the key |

To verify a delivery, compute the same HMAC with your copy of the secret and compare it with the header, using a constant-time comparison. Reject requests whose timestamp is more than a few minutes old. The bridge's edit page shows the secret and a short code example under **How to verify a delivery**.

Keep the secret private. If it is exposed, rotate it (see [Rotate the signing secret](#rotate-the-signing-secret)).

### Statuses

Each bridge has a status that reflects its current state:

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **Active** | Delivering on schedule. |
| **Paused** | Not delivering. Select **Resume** to start again. |
| **Error** | The last delivery failed. Bridge continues to retry on schedule and returns to **Active** when a delivery succeeds. |

### Delivery logs

Every delivery attempt is recorded in a log, kept for 30 days. Open a bridge to see its log under **Delivery History**. Each log entry shows the time of the attempt, whether the delivery succeeded, the HTTP status code returned, how long the request took, the payload size, and any error message if it failed. Use delivery logs to diagnose issues with your receiving service.

## Roles and permissions

Bridge uses a single permission group configured by community owners.

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Bridge Admins** | Users and roles who can create and manage webhook data exports. |

### What Bridge Admins can do

- Create, edit, and delete bridges
- Select data fields and custom fields
- Test deliveries on demand
- Pause and resume bridges
- View, copy, and rotate signing secrets
- View delivery logs

Members without the Bridge Admin permission see a **No Access** message when they open Bridge.

## Create a bridge

Bridge Admins can create new webhook exports.

1. Select **Create Bridge** (or **Create Your First Bridge** if you have none yet).
1. Enter a **Name** for the bridge.
1. Enter the **Webhook URL** where payloads should be delivered.
1. Select at least one **data field** to include in deliveries.
1. Optionally add **custom fields** (key-value pairs).
1. Select **Save**.

The bridge starts in **Active** status and delivers its first payload on the next delivery cycle, usually within a minute.

### Create bridge fields

| Field | Required | Limit | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|-------|
| Name | Yes | 100 characters | A descriptive label for this bridge |
| Webhook URL | Yes | 2,048 characters | A public `https://` endpoint that receives payloads |
| Data Fields | Yes (at least 1) | 8 available | Select which community data to include |
| Custom Fields | No | 20 fields | Key-value pairs added to every delivery. Keys up to 64 characters, values up to 1,000 |

## Test a bridge

Bridge Admins can trigger an immediate test delivery to verify the webhook URL and payload.

1. Open an existing bridge.
1. Select **Test**.

Bridge sends a delivery immediately using the bridge's saved settings, even when the bridge is paused. The result appears as a notification and in the delivery logs.

## Edit a bridge

Bridge Admins can update any bridge's settings.

1. Open the bridge you want to edit.
1. Update the **Name**, **Webhook URL**, **data fields**, or **custom fields**.
1. Select **Save**.

Changes take effect on the next scheduled delivery. Saving does not change whether the bridge is paused.

## Pause or resume a bridge

Bridge Admins can stop a bridge's deliveries without deleting it.

1. In the bridge list, or on the bridge's edit page, select **Pause**.

The bridge shows **Paused** and sends nothing until you select **Resume**. A paused bridge keeps its settings, signing secret, and delivery logs.

## Rotate the signing secret

Bridge Admins can replace a bridge's signing secret, for example if it was shared by mistake.

1. Open the bridge.
1. Under **Signing Secret**, select **Rotate**.
1. Confirm.

The old secret stops working at once. Update the receiving service with the new secret, or it will reject deliveries until you do. Select **Reveal** or **Copy** to get the new secret.

## Delete a bridge

Bridge Admins can permanently remove a bridge.

1. Open the bridge you want to delete.
1. Select **Delete**.
1. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting a bridge stops all future deliveries and hides its delivery history. The logs themselves are cleared within 30 days. This action cannot be undone.

## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Bridges per community | 25 |
| Bridge name length | 100 characters |
| Custom fields per bridge | 20 |
| Custom field key length | 64 characters |
| Custom field value length | 1,000 characters |
| Delivery interval | Every 15 minutes |
| Delivery timeout | 10 seconds |
| Delivery log history | 30 days |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · Bridge production 7f6f80a0a */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/command-block.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Command Block App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/command-block

---
title: Command Block App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/command-block.png
---

#  Command Block App

Manage and monitor your Minecraft servers from one dashboard inside Root.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Command Block?

Command Block is a community app that connects your Minecraft servers to Root so you can see who is playing, run console commands, chat with players in game, explore a live map, manage your whitelist and plugins, and track server performance. Community owners grant access to specific features through permission groups, so server managers, moderators, and members each see only what they need.

## What works with Command Block

| | Supported |
|---|---|
| **Edition** | Java Edition |
| **Server software** | Paper, Purpur, Fabric, NeoForge |
| **Minecraft** | 1.21.1, 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 |

Bedrock, Realms, Forge and Aternos are not supported yet.

## How it works

Each server runs a plugin called *Root Companion*. Root connects to it through the same address players use to join, and everything it sends is encrypted end to end. There are no extra ports to open or keys to copy.

### Dashboard

The *dashboard* (**Your Servers**) shows every server as a card with its name, status, player count, server software and version, and address. Server managers can select **Add Server** at the top. Everyone can open **Notifications** and link their Minecraft account from there too. On a phone or narrow window, these buttons show only their icons: a link for **Link account**, a bell for **Notifications** and a plus for **Add Server**.

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **Online** | The server is running and connected to Root. |
| **Setting up** | Setup is not finished. The card says what the next step is. |
| **Code expired** | The pairing code ran out before it was used. Get a new code from the card. |
| **Restarting** | The server is restarting. |
| **Reconnecting** | Root lost the connection a moment ago and is reconnecting. |
| **Offline** | The server has been unreachable for a while. Root reconnects on its own when it comes back. |
| **Connection failed** | Root cannot reach the server. The card explains why in one sentence. |
| **Re-pair required** | The server needs to be paired with Root again. See [Re-pair a server](#re-pair-a-server). |

When a server needs attention, its card tells server managers what to do and offers the button for it, such as **Edit address**, **Re-pair** or **Update Root Companion**. **Copy help link** copies a link to this page. Other members see **A server manager is setting this up.** while setup is unfinished, or **Ask a server manager to check the connection.** when it can't connect.

### Server tabs

Select a server card to open it. The tabs you see depend on your permissions:

| Tab | What it shows | Who sees it |
|-----|---------------|-------------|
| **Server Info** | Address, player count, edition, software and version, the message of the day, and the plugins or mods the server runs | Everyone |
| **Players** | Online and offline players with health, hunger, ping, session time and location | Everyone |
| **Map** | Live world map with player markers, powered by Squaremap | Map Access |
| **Chat** | In-game chat, plus a field to send messages | Chat Access |
| **Analytics** | Players now, peak and active players, average session, server health, and charts for the last 30 days | Analytics Access |
| **Console** | Live console output and a command field | Console Access |
| **Connection** | Join address, custom domain, connection type, pairing date and Root Companion version | Connection Access |
| **Whitelist** | Turn the whitelist on or off, approve requests, add or remove players | Server Managers |
| **Plugins** or **Mods** | Browse, install, update and remove plugins or mods | Server Managers |

The last tab is called **Mods** on Fabric and NeoForge servers, and **Plugins** on the others.

## Roles and permissions

Command Block uses seven permission groups, set by community owners. The community owner has every permission, even without a role.

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Server Managers** | Add, edit, and delete servers, update plugins, and run setup. They also get the Whitelist and Plugins or Mods tabs. |
| **Console Access** | View the server console and send commands. |
| **Chat Access** | View in-game chat and send messages. |
| **Map Access** | View the server map. |
| **Analytics Access** | View server analytics and refresh data. |
| **Inventory Managers** | View and edit player inventories. |
| **Connection Access** | View server connection details (address, connection type and pairing date). |

## Add a server

Server managers add servers from the dashboard.

1. Select **Add Server**.
1. Under **Where does your server run?**, choose one:
   - **A hosting company**: Root installs the plugin for you.
   - **I run it myself**: for a server on your own PC, a VPS or Docker. You install the plugin yourself.
   - **I don't have a server yet**: shows hosts that work with Root.

Not sure which to pick? Open **Not sure? Paste something from your host**, paste your SFTP address or panel link, and select **Continue**.

### At a hosting company

1. Enter your server's SFTP login: **SFTP address**, **Port**, **Username** and **Password**. Root uses it once to install the plugin and does not store it.
1. Select **Install the plugin →**. Root checks your server software and version.
1. If Root asks **Where do players join?**, enter the address players type in Minecraft's Multiplayer screen.
1. Wait while Root installs Root Companion and links it to Root.
1. Restart your server from your host's panel. Root cannot do this step for you.
1. After the restart, Root connects on its own and shows **You're connected**.

If your host has no SFTP, open **Where do I find this?** and select **Install the plugin yourself**, then follow the steps below.

### If you run it yourself, or install the plugin yourself

1. Under **Where do players join?**, enter the address players use to join, then select **Continue**.
1. Choose your server software (**Paper / Purpur**, **Fabric** or **NeoForge**). For Fabric and NeoForge, also choose your Minecraft version.
1. Select **Copy link**, open it in your browser, and download the plugin.
1. Put it in your server's `plugins/` folder (`mods/` on Fabric and NeoForge), then restart the server.
1. Copy the `/rc pair` command shown and run it in the server console. You can also type it in game as an op.
1. Root shows **Waiting for your server to pair...** and connects as soon as the command runs.

Pairing codes last ten minutes. If yours runs out, select **New code**.

> **Tip:** Rather not type a command? Open **Rather not type a command?** and select **Download config.yml**. Put the file in `plugins/RootCompanion/` (`config/rootcompanion/` on Fabric and NeoForge) and restart the server.

If you can't see what went wrong, open **Need help?** to see what each `[RootCompanion]` line in your server console means.

### If you don't have a server yet

Choose **I don't have a server yet** to see hosts that work with Root. Select **Copy link** and open it in your browser to buy a server. Come back and select **Add Server** once your server is up. Root does not sell servers or take a cut.

### Servers that were already connected

Servers set up before the new setup move to the new connection by themselves. Root Companion updates at your server's next normal restart, so nobody is kicked, and the console shows `Switched to the new Root connection.` You don't need to do anything.

## Re-pair a server

Server managers can re-pair a server. If a card shows **Re-pair required**, or you need to pair a server again:

1. Select **Re-pair** on the server's card, or on its **Connection** tab while the server isn't connected.
1. Copy the `/rc pair` command and run it in the server console, or in game as an op. No restart is needed.

## Change a server's address

Server managers can change the address Root uses to reach a server.

1. Select **Edit address** on the server's card, or **Edit** next to **Players join at** on the **Connection** tab.
1. Enter the new address and select **Save**. Root tries the new address straight away.

### Servers behind a proxy like TCPShield

Proxies like TCPShield only pass Minecraft traffic, so Root needs a port of its own. Server managers can select **Players connect through a proxy like TCPShield?** on the card, or **Set up** next to **Separate port** on the **Connection** tab, and follow the steps: add a port in your host's panel, enter the address your panel shows for it, then run the `/rc port` command shown in the console.

### Add a custom domain

Server managers can show a domain, such as `play.example.com`, on the server card instead of the IP address.

1. Open the server and select the **Connection** tab.
1. Next to **Custom domain**, select **Add** (or **Edit** to change it).
1. Enter the domain and select **Save**. Use a domain, not an IP address.
1. Point the domain at your server in your DNS settings.

Root only shows the domain. It does not connect through it. To take it off the card, select **Remove** next to **Custom domain**.

## Remove a server

Server managers can remove a server from Root.

1. Open the server and select **Remove** at the top (a trash icon on a phone or narrow window).
1. Select **Remove** to confirm.

Removing a server does not change anything on the Minecraft server. If the server was paired, Root Companion stays installed but stops sending data to Root.

## Edit the server's name, message and icon

Server managers can change how the server looks in Root and in the Minecraft server list. The server must be online and running the latest Root Companion.

1. Open the server and select **Edit** at the top (a pencil icon on a phone or narrow window).
1. Change the **Name**, the two lines of the **Message of the day**, or the icon (**Upload icon** or **Change icon**). The preview shows how it will look.
1. Select **Save**.

A new icon usually shows straight away. If the server can't switch it while running, Root says **Saved. The new icon shows after the next restart.**

## Whitelists

When a server's whitelist is on, members who are not on it see **Whitelist only** on the server's card and page.

### Ask to join a whitelisted server

1. Select **Apply** on the server card, or **Apply to join** on the server page.
1. Enter your **Minecraft name** (Java Edition). If you have linked your Minecraft account, it is filled in for you.
1. Select **Send request**.

A server manager approves it, and you get a notification when you can join.

### Manage the whitelist

Server managers get a notification for each request.

1. Open the server and select the **Whitelist** tab.
1. Under **Requests**, select **Approve** or **Decline**.
1. Use the switch to turn the whitelist on or off.
1. Under **Players**, enter a **Minecraft name** and select **Add**, or remove a player from the list.

The server must be online to approve requests, add or remove players, or turn the whitelist on or off.

## Plugins and mods

Server managers can add plugins (Paper and Purpur) or mods (Fabric and NeoForge) from Modrinth. This works for servers set up with **A hosting company**. On a server you run yourself, add them to the folder yourself.

1. Open the server and select the **Plugins** or **Mods** tab.
1. Select **Browse** and search for what you want.
1. Select **Install**. Anything it needs is installed with it.
1. Select **Restart** in the bar at the top of the tab to apply your changes.

From **Installed**, you can **Update** or remove what is already there. Changes apply at the next restart.

## Join a modded server

If a Fabric or NeoForge server needs mods on your game too, its **Server Info** tab shows **Mods needed to join**.

1. Select **How to join**.
1. Get the Modrinth App and download the mod pack.
1. In the Modrinth App, select **+**, then **Create instance**, then **Upload a modpack**, and pick the file.
1. Select **Play**, then join the server through Multiplayer using the server address.

Prefer to install mods by hand? Open **Rather install the mods by hand?** for a list of each mod with its Modrinth link.

## Notifications

Select **Notifications** on the dashboard and pick a **Server**. Notifications are set separately for each server.

| Notification | Who | On by default |
|--------------|-----|---------------|
| **Player joins** | Everyone | No |
| **Whitelist approved** | Everyone | Yes |
| **Whitelist requests** | Server managers | Yes |
| **Server status** | Server managers | No |
| **Plugin updates** | Server managers | No |
| **Channel permission alerts** | Server managers | No |

**Channel permission alerts** applies to all servers, and shows a banner on the dashboard instead of a notification.

## Link your Minecraft account

Link your account so Command Block knows which player is you. You won't get notifications about your own joins.

1. Select **Link account** on the dashboard.
1. Select **Link a Minecraft Account**.
1. Join one of your community's servers and type the `/rootlink` command shown, including the code.

The code lasts ten minutes. If it runs out, select **Get a New Code**.

### Hide your location

With a linked account, turn off **Show my location** on the **Players** or **Map** tab to hide your coordinates and map marker from everyone. This applies on every server in the community.

## Update Root Companion

When a new version of Root Companion is ready, server managers see **Plugin Update Available** on the server page.

1. Select **Update Now**.
1. When asked, select **Restart Now**, or **Restart Later** to apply it at your next restart.

If Root can't update it automatically, it asks for your **SFTP Password**, or explains how to replace the plugin file yourself.

## Run a console command

Members with Console Access can run commands from the Console tab. Commands run as the server console.

1. Open a server from the dashboard.
1. Select the **Console** tab.
1. Type a command in the field at the bottom.
1. Press **Enter** or select **Send**.

The output appears in the console above. For safety, `stop`, `restart`, `reload`, `op`, `deop` and `ban-ip` can't be run from Command Block.

## View the map

Members with Map Access can view a live world map.

1. Open a server from the dashboard.
1. Select the **Map** tab.
1. Pan and zoom the map. Player markers show where each online player is.

If Squaremap is not installed yet, a server manager can select **Install Squaremap**. The map needs a server restart to turn on, so you are asked to **Restart Now** or **Restart Later**. If the install doesn't work, use **Or install manually: copy the Squaremap link** to download it from Modrinth yourself.

The map starts blank after Squaremap is first installed. Tiles fill in as players explore the world, and areas no one has visited stay empty.

> **Tip:** If the map appears empty or is missing areas, run `/squaremap fullrender minecraft:overworld` from the server console to draw all existing areas. This can take a while on large worlds and uses extra server resources while it runs.

## Edit a player's inventory

Members with Inventory Managers can select **Inventory** next to an online player on the **Players** tab. The inventory updates live, and you can add, move or delete items. Only one person can edit a player's inventory at a time. Others see a lock showing who has it open. On Fabric and NeoForge servers you can view the inventory but not edit it.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · CommandBlock production c7a5f705f */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/community-analytics.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Community Analytics App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/community-analytics

---
title: Community Analytics App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/community-analytics.png
---

#  Community Analytics App

See how your community is doing with live dashboards for activity and engagement.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Community Analytics?

Community Analytics is a community app that gives community owners insight into how their community is doing. It tracks all member activity (messages, reactions, voice time, and more) and presents it through interactive charts and metrics. You can see who your most active members are, how well you retain new members over time, and where engagement is trending up or down.

## How it works

The app monitors activity across your community's channels live. It records events like messages sent, reactions added, voice channel joins, and file uploads, then rolls them up into daily and hourly metrics. The dashboard displays these metrics through summary cards, trend charts, heatmaps, leaderboards, and tables.

### Key metrics

These are the main numbers the dashboard tracks. Each one is explained in plain terms below, so you can skim rather than memorize.

| Metric | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **DAU** | Daily Active Users: members with any activity in a calendar day. |
| **MAU** | Monthly Active Users: members with activity in the last 28 days. |
| **DAU/MAU Ratio** | A measure of "stickiness": how concentrated daily activity is relative to the monthly base. Higher is better. |
| **Retention Rate** | The percentage of a weekly cohort that remains active in subsequent weeks. |
| **Lurker Rate** | The percentage of members with minimal or no contribution. |
| **Ghost Rate** | The percentage of members with no activity in the last 7 days. |
| **Conversion Rate** | The percentage of lurkers who became contributors. |
| **Time to First Message** | How long after joining a member sends their first message. |

### Member lifecycle

Every member is assigned a lifecycle stage based on their recent activity pattern:

| Stage | Definition |
|-------|------------|
| **New** | Joined in the last 7 days. |
| **Active** | Active in both the current and previous 7-day period. |
| **Returning** | Became active again after a period of inactivity. |
| **At Risk** | No activity for 7 to 13 days. |
| **Dormant** | Inactive for 14–30 days. |
| **Churned** | Inactive for more than 30 days. |

### Engagement types

Members are also classified by their engagement level, calculated from a weighted activity score over a rolling 7-day window:

| Type | Score | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| **Power User** | 100 or higher | Very high activity across multiple activity types. |
| **Regular** | 30–99 | Consistent, moderate activity. |
| **Light** | 3–29 | Minimal but measurable activity. |
| **Lurker** | Below 3 | Contributing very little. |
| **Ghost** | N/A | No activity in the last 7 days. |
| **At Risk** | N/A | Was a power user or regular, now declining significantly. |

### Activity score

The activity score is the sum of each activity count multiplied by its weight over the most recent 7-day window:

| Activity | Weight |
|----------|--------|
| Message sent | 1.0 |
| Reaction | 0.3 |
| Voice minute | 0.1 |
| File shared | 3.0 |

For example, a member who sends 50 messages, adds 30 reactions, spends 60 minutes in voice, and shares 5 files in a week has a score of 50 + 9 + 6 + 15 = 80, placing them in the Regular tier.

## Who can see the dashboard

Anyone who can open the app's channel sees everything in it, including member profiles. Community leaders should limit who can see the Community Analytics channel.

## Dashboard

The dashboard is the main view. It shows a comprehensive overview of community activity for a selected time period.

### Date range

Use the date range picker to choose a period: **Last 7 days**, **Last 14 days**, **Last 30 days**, or **Last 90 days**. **Compare to previous period** is on by default and shows percentage changes alongside each metric; turn it off to hide them.

### Overview cards

The top of the dashboard displays summary cards for the key metrics: Daily Active Users, Monthly Active Users, DAU/MAU Ratio, Total Messages, Total Reactions, Voice Minutes, New Members, and Active Channels. When comparison is enabled, most cards show the percentage change from the previous period.

**New Members** counts the people who joined each day. Installing an App or Bot doesn't count as a new member, and someone who leaves and rejoins on the same day counts once.

If a section of the dashboard can't load, it says so and shows a **Retry** button, so a problem never looks like zero activity.

### Activity trend

A line chart showing Daily Active Users over time. When comparison is enabled, a second line shows the previous period for side-by-side comparison.

### Activity heatmap

A 24-hour by 7-day grid that shows when your community is most active. Darker cells indicate more activity. Times are displayed in your local timezone.

### Top channels

A horizontal bar chart showing the most active channels by message count.

### Top contributors

A ranked list of the members with the most messages in the selected period. Select a member to open their profile with detailed activity history.

### Retention cohorts

A table showing weekly cohorts of new members and what percentage remained active in each subsequent week, across eight weekly columns (Week 0 to Week 7). Higher retention percentages are highlighted with stronger colors.

### User lifecycle

A stacked area chart showing how the community's lifecycle distribution changes over time, alongside a breakdown panel with counts for each stage and descriptions of what they mean.

### Engagement analysis

A donut chart showing the distribution of engagement types across the community. Select a segment to filter the user table below it. The insights section displays the lurker rate, ghost rate, conversion rate, and average time to first message.

### Monitored channels

A panel listing the channels the app is tracking, with a count of how many are monitored. Community Analytics only records activity in channels this app can access. To track more channels, grant the app access to them in your community settings.

## Member profiles

Select any member from the top contributors list or engagement table to open their profile. The profile shows:

- Lifecycle stage and engagement type.
- First seen and last seen dates.
- Lifetime activity metrics (messages, reactions, voice minutes).
- Hourly and daily activity distribution charts.
- Top channels for that member.
- Recent activity timeline.
- Activity trend indicator (increasing, stable, or decreasing).

## Tracked activity

Community Analytics records the following events:

- Messages created, deleted, pinned, and unpinned.
- Reactions added and removed.
- Voice channel joins and leaves (with duration tracking).
- File uploads and deletions.
- Member joins, leaves, bans, and unbans.
- Profile updates.
- Online and offline status changes.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · CommunityAnalytics production 7f6f80a0a */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/hexatris.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Hexatris App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/hexatris

---
title: Hexatris App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/hexatris.png
---

#  Hexatris App

Play a hexagonal twist on the classic falling block puzzle game.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Hexatris?

Hexatris is a competitive multiplayer puzzle game built on a hexagonal grid. Pieces fall from the top of the board and you move, rotate, and drop them to complete lines. In battle mode you play directly against another player: clearing lines sends garbage rows to your opponent. The last player standing wins. A skill rating system (ELO) tracks your skill and places you in a tier from Bronze to Grandmaster.

## How it works

Hexatris plays like a classic falling block puzzle game with two key differences: the board uses a hexagonal grid, and pieces rotate in six directions instead of four.

### The board

The playing field is 10 columns wide and 21 rows tall. Each cell is a hexagon, and columns are staggered to create the honeycomb pattern. A piece spawns at the top of the board and falls one row at a time. When a piece lands, it locks in place and the next piece spawns. If a piece locks in the top row so that the next piece cannot spawn, the game is over (called *topping out*).

### Pieces

There are 10 piece types, each made up of four hexagonal cells. Every piece has a distinct color and shape.

| Piece | Color |
|-------|-------|
| Line | Hot Pink |
| Square | Neon Orange |
| L-Shape | Magenta |
| J-Shape | Cyan |
| T-Shape | Electric Blue |
| Club | Purple |
| S-Shape | Neon Green |
| Z-Shape | Electric Yellow |
| U-Shape | White |
| Tri | Pink |

Because the grid is hexagonal, each piece can be rotated into six orientations (60° increments). If a rotation would push the piece into a wall or another block, the game automatically tries nearby offsets to make the rotation work (called a *wall kick*).

A **NEXT** panel beside the board shows the next three pieces, so you can plan your moves ahead.

### Line clearing and scoring

When every cell in a row is filled, the line clears and all rows above it shift down. Clearing more lines at once earns more points and sends more garbage to your opponent.

| Lines cleared | Points | Garbage sent |
|---------------|--------|--------------|
| 1 | 50 × level | 0 |
| 2 | 125 × level | 1 |
| 3 | 250 × level | 2 |
| 4+ | 400 × level | 4 |

### Combos

A *combo* is a streak of consecutive piece placements that each clear at least one line. For every two combo hits, one extra garbage line is sent to your opponent on top of the normal amount.

### Gravity and levels

Pieces fall faster as you progress. The game starts at level 1, and you advance one level for every 10 lines cleared. At level 1 a piece drops one row per second. Each level reduces the interval by 100 milliseconds, down to a minimum of 100 milliseconds at high levels.

### Garbage

In battle mode, clearing lines sends *garbage* to your opponent. Garbage rows appear at the bottom of the opponent's board after a one-second delay, pushing everything upward. Each garbage row is filled with gray blocks except for one random gap column, giving the opponent a chance to clear it. If the incoming garbage pushes blocks past the top of the board, the player tops out.

Clearing lines also cancels incoming garbage. If you clear lines while garbage is still pending against you, it reduces or wipes out that garbage before it reaches your board.

## Game modes

### Battle

Battle is the competitive 1v1 mode. Select **FIND MATCH** from the lobby to join the matchmaking queue. The system pairs you with a player of similar ELO rating. After a three-second countdown both players start at the same time and play until one tops out. The winner gains ELO and the loser drops. Match results are recorded in your profile and the community leaderboard. A match that lasts 30 minutes ends with **NO WINNER**.

### Practice

Practice is a solo mode for warming up or learning the controls. Select **START PRACTICE** from the lobby to start. On a keyboard, press **P** or **Esc** to pause and resume. Root mobile has no pause button. Practice games do not affect your ranking or stats.

## Controls

| Action | Keys |
|--------|------|
| Move left | **←** or **A** |
| Move right | **→** or **D** |
| Soft drop (faster fall) | **↓** or **S** |
| Rotate | **↑** or **W** |
| Hard drop (instant) | **Space** |
| Pause (practice only) | **P** or **Esc** |

On Root mobile, use the touch buttons instead: **↻** to rotate, **◀** and **▶** to move, **▼** to soft drop, and **⤓** to hard drop. Press and hold **◀**, **▶** or **▼** to keep moving.

A *ghost piece* (semi-transparent outline) shows where the piece will land if you hard-drop, helping you aim.

## Ranking

Hexatris uses an ELO rating system. Every player starts at 1200 ELO. Winning a battle increases your rating and losing decreases it. The amount gained or lost depends on the difference between your rating and your opponent's: beating a higher-rated player earns more points than beating a lower-rated one.

Your rating determines your rank tier:

| Tier | ELO range |
|------|-----------|
| **Bronze** | Below 1000 |
| **Silver** | 1000–1199 |
| **Gold** | 1200–1399 |
| **Platinum** | 1400–1599 |
| **Diamond** | 1600–1799 |
| **Master** | 1800–2199 |
| **Grandmaster** | 2200 and above |

## Leaderboard

The leaderboard shows the top-ranked players in the community. You can filter by rank tier or view all tiers together. Each entry displays the player's name, ELO rating, tier, wins, losses, win rate, and a win-streak badge that appears when a player is on a streak of 3 or more wins. Your own stats appear in a summary card.

## Spectate

You can watch live matches without participating. Open the spectator view to see a list of matches in progress and select one to watch. Both players' boards update live.

## Matchmaking

When you join the queue, the system looks for another player within a similar ELO range. The search range starts narrow and widens over time until a match is found. Once two players are paired, a three-second countdown begins and the match starts.

If a player disconnects during a match, there is a 30-second grace period to reconnect before the match is forfeited. To get back in, open the lobby and select **REJOIN**, or select **FORFEIT** to give up the match.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · Hexatris production 7f6f80a0a */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/moderation.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Moderation App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/moderation

---
title: Moderation App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/moderation.png
---

#  Moderation App

Automatically filter harmful content, catch spam, and keep your community safe.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Moderation?

Moderation is a community app that helps community owners maintain a healthy environment by automatically removing harmful messages and detecting spam. The app scans messages against built-in slur and profanity lists, custom word filters, and spam detection rules. When a rule is triggered the message is deleted automatically. Disciplinary actions like kicks and bans remain in the hands of human moderators. A full audit log and analytics dashboard give admins visibility into moderation activity.

Moderation uses your language if it is English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Indonesian, or Dutch. Otherwise it uses English.

## How it works

When a member sends a message in a monitored channel, the app evaluates it against three rules in order: content filter, Rapid Message Limit, then spam detection. The first rule that triggers stops evaluation and the message is deleted. Edited messages are re-checked by the content filter. Every deletion is recorded in the audit log.

### Content filter

The content filter checks messages against word lists. Three categories of words can be filtered independently:

| Category | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| **Slurs** | A built-in list of slur terms. Enabled by default. |
| **Profanity** | A built-in list of profanity terms. Enabled by default. |
| **Custom words** | Words added by admins for the community. Enabled by default. |

The filter normalizes text (lowercasing, common letter substitutions) before checking, so variations like "l33t" still match. Admins can also maintain an *allowed words* list. Words on this list are never filtered, even if they match a rule.

Optionally, the app can warn the member when content is filtered. Admins choose how the warning is delivered in the **General** tab under **Warn members by**: a message in the channel, a private notification, or both.

### Spam detection

Spam detection identifies repeated identical messages from the same user. Admins configure a *threshold* (how many identical messages trigger the rule) and a *time window* (how far back to look). Detection can be scoped per channel or server-wide.

For example, with a threshold of 3 and a window of 60 minutes, if a user sends the same message four times within an hour, all four copies are deleted. Any later copies in the window are deleted too.

### Rapid Message Limit

The Rapid Message Limit catches members who flood the chat, even when every message is different. Admins set **Max Messages** (how many messages a member can send) and a **Time Window (seconds)**. Messages over the limit are deleted. The limit counts each member across all channels. Edited messages do not count.

### Monitored channels

The app acts on every text channel it has access to. There is no per-channel selection.

## Roles and permissions

Moderation uses one permission group configured by community owners:

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Moderation Admins** | Users and roles who can access moderation settings and the audit log. |

### What admins can do

- View the dashboard, audit log, and analytics
- Configure content filter settings and manage word lists
- Configure spam detection
- Set analytics data retention
- Kick, ban, and remove messages from members (each also needs the matching Root permission)
- Find any member on the **Members** page

### What other members can do

- View the dashboard and analytics (read-only)

## Dashboard

The dashboard provides an overview of moderation activity in the last 24 hours. It displays two summary cards (**Actions (24h)** and **Content Filtered**), a Monitored Channels panel, and a list of recent activity showing the latest moderation events. Admins can kick, ban, or remove messages from a member in **Recent Activity**.

## Audit log

The audit log is a searchable, paginated record of every moderation action. Admins can filter by:

- **Username**: search for actions targeting a specific member.
- **Action type**: All Actions, Delete message, Kick, or Ban.
- **Rule type**: All Rules, Content Filter, or Spam Detection.

Each entry shows the time, action taken, target user, rule that triggered it, and the matched term (if applicable). Select an entry to open its details. For a ban, the details also show the **Ban length**.

## Analytics

The analytics view shows moderation trends over a selectable period (last 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days). It includes:

- **Summary cards** with totals and percentage breakdowns.
- **Actions over time**: a stacked bar chart showing daily activity by rule type.
- **Rule breakdown**: a horizontal bar chart comparing content filter and spam actions.
- **Top channels**: the five most actioned channels.

## Kick, ban, or remove messages

Admins can kick or ban a member, or remove their recent messages, from these places:

- **Recent Activity** on the dashboard.
- A row in the **Audit Log**. On a phone or in a narrow window, the rows have no buttons. Select the entry to open its details, and use the buttons there.
- The **Members** page, which finds any member. See [Find any member](#find-any-member).

In **Recent Activity** and the audit log table, the buttons show only an icon.

### What you need

To use an action, you must be in **Moderation Admins** and also have the matching permission in Root:

| Action | Root permission |
|--------|-----------------|
| **Kick** | **Kick Member** |
| **Ban** | **Create Bans** |
| **Remove messages** | **Delete Messages** or **Channel Full Control** |

If you are in **Moderation Admins**, **Community Full Control** gives all three, and so does being the community owner. Only permissions from your roles count. Access rules on single channels do not change what you can do here. You only see the buttons for the actions you can use. For more about these permissions, see the [Permission reference](../../leader/roles-permissions/permission-reference.md).

### Kick a member

1. Select **Kick** next to the member.
1. If you want, type a reason in **Reason (optional)**. It is saved in the audit log. The member does not see it.
1. To also delete their recent messages, choose a time in **Also remove their messages**. The default is **Keep their messages**. This option only shows if you can remove messages.
1. Select **Kick**.

The member is removed from the community. They can rejoin with an invite.

### Ban a member

1. Select **Ban** next to the member.
1. Choose a **Ban length**: **1 hour**, **1 day**, **7 days**, **30 days**, or **Permanent**. The default is **1 day**.
1. If you want, type a reason in **Reason (optional)**. It is saved in the audit log and in Root's ban list, and the member sees it in their ban notification.
1. To also delete their recent messages, choose a time in **Also remove their messages**. This option only shows if you can remove messages.
1. Select **Ban**.

The member is removed from the community and cannot rejoin until the ban ends. Root ends a timed ban by itself.

### Remove messages

This deletes a member's messages from a recent time period, in every channel Moderation can see.

1. Select **Remove messages** next to the member.
1. In **Remove messages from**, choose **The last hour**, **The last 24 hours**, or **The last 7 days**. The default is **The last 24 hours**.
1. Select **Remove messages**.

The removal runs in the background, so you can keep working. In a busy community it can take a few minutes. A panel at the bottom of the screen shows how many channels have been checked and how many messages were removed. To end it early, select **Stop**. When it finishes, one **Remove messages** entry is added to the audit log.

### Members you can't act on

Moderation does not kick, ban, or remove messages from:

- The community owner.
- Yourself.
- Other Moderation Admins.

You also can't kick or ban someone who is no longer in the community.

### Find any member

Use the **Members** page to act on someone who is not in the audit log. Only Moderation Admins see this page.

1. Select **Members** in the sidebar.
1. Type at least 3 letters of a name, or paste a user ID.
1. Select **Kick**, **Ban**, or **Remove messages** next to the member.

The page shows the first 25 matches. Type more of the name to narrow the list. If you have none of the Root permissions in [What you need](#what-you-need), the page shows a message instead of the search box.

## Configure the content filter

Admins can manage the content filter from the **Content Filter** tab in settings.

1. Open settings and select the **Content Filter** tab.
1. Toggle **Enable Content Filter** to turn filtering on or off.
1. When enabled, toggle individual categories:
   - **Filter Slurs**: filter messages matching built-in slur terms.
   - **Filter Profanity**: filter messages matching built-in profanity terms.
   - **Filter Custom Words**: filter messages matching your custom word list.
   - **Warn Users**: tell the member when a message is filtered. How they are told depends on [how members are warned](#set-how-members-are-warned).

### Manage custom words

1. In the Content Filter tab, find the **Banned Words** section.
1. Type a word in the input field and select **Add**.
1. Select **Show Banned Words** to view and manage existing words.
1. Use the search field or category filter to find specific words.
1. Toggle a word on or off. Custom words also have a delete button to remove them. Words from the built in lists can only be turned off.

### Manage allowed words

1. In the Content Filter tab, find the **Allowed Words** section.
1. Type a word and select **Add**.
1. Words on this list are never filtered, even if they match a filter rule.

## Configure spam detection

Admins can manage spam detection from the **Spam Control** tab in settings.

1. Open settings and select the **Spam Control** tab.
1. Toggle **Enable Spam Detection** to turn it on or off.
1. When enabled, configure:
   - **Spam Threshold**: number of identical messages before the rule triggers (2 to 10).
   - **Time Window (minutes)**: how far back to look (1 to 1,440).
   - **Detection Scope**: track per channel or server-wide.
   - **Warn Users**: tell the member when spam is detected. How they are told depends on [how members are warned](#set-how-members-are-warned).

### Set the Rapid Message Limit

1. Open settings and select the **Spam Control** tab.
1. Toggle **Enable Rapid Message Limit** to turn it on or off.
1. When enabled, configure:
   - **Max Messages**: how many messages a member can send within the window (2 to 100).
   - **Time Window (seconds)**: the rolling window the limit applies to (1 to 3,600 seconds).
   - **Warn Users**: tell the member when they hit the limit. How they are told depends on [how members are warned](#set-how-members-are-warned).

## Set how members are warned

Admins choose how warnings reach members from the **General** tab in settings, under **Warn members by**:

- **Message in the channel**: posts a public warning in the channel.
- **Private notification**: sends the warning privately to the member.
- **Both**: does both.

Under **Warning language**, choose the language for warnings. Members and the whole channel read them, so all warnings use this one language.

To use your own wording, type it in **Warning message**. It replaces the message in the channel and the text of the private notification (the notification title stays **Your message was removed**). Use `{mention}` for the member and `{reason}` for why their message was removed, for example `{mention}, your message was removed for {reason}.` Write it in your warning language. Your message saves when you click away from the field. To go back to Moderation's own text, clear the field.

A member is warned at most once every 10 minutes in each channel.

## Configure data retention

Admins can set how long audit log entries are kept from the **General** tab in settings.

1. Open settings and select the **General** tab.
1. Set **Analytics Retention (days)** to the number of days you want (7 to 365). The default is 30.
1. Entries older than the retention period are automatically deleted during daily cleanup.

## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Custom word length | 100 characters |
| Spam threshold | 2 to 10 |
| Spam time window | 1 to 1,440 minutes |
| Rapid Message Limit max messages | 2 to 100 |
| Rapid Message Limit time window | 1 to 3,600 seconds |
| Analytics retention | 7 to 365 days |
| Kick or ban reason | 500 characters |
| Warning message | 300 characters |

{/* verified 2026-10-22 · Moderation production eeb4e7f092 */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/polling.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Polling App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/polling

---
title: Polling App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/polling.png
---

#  Polling App

Create polls, collect votes, and get community feedback live.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Polling?

Polling is a community app that lets members vote on questions, rank options, and discuss results. Community owners configure who can manage all polls (*poll admins*), who can create and manage their own polls (*poll creators*), and who can vote (*voters*), so every poll reaches the right audience.

Whether you need a quick yes/no check or a detailed ranked vote, Polling gives your community a structured way to make decisions together.

Polling shows its screens in the language you use for Root.

## How it works

A *poll* is a question with a set of options that members can vote on. Every poll has a type that controls how voting works and a status that tracks where it is in its lifecycle.

### Poll types

| Type | How you vote | Best for |
|------|-------------|----------|
| **Single Choice** | Select one option | Simple decisions with one clear answer |
| **Multiple Choice** | Select one or more options | Questions where several answers apply |
| **Ranked Choice** | Rank options in order of preference | Prioritizing a list of ideas or candidates |
| **Yes / No** | Select Yes or No | Quick binary decisions |

### Poll statuses

A poll moves through these statuses during its lifetime:

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **Draft** | Created but not published. Only poll admins and the poll creator who made it can see it. |
| **Active** | Open for voting. Visible to all members. |
| **Closed** | Voting has ended. Everyone can still view a closed poll and its results. |

Poll admins, and poll creators on their own polls, publish a draft to make it active, and close an active poll to end voting.

### Results

Results appear as progress bars sorted by vote count. For ranked-choice polls, results display a point score calculated from each voter's rankings (first place earns the most points, last place earns the fewest).

You can see results after you vote, when the poll closes, or if you are a poll admin. Members who do not have permission to vote can always see results.

### Reactions and comments

Every poll has a reaction bar and a comment section. Reactions let you respond with one of five emoji: Like, Love, Fire, Insightful, or Interested. You can reply to top-level comments, but replies cannot be nested further. You can edit and delete your own comments. Poll admins can also delete anyone's comment.

If comments are turned off for a poll, existing comments stay visible, but no one can add new ones.

## Roles and permissions

Polling uses three permission groups configured by community owners:

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Poll Admins** | Users and roles with full poll access: create, edit, close, delete, vote, comment, and react on any poll. They can also delete any comment and change Polls settings. |
| **Poll Creators** | Users and roles who can create polls, and edit, close or delete their own. They can't see other people's drafts or change settings. This group is optional. |
| **Voters** | Users and roles who can vote, comment, and react on polls. |

### What poll admins can do

- Create, edit, and delete polls
- Publish draft polls and close active polls
- Vote, comment, and react on any poll
- View all polls including drafts and closed polls
- View results at any time
- Delete any comment
- Change Polls settings and edit the guidelines
- Create polls with no limits

### What poll creators can do

- Create polls
- Edit, publish, close, and delete their own polls
- View their own drafts (but not other people's drafts)
- Delete their own comments (but not other people's comments, even on their own polls)

Poll creators can't change Polls settings. Poll admins can limit how many polls a poll creator can have open, and how many they can create each day. See [Poll settings](#poll-settings).

### What voters can do

- Vote on active polls
- Comment on and react to polls
- View results after voting or when a poll closes
- Change their vote while a poll is still active

## Create a poll

Poll admins and poll creators can create polls from the main polls list.

1. Select the **Create Poll** icon .
1. Enter your question in the **Question** field.
1. Optionally add a description to provide more context.
1. Choose a **Poll Type**: Single Choice, Multiple Choice, Ranked Choice, or Yes / No.
1. If you chose Single Choice, Multiple Choice, or Ranked Choice, add at least two options. For Yes / No polls, the options are created automatically.
1. For Ranked Choice, choose **How many options must a voter rank?**: **All of them** (the default) or **At least** a smaller number.
1. Check **Publish immediately** to make the poll active right away, or uncheck it to save as a draft.
1. Check **Allow comments** to let members comment on the poll, or uncheck it to turn comments off.
1. Select **Create Poll** to finish.

### Create poll fields

| Field | Required | Limit | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|-------|
| Question | Yes | 200 characters | The main poll question |
| Description | No | 2,000 characters | Additional context for voters |
| Poll Type | Yes | N/A | Single Choice, Multiple Choice, Ranked Choice, or Yes / No |
| Options | Yes (except Yes / No) | 30 options, 200 characters each | Minimum 2 options required |
| Publish immediately | No | N/A | Checked by default |
| Allow comments | No | N/A | Checked by default |

## Vote on a poll

Voters can cast or change their vote on any active poll.

1. Open the poll from the polls list.
1. In the **Cast Your Vote** section, make your selection:
   - **Single Choice / Yes / No**: Select one option.
   - **Multiple Choice**: Select one or more options.
   - **Ranked Choice**: Rank the options by preference. The poll creator sets whether you rank all of them or at least a set number.
1. Select **Submit Vote**.

To change your vote, adjust your selection in the **Update Your Vote** section and select **Update Vote**. You can change your vote as long as the poll is active.

## Edit a poll

Poll admins can update the question, description and options of a poll that is not closed. Poll creators can do this for their own polls.

1. Open the poll and select **Edit** from the options menu (three dots).
1. Update the **Question**, **Description** or **Options**. Check or uncheck **Allow comments** to turn comments on or off.
1. Select **Save Changes**.

Once a poll has votes, you can still correct the wording of its options, but you can't add or remove options.

From the poll's options menu (three dots), poll admins, and poll creators on their own polls, can also select **Close Poll** to end voting on an active poll.

To publish a draft and make it active, open the draft's **Edit** screen and select **Publish**.

## Delete a poll

Poll admins can delete a poll at any time. Poll creators can delete their own polls. Deleting a poll removes it along with all its votes, comments, and reactions.

1. Open the poll and select **Delete** from the options menu (three dots).
1. Confirm the deletion.

## Add guidelines

Poll admins can add guidelines at the top of the polls list. For example, tell members what to ask about and who can create polls. Members see the guidelines once they have text.

1. On the polls list, select **Add guidelines for this community**. To change existing guidelines, select **Edit guidelines** (pencil icon).
1. Enter your guidelines. You can use Markdown.
1. Select **Save**.

## Poll settings

Poll admins can choose where Polling announces polls and who it notifies, and set limits for poll creators.

1. On the polls list, select the **Settings** icon (gear).
1. Under **Announcements**, choose an **Announcement channel**. Then turn on **When a poll opens**, **When a poll closes**, or both. Polling posts a message in that channel with a link to the poll. Announcements are off until you choose a channel.
1. Choose an **Announcement language**. Polling posts announcements in this language. Everyone still sees Polls in their own language. Until a poll admin picks one, this is the language of the first poll admin who opens Polling.
1. Under **Limits for Poll Creators**, set **Open polls at a time** (3 by default) and **New polls per day** (5 by default). Enter 0 for no limit.
1. Under **Notifications**, turn **When a poll closes** on or off. It tells everyone who voted, and the poll creator, that the results are in. This is on by default.

Limits apply only to poll creators. Poll admins have no limits. **Open polls at a time** counts a poll creator's active and scheduled polls. **New polls per day** counts the polls they created in the last 24 hours, including polls that were deleted. At the **Open polls at a time** limit, a poll creator can still save drafts, but can't publish another poll until they close one. At the **New polls per day** limit, they can't create another poll, including drafts.

## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Question length | 200 characters |
| Description length | 2,000 characters |
| Option text length | 200 characters |
| Options per poll | 30 |
| Comment length | 2,000 characters |
| Comments per poll | 100 |
| Guidelines length | 2,000 characters |
| Open polls at a time (poll creators) | 3 by default, 0 to 100 |
| New polls per day (poll creators) | 5 by default, 0 to 100 |

{/* verified 2026-10-22 · Polls production 45078cca7b */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/raid-planner.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Raid Planner App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/raid-planner

---
title: Raid Planner App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/raid-planner.png
---

#  Raid Planner App

Plan gaming events, build rosters, and organize your group with signups by role.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Raid Planner?

Raid Planner is a community app for organizing gaming events such as raids, dungeons, and group activities. Community owners and raid creators set up events with date, time, and roster requirements, and members sign up by selecting their role, class, and specialization. The app handles roster management, waitlists, and optional voice channel creation so your group is ready when the event starts.

## How it works

Every event is built on a *template* that defines the roles, classes, and specializations available for a particular game. When a raid creator sets up an event, they choose a template, pick a one-off or recurring schedule, and configure the roster rules. Members then sign up by picking a role, then a class, then a specialization.

### Templates

A *template* represents a game and its character options. Each template holds a list of roles and a list of classes:

- **Roles**: Broad categories like Tank, Healer, DPS, or Support.
- **Classes**: Character types in the game (for example, Warrior, Mage, or Priest). Each class is assigned to the role or roles it can fill.
- **Specializations**: Specific builds within a class (for example, Blood, Frost, or Unholy for a Death Knight).

So you define the roles and the classes, then link each class to the roles it can play. Admins create and manage templates to match the games their community plays. Once a template exists, any raid creator can use it when setting up an event.

### Event statuses

An event moves through these statuses based on its scheduled times:

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **Upcoming** | The event is scheduled but has not started yet. |
| **Live** | The event is currently in progress. |
| **Ended** | The event's end time has passed. |
| **Cancelled** | A raid leader or admin cancelled the event. |

### Roster and signups

The *roster* is the list of accepted participants, organized by role. When a member joins an event, they select a role, class, and specialization. Their signup appears under the matching role in the roster.

Raid creators can optionally limit the total number of participants or set per-role limits (for example, 2 Tanks, 4 DPS, and 2 Healers).

### Recurring events

An event can be a one-off or part of a *recurring series*. When you make an event recurring, you pick the days of the week and a frequency (Weekly, Bi-weekly, or Monthly). Raid Planner automatically creates the next occurrence when the current one ends, is cancelled, or is deleted.

### Waitlist

When **Require approval to join** is enabled, new signups go to a *waitlist* instead of being added directly to the roster. The raid leader reviews the waitlist and accepts or declines each member.

### Voice channels

Events can include a voice channel for coordination. By default, the app automatically creates and manages a voice channel shortly before the event starts (about 30 minutes ahead), so members can gather early. Alternatively, the raid creator can link an existing voice channel.

### Reminders

Members taking part in an event get a reminder about 30 minutes before it starts.

### Comments and history

Every event has an activity section with two tabs:

- **Comments**: A discussion thread where participants can post comments. You can't reply to a comment.
- **History**: An action log that records all changes to the event, such as member joins, approvals, edits, and cancellations.

## Roles and permissions

Raid Planner uses two permission groups configured by community owners:

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Raid Planner Admins** | Users and roles with full access: manage templates, create and manage all events, approve or decline signups. |
| **Raid Planner Raid Creators** | Users and roles who can create events and manage the events they lead. |

All community members can view events, join events, leave events, and comment. Each event also has a **leader**, chosen when the event is created. The leader can manage that specific event even without the Raid Creators permission.

### What admins can do

- Create, edit, and manage templates
- Import, export, and duplicate templates
- Create, edit, start, cancel, and delete any event
- Accept or decline waitlisted members on any event
- Change or remove participants on any event

### What raid creators can do

- Create events using existing templates
- Manage the events they lead (see below)

### What raid leaders can do

- Edit, start, cancel, and delete their own event
- Accept or decline waitlisted members on their event
- Change or remove participants on their event

### What members can do

- View upcoming, live, and past events
- Join events and select a role, class, and specialization
- Change their own role or class after joining
- Leave events they have joined
- Post comments on events

## Create a template

Admins create templates to define the roles, classes, and specializations for a game. Templates are built in a short wizard.

1. Open the Raid Planner app. From the events page overflow menu (three dots), select **Game Templates**.
1. Select **Create a template**, then choose **Blank template** or start from an existing game template.
1. On the **Basic** step, enter a **Game name** and optionally upload an image, then continue.
1. On the **Roles** step, add the roles for the game (for example, Tank, Healer, DPS), then continue.
1. On the **Classes** step, add each class, assign it to the role or roles it can fill, and add any specializations. Then continue.
1. On the **Review** step, check the template and select **Create**.

### Template fields

| Field | Required | Limit | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|-------|
| Game name | Yes | 256 characters | The name of the game |
| Image | No | N/A | Game icon or logo |
| Role name | Yes | 256 characters | Broad role category |
| Class name | Yes | 256 characters | Character type, assigned to one or more roles |
| Specialization name | No | 256 characters | Specific build within a class |

## Import and export templates

Admins can share templates between communities by exporting them as JSON files and importing them elsewhere. This is useful when multiple communities play the same game and want identical template configurations. You can also **Duplicate** a template from its card to make a copy within the same community.

### Export a template

1. Open the **Game Templates** page from the events page overflow menu (three dots).
1. Find the template you want to export.
1. Select the **Download** icon on the template card.
1. The template downloads as a `.json` file named after the game.

The exported file contains the full template configuration: game name, roles, classes, specializations, and their relationships.

### Import a template

1. Open the **Game Templates** page from the events page overflow menu (three dots).
1. Select **Import**.
1. Choose a `.json` file that was previously exported from Raid Planner.
1. The template is created and appears in the templates list.

The imported template is a new, independent copy. Editing it does not affect the original.

## Create an event

Raid creators and admins can create events from the main events list.

1. Select the **Create an event** icon .
1. Choose a template for the game you are playing.
1. Fill in the event details:
   - Enter an **Event name**.
   - Select a **Leader** for the event.
   - Set the **Start date**, **Start time**, and **Duration**.
   - Optionally add a **Description** and upload an image.
1. Choose a one-off or recurring schedule:
   - Leave **Recurring** off for a single event.
   - Turn **Recurring** on to create a series, then pick the **days of the week** and a **Frequency** (Weekly, Bi-weekly, or Monthly). The **Start date** field becomes **Effective date**.
1. Configure optional roster settings:
   - Enable **Limit sign ups** to set a maximum number of participants.
   - Enable **Limit role sign ups** to set per-role capacity limits.
1. Configure voice channel settings:
   - By default, a voice channel is created automatically about 30 minutes before the event starts.
   - Enable **Select voice channel** to use an existing voice channel instead.
1. Optionally enable **Require approval to join** to add a waitlist.
1. Select **Create event** to finish.

### Create event fields

| Field | Required | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|
| Event name | Yes | Name displayed on the event card |
| Leader | Yes | The user who manages the event |
| Start date | Yes | Must be today or later. Labeled **Effective date** for a recurring series. |
| Start time | Yes | Time the event begins |
| Duration | Yes | Length of the event. Choose 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 24 hours (default 2). |
| Description | No | Additional context for participants |
| Image | No | Displayed on the event card and detail page |
| Recurring | No | Turns the event into a repeating series |
| Days of the week | For recurring | Which days the series repeats on |
| Frequency | For recurring | Weekly, Bi-weekly, or Monthly |
| Limit sign ups | No | Sets a maximum participant count |
| Limit role sign ups | No | Sets per-role capacity limits |
| Select voice channel | No | Links an existing voice channel instead of creating one |
| Require approval to join | No | Enables a waitlist for new signups |

## Join an event

Any community member can join an upcoming or live event.

1. Open the event from the events list.
1. Select **Join** (or **Join waitlist** if the event requires approval).
1. Select your **Role**, **Class**, and **Specialization** from the available options.
1. Select **Join** to confirm.

If the event requires approval, your signup is added to the waitlist. The raid leader will accept or decline your request.

To leave an event, open the event and select **Leave**.

## Edit an event

An event's leader and admins can update event details, including while the event is live.

1. Open the event and select the **Edit event** icon .
1. Update the fields you want to change.
1. Select **Save**.

If the event is part of a recurring series, editing asks whether to change **This event** only or **This and following events**.

From the event detail page, leaders and admins can also:

- Select **Start now** to begin an upcoming event immediately.
- Select **Cancel event** to cancel the event. For a recurring event, you can also choose to cancel the rest of the series. This cannot be undone.
- Select **Restart event** on a past or cancelled event to set it up again with a new date.
- Select **Delete event** to permanently remove a past or cancelled event.

## Manage the waitlist

When an event has **Require approval to join** enabled, the raid leader or an admin must review signups.

1. Open the event and expand the **Waitlist** section.
1. For each waitlisted member, accept or decline their signup.

Accepted members move to the roster under their selected role. Declined members are removed from the waitlist.

## Manage the roster

Leaders and admins can adjust the roster after members have signed up.

1. Open the event.
1. For any participant, change their assigned role or class, or remove them from the event.

Members can also change their own role or class by opening the event they joined. If the event requires approval, changing your role moves you back to the waitlist until the leader accepts you again.

## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Event name length | 500 characters |
| Comment length | 2,000 characters |
| Duration | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 24 hours |
| Template game name | 256 characters |
| Role / class / specialization name | 256 characters |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · RaidPlanner production ada89a0ba */}

## Rate and review apps

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/rate-and-review-apps

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---

# Rate and review apps

Give an app a star rating and share what you think of it.

Any app your community has installed can be rated. A *rating* is one to five stars, and you can add an optional written *review* alongside it. An app's average rating appears on its page in the Root App Store, so people can see how it's rated before they install it.

You get one review per app, and you can update it whenever you like.

## Rate and review an app

### Desktop

1. Right-click the app's channel in the sidebar.
1. Select **Leave a review**.
1. Select a star rating from one to five.
1. Optionally, add a written review in the **Your review** box (up to 1,000 characters).
1. Select **Submit review**.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the app's channel in the channel list.
1. Tap **Leave a review**.
1. Tap a star rating from one to five.
1. Optionally, add a written review in the **Your review** box (up to 1,000 characters).
1. Tap **Submit review**.

You can also open the app's profile and select **Leave a review**.

Root confirms with **Review submitted**.

## Update your review

You can change your rating or written review at any time. Open the review the same way you left it and the form shows your current rating and text, ready to edit. Make your changes, then select **Update review**.

Once you submit a review there's no way to remove it, but you can keep updating it.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/sticker-wall.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Sticker Wall App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/stickerwall

---
title: Sticker Wall App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/sticker-wall.png
---

#  Sticker Wall App

Design custom stickers and stick them on a shared wall for your community to see.

> **Note:** Sticker Wall can be installed and managed from Root on desktop or mobile, and works on both. On a phone, you create, edit, and place stickers from the **Place a sticker** button on the wall.

## What is Sticker Wall?

Sticker Wall is a community app where members create custom stickers using a built-in drawing editor and place them on a shared canvas. The wall updates live so everyone can see new stickers as they appear. Members react to and comment on placed stickers, turning the wall into a collaborative, visual space for the community.

## How it works

Sticker Wall has two main areas: the *editor*, where you design stickers, and the *wall*, where placed stickers live. You create a sticker in the editor using shapes, text, freehand drawing, and colors, then drag it onto the wall to place it. Once placed, a sticker becomes permanent and other members can view, react to, and comment on it.

### Stickers

A *sticker* is a custom drawing you create in the editor. Each sticker has a name and a canvas where you combine shapes, text, and freehand paths. You can create as many sticker designs as you like in the editor.

Once you place a sticker on the wall, the design is locked. If you edit a sticker that has already been placed, the app creates a new copy so the original placement stays unchanged.

### The wall

The *wall* is a large shared canvas that displays all placed stickers. You can pan and zoom to explore the wall. Stickers appear at the position where they were dropped and are visible to all community members live. New stickers and comments light up the Sticker Wall channel's unread indicator, so you can see when there's something new.

### Placement frequency

Community owners configure how often members can place stickers. The available frequencies are:

| Frequency | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| **Unlimited** | Place as many stickers as you like. This is the default. |
| **Once per day** | One placement per day. |
| **Once per week** | One placement per week. |
| **Once per month** | One placement per month. |
| **One time only** | One placement ever. |

Sticker Admins are not subject to placement frequency limits.

### Reactions and comments

Every placed sticker has a detail view where members can react and comment. Select a sticker on the wall to open it.

**Reactions** let you respond with one of five emoji: Like, Love, Fire, Insightful, or Interested. Select a reaction to toggle it on or off.

**Comments** let you discuss a sticker. You can reply to a comment, but you can't reply to a reply. Comment authors can edit or delete their own comments. Deleting a comment also deletes its replies.

## Roles and permissions

Sticker Wall uses two permission groups configured by community owners:

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Sticker Admins** | Users and roles who can do everything a Sticker Creator can, and also delete any sticker from the wall, delete any comment, and review reports. |
| **Sticker Creators** | Users and roles who can create stickers in the editor, place them on the wall, react, and comment. |

Members who are not in either group can view the wall and placed stickers but cannot create, place, react, or comment.

Sticker Admins can create and place stickers without also being Sticker Creators.

### What admins can do

- Delete any placed sticker from the wall
- Delete any comment
- Review reports from members
- Create, edit, and place stickers, with no placement frequency limit
- React to and comment on stickers

### What creators can do

- Create and edit sticker designs in the editor
- Place stickers on the wall (subject to placement frequency)
- React to placed stickers
- Comment on placed stickers
- Edit and delete their own comments
- Report other people's stickers and comments

### What other members can do

- View the wall and browse placed stickers
- Open sticker details and read comments
- Report stickers and comments

## Create a sticker

Sticker Creators and Sticker Admins design stickers in the built-in editor.

1. Open the sticker editor and select **Create sticker**. On a phone, tap **Place a sticker**, then **New sticker**.
1. Enter a **Name** for your sticker.
1. Use the toolbar to add elements to the canvas:
   - **Shapes**: Square, circle, diamond, star, heart, triangle, hexagon, and more.
   - **Text**: Add text with customizable font, size, and style (bold, italic).
   - **Freehand drawing**: Draw paths with adjustable color and width.
1. Style and arrange your elements using the side toolbar:
   - Set the **Fill color** and **Stroke color**, each with its own opacity slider.
   - Adjust the **Stroke width**.
   - Resize an element with the **Layout** panel (width and height), and lock the aspect ratio if you want.
   - Use **arrange** tools to reorder layers: **Bring to front**, **Bring forward**, **Send to back**, and **Send backward**.
   - **Group** or **ungroup** elements.
   - **Flip**, **duplicate**, or **delete** a selected element.
   - Choose a **background shape** for the sticker.

Your sticker saves automatically as you work. Use **Undo** and **Redo** to step through changes, **Clear canvas** to start over, or **Delete sticker** to remove the whole design.

On a phone, the editor fills the screen. **More** (with **Clear canvas** and **Delete sticker**) is in the top bar, along with **Place** to put the sticker on the wall. **Undo** and **Redo** are under the canvas. The phone editor has the same tools, except width and height and grouping.

To edit a sticker later, select its card in your sticker list. On a phone, tap **Place a sticker**, then the pencil on the sticker's card.

Each sticker design is limited to 256 KB of drawing data. The editor warns you as you get close to the limit. Once you go over it, you can't save the sticker until you delete some strokes.

### Sticker fields

| Field | Required | Limit | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|-------|
| Name | Yes | 50 characters | Displayed on the wall and in the detail view |

## Place a sticker

Sticker Creators and Sticker Admins place stickers on the wall from their sticker list.

1. Choose the sticker to place:
   - Drag it from your sticker list onto the wall, or open it in the editor and select **Place on wall**.
   - On a phone, tap **Place a sticker**, then tap the sticker. It appears in the middle of the view, and you drag it into position with your finger.
1. Use the placement menu to adjust it. You can **Flip horizontally**, **Flip vertically**, or **Remove sticker placement** while placing.
1. Select **Finalize placement** (checkmark), then **Confirm**. Once you confirm, the sticker cannot be moved. Only Sticker Admins can remove it from the wall.

The sticker appears on the wall live for all members. Placement may be limited by the community's placement frequency setting.

## React to a sticker

Creators and admins can react to any placed sticker.

1. Select a sticker on the wall to open its detail view.
1. Select a reaction emoji: Like, Love, Fire, Insightful, or Interested.

Select the same reaction again to remove it.

## Comment on a sticker

Creators and admins can comment on any placed sticker.

1. Select a sticker on the wall to open its detail view.
1. Type your message in the comment field and select **Send**.

To reply to a comment, select **Reply** on the comment you want to respond to. To edit a comment, select **Edit**. To delete a comment, select **Delete**.

## Delete a sticker from the wall

Admins can remove any placed sticker from the wall.

1. Select the sticker on the wall to open its detail view.
1. Select the delete icon .
1. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting a placed sticker removes it from the wall along with all its reactions and comments. This action cannot be undone.

## Report a sticker or comment

If a sticker or comment breaks your community's rules, you can report it to the Sticker Admins. Anyone who can see the wall can report, except Sticker Admins, who can delete things themselves.

1. Select the sticker on the wall to open its detail view.
1. To report the sticker, select the **Report sticker** icon . To report a comment, select **Report** on the comment.
1. If you want, add a note in **Note for Sticker Admins (optional)**.
1. Select **Send report**.

You can't report your own sticker or comment, or report something again while your report is still open. Reporting doesn't hide anything: a Sticker Admin decides what happens.

## Review reports

When a sticker or comment gets its first report, each Sticker Admin gets a notification. Selecting it opens the wall on that sticker.

1. Select the **Reports to review** icon . It shows how many stickers and comments are waiting for review, and only appears when there's something to review. On desktop it's at the top left of the wall, and on a phone it's beside the phone controls.
1. Each report shows the sticker (and the comment, if a comment was reported), how many people reported it and when, and any notes with who wrote them.
1. Choose what to do:
   - **View** opens the sticker on the wall.
   - **Dismiss** closes the reports and keeps the sticker or comment.
   - **Remove** deletes the sticker or comment after you confirm with **Delete**. Removing a sticker also removes its reactions and comments.

If a sticker or comment is deleted any other way, its reports are cleared too.

## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Sticker name length | 50 characters |
| Sticker size | 256 KB of drawing data |
| Comment length | 500 characters |
| Comments per sticker | 100 |
| Report note length | 500 characters |
| Reports you can send | 20 an hour |
| Editor canvas size | 560 × 560 pixels |

{/* verified 2026-10-22 · Stickerwall production 6bde5f8f4c */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/suggestions.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Suggestions App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/suggestions

---
title: Suggestions App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/suggestions.png
---

#  Suggestions App

Collect ideas and feedback on boards, let people vote, and see what your community wants most.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Suggestions?

Suggestions is a community app for collecting and prioritizing feedback. Suggestions are organized into *boards*, so communities can separate feedback by topic or area. Members submit ideas, upvote the ones they care about, and discuss them in comment threads. Suggestion managers review submissions, track their progress through statuses, and can merge duplicates so votes stay consolidated. The result is a clear, ranked list of what the community wants most.

Suggestions uses your language if it is English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Indonesian, or Dutch. Otherwise it uses English. Your notifications use the same language.

## How it works

A *suggestion* is an idea submitted by a community member. Each suggestion has a title, an optional description, and moves through a series of statuses as managers review and act on it. Members vote on suggestions to signal interest, and the list can be sorted to surface the most popular or newest ideas.

### Boards

A *board* is a container that groups suggestions by topic or area. When you open Suggestions, the landing page shows all boards in the community. Select a board to view and interact with its suggestions.

Managers can create as many boards as needed and drag them to reorder them on the landing page. Each board has a title, an optional image, and an optional description. Managers can also set a *boards description*: a piece of text shown above the board cards on the landing page, which supports Markdown formatting. A manager can *freeze* a board to pause new suggestions while its existing ones stay open for voting and comments.

### Suggestion statuses

Every suggestion has a status that tracks where it is in its lifecycle. Managers change statuses manually; there are no automatic transitions.

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **Pending Review** | Just submitted. Only visible to the creator and managers. |
| **Under Consideration** | Being evaluated by the team. |
| **Planned** | Approved for implementation. |
| **In Progress** | Currently being worked on. |
| **Completed** | Successfully implemented. |
| **Declined** | Not moving forward. Only visible to the creator and managers. |

New suggestions start as **Pending Review**. Managers move them to **Under Consideration** (or any other status) after reviewing.

### Voting

Each member can cast one vote per suggestion. Voting is a toggle: select the vote button to upvote, select it again to remove your vote. You can't vote on suggestions that are still in **Pending Review**.

### Sorting and filtering

The suggestions list can be sorted four ways:

| Sort | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Top** | Most votes first |
| **New** | Most recent first |
| **Oldest** | Least recent first |
| **Trending** | Combines vote count with recency |

You can also search and filter the list. Use the **search** box to find suggestions by title or description. In the status filter you can tick one or more statuses (select **All Statuses** to clear them), and it includes an **Only mine** option that shows just the suggestions you created. Managers also see a **Show merged** toggle to include suggestions that have been merged into others.

### Pinning

Managers can pin a suggestion to keep it at the top of the list regardless of sort order. This is useful for highlighting important ideas or announcements.

### Merging

When two suggestions cover the same idea, a manager can merge one into the other. All votes, comments and images from the source suggestion move to the target. Each moved comment shows **From merged suggestion:** and the title of the suggestion it came from. The source suggestion is marked as merged. On a suggestion's page, you can't merge a suggestion that is already **Completed** or **Declined**, but Triage can. Merging cannot be undone. To merge several suggestions into one at once, use [Triage](#triage-suggestions-in-bulk).

### Comments

Every suggestion has a comment section where members can discuss the idea, shown oldest first. You can reply to a comment, but you can't reply to a reply. Members can like comments, and edit or delete their own. Comments left by suggestion managers show an **Admin** badge, and managers can edit or delete any comment. An edited comment is marked **(edited)**, or **(edited by a moderator)** when a manager edits someone else's.

## Roles and permissions

Suggestions uses three permission groups configured by community owners. Each tier includes the permissions of the tiers below it.

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Suggestion Managers** | Users and roles with full access: change statuses, merge, pin, delete, and manage all suggestions. Also includes Creator and Voter permissions. |
| **Suggestion Creators** | Users and roles who can create new suggestions. Also includes Voter permissions. |
| **Suggestion Voters** | Users and roles who can upvote suggestions and comment. |

### What managers can do

- Create, edit, and delete boards
- Review pending suggestions and change their status
- Accept pending suggestions (moves to Under Consideration) or decline them
- Merge duplicate suggestions
- Move suggestions to another board
- Triage suggestions from every board at once: change the status of, move, merge, or decline up to 50 together
- Freeze and unfreeze boards
- Pin and unpin suggestions
- Edit and delete any suggestion
- Create suggestions, vote, comment, and like comments

### What creators can do

- Create new suggestions
- Edit and delete their own suggestions
- Vote on suggestions, comment, and like comments

### What voters can do

- Upvote and remove votes on suggestions
- Comment on and reply to suggestions
- Like comments

## Create a suggestion

Creators and managers can submit new suggestions.

1. Open a board from the boards list.
1. Select the **New Suggestion** icon .
1. Enter a **Title** for your idea. As you type, any existing suggestions that look like the same idea show under **Already suggested?** (up to five). Suggestions from every board are checked. If one covers your idea, select **Upvote this instead**, or select **View** to open it. If you've only typed a title, **Upvote this instead** also opens that suggestion; if you've added a description or images, it keeps your draft. Completed and Declined suggestions only have **View**.
1. Optionally add a **Description** with more details.
1. Optionally attach up to 5 images.
1. Select **Submit Suggestion**.

The suggestion starts in **Pending Review** status. It is only visible to you and suggestion managers until a manager changes its status.

## Vote on a suggestion

Voters, creators, and managers can upvote suggestions that are past the **Pending Review** stage.

1. Open the suggestions list or a suggestion's detail page.
1. Select the vote button (△) to upvote. It fills in (▲) once you've voted.

To remove your vote, select the vote button again. Each member can cast one vote per suggestion.

## Edit a suggestion

Creators can edit their own suggestions. Managers can edit any suggestion.

1. Open the suggestion, select the **More options** menu , then select **Edit**.
1. Update the **Title**, **Description**, or **Attachments**.
1. Select **Save Changes**.

## Change a suggestion's status

Managers can update the status of any suggestion to track its progress.

1. Open the suggestion, select the **More options** menu , then select **Change Status**.
1. Select the new status from the available options.
1. Select **Update Status**.

From the suggestions list, managers can also use quick actions on pending suggestions:

- Select the **Accept** icon  to move a suggestion to **Under Consideration**.
- Select the **Decline** icon  to mark it as **Declined**.

## Merge suggestions

Managers can merge duplicate suggestions to consolidate votes.

1. Open the suggestion, select the **More options** menu , then select **Merge**.
1. Search for the target suggestion you want to merge into.
1. Select the target suggestion from the results.
1. Select **Merge Suggestions**.

All votes, comments and images move from the source to the target suggestion. The source is marked as merged. This action cannot be undone.

## Move a suggestion to another board

Managers can move a suggestion to a different board, for example when it was posted in the wrong place.

1. On the suggestion card, select the **Move to another board** icon.
1. Under **Choose a board**, select the board you want to move it to.
1. Select **Move Suggestion**.

The suggestion's votes, comments, and status all move with it.

## Triage suggestions in bulk

Managers can work through suggestions from every board on one screen and act on up to 50 at a time.

1. On the **Suggestion Boards** page, select **Triage**.
1. Use the search box, the status filter, and the sort to find the suggestions you want.
1. Select the checkbox next to each suggestion, or select **Select all shown**.
1. Choose an action:
   - **Status**: pick the new status, then select **Update Status**.
   - **Move**: under **Choose a board**, select a board, then select **Move Suggestions**.
   - **Merge** (needs two or more): choose the **Suggestion to keep**, then select the merge button (for example **Merge 3 into 1**).
   - **Decline**: select **Decline** again to confirm. Declined suggestions are hidden from everyone except their authors and managers, and each author is notified.

When you merge, the other suggestions are marked as merged into the one you keep, and their votes, comments and images move to it. A merge cannot be undone. A merge can take a suggestion over the limit of 100 comments; after that, no new comments can be added to it.

### Find likely duplicates

1. In Triage, select **Group by likely duplicate**. Suggestions with similar titles that haven't been merged are shown in groups, including Completed and Declined ones.
1. In each group, the one marked **Suggested to keep** comes first. That's a suggestion in **Under Consideration** (shown as **Reviewing** in Triage) if there is one, otherwise the one with the most votes (or the oldest, if votes are equal).
1. Check the group, then select **Merge group**. The merge opens with the suggested one already chosen, and you can pick a different one to keep.
1. Select the merge button (for example **Merge 2 into 1**).

To go back to the full list, select **Group by likely duplicate** again.

> **Tip:** Triage lists every board in one place, so it's the quickest way to review a backlog of **Pending Review** suggestions.

## Delete a suggestion

Managers can delete any suggestion. Creators can delete their own.

1. Open the suggestion, select the **More options** menu , then select **Delete**.
1. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting a suggestion removes it along with all its votes and comments. This action cannot be undone.

## Manage boards

Managers can create, edit, and delete boards. Select the **New Board** icon  from the boards list to create one, or use the **More options** menu  on an existing board to edit, freeze or delete it. Each board has a title (up to 100 characters), an optional image, and an optional description (up to 200 characters). Drag a board to reorder it. To add text above the board cards, set the **boards description** (up to 500 characters), which supports Markdown formatting.

Deleting a board also deletes all suggestions, votes, and comments within it. This action cannot be undone.

## Freeze a board

Managers can freeze a board to pause new suggestions while keeping the existing ones open.

1. Open the board's options menu (three dots).
1. Select **Freeze board**.
1. In **Freeze this board?**, select **Freeze Board** to confirm.

While a board is frozen, members can't post new suggestions to it, but existing suggestions stay visible and voting and comments carry on as normal. The board shows a **Frozen** badge, and anyone who opens it sees a notice that new suggestions are paused.

To reopen the board, select **Unfreeze board** from the same menu. Unfreezing takes effect right away.

## Notifications

Suggestions sends you a notification when:

- Someone comments on your suggestion.
- Someone replies to your comment.
- A manager changes the status of your suggestion.

You don't get notified about your own actions.

## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Board title length | 100 characters |
| Board description length | 200 characters |
| Boards page description length | 500 characters |
| Suggestion title length | 200 characters |
| Suggestion description length | 5,000 characters |
| Images per suggestion | 5 |
| Comment length | 2,000 characters |
| Comments per suggestion | 100 |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · Suggestions production a8f9b8db9 */}

## <img src="/img/app-icons/task-tracker.png" alt="" className="appTitleIcon" /> Task Tracker App

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/task-tracker

---
title: Task Tracker App
hide_title: true
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/task-tracker.png
---

#  Task Tracker App

Organize projects and track tasks on a board, on your own or with a team.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## What is Task Tracker?

Task Tracker is a community app for managing projects and tasks. Teams create projects, add tasks, and move them through workflow phases on a board. Each project has its own board with three access levels, so the right people can view work, contribute tasks, or manage everything. Tags, priorities, assignees, and comments keep everything organized and the team informed.

## How it works

Work in Task Tracker is organized into *projects*. Each project contains a set of *tasks* displayed on a board, grouped by workflow phase. The phase groups are stacked from top to bottom. Depending on their access level, members can view the board and follow progress, add and manage their own tasks, or manage everything in the project.

### Projects

A *project* is a container for related tasks. Every project has:

- A **title** and optional description.
- A short **identifier** (1–4 letters, automatically capitalized) used to label tasks (for example, `PROJ-1`, `PROJ-12`).
- An optional **image** displayed on the project card.
- An **owner**: one person who looks after the project. It starts as whoever created it.
- Three access levels (View only, Contribute tasks, and Manage all tasks) that control who can view the project, who can add tasks, and who can manage everything.

The projects list shows each project as a card with a progress bar that visualizes how tasks are distributed across phases. Select the star on a project card to star it. Starred projects get their own **Starred** section at the top of your dashboard, and of the projects list when it is sorted by **Name**.

To find a project in a long list:

- Choose **All** or **Owned by me** at the top of the projects list.
- Sort by **Name** or **Owner**. Sorting by **Owner** groups projects under each owner, with yours first under **You**.
- Search by a project's title, identifier or description.

Task Tracker remembers your choices on this device. Inside a project, select the project's name at the top of the board to switch to another project.

When you open Task Tracker, you land on a dashboard that greets you and shows your assigned tasks, your starred projects, and the projects you own or have open tasks in. A separate **My tasks** view lists your open assigned tasks across every project, with overdue and due-soon tasks first.

### Task phases

Every task has a phase that represents its position in the workflow. You move tasks between phases by dragging them on the board or by changing the status in the task detail view.

| Phase | Meaning |
|-------|---------|
| **Backlog** | Not yet planned. |
| **Planned** | Ready to work on. New tasks start here by default. |
| **In Progress** | Actively being worked on. |
| **In Review** | Waiting for review or approval. |
| **Done** | Completed. |
| **Cancelled** | Abandoned. |

> **Tip:** Each project board has a search box and a tag filter, so you can quickly narrow a busy board down to just the tasks you need.

### Priority

Each task has a priority level that signals its importance.

| Priority | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| **High** | Needs immediate attention |
| **Mid** | Normal importance |
| **Low** | Can wait |

### Tags

Tags are colored labels shared across all projects in a community. You can attach multiple tags to a task to categorize it (for example, "Bug", "Feature", or "Design"). Admins, project creators, and members with contribute or manage access to a project can create and manage tags from the tags page.

### Assignees

A task can be assigned to a user or a role. Assignees appear on the task card and in the task detail sidebar so the team can see who is responsible for each item.

### Comments and activity

Every task has an activity section that combines:

- **Comments**: Discussion threads where members can post messages, and edit or delete their own.
- **History**: An automatic log of changes such as status updates, priority changes, tag edits, and assignee changes.

## Roles and permissions

Task Tracker uses two global permission groups configured by community owners, plus access controls for each project.

### Global roles

| Role | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Task Tracker Admins** | Users and roles with full access to all projects and features. Can create, edit, and delete any project or task. |
| **Task Tracker Project Creators** | Users and roles who can create new projects. |

### Project-level access

Each project defines three access levels, set in the project's Permissions panel:

| Access level | Description |
|--------------|-------------|
| **View only** | Users and roles who can view the project and its tasks but cannot make changes. |
| **Contribute tasks** | Everything in View only, plus create tasks and edit or delete their own tasks. |
| **Manage all tasks** | Full access: create, edit, and delete any task, leave comments, change project settings, and delete the project. |

Members who are not in any of the three groups cannot see the project.

### Project owners

Being a project's owner doesn't give extra access. What an owner can do still depends on their access level. Owners decide what shows under **Owned by me** and on the dashboard. Only admins and members with Manage all tasks access can change a project's owner.

### What admins can do

- Create, edit, and delete any project
- Create, edit, and delete any task in any project
- Manage tags and assignees across all projects

### What project creators can do

- Create new projects
- Manage projects where they have Manage all tasks access

### What members with Manage all tasks access can do

- Create, edit, and delete any task in the project
- Drag any task between phases on the board
- Add and remove tags, change priority, and assign members
- Post comments, and edit or delete their own
- Edit project settings and delete the project

### What members with Contribute tasks access can do

- Create tasks in the project
- Edit and delete their own tasks
- Drag their own tasks between phases
- Post comments

### What members with View only access can do

- View the project board and task details
- View comments and activity history

## Create a project

Project creators and admins can create projects from the projects list.

1. Select **New project**.
1. Enter a **Project name**.
1. Optionally add a **Description**.
1. Choose an **Owner**. It is you by default. The owner must be one person in the community, not a role.
1. Review the **Project identifier**. It is generated automatically from the name but can be edited. The identifier is used to label tasks (for example, `PROJ-1`).
1. Optionally upload a **Project image**.
1. Switch to the **Permissions** tab.
1. Set the three access levels using the **View only**, **Contribute tasks**, and **Manage all tasks** sections. By default, Contribute tasks is open to everyone in the community and Manage all tasks is set to you.
1. Select **Create**.

### Create project fields

| Field | Required | Limit | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|-------|
| Project name | Yes | 100 characters | Displayed on the project card |
| Description | No | 5,000 characters | Displayed on the project card |
| Owner | No | One person | A community member, not a role. Defaults to you. |
| Project identifier | Yes | 4 characters | Letters and numbers, automatically capitalized. Auto-generated from the name. Used in task IDs. |
| Project image | No | N/A | Icon or logo for the project |
| View only access | No | N/A | Who can view the project. Empty by default. |
| Contribute tasks access | No | N/A | Who can add tasks. Defaults to everyone in the community. |
| Manage all tasks access | Yes | N/A | Who can manage the project. Defaults to you (the creator). |

## Create a task

Members with Contribute tasks or Manage all tasks access can add tasks to a project.

1. Open the project and select **New task**.
1. Enter a **Name** for the task.
1. Optionally add a **Description** using the rich text editor.
1. Set the **Status** (phase). Defaults to Planned.
1. Set the **Priority**. Defaults to Mid.
1. Optionally assign the task to a user or role.
1. Optionally add one or more **Tags**.
1. Optionally set a **Due date**.
1. Select **Create**.

### Create task fields

| Field | Required | Limit | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|-------|
| Name | Yes | 512 characters | A short summary of the work |
| Description | No | 10,000 characters | Rich text with formatting support |
| Status | Yes | N/A | Backlog, Planned, In Progress, In Review, Done, or Cancelled |
| Priority | Yes | N/A | Low, Mid, or High |
| Assignee | No | N/A | A user or role responsible for the task |
| Tags | No | N/A | One or more color-coded labels |
| Due date | No | N/A | When the task is due |

## Edit a task

Members with contribute or manage access can update task details from the task detail page or directly on the board. Contributors can edit their own tasks; members with Manage all tasks access can edit any task.

**From the task detail page:**

1. Open the task from the board.
1. Edit the **title**, **description**, **status**, **priority**, **assignee**, **due date**, or **tags** inline. Changes save automatically.

You can set the **due date** on the create form, or add or change it later from the task detail page.

**From the board:**

- Drag a task card into a different phase group to change its status.
- Select the priority icon or status badge on a task card to change it inline. On a phone or narrow window, the status badge is hidden, so drag the task or open it to change its status.

## Create a tag

Admins, project creators, and members with contribute or manage access can create tags to categorize tasks across all projects.

1. Open the **Tags** page.
1. Select **New tag**.
1. Enter a **Name** for the tag.
1. Choose a **Color**.
1. Select **Create**.

### Tag fields

| Field | Required | Limit | Notes |
|-------|----------|-------|-------|
| Name | Yes | 80 characters | Letters, numbers, and spaces only |
| Color | Yes | N/A | Hex color. Defaults to lime green. |

## Delete a task

Contributors can delete their own tasks, and members with Manage all tasks access can delete any task, from the task detail page.

1. Open the task and select the delete icon .
1. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting a task removes it along with all its comments and activity history.

## Edit a project

Admins and members with Manage all tasks access can change a project's details and access levels.

1. Open the menu on the project's card, or the menu at the top of the project, and select **Project Settings**.
1. Change the details on the **General** tab, or the access levels on the **Permissions** tab.
1. Select **Update**.

To hand a project to someone else, change the **Owner** on the **General** tab. You can't change the owner while the project is archived.

## Archive a project

Admins and members with Manage all tasks access can archive a project to set it aside without deleting it.

1. On the projects list, open the menu on the project's card and select **Archive Project**.
1. Confirm in the dialog.

An archived project leaves the projects list and its tasks drop out of **My tasks**, and it becomes read-only while archived. To find archived projects, use **Show archived projects** in the projects navbar to open the **Archived projects** view. **Owned by me** works there too. From a project's menu there, select **Unarchive Project** to restore it.

## Delete a project

Admins and members with Manage all tasks access can delete a project.

1. Open the project context menu and select **Delete Project**.
1. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting a project removes it along with all its tasks, comments, and activity history.

## Notifications

Task Tracker sends you a notification when:

- Someone assigns you a task, directly or through a role.
- Someone takes you off a task.
- Someone comments on a task you created or are assigned to.
- A task you created or are assigned to moves to a different phase.

You don't get notified about your own changes, unless the task is assigned to a role you're in.

## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Project name length | 100 characters |
| Project description length | 5,000 characters |
| Project identifier length | 4 characters |
| Task name length | 512 characters |
| Task description length | 10,000 characters |
| Tag name length | 80 characters |
| Tags per task | 20 |
| Comment length | 2,000 characters |
| Comments per task | 50 |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · TaskTracker production 355e36d23 */}

## What are Apps and Bots?

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/apps/what-are-apps

---
sidebar_custom_props:
  icon: /img/app-icons/app.png
---

# What are Apps and Bots?

*Apps* and *Bots* are add-ons that community owners install from the Root App Store.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

## Apps

A *Root App* is a complete app with its own visual interface. Each App gets its own channel in the community. Select an App channel in the sidebar to open it and interact with it using buttons, forms, panels, and live updates.

An App can also send you a notification when something needs your attention. Selecting the notification opens the App at the screen it's about. See [Manage notifications](../notifications/manage-notifications.md).

### Open an App in its own window

On desktop, you can move an App into its own window and keep it open while you use the rest of Root.

1. Right-click the App's channel.
1. Select **Open in new window**.

To put it back, right-click the channel and select **Return to community**, or close the App's window. While the App is in its own window, selecting its channel brings that window to the front.

Root remembers your App windows. If you close the community or restart Root, they open again where you left them.

### Leave a review

You can rate any App you use on desktop or mobile. See [Rate and review apps](./rate-and-review-apps.md).

## Bots

A *Root Bot* is a lightweight tool that works through text. Bots don't get their own channel. Instead, they listen for events in your community (like new messages or new members) and respond by posting messages, managing content, or automating tasks in existing channels. How you interact with a Bot varies. Some respond to commands, others work automatically in the background.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Assign yourself a role

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/assign-yourself-a-role

# Assign yourself a role

Add and remove certain community roles yourself, whenever you like.

## What are self assignable roles?

Some communities let you give yourself certain roles. A *self assignable role* is one you can add to or remove from yourself without asking anyone to do it for you, so you can opt into things like notification pings, game or interest tags, or a name color you choose. Community owners decide which roles work this way. See [Self assignable roles](../../leader/roles-permissions/self-assignable-roles.md) for how leaders set them up.

## Add a role to yourself

### Desktop

1. Open your profile card by selecting your name on one of your messages, or your name in the member list.
1. In the **Roles** section, select **Add role** .
1. Select a self assignable role to add it to yourself.

### Mobile

1. Open your profile card by tapping your name on a message, or your name in the member list.
1. Tap **Manage roles** in the **Roles** section.
1. Turn on the self assignable roles you want.

## Remove a role from yourself

### Desktop

Do either of the following:

- In the **Roles** section of your profile card, select the role, then select the **X**.
- Select **Add role** , then deselect the roles you no longer want.

### Mobile

1. Open your profile card by tapping your name on a message, or your name in the member list.
1. Tap **Manage roles** in the **Roles** section.
1. Turn off the roles you no longer want.

> **Add yourself from a role mention:** On desktop or mobile, anywhere you see a role mention (the colored @role name in a message), select it to open a small card. If the role is self assignable, you can choose **Add me to this role** or **Remove me from this role** right from there.

> **Your color comes from one role:** When you give yourself several roles, your name color comes from the first one you add. Choosing which role sets your color needs the Manage Roles permission, so if you don't have it, the only way to change your color is to remove your roles and add them back in the order you want.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Community Discovery

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/discover-communities

# Community Discovery

Browse public communities on Root and join the ones you like, no invite needed.

## What is Community Discovery?

*Community Discovery* is a directory of public communities on Root. Every community listed there has chosen to be found: its owner turned listing on and met Root's requirements for a public listing. You can browse by category, search by name, and join with one tap.

The directory lives on the **Explore** page on desktop and the **Community discovery** screen on mobile.

Root's own *verified communities* appear at the top of the same page. These are official communities run by Root, marked with the verification badge [Verified].

## Open Community Discovery

### Desktop

1. Open a new tab.
1. Select **Explore communities** .
1. The Explore page opens on the **Communities** tab.

### Mobile

1. Open the community drawer by swiping right, or by tapping the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
1. Tap the **Discover** icon  in the drawer header.

> **Tip:** On mobile, tap the **Info** icon  in the header for a short guide to browsing, joining, and listing your own community.

## Browse and search communities

Each community card shows the community's name, category, member count, level, and a short description. If you're already a member, the card shows a **Joined** tag.

### Desktop

- **Filter by category**: select a category pill above the list. **All** shows every listed community.
- **Search**: type in the **Search communities** box. Search matches community names and descriptions.
- **Sort**: choose **Highest level** or **Most members**. The list sorts by highest level by default.
- **See more results**: select **Load more** at the bottom of the list.

### Mobile

- **Filter by category**: tap a category pill under the header. **All** shows every listed community.
- **Search**: type in the **Search communities** field in the header. Search matches community names and descriptions.
- **Sort**: tap **Highest level** or **Most members**. The list sorts by highest level by default.
- **See more results**: tap **Load more** at the bottom of the list.

The categories are **Gaming**, **Music**, **Education**, **Technology**, **Art & Creative**, **Sports**, and **Social**.

If nothing matches, you'll see **No communities found**. Try a different search term or category.

## Join a community from Discovery

### Desktop

1. Select a community card.
1. Review the community's details in the **Join this community** panel.
1. Select **Join**.

### Mobile

1. Tap a community card.
1. Review the community's details in the **Join this community** sheet.
1. Tap **Join**.

The community opens as soon as you've joined. If you're already a member, selecting the card opens the community instead. On mobile, the sheet shows **Open community** instead of **Join**.

Some communities have extra rules for joining, and these still apply when you join from Discovery:

- **Age restriction**: if the community is for people 18 or older, a prompt asks you to confirm your age before you join. See [Age restrictions](../../leader/community/age-restrictions.md).
- **Verified email**: if the community only accepts members with a verified email address, you're asked to verify yours first. See [Verify your email address](../get-started/create-account.md#verify-your-email-address).

## Join a verified community

Root's verified communities show under **Verified communities** on the same page.

### Desktop

1. Open the **Explore** page and select the **Communities** tab.
1. Under **Verified communities**, select the community you want to join.
1. Select **Accept Invite**.

### Mobile

1. Open the **Community discovery** screen.
1. Under **Verified communities**, tap the community you want to join.
1. Tap **Accept invite** to join, or **Cancel** to go back.

## What happens when you join?

When you join a community through Discovery:

- You receive the **Everyone** role automatically
- You can see all channels available to the Everyone role
- The community appears in your community list
- You can take part in conversations and voice channels based on your permissions

> **Tip:** Want your own community to show up here? The owner can list it from **Community settings**. See [Community Discovery](../../leader/community-discovery/list-your-community.md) in the leader docs.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Favorite communities

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/favorite-communities

# Favorite communities

Pin the communities you use most to the top of your list.

## What are favorites?

A *favorite* is a community you've marked so it sits in its own section, above the rest of your list. Nothing else changes: you keep the same roles, channels, and notifications. It only affects where the community appears when you go looking for it.

Favorites are useful once you've joined enough communities that the two or three you actually open every day are buried among the others.

## How favorites work

Your communities appear in two sections: **Favorites** at the top, and **All communities** below. On desktop, this is on the New Tab page under the **Your communities** heading. On mobile, it's in the community drawer.

A community appears in one section or the other, never both. The **Favorites** heading only appears once you have at least one favorite, so nothing looks different until you start using them.

## Favorite a community

### Desktop

1. Select the **+** button in the tab bar to open a new tab.
2. Find the community under **All communities**.
3. Select the **star** in the bottom-right corner of the community's card.

The community moves up to **Favorites**.

### Mobile

1. Open the community drawer by swiping right, or by tapping the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
2. Press and hold the community you want to favorite.
3. In the menu that appears, tap **Add to Favorites**.

The community moves up to the **Favorites** section of the drawer.

> **Tip:** On desktop, the star sits in the bottom-right corner of each community's card. On mobile there's no star, press and hold the community instead.

## Remove a favorite

### Desktop

1. Select the **+** button in the tab bar to open a new tab.
2. Find the community under **Favorites**.
3. Select the filled **star** in the bottom-right corner of the card.

The community moves back down to **All communities**.

### Mobile

1. Open the community drawer by swiping right, or by tapping the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
2. Press and hold the community you want to remove, in the **Favorites** section.
3. Tap **Remove from Favorites**.

The community moves back down to **All Communities**.

On desktop, a favorited community's star is filled in, so you can remove a favorite by selecting the filled star. On mobile, press and hold the community and the menu shows **Remove from Favorites** instead of **Add to Favorites**.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Invite people to a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/invite-people

# Invite people to a community

Bring people in with a direct invite or a link anyone can use.

## Invite a friend

Send a direct invitation to someone on your Root friends list.

**Required permissions:** Invite Users

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community icon in the community sidebar.
2. Select **Invite members**.
3. Find the friend you want to invite in the list.
4. Select **Invite**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
2. Tap **Invite members**.
3. Find the friend you want to invite in the list.
4. Tap **Invite**.

Your friend receives a notification and can accept or decline the invitation.

## Share an invite link

You can also share a link that anyone can use to join.

The first time you open the invite screen, Root creates a link that expires after 7 days with no usage limit. After that it shows you a link you already have, choosing the one that lasts longest. So the link you see won't always be a fresh 7 day one. Check the line under the link, which tells you in plain words when it runs out, such as "Your invite link expires in 6 days" or "Your invite link never expires."

You can change the expiry and usage limit at any time, or generate a new link.

**Required permissions:** Invite Users

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community icon in the community sidebar.
2. Select **Invite members**.
3. (Optional) To customize the link, select **Edit invite link**, configure the expiration and usage limits, then select **Generate invite link**.
4. Select **Copy** to copy the invite link to your clipboard.
5. Share the link with anyone you want to invite.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
2. Tap **Invite members**.
3. (Optional) To customize the link, tap the **Settings** icon , configure the expiration and usage limits, then tap **Generate invite link**.
4. Tap the invite link, or the **Share** icon  next to it. Your phone's share menu opens, so you can send the link through another app or copy it.
5. Share the link with anyone you want to invite.

### Invite link options

| Option | Values |
|--------|--------|
| **Expire after** (desktop), **Expires at** (mobile) | 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 7 days, Never |
| **Max number of uses** (desktop), **Max uses** (mobile) | No limit, 1 use, 5 uses, 10 uses, 25 uses, 50 uses, 100 uses |

## Custom invite links

Invite links normally use a code Root generates. Communities at level 2 or above can claim a *vanity invite link* instead, a short custom link with the community's name in it. See [Vanity invite link](../../leader/cores-and-levels/vanity-invite-link.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Join a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/join-community

# Join a community

Join a community with an invitation, an invite link, or by browsing public communities in Discovery.

| Method | How it works |
|--------|--------------|
| Direct invitation | A community member sends you an invitation through Root |
| Invite link | Someone shares a link that you can open to join |
| Discovery | Browse Root's public communities and join one without an invite |

## Accept a direct invitation

When someone invites you to their community, you receive a notification.

### Desktop

1. Select the **Notifications** icon  in the user tray (top-right of the window).
2. From the dropdown, select **Community Invites** to filter.
3. Locate the community invitation in the list.
4. Select **Accept** to join the community, or **Decline** to reject.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Notifications** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap the **Community invites** tab at the top.
3. Locate the community invitation in the list.
4. Tap **Accept** to join the community, or **Decline** to reject.

## Join using an invite link

An invite link is a URL that someone shares with you. When you open the link, you see the community name, image, and member count.

### If you receive the link in Root

When someone shares an invite link in a direct message or channel, Root displays a preview of the community.

### Desktop

1. Locate the invite link preview in the message.
1. Review the community name and member count.
1. Select **Join** to join the community. If you are already a member, **Join** is disabled. Hover over it to see "You are already a member of this community".

### Mobile

1. Locate the invite link preview in the message.
1. Review the community name and member count.
1. Tap **Join** to join the community, or **View** if you are already a member.

### If you receive the link externally

If someone shares an invite link outside of Root (such as through email, text message, or another app), follow the steps below.

#### If you already have Root installed

### Desktop

1. Open the invite link in your browser.
1. If Root opens automatically, review the community details inside Root and select **Accept Invite** to join the community.
1. If Root doesn't open automatically, review the community details in the browser window and select the "Accept Invite" button to join the community.

### Mobile

1. Tap the invite link, Root will open automatically.
1. Review the community information inside Root.
1. Tap **Accept invite** to join the community or **Cancel** to decline.

#### If you don't have Root installed

1. Open the invite link in your browser.
1. Review the community information on the landing page.
1. Select **Download Root** to install the app and create an account.
1. After installation, return to the browser to accept the invitation.

## Discover communities

You can also browse Root's public and verified communities and join one without an invite. See [Community Discovery](discover-communities.md).

## What happens when you join?

When you join a community:

- You receive the **Everyone** role automatically
- You can see all channels available to the Everyone role
- If the person who invited you assigned additional roles, you receive those as well
- The community appears in your community list

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Solution |
|---------|----------|
| Link says "expired" | Ask the person who shared it to send a new link |
| Link says "invalid" | The link may have been deleted or reached its usage limit |
| Cannot find the invitation | Check the **Community invites** tab in your notifications |
| Verification required | This community requires a verified email address. Enter the verification code that Root sent to your email. See [Verify your email](../profile/verify-email.md). |
| Friend cannot invite you | Not all members can send invitations. Ask someone with invite permissions or a community owner. |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Leave a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/leave-community

# Leave a community

Leave a community whenever it's no longer for you.

## Leave a community

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab in the tab bar.
2. Select **Leave community**.
3. Select **Leave** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Open the community you want to leave.
2. Tap the community name at the top of the screen (with the down arrow).
3. In the bottom sheet that appears, tap **Leave community**.
4. Confirm by tapping **Leave**.

> **Community owners:** If you own the community, you see **Delete community** instead of **Leave community**. An owner can't leave. To leave, first [transfer ownership](../../leader/community/transfer-ownership.md) to another member. If you no longer want the community, you can [delete it](../../leader/community/delete-community.md) instead.

> **Warning:** Leaving a community removes you from all its channels. To rejoin, you'll need a new invite, unless the community is listed in [Discovery](discover-communities.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Mark channels as read

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/mark-channels-read

# Mark channels as read

Clear all the unread indicators in a community all at once.

## Mark all channels as read

When you have unread messages across multiple channels, you can mark them all as read at once instead of opening each channel individually.

### Desktop

You can mark all channels as read from either location:

**From the community tab:**

1. Right-click the community tab at the top.
1. Select **Mark all channels as read**.

**From the community profile area:**

1. Right-click the community profile area in the left sidebar (where the community name and image appear).
1. Select **Mark all channels as read**.

All channels with messages are marked as read, and unread indicators are cleared. From the community tab, app channels are cleared too.

### Mobile

This feature is not available on mobile.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Navigate a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/navigate-community

# Navigate a community

Find your way around a community's channels, members, and content.

## Community layout

When you open a community, you'll see these areas:

### Desktop

| Area | Location | Description |
|------|----------|-------------|
| Members panel | Far left | Displays the community name and members grouped by role |
| Channel list | Left of content area | Shows channels organized in groups |
| Main content area | Center | Displays the active channel's messages or content |
| Channel toolbar | Top of content area | Shows channel name, description, and action buttons |

### Mobile

| Area | Description |
|------|-------------|
| Channel list | Shows channels organized in groups |
| Main content area | Displays the active channel |
| Channel header | Shows channel name and action buttons |

## Browse channels

Channels are organized into groups. Text channels are marked with  and voice channels with a speaker . App channels show the App's own icon, or  if it doesn't have one.

### Desktop

1. In the channel list, select a channel group header to expand or collapse it.
2. Select a channel to open it in the main content area.

### Mobile

1. Tap a channel group to expand or collapse it.
1. Tap a channel to open it. The selected channel is highlighted in the channel list.
1. Swipe right or tap the back arrow to return to the channel list.
1. Swipe left to reopen the selected channel.

## View the member list

### Desktop

The members panel is on the far left side of the community view. It shows:

- A banner header at the top with the community's banner image, name, member count, and a verified badge for verified communities. If you can invite people, an invite button appears here too.
- Online and offline members grouped by their primary role
- A collapse/expand button to hide or show the panel

To collapse the members panel, select the arrow button at the top of the panel.

By default, the panel shows all community members. To see only members who have access to the current channel, use the toggle at the top of the panel to switch from **Community** to **Channel**.

### Mobile

To view all community members:

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
1. Tap **View members**. The member list opens, with members grouped by role.

To view members of a specific channel:

1. Open the channel.
1. Tap the channel name at the top of the screen.
1. Tap **Members**. The channel member list opens, with members grouped by role and online status.

Once the member list is open, you can:

- **Open someone's profile** by tapping their name. Their profile opens as a panel from the bottom, with options to message, call, or add them.
- **Collapse a role group** by tapping its header, which is handy in communities with a lot of roles.

## Use the channel toolbar

The channel toolbar appears at the top of the main content area when you're in a text channel.

### Desktop

| Button | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Search** (magnifying glass) | Search messages in the current channel |
| **Pinned messages** (pin) | View messages pinned in the channel |
| **Files** (document with folded corner) | Browse files uploaded to the channel |
| **Channel options** (three dots) | Edit or delete the channel (if you have permission) |

### Mobile

Tap the **Search** icon  in the channel header to search messages in the current channel.

To access pinned messages, tap the channel name to open channel details.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Search a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/search-community

# Search a community

Search a community to quickly find messages, files, and members.

> **Note:** This page is about searching **inside** a community you're already in. To find one of your communities in your own list, see [Switch communities](./switch-communities.md). To find new communities to join, see [Community Discovery](./discover-communities.md).

## How search works

When you search a community, Root searches across three categories at the same time:

| Category | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| **Messages** | Message content in channels you have access to |
| **Files** | Files uploaded to channels |
| **Members** | Member usernames and display names |

Results appear in separate tabs, each showing a count of matches. You can filter your search to specific channels or search the entire community.

## Search the community

### Desktop

1. In the members panel on the left side of the community, right-click to open the context menu.
1. Select **Search**. The search pane opens on the right side of the screen.
1. Type your search term in the search field.
1. Results appear automatically as you type, organized into three tabs:
   - **Messages (n)**: Messages containing your search term
   - **Files (n)**: Files with names matching your search term
   - **Members (n)**: Members whose username or display name matches your search term
1. Select a tab to view results in that category.
1. Navigate to a result:
- **Message results**: Select a message to jump to that message in the channel.
- **File results**: Select a file to open or download it.
- **Member results**: Select a member to view their profile card.

### Mobile

1. In the community header at the top of the screen, tap the **Search** icon .
1. Type your search term in the search field.
1. Tap the **Enter** button on your keyboard to submit the search.
1. Results appear in three tabs:
   - **Messages**: Messages containing your search term
   - **Files**: Files with names matching your search term
   - **Members**: Members whose username or display name matches your search term
1. Tap a tab to view results in that category.
1. Navigate to a result:
- **Message results**: Tap a message to jump to that message in the channel.
- **File results**: Tap a file to open or download it.
- **Member results**: Tap a member to view their profile card.

If no results match your search term, you'll see a "No results found" message with a suggestion to try a different search phrase.

## Filter by channel

You can narrow your search to specific channels instead of searching the entire community.

### Desktop

1. In the members panel on the left side of the community, right-click to open the context menu.
1. Select **Search**. The search pane opens on the right side of the screen.
1. Select the channel filter dropdown (displays **Community** by default).
1. In the channel picker, select one or more channels to filter by.
1. The filter text updates to show the selected channel (for example, **#general** or **#general +2** if multiple channels are selected).
1. Enter your search term to search within the selected channels.

To clear the channel filter and search the entire community, deselect all channels in the channel picker.

### Mobile

1. Open search from the community header, or open a text channel and tap the **Search** icon  in the channel header.
1. Below the search field, tap the channel filter pill. It shows **Community** by default, or the current channel if you opened search from a channel.
1. In the channel filter sheet, select one or more channels to filter by.
1. The filter pill updates to show the selected channel (for example, **#general** or **#general +2** if multiple channels are selected).
1. Submit your search to search within the selected channels.

To clear the channel filter, deselect all channels in the channel filter sheet.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Switch communities

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/switch-communities

# Switch communities

Jump between the communities you've joined.

## How it works

### Desktop

The desktop app uses a **tab bar** at the top of the window to manage open communities. You can have multiple communities open at once, each in its own tab. Select a tab to switch between them, or close tabs you're no longer using.

- **Notification badges**: Tabs display a badge showing the number of unread notifications for that community.
- **Tab persistence**: Your open tabs are remembered between sessions, so they reopen just as you left them.
- **Tab reordering**: Drag tabs to rearrange them in any order you prefer.

### Mobile

The mobile app displays **one community at a time**. When you open a different community, it replaces the current view. You switch between them in the *community drawer*, a panel that slides in from the left.

The drawer header has three ways to add a community to your list:

| Control | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| **Discover** icon  | Browses Root's public and verified communities |
| **Search** icon  | Searches the communities you've already joined |
| **Create community** button | Starts a new community of your own |

## Open a community

### Desktop

1. Select the **+** button in the tab bar at the top of the window. This opens the **New Tab** page.
2. Under **Your communities**, select a community to open it. If you've joined a lot, type in the filter box to narrow the list.

The community opens in the tab.

The New Tab page also gives you quick ways to get around Root:

- **Explore communities**: browse Root's public directory. See [Community Discovery](./discover-communities.md).
- **Explore apps & bots**: browse the App Store.
- **Create community**: start a community of your own.

Your communities show with your favorites first. See [Favorite communities](./favorite-communities.md).

### Mobile

1. Open the community drawer by swiping right from anywhere on the screen, or by tapping the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
2. Tap a community to open it.

You can do this from inside another community. You don't need to go back to the **Home** tab  first.

## Switch communities

### Desktop

Select a community tab in the tab bar to switch to that community.

### Mobile

1. Open the community drawer by swiping right, or by tapping the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
2. Tap a community to switch to it.

## Find a community in your list

If you've joined a lot of communities, search your own list rather than scrolling it.

### Desktop

Select the **+** button in the tab bar to open the **New Tab** page, then type in the filter box under **Your communities** to narrow the list.

### Mobile

1. Open the community drawer by swiping right, or by tapping the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
2. Tap the **Search** icon  in the drawer header.
3. Start typing a community name. The list narrows as you type.
4. Tap the community to open it.

This searches the communities you've already joined. To find new ones, use the **Discover** icon  instead. See [Community Discovery](./discover-communities.md).

## Close a community

### Desktop

1. Hover over the tab you want to close.
2. Select the **X** button on the tab, or right-click the tab and select **Close tab**.

### Mobile

Only one community is open at a time on mobile.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Group conversations

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/direct-messages/group-conversations

# Group conversations

Chat with several people at once in a group conversation.

## What is a group conversation?

A *group conversation* is a direct message with more than one other person. Unlike one-on-one direct messages, group conversations let you chat privately with several people at the same time. All members can see messages sent to the group, including the full message history.

## Who can participate

Group conversations are limited to friends: participants can only add people who are on their friends list. If you want to include someone who isn't a friend, you must send them a friend request first and wait for them to accept.

This is different from one-on-one direct messages, which you can start with anyone you share a community with.

The participants in a group conversation don't have to be part of the same community.

A group conversation can have up to 10 members.

## Create a group conversation

Start a new conversation with multiple people.

### Desktop

1. Select the **Direct messages** icon  in the user tray (top-right of the window).
1. Select the **Create direct message** button .
1. Search for a friend and select them.
1. Continue adding friends by searching and selecting additional names.
1. Once you've added everyone, select the **Create** button to start the conversation.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Messages** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap the **+** icon . A screen headed **Create** opens.
1. In the **Search friends** field, tap each friend you want to include. A checkmark appears beside everyone you pick, and you can keep going until the group is complete.
1. Type a message to start the conversation.

The group is created when you send the first message, not when you finish picking people.

## Add friends to a group conversation

Expand an existing group conversation by inviting more friends.

### Desktop

1. Open the group conversation.
2. Select the **Options** icon  in the conversation header.
3. Select **Invite friend to DM**.
4. Search for friends and select the person to add.
5. Select **Add** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Open the group conversation.
1. Tap the conversation name at the top to open details.
1. Tap **Add members**. The screen is headed **Add friends to conversation**.
1. Search for friends and tap to select them.
1. Tap **Add** to confirm. The button stays inactive until you pick someone.

If everyone you are friends with is already in the conversation, the list shows **No friends found**.

> **Note:** New members can see the full message history from the conversation.

## Leave a group conversation

When you leave a group conversation the conversation and its entire message history are removed from your view. You cannot rejoin on your own. If someone adds you back to the conversation, you'll regain access to the full message history, including messages sent while you were gone.

### Desktop

1. In the Direct messages list, right-click the group conversation.
1. Select **Leave direct message**.
1. Select **Leave** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Open the group conversation.
1. Tap the conversation name at the top to open details.
1. Tap **Leave**.
1. Confirm when prompted.

## Group conversation names

Group conversations display as a list of member names. For example, a conversation with Alex and Jordan appears as "Alex, Jordan" in your conversation list.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Manage conversations

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/direct-messages/manage-conversations

# Manage conversations

Keep your direct messages tidy and easy to find.

## View your conversations

### Desktop

1. Select the **Direct messages** icon  in the user tray (top-right of the window).
2. Your conversations are listed with the most recent activity at the top. Select one to open it.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Messages** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Your conversations appear in a list, sorted by most recent activity. Tap one to open it.

Conversations are automatically sorted by the timestamp of the most recent message. When someone sends a new message in a conversation, that conversation moves to the top of your list.

If a conversation has no messages yet, the list shows `<Draft>` in place of a preview. Conversations with someone you have blocked do not appear in the list at all.

> **Tip:** On mobile a conversation slides in over the list rather than replacing it. Swipe right to go back, or tap the dimmed area to the side. From the Messages list, swipe left to jump straight back into the conversation you had open last.

## Find a conversation

### Desktop

In the Direct messages list, type a name into the **Find a conversation** field.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Messages** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap the search icon  at the top.
1. Type a name into the **Find a conversation** field.

This searches the names of the people in your conversations, not the messages inside them. To search message text, use [Search a community](../communities/search-community.md).

## View conversation details

See who's in a conversation and access conversation options.

### Desktop

1. Open the conversation.
1. Select the **Options** icon 
1. Select **View details**. The details panel shows conversation members, pinned messages, and other options.

### Mobile

1. Open the conversation.
1. Tap the conversation name at the top.
1. A details sheet appears. Tap the row showing how many people are in the conversation to expand the list, then tap anyone to open their profile.

The sheet also has **Pinned messages**, **Add members**, and **Leave**.

## Leave a conversation

Leaving a conversation removes it from your list. For one-on-one conversations, your message history is deleted. For group conversations, the conversation continues for other members.

### Desktop

1. In the Direct messages list, right-click a conversation.
2. Select **Leave direct message**.
3. In the confirmation dialog, select **Leave** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Open the conversation you want to leave.
1. Tap the conversation name at the top to open conversation details.
1. Tap **Leave**.
1. A **Leave conversation** confirmation appears, warning that it cannot be undone. Tap **Leave**.

For group conversations, see [Group conversations](./group-conversations.md) for more details.

## Pin a conversation to the tab bar

*Pinning a conversation* adds the entire conversation as a tab in your tab bar for quick access. This is different from pinning individual messages within a conversation.

Pinned conversations appear as tabs alongside your community tabs, so you can open them with one click.

### Desktop

To pin from the conversation list:

1. Select the **Direct messages** icon  in the user tray.
2. Right-click the conversation you want to pin.
3. Select **Pin to tab**.

To pin from an open conversation:

1. Open the conversation.
2. Select the **Options** icon  in the conversation header.
3. Select **Pin to tab**.

The conversation appears as a new tab in the tab bar.

> **Open a conversation in its own window:**
> Once a conversation is pinned, you can pop it out into a separate window. It is handy for keeping a chat in view while you work in another community.
> 
> 1. Right-click the conversation's tab in the tab bar.
> 1. Select **Open in new window**.
> 
> Pinning to the tab bar is the only route to this. A conversation that is not pinned cannot be opened in its own window.

### Mobile

Pinning conversations to the tab bar is not available on mobile.

## Unpin a conversation from the tab bar

Remove a pinned conversation from the tab bar when you no longer need quick access to it.

### Desktop

To unpin from the conversation list:

1. Select the **Direct messages** icon  in the user tray.
2. Right-click the pinned conversation.
3. Select **Unpin from tab**.

To unpin from an open conversation:

1. Open the pinned conversation.
2. Select the **Options** icon  in the conversation header.
3. Select **Unpin from tab**.

You can also close the tab directly from the tab bar to unpin the conversation.

### Mobile

Pinning conversations to the tab bar is not available on mobile.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Pin messages

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/direct-messages/pin-messages

# Pin messages

Pin important messages so they're easy to find later.

## What are pinned messages?

*Pinned messages* are messages that have been highlighted so everyone in the conversation can find them quickly. Use pinned messages to preserve important information, shared links, or decisions that you want to reference later.

When a message is pinned, it appears in the conversation's pinned messages list. Anyone in the conversation can pin or unpin messages. When a channel has pinned messages, a pin indicator appears to show that messages are pinned.

> **Note:** Pinning a message is different from [pinning a conversation to the tab bar](./manage-conversations.md#pin-a-conversation-to-the-tab-bar). Pinning a message highlights that specific message within the conversation. Pinning a conversation adds the entire conversation as a tab for quick access.

## Pin a message

### Desktop

1. Hover over the message you want to pin.
1. Select the **Pin message** icon  in the message actions, or right-click the message and select **Pin message**.

A system message appears in the conversation indicating that you pinned the message.

### Mobile

1. Long press the message you want to pin.
1. Tap **Pin message**.

A system message appears in the conversation indicating that you pinned the message.

## Unpin a message

### Desktop

1. Hover over the pinned message.
1. Select the **Unpin message** icon  in the message actions, or right-click the message and select **Unpin message**.

### Mobile

1. Long press the pinned message.
1. Tap **Unpin message**.

## View pinned messages

### Desktop

1. Open the conversation.
1. Select the **Options** icon  in the conversation header.
1. Select **View details**.
1. Select a message to jump to it in the conversation.

### Mobile

1. Tap the conversation name at the top to open conversation details.
1. Tap **Pinned messages**.
1. Tap a message to jump to it in the conversation.
1. Or press and hold a pinned message, then select **Jump to message** or **Unpin message** without opening the conversation first.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Start a conversation

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/direct-messages/start-conversation

# Start a conversation

Start a private chat with anyone, outside of any community.

You can format your messages (Markdown, code blocks, mentions, etc.). See [Markdown formatting](../text-channels/format-messages.md) for full formatting options and examples.

## Start a direct message from a community or channel

### Desktop

1. Select a member's avatar from the community member list or a channel message to open their profile card.
1. You have two options:
  - Type a message in the message area and press Enter to send. A direct message conversation opens.
  - Select the **Send message** icon  in their profile card to open a conversation.

### Mobile

1. In the member list, tap a user's name to view their profile.
1. Tap the **message** icon . It sits in a row of icons near the top of their profile, alongside the call and add friend icons.
1. Type your message and tap the **Send** icon .

The icons have no text labels, so go by the chat bubble shape.

## Start a direct message with a friend

### Desktop

1. Select the **Direct messages** icon  in the user tray (top-right of the window).
1. Select the **Create direct message** button .
1. Search for a friend by name.
1. Select the friend.
1. Select **Create**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Messages** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap the **+** icon . A screen headed **Create** opens.
1. In the **Search friends** field, find a friend and tap them. A checkmark appears next to anyone you pick.
1. Keep tapping if you want to include more people. See [Group conversations](group-conversations.md).
1. Start typing your message.

The conversation is created when you send your first message.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Add and remove friends

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/friends/add-remove-friends

# Add and remove friends

Add friends to quickly find people and see when they're online.

## Send a friend request

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray (top-right of the window).
1. Select the **Add friend** icon .
1. Enter the person's username (or part of it) into the search box.
1. Locate the person in the results.
1. Select **Request**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap the **Search** icon  at the top right.
1. Enter the person's username (or part of it) into the **Find friends** box.
1. Locate the person under **Find new friends**.
1. Tap **Request**.

Or tap the **Add friend** icon  at the top of the Friends tab and enter their username.

Type at least two characters before results appear. Anyone you are already friends with shows at the top of the results, and people you can add are listed below under **Find new friends**.

You can also add someone straight from their profile. Tap their avatar in a community member list or a text channel, then tap the **Add friend** icon  in the row of icons under their name.

## Accept or decline a friend request

### Desktop

1. Select the **Notifications** icon  in the user tray (top-right of the window).
2. Filter by **Friend requests** to see incoming requests.
3. Select **Accept** or **Decline** on each request.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Notifications** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Optionally, tap the **Friend requests** filter at the top of the screen.
2. Locate the friend request notification.
3. Tap **Accept** or **Decline**.

## Remove a friend

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray (top-right of the window).
2. Right-click the friend you want to remove.
3. Select **Remove friend**.
4. Confirm by selecting **Remove**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap the friend's name.
3. Scroll to **User actions**.
4. Tap **Remove friend**.
5. Confirm by tapping **Remove**.

## Message or call a friend from their profile

On mobile, a friend's profile has a row of icons under their name that let you reach them without leaving the Friends tab.

### Desktop

Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray, then select a friend to open their profile card. Select **Send message** or **Call**. You can also right-click a friend and select **Message** or **Call**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap the friend's name to open their profile.
1. Tap one of the icons under their name:

| Icon | What it does |
|------|--------------|
|  | Starts a voice call with them |
|  | Opens your conversation, or starts one if you have not messaged before |
|  | Sends a friend request (only shows if you are not friends yet) |

The icon row does not appear on your own profile or on the profile of an app or bot.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Friend groups

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/friends/organize-friends

# Friend groups

Sort your friends into groups to keep your list organized.

## What are friend groups?

*Friend groups* are custom categories you create to organize your friends list. By default, all friends appear in a single list. Friend groups let you sort friends into meaningful categories, such as "Gamers", "Colleagues", or "Family".

Every friends list has a default group that cannot be renamed or deleted. New friends are added to this default group automatically. The default group is tagged "(Default)" next to its name.

Group names must be 2 to 100 characters and can contain letters, numbers, a single space between words, or a single apostrophe. If a name doesn't meet those rules, Root shows the reason below the field and the confirm button stays greyed out until you fix it.

## How friend groups work

Friend groups help you:

- **Categorize friends** by relationship, activity, or any criteria you choose
- **Collapse sections** to focus on specific groups
- **Reorder friends** within and between groups using drag and drop

Every friend must belong to exactly one group. There's no "delete" or "remove" that takes a friend out of all groups. When you move a friend to a different group, they leave their current group automatically. To change which group a friend is in, drag and drop them into the target group.

## Create a friend group

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray.
2. In the Friends panel, do one of the following:
   - Select the **Create friend group** button  in the top-right corner.
   - Right-click anywhere in the panel and select **Create friend group**.
3. A new group named "New Group" appears at the top of your friends list.
4. Right-click the group name and select **Rename** to give it a meaningful name.
5. Press **Enter** to save the name.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. In the header, tap the **Create friend group** button .
3. Enter a name for the group.
4. Tap **Create group** to save the group.

## Rename a friend group

You cannot rename the default group.

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray.
2. Right-click the group you want to rename.
3. Select **Rename**.
4. Type the new name.
5. Press **Enter** to save the name, or press **Escape** to cancel.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Long-press the group header you want to rename.
3. Tap **Rename**.
4. Enter the new name.
5. Tap **Rename group** to confirm.

## Delete a friend group

When you delete a group, all friends in that group are automatically moved to the default group. They are never removed from your friends list. You cannot delete the default group.

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray.
2. Right-click the group you want to delete.
3. Select **Delete**.
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Long-press the group header you want to delete.
3. Tap **Delete**.
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

## Collapse a friend group

Collapse a group to hide its friends and shorten the list. The arrow next to the group name points down when the group is open and sideways when it's collapsed. Collapsed groups stay collapsed until you open them again.

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray.
2. Select the group name, or the arrow next to it, to collapse the group.
3. Select it again to expand the group.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap the group header to collapse the group.
3. Tap it again to expand the group.

Each group header shows a badge with the number of friends in that group, so you can still see how many are hidden while it's collapsed.

## Organize friends in your groups

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray.
2. Drag a friend from their current position.
3. Drop them into the target group or to a new position within the same group.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Friends** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Long-press a friend to start dragging.
3. Drop them into the target group or to a new position within the same group.

Dragging is turned off when only one friend is showing, so nothing happens if you long-press. Expand any collapsed groups and try again.

## Reorder friend groups

### Desktop

1. Select the **Friends** icon  in the user tray.
2. Drag a group header to a new position.
3. Drop it where you want it in the list.

### Mobile

Reordering friend groups is not available on mobile.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Create an account

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/get-started/create-account

# Create an account

Create a Root account to join communities and connect with others.

## What is a Root account?

A Root user account is your identity on Root. It holds information such as your email address, profile picture, and password. Everyone needs an active account to use Root.

## Create your account

> **Choose your language first:** On mobile, tap the globe at the top left of the screen to pick the language Root uses, before you sign up. See [Language](../settings/language.md).

### Desktop

1. Open the Root app.
2. Select **Register**.
3. Enter your username.
4. Enter your email address.
5. Create a password.
6. Select **Register**.

### Mobile

1. Open the Root app.
2. Tap **Register**.
3. Enter your username.
4. Enter your email address.
5. Create a password.
6. Tap **Register**.

> **Security verification:** A **Security Verification** pop up window may appear during registration. This verification usually completes silently in the background. If interactive verification is needed, complete the on-screen challenge to continue.

| Username requirements                         |
| --------------------------------------------- |
| Unique across Root                            |
| 3 to 20 characters                              |
| Letters, numbers, underscores, and periods only |
| Underscores and periods can't be at the start or end, or next to each other |

| Password requirements              |
| ---------------------------------- |
| At least 8 characters              |
| At least one uppercase letter      |
| At least one lowercase letter      |
| At least one number                |
| At least one special character     |
| Not a commonly used password       |

## Verify your email address

After you create your account, Root sends a verification code to the email address you provided. Verifying your email:

- Confirms you own the email address
- Allows you to join communities that require verified members
- Enables account recovery if you forget your password

If you don't see the verification email, check your spam or junk folder. You can ask for a new code from the screen where you enter it. See [Verify your email](../profile/verify-email.md) for the steps.

### Desktop

1. Select **Enter code** in the banner.
1. Enter the verification code sent to your email.
1. Select **Verify**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar, then tap the **Verify email** row.
1. Enter the verification code sent to your email.
1. Tap **Verify**.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Install Root

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/get-started/install-root

# Install Root

Download and install the Root app on your computer or phone.

Root is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

### Desktop

1. In a web browser, go to the [Root download page](https://www.rootapp.com/download).
1. Select the download for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
1. Open the downloaded file and follow the prompts to install Root.
1. Open Root once installation finishes.

**On Linux?** The download works a little differently. See [Install on Linux](#install-on-linux) below.

### Mobile

1. Open the app store for your device:
   - **iOS:** [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6742028281)
   - **Android:** [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rootapp.mobile)
1. Tap **Get** (iOS) or **Install** (Android) to download Root.
1. Open Root once it finishes installing.

## Install on Linux

The Linux download is an *AppImage*, a single self-contained file that runs without installing into your system. It's available for 64-bit (x64) and ARM (arm64) computers.

1. From the [Root download page](https://www.rootapp.com/download), download the Linux AppImage.
1. Make the file executable:
   - **File manager:** open the file's **Properties** and enable the option to allow running it as a program (the exact wording varies by desktop).
   - **Terminal:** run `chmod +x` on the file.
1. Open the AppImage to launch Root, by double-clicking it or running it from a terminal.

Because an AppImage doesn't install system-wide, it also works on immutable distributions like Bazzite, SteamOS, and Fedora Silverblue, where regular package installers don't apply.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Navigate Root

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/get-started/navigate-root

# Navigate Root

Find your communities, chats, and settings in the Root interface.

## App layout

### Desktop

The Root desktop app is organized into these main areas:

| Area | Location | Description |
|------|----------|-------------|
| Tab bar | Top | Open communities appear as tabs; select a tab to switch |
| User tray | Top-right | Access Friends, Direct messages, Notifications, and Profile |
| Community view | Center | Shows the current community's channels, members, and content |

### Mobile

The Root mobile app uses a bottom tab bar and drawer navigation:

| Area | Location | Description |
|------|----------|-------------|
| Bottom tab bar | Bottom | Switch between Home, Friends, Messages, Notifications, and your profile. The tabs show icons, not text. |
| Community drawer | Left side | Swipe right or tap the menu icon  to see your communities |
| Community view | Center | Shows the current community's channels and content |

## Access your communities

### Desktop

Communities open as tabs in the tab bar at the top of the window.

- Select the **+** button to open a community in a new tab
- Select a tab to switch to that community
- Select the **X** on a tab to close it
- Right-click a tab and select **Open in new window** to open it in a separate window. You can also press **Ctrl + Shift + P** (Windows/Linux) or **Cmd + Shift + P** (macOS) to pop out the current tab. Root remembers each window's position and size between sessions.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Home** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Swipe right or tap the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
3. Tap a community to open it.

## Move back and forward

### Desktop

Root remembers where you have been, so you can step back and forward the way you would in a web browser.

- Select the **back** and **forward** arrows in the title bar.
- Press **Alt + Left** to go back and **Alt + Right** to go forward (Windows/Linux), or **Cmd + [** and **Cmd + ]** (macOS).
- If your mouse has back and forward buttons, those work too.

### Mobile

Use your device's usual back gesture or button to return to the previous screen.

## Access global features

Root provides quick access to features that work across all communities.

### Desktop

The *user tray* in the top-right corner contains these icons:

| Icon | Name | Description |
|------|------|-------------|
|  | **Friends** | View and manage your friends list |
|  | **Direct messages** | Access your private conversations |
|  | **Notifications** | View friend requests, mentions, and community invites |
| Your profile picture | **Profile** | Access settings, help, and sign out |

Select an icon to open or close its panel on the right side of the window.

> **Collapse or resize the side panel:**
> The icons toggle, so you can hide the panel again to give the community view the full width. If the Notifications panel is open, select the **Notifications** icon  a second time and the panel collapses.
> 
> You can also drag the panel's edge to make it wider or narrower. This works for the Friends, Direct messages, Notifications, and Profile panels.

### Mobile

The bottom tab bar provides access to global features. The tabs show icons only, with no text labels:

| Tab | Icon | Description |
|-----|------|-------------|
| **Home** |  | Return to your communities |
| **Friends** |  | View and manage your friends list |
| **Messages** |  | Access your direct messages |
| **Notifications** |  | View friend requests, mentions, and invites |
| **Profile** | Your profile picture | Access settings, help, and sign out |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Set up your settings

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/get-started/set-up-settings

# Set up your settings

A few settings are worth a look before you start chatting and calling. You can change any of them later.

## Open Settings

- **Desktop:** select your profile picture in the user tray, then select **Settings**.
- **Mobile:** tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar, then tap **Settings**.

## Start with these

- **[Audio and video](../settings/audio-video.md)**: on desktop, choose your microphone, speakers and camera before you join a call. On mobile this section is called **Audio settings** and holds noise suppression and a few call options.
- **[Notifications](../settings/notifications.md)**: choose how Root alerts you.
- **[Theme](../settings/theme.md)**: pick light or dark, or make your own theme. On mobile this section is called **Appearance**.

> **Text too small?:** Open [Accessibility](../settings/accessibility.md) settings to make chat text bigger. On desktop, you can also zoom all of Root, up to 200%, or press **Ctrl + Plus** to zoom in and **Ctrl + 0** to go back to 100% (**Cmd** on Mac).

For everything else Root lets you change, see [Settings](../settings/index.md).

## Sign in and out

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/get-started/sign-in-out

# Sign in and out

Access your Root account or sign out when you're done.

## Sign in

> **Choose your language first:** On mobile, tap the globe at the top left of the screen to pick the language Root uses, before you sign in. See [Language](../settings/language.md).

### Desktop

1. Open the Root app.
1. Enter your username.
1. Enter your password.
1. Select **Login**.

### Mobile

1. Open the Root app.
1. Tap **Sign In**.
1. Enter your username.
1. Enter your password.
1. Tap **Sign In**.

If you have a passkey, you can use it instead of your password. Select **Log in with Passkey** on desktop, or tap **Log in with passkey** on mobile (only on devices that support passkeys). See [Sign in with a passkey](../profile/passkeys.md#sign-in-with-a-passkey).

> **Security verification:** A **Security Verification** pop up window may appear while you sign in. This verification usually completes silently in the background. If interactive verification is needed, complete the on-screen challenge to continue. You can select **Cancel** to dismiss the pop up window.

## Sign out

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select **Sign out** at the bottom of the panel.
1. Select **Sign out** in the confirmation dialog.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Sign out**.
1. Tap **Sign out** again to confirm.

## Reset your password

### Desktop

1. On the sign in screen, select **Forgot your username or password?**
1. Select **Reset password**.
1. Enter the email address associated with your account.
1. Select **Send**.
1. Enter the verification code from your email.
1. Enter your new password and confirm it.
1. Select **Save**.

### Mobile

1. Open the Root app and tap **Sign In**.
1. Select **Forgot your username or password?**
1. Select **Reset password**.
1. Enter the email address associated with your account.
1. Select **Send**.
1. Enter the verification code from your email.
1. Enter your new password.
1. Select **Save**.

## Recover your username

### Desktop

1. On the sign in screen, select **Forgot your username or password?**
1. Select **Recover username**.
1. Enter the email address associated with your account.
1. Select **Send**.
1. Check your email for your username.

### Mobile

1. Open the Root app and tap **Sign In**.
1. Select **Forgot your username or password?**
1. Select **Recover username**.
1. Enter the email address associated with your account.
1. Select **Send**.
1. Check your email for your username.

> **Security verification:** A **Security Verification** pop up window may appear when you reset your password or recover your username. This verification usually completes silently in the background. If interactive verification is needed, complete the on-screen challenge to continue. You can select **Cancel** to dismiss the pop up window.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## What's next?

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/get-started/whats-next

# What's next?

You've installed Root, created your account, and signed in. Here's what to explore next.

## Create your first community

The first time you open Root after creating your account, a short welcome introduces you to Root and ends with an invitation to **Create your first community**, your own space to build in. Select it to set one up right away, or choose **Skip for now** and create a community whenever you're ready. This welcome appears only once.

- [Create a community](../../leader/community/create-community.md): Start and set up your own community

## Join a community

Communities are where conversations happen on Root. You can join communities through invite links, or browse public communities to find groups that match your interests.

- [Join a community](../communities/join-community.md): Accept an invitation or open an invite link
- [Community Discovery](../communities/discover-communities.md): Browse public communities by category and join without an invite

## Connect with Root

Join the official Root community to get help from the team, share feedback, and connect with others. Official Root communities display a verification badge next to their name.

- [Root](https://rootapp.gg/root)

## Customize your profile

Make Root yours by setting up your profile and adjusting your preferences.

- [Edit your profile](../profile/edit-profile.md): Add a profile picture and update your display name
- [Set your online status](../profile/set-online-status.md): Control how your availability appears to others
- [Set your custom status](../profile/set-custom-status.md): Let others know what you're doing

## Adjust your settings

If you skipped it, [Set up your settings](./set-up-settings.md) covers the ones to check first, like your microphone, notifications and theme.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Community and channel notifications

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/notifications/community-notifications

# Community and channel notifications

Choose how much you hear from each community, channel, and conversation, or mute one for a while.

## What you can choose

Each community, channel, and direct message conversation has its own notification setting (for channels: text, voice, and app channels on desktop, text and voice channels on mobile):

| Setting | What you get |
|---------|--------------|
| **All messages** | A notification for every new message |
| **Only @mentions** | Mentions of you, your roles, and @all, and replies to you. In a direct message, mentions of you and @all, and replies to you. |
| **Nothing** | No notifications, not even mentions |

Until you choose, a community uses its **Community default**, which its leaders pick. A channel uses **Use community setting**, so it follows whatever you chose for the community. The menu shows what that currently means, for example **Only @mentions (default)**.

> **Tip:** Busy community but one channel you never want to miss? Set the community to **Only @mentions** and that one channel to **All messages**.

### Mobile push notifications

**Mobile push notifications** decides whether these notifications also reach your phone when the app is closed. You can turn it off for a community, channel, or conversation and still see the notifications inside Root.

In communities with more than 2,500 members, push notifications are only sent for mentions. The setting then shows **Mentions only in large communities**.

## Change notifications for a community, channel, or conversation

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, a channel in the sidebar, or a conversation in your direct messages.
1. Hover over **Notification settings**.
1. Select **All messages**, **Only @mentions**, or **Nothing**. To go back to the default, select **Community default** (for a community) or **Use community setting** (for a channel).
1. To stop push notifications to your phone, turn off **Mobile push notifications**.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the community in your community list, the text or voice channel, or the conversation in your direct messages. For a community, you can also tap its name at the top of the channel list.
1. Tap **Notification settings**.
1. Under **Notify me about**, tap **All messages**, **Only @mentions**, or **Nothing**. To go back to the default, tap **Community default** (for a community) or **Use community setting** (for a channel).
1. To stop push notifications to your phone, turn off **Mobile push notifications**.

## Mute a community, channel, or conversation

Muting silences notifications for a while, then they come back on their own, unless you chose **Until I turn it back on**. Choose **For 15 minutes**, **For 1 hour**, **For 3 hours**, **For 8 hours**, **For 24 hours**, or **Until I turn it back on**.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, a channel in the sidebar, or a conversation in your direct messages.
1. Hover over **Mute community**, **Mute channel**, or **Mute conversation**.
1. Choose how long to mute it for.

While it's muted, the menu shows **Muted until** and the time (no end time is shown if you chose **Until I turn it back on**). To turn notifications back on early, select **Unmute community**, **Unmute channel**, or **Unmute conversation**.

### Mobile

1. Open **Notification settings** for the community, channel, or conversation (see the steps above).
1. Under **Mute**, tap **Mute community**, **Mute channel**, or **Mute conversation**.
1. Choose how long to mute it for.

While it's muted, you'll see **Muted until** and the time, or **Muted until you turn it back on**. To turn notifications back on early, tap **Unmute community**, **Unmute channel**, or **Unmute conversation**.

Muting a community also quiets all of its channels. To turn off notifications for all of Root, or change sounds and popups, see [Notifications](../settings/notifications.md) in Settings.

## Manage notifications

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/notifications/manage-notifications

# Manage notifications

Check, filter, and clear your notifications all in one place.

## View notifications

Access your notifications to see mentions, friend requests, community invites, and other alerts.

### Desktop

1. In the user tray (top-right), select the **Notifications** icon .
1. Your notifications appear in a panel, with the most recent at the top.
1. Hover over a notification to mark it as viewed.
1. To narrow the list, use the filter dropdown at the top: **All**, **Mentions**, **Friend requests**, **Community Invites**, or **Apps & Bots**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Notifications** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Your notifications appear in a list, with the most recent at the top.
3. About a second after the screen opens, every notification is marked as viewed, including the ones further down the list.

The **Notifications** tab  shows a badge with the number you haven't viewed yet.

> **Note:** The badge on the Root app icon counts unviewed notifications **and** unread direct message conversations, so it can be higher than the number on the **Notifications** tab.

## Filter notifications

Narrow down your notification list to focus on specific types.

### Desktop

1. In the user tray (top-right), select the **Notifications** icon .
2. Select the filter dropdown at the top of the panel.
3. Choose a filter.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Notifications** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap a filter tab at the top of the screen: **All**, **Mentions**, **Friend requests**, **Community invites**, or **Apps & Bots**.

## Mark all notifications as viewed

Clear the unviewed indicators on all your notifications at once.

### Desktop

1. In the user tray (top-right), select the **Notifications** icon .
2. Select the **Options** button  in the panel header.
3. Select **Mark all as viewed**.

### Mobile

Notifications are automatically marked as viewed when you open the notifications screen. There is no manual option to mark all as viewed.

## Delete all notifications

Remove all notifications from your list. This action cannot be undone.

### Desktop

1. In the user tray (top-right), select the **Notifications** icon .
2. Select the **Options** button  in the panel header.
3. Select **Delete all**.
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Notifications** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap the **Options** button  in the header.
3. Tap **Delete all notifications**.
4. On the **Delete notifications** prompt, tap **Delete** to confirm, or **Cancel** to keep them.

**Delete all notifications** is greyed out when your list is already empty.

## Respond to a notification

Some notifications can be acted on straight from the list, so you don't have to go looking for the message or the community.

### Desktop

1. In the user tray (top-right), select the **Notifications** icon .
1. Do one of the following:
   - On a friend request or community invite, select **Accept** or **Decline**.
   - Select a mention to jump to that message in the channel or conversation.

A ban notification also shows the reason you were banned, if the community gave one.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Notifications** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Do one of the following:
   - On a friend request or community invite, tap **Accept** or **Decline**.
   - Tap a mention to open that message. It opens in a pane on top of your notifications.
   - Swipe a mention to the left to reply to it without opening the conversation. This works while **Swipe to reply** is on in [Chat](../settings/chat.md#swipe-to-reply) settings.
   - Press and hold a mention to react to it or reply to it.

Accepting a community invite takes you into the community. If Root can't open a mention, it shows a short message that explains why. For example, you're no longer a member of that community, or the channel no longer exists.

Root can ask you for something before it lets you accept a community invite:

| Prompt | What to do |
|--------|-----------|
| Verify your email address | Verify your email address, then accept the invite again. |
| Confirm your age | Confirm you meet the community's age requirement to continue. |

A ban notification also shows the reason you were banned, if the community gave one.

## React or reply from a message notification

On mobile, when a message notification slides in at the top of the screen while you're using Root, you can answer it without leaving what you're doing.

1. Pull the notification down to open it. It shows more of the message, and its first image, video or GIF.
1. Do one of the following:
   - Tap a reaction, or tap the emoji button to choose any emoji.
   - Type in the reply field and send your reply. It is sent as a reply to that message.

To close the notification, swipe it up. To open the conversation instead, tap the notification.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Block and unblock users

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/privacy/block-unblock-users

# Block and unblock users

Block someone to stop them messaging you or seeing when you're online.

## What happens when you block someone?

When you block a user:

- They can't send you direct messages
- They can't add you as a friend
- Their messages in channels you share are hidden. On mobile they're grouped into a row like **3 blocked messages**, and you can tap **Show** to read them
- They won't see your online status

You can still talk to each other in voice calls. Root reminds you of this when you block someone.

## Block a user

### Desktop

**From a user profile or message:**

1. Right-click the user's name (in a channel, member list, or DM).
1. Select **Block**.
1. Confirm the block when prompted.

**From notifications:**

You can block users directly from most notifications.

1. Select the **Notifications** icon  in the user tray.
1. Locate the notification from the user you want to block.
1. Select the options icon .
1. Select **Block**.
1. Confirm the block when prompted.

### Mobile

**From a user profile or message:**

1. Tap the user's name or avatar in the member list or a text channel to open their profile.
1. Tap **Block**.
1. Confirm the block when prompted.

**From notifications:**

You can block users directly from most notifications.

1. Tap the **Notifications** tab  in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Locate the notification from the user you'd like to block.
1. Tap the user's profile picture in the notification.
1. Tap **Block**.
1. Confirm the block when prompted.

## View blocked users

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **Blocked users**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **Blocked users**.

## Unblock a user

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **Blocked users**.
4. Select **Unblock** next to the user's name.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **Blocked users**.
4. Tap **Unblock** next to the user's name.

## Manage contact privacy

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/privacy/contact-privacy

# Manage contact privacy

Choose who can send you friend requests, direct messages, and community invites.

## What are privacy options?

*Privacy options* let you restrict who can contact you on Root. You can control:

- **Who can send friend requests**: Allow requests from anyone, limit them to users who share a community with you, or block all requests
- **Who can send direct messages**: Allow messages from anyone, limit them to shared connections or friends only, or block all messages
- **Who can send community invites**: Allow invites from anyone, limit them to friends or shared connections, or block all invites
- **Verified user requirements**: Require that users have a verified email address before they can contact you

These settings help you manage your social experience and reduce unwanted contact.

## Configure friend request privacy

The following options are available:

| Option | Who can send you friend requests |
|--------|----------------------------------|
| **Nobody** | No one can send you friend requests |
| **Shared connection** | Only users who share a community with you |
| **Anyone** | Any Root user |

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Privacy** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Who can reach you**, in the **Friend requests** row, choose who can send you friend requests from the **Who** dropdown.
1. Optionally, turn on **Verified only** in the same row to only allow requests from users with verified email addresses.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Privacy**.
1. Under **Friendship privacy**, select who can send you friend requests.
1. Optionally, toggle **Require verified users** to only allow requests from users with verified email addresses.

## Configure direct message privacy

The following options are available:

| Option | Who can send you direct messages |
|--------|----------------------------------|
| **Nobody** | No one can send you direct messages |
| **Friends** | Only users on your friends list |
| **Shared connection** | Only users who share a community with you |
| **Anyone** | Any Root user |

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Privacy** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Who can reach you**, in the **Direct messages** row, choose who can send you direct messages from the **Who** dropdown.
1. Optionally, turn on **Verified only** in the same row to only allow messages from users with verified email addresses.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Privacy**.
1. Under **Direct message privacy**, select who can send you direct messages.
1. Optionally, toggle **Require verified users** to only allow messages from users with verified email addresses.

## Configure community invite privacy

The following options are available:

| Option | Who can send you community invites |
|--------|-------------------------------------|
| **Nobody** | No one can send you community invites |
| **Friends** | Only users on your friends list |
| **Shared connection** | Only users who share a community with you |
| **Anyone** | Any Root user |

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Privacy** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Who can reach you**, in the **Community invites** row, choose who can send you community invites from the **Who** dropdown.
1. Optionally, turn on **Verified only** in the same row to only allow invites from users with verified email addresses.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Privacy**.
1. Under **Community invite privacy**, select who can send you community invites.
1. Optionally, toggle **Require verified users** to only allow invites from users with verified email addresses.

## What happens when someone is blocked by your privacy settings

When a user is blocked by your privacy settings:

- They cannot send you friend requests (if friendship privacy blocks them)
- They cannot start direct message conversations with you (if DM privacy blocks them)
- They cannot send you community invites (if community invite privacy blocks them)
- They see an **Action not allowed** message saying your privacy settings prevent it

Existing friends and conversations are not affected by privacy settings. These controls only apply to new contact attempts.

## When to use privacy settings

Consider adjusting your privacy settings when you:

- **Receive unwanted contact** from users you don't know
- **Want to limit your exposure** to new friend requests, messages, or community invites
- **Prefer verified users only** to reduce contact from unverified or spam accounts
- **Share communities with many users** but only want contact from people you've interacted with

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Open external links

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/privacy/external-links

# Open external links

Stay safe when following links shared in messages.

## What is link protection?

When you select a link in a message that leads to an external website, Root checks whether the text in the link matches the destination address. If not, Root displays a confirmation dialog before opening it. This helps you:

- Verify the destination URL before visiting
- Avoid accidentally opening malicious or phishing sites
- Stay aware when leaving the Root app

## Navigate external links

### Desktop

When you select a link in a message:

1. A dialog titled **Leaving Root** appears.
2. The full destination URL is displayed so you can verify it.
3. Choose one of the following:
   - Select **Visit site** to open the link in your browser
   - Select **Cancel** to stay in Root

### Mobile

When you tap a link in a message:

1. A dialog titled **Leaving Root** appears.
2. The full destination URL is displayed so you can verify it.
3. Choose one of the following:
   - Tap **Visit site** to open the link in your browser
   - Tap **Cancel** to stay in Root

## Tips for safe browsing

- **Check the URL carefully**: Look for misspellings or suspicious domains that impersonate legitimate sites
- **Avoid shortened URLs**: Be cautious with links that hide the true destination
- **Don't enter your login details**: Root will never ask you to sign in through an external link

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Report a message

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/privacy/report-a-message

# Report a message

Flag a message that breaks the rules so it can be reviewed.

## What reporting does

*Reporting* sends a copy of the message to Root for review, along with the reason you pick. The person who posted it is not told that you reported them. Root reviews every report, but for privacy reasons we're unable to share the outcome of any investigations or moderation action taken.

Reporting does not delete the message or stop the person contacting you. If you want them to stop contacting you, see [Block and unblock users](./block-unblock-users.md).

You can report a message in a text channel or in a direct message. The steps are the same in both.

## Report a message

### Desktop

1. Right-click the message you want to report.
1. Select **Report message**.
1. Select a reason for reporting the message.
1. Select **Report**.

Root confirms with **Successfully reported message**.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the message you want to report.
1. Tap **Report message**.
1. Select a reason from the list.
1. Tap **Report**.

Root confirms with **Message reported** and returns you to the conversation.

## Reasons you can choose

You pick one reason from this list. The **Report** button stays inactive until you pick one. On mobile, tap a selected option again to clear it.

- Spam
- Hate speech
- Violence
- Harassment
- Sexual content
- Misinformation
- Impersonation
- Objectionable
- Other

> **Tip:** Not sure which reason fits? Pick the closest one, or choose **Other**. The review team reads the message itself, so your choice does not limit what they can act on.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Report a user

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/privacy/report-a-user

# Report a user

Flag someone's account or profile so it can be reviewed.

## What reporting does

*Reporting* sends the account to Root for review, along with the reason you pick. The person is not told that you reported them. Root reviews every report, but for privacy reasons we're unable to share the outcome of any investigations or moderation action taken.

Reporting does not stop the person contacting you. If you want them to stop, see [Block and unblock users](./block-unblock-users.md). To report a single message rather than the whole account, see [Report a message](./report-a-message.md).

## Report a user

### Desktop

1. Right-click the person's name or avatar (in a channel, member list, or direct message).
1. Select **Report user**.
1. Select a reason for reporting the account.
1. Select the part of their profile you are reporting. This list appears after you pick a reason.
1. Select **Report**.

Root confirms with **Successfully reported user**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the person's avatar to open their profile. You can do this from a community member list, a text channel, or your friends list.
1. Under **User actions**, tap **Report**.
1. Select a reason for reporting the account.
1. Optionally, select the part of their profile you are reporting.
1. Tap **Report**.

Root confirms with **User reported** and returns you to where you were.

## What you can report

The report screen has two lists: a reason for the account and a part of their profile. On desktop, you need to pick one from each list before **Report** becomes active. On mobile, you can pick one or both, and **Report** stays inactive until you pick at least one.

**Reason for reporting the account:**

- Spam
- Hate speech
- Violence
- Harassment
- Sexual content
- Misinformation
- Impersonation
- Objectionable
- Other

**Part of their profile:**

- Username
- Profile image
- Other

On mobile, tap a selected option again to clear it.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Profile badges

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/badges

# Profile badges

Badges sit on a person's profile and show something they do for Root. Some badges mark the people who help run the Root community, like moderators, helpers and developers.

## See someone's badges

- **Desktop:** open their profile card by selecting their name on one of their messages, or their name in the member list. Hover over a badge to see its name.
- **Mobile:** open their profile card by tapping their name on a message, or their name in the member list. Tap the badges to see a list of them with their names.

## Root Staff

| Badge | Name | What it means |
|-------|------|---------------|
|  | **Root Staff** | This person works at Root. |

The Root Staff badge shows on the person's profile, and it is the only badge that also shows next to their name on their messages. It shows everywhere in Root, in every community and in direct messages. If someone says they work at Root but the badge isn't next to their name, or the badge is only in their profile picture or bio, they are not Root Staff.

## Community badges

| Badge | Name | What it means |
|-------|------|---------------|
|  | **Verified Moderator** | A verified moderator of Root's official communities. Only members of the Root mod team have this badge. The color shows their level: blue for moderators and purple for senior moderators. Higher tiers are more senior roles on the mod team. |
|  | **Beacon** | Given by the Root team to members who are very helpful to others in Root's official communities, including the Root Developer community. Not everyone gets one. It recognizes the people who make a real difference. |
|  | **Verified Developer** | A developer who builds apps for Root and has been verified by the Root team through the Root Developer community. |
|  | **Bug Hunter** | Given by the Root team to people who find and report real bugs in Root, not just small issues or questions. It thanks them for helping make Root better. |
|  | **Responsible Disclosure** | Given by the Root team to people who report security problems in Root privately, so they can be fixed safely. |

Each of these badges comes in four tiers, and each tier is a different color. The badge's name shows its tier, for example **Beacon Tier 2**.

## Other badges

| Badge | Name | What it means |
|-------|------|---------------|
|  | **Closed Beta** | Given to people who joined Root during the closed beta. It can no longer be earned. |
|  | **Sudo Subscriber** | Shown on the profile of people who subscribe to [Sudo](../../sudo/get-started/what-is-sudo.md), Root's optional subscription. |

## Don't see a badge you expected?

Most badges are only given out by the Root team. The **Sudo Subscriber** badge comes with a [Sudo](../../sudo/get-started/what-is-sudo.md) subscription. The **Closed Beta** badge was only given to people who joined during the closed beta, so newer accounts don't have it.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Change your email

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/change-email

# Change your email

Change the email address on your Root account.

You need to confirm it's you (with your password, or a passkey on desktop) and have access to both your current and new email inboxes. Root sends a verification code to each address, and you enter both codes to confirm.

### Desktop

Request verification codes.

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **User profile**.
1. Under **Sign-in**, select **Change** next to **Email**.
1. In the **New email** field, enter your new email address.
1. Select **Send code**.
1. In **Verify Identity**, select **Use Password** or **Use Passkey**.
1. If you chose your password, enter it and select **Confirm**. If you chose a passkey, follow your device's prompt.

Verify your new email.

1. Check both your current and new email inboxes for verification codes.
1. In the **Current email code** field, enter the code sent to your current email.
1. In the **New email code** field, enter the code sent to your new email.
1. Select **Verify**.

### Mobile

Request verification codes.

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **User profile**.
1. Tap **Change email**.
1. In the **New email** field, enter your new email address.
1. In the **Current password** field, enter your current password.
1. Tap **Send code**.

Verify your new email.

1. Check both your current and new email inboxes for verification codes.
1. In the **Current email code** field, enter the code sent to your current email.
1. In the **New email code** field, enter the code sent to your new email.
1. Tap **Verify**.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Change your password

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/change-password

# Change your password

Change your password to keep your account secure.

Your new password must be at least 8 characters and include an uppercase letter, lowercase letter, number, and special character. Commonly used passwords are not allowed.

> **Forgotten your password?:** You can't change your password here without entering your current one. If you've forgotten it, reset it from the sign in screen instead, where you can request a verification code to set a new one. See [Reset your password](../../support/reset-password.md).

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **User profile**.
4. Select **Change password**.
5. In the **Password** field, enter your current password.
6. In the **New password** field, enter your new password.
7. In the **Confirm new password** field, re-enter your new password.
8. Select **Save**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **User profile**.
4. Tap **Change password**.
5. In the **Current password** field, enter your current password.
6. In the **New password** field, enter your new password.
7. Tap **Save**.

## Set a password

If you signed up with a passkey, or removed your password after adding one, your account may not have a password at all. In that case you can set one as follows.

### Desktop

Open **Settings**, then **Passkeys**, and select **Set Password**. Verify your identity, then in **Set New Password** enter and confirm your new password, and select **Set Password**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**, then **User profile**.
1. Tap **Set password**. The screen explains that this lets you sign in without your passkey.
1. Enter a **New password**.
1. Tap **Set password**, then confirm who you are.

Root confirms with **Password set**. There is a shortcut on the **Passkeys** screen too, which offers **Set password** when your account has none.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Delete your account

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/delete-account

# Delete your account

Permanently delete your Root account and all associated data.

> **Warning:** Deleting your account cannot be undone.

## Transfer before you delete

If you own any communities, you must transfer ownership before you can delete your account. See [Transfer community ownership](../../leader/community/transfer-ownership.md).

You do not have to check this yourself. If you still own a community, Root stops you with a **You're a community owner!** message explaining that you need to transfer ownership first.

## Delete your account

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **User profile**.
1. Select **Delete account**.
1. Enter your password.
1. Select **Delete account** to confirm.

On desktop, deleting your account always needs your password. If you only sign in with a passkey, set a password first (see [Set a password](./change-password.md#set-a-password)), or delete your account from the mobile app.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **User profile**.
1. Tap **Delete account**.
1. Confirm who you are. What you see here depends on how you sign in (see below).

## Confirming it is you

Before deleting the account, Root checks it is really you. On mobile, what you are asked for depends on how your account is set up.

| How you sign in | What you are asked |
|-----------------|--------------------|
| Password only | A **Delete account** box reading "To continue, type in your password below:". Enter it and tap **Continue**. |
| Password and passkeys | A **Delete account** step first, asking you to choose **Use password** or **Use passkey**. |
| Passkeys only | Your device's own passkey prompt, using your fingerprint, face, or device PIN. No password is asked for. |

If the password is wrong, Root says "Incorrect password. Please try again." and you can have another go.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Edit your profile

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/edit-profile

# Edit your profile

Add a profile picture, bio, and banner to show people who you are.

> **How often can I update my profile?:** You can make a few quick profile changes in a row (up to three) but after that you'll need to wait about five minutes between each additional change. This applies to username and profile picture updates. If your changes don't seem to save, wait a few minutes and try again.

## Change your username

Your username is your unique identity on Root. It must be 3 to 20 characters and can contain only letters, numbers, underscores, and periods. Underscores and periods can't be at the start or end, or next to each other.

> **Note:** When you change your username, your old username becomes available for others to use.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **User profile**.
4. In the **Username** field, enter your new username.
5. Select **Save changes** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **User profile**.
4. Tap **Edit profile**.
5. In the **Username** field, enter your new username.
6. Tap **Save changes** to confirm.

## Change your profile picture

Your profile picture appears next to your name throughout Root. When you create your account, Root assigns you a default avatar. You can replace it with a custom image to personalize your profile.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **User profile**.
4. Select your current profile picture.
5. Choose an image file from your computer.
6. In the editor that opens, drag the image to reposition it and use the zoom slider to frame it, then select **Apply**.
7. Select **Save changes** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **User profile**.
1. Tap **Edit profile**.
1. Tap your profile picture.
1. Choose **Photo Library** or **Files**, then select an image.
1. In **Move and Scale**, frame the image, then tap **Choose**.
1. Tap **Save changes** to confirm.

> **Animated profile pictures:**
> You can use an animated GIF as your profile picture. It plays on your profile card (the popup others see when they select your avatar or username), and shows as a still frame in compact spots like the message list. On desktop it also stays still in your profile settings, so click your name or avatar in a chat to see it move.
> 
> On mobile, animated profile pictures and banners only play when **Automatically play GIFs** is on. See [Accessibility](../settings/accessibility.md#motion).

## Remove your profile picture

If you no longer want a custom profile picture, you can remove it. When you remove your profile picture, Root displays a default avatar instead.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **User profile**.
4. Select the **Remove** button  on your profile picture.
5. Select **Save changes** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **User profile**.
4. Tap **Edit profile**.
5. Tap the **Remove** button  on your profile picture.
6. Tap **Save changes** to confirm.

## Add a bio

Your bio is a short description that appears on your profile card when others select your avatar or username. On desktop, you can add a link in your bio, and it's clickable when someone views your profile. On mobile, a bio's links are gathered into a pill under the bio showing how many there are (for example, **4 links**), which people can tap to open them.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **User profile**.
1. In the **Bio** field, enter your description (up to 200 characters).
1. Select **Save changes** to confirm.

To remove your bio, clear the **Bio** field and select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **User profile**.
1. Tap **Edit profile**.
1. In the **Bio** field, enter your description (up to 200 characters).
1. Tap **Save changes** to confirm.

To remove your bio, clear the **Bio** field and tap **Save changes**.

## Upload a profile banner

Your profile banner is an image displayed at the top of your profile card when others select your avatar or username.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **User profile**.
1. Select the banner area.
1. Choose an image file from your computer.
1. In the editor that opens, drag the banner to reposition it and use the zoom slider to frame it, then select **Apply**.
1. Select **Save changes** to confirm.

The recommended banner size is 600x220 pixels. The maximum file size is 10 MB.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **User profile**.
1. Tap **Edit profile**.
1. Tap the banner area.
1. Choose **Photo Library** or **Files**, then select an image.
1. In **Move and Scale**, frame the image, then tap **Choose**.
1. Tap **Save changes** to confirm.

## Remove your profile banner

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **User profile**.
1. Select the **Remove** button  on your banner.
1. Select **Save changes** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **User profile**.
1. Tap **Edit profile**.
1. Tap the **Remove** button  on your banner.
1. Tap **Save changes** to confirm.

## Passkeys

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/passkeys

# Passkeys

Use passkeys to sign in to Root with your fingerprint, face, or device PIN instead of a password.

## What are passkeys?

A *passkey* is a way to sign in that's stored on your device. Instead of typing a password, you confirm it's you using the method you already use to unlock your device (your fingerprint, face, or PIN). Because passkeys are tied to your device, they can't be guessed or stolen.

## How passkeys work

When you add a passkey, Root creates a credential linked to that specific device. To sign in, your device verifies your identity locally and Root confirms the result. You can add multiple passkeys, one for each device you use, and give each a name so you can tell them apart.

**Passwords and passkeys**

You can keep both a password and passkeys. After adding a passkey, you have the option to remove your password and sign in using your passkey or recovery codes instead. You can always set a password again later.

**Recovery codes**

When you add your first passkey, Root automatically generates recovery codes. Store them somewhere safe. If you ever lose access to all your devices, recovery codes let you get back into your account.

## Add a passkey

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Passkeys**.
1. Select **Add Passkey**.
1. Verify your identity.
1. In the **Name your passkey** field, enter a name for the passkey.
1. Select **Continue**.
1. Follow your device's prompts to complete setup.

When the passkey is ready, you see "Passkey added successfully." If this is your first passkey, Root automatically generates recovery codes.

If you still have a password, Root then offers to remove it. Choose **Remove Password** or **Keep Password**. You can change this later from the Passkeys page.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Passkeys**.
1. Tap the **Add a passkey** button .
1. Verify your identity.
1. In the **Name your passkey** field, enter a name for the passkey.
1. Tap **Continue**.
1. Follow your device's prompts to complete setup.

When the passkey is ready, you see "Passkey added". If this is your first passkey, Root automatically generates recovery codes and shows them to you.

Two prompts you may run into here:

- If your account has both a password and passkeys, verifying your identity asks you to choose **Use password** or **Use passkey** first.
- Once the passkey is added, if you still have a password Root asks **Remove password?**, suggesting you sign in with your passkey from now on. Choose **Remove password** or **Keep password**. Either is fine, and you can change it later from the Passkeys screen.

## Sign in with a passkey

### Desktop

1. On the sign in screen, enter your username in the **Username** field.
1. Select **Log in with Passkey**.
1. Follow your device's prompts.

### Mobile

1. On the sign in screen, tap **Log in with passkey**.
1. Follow your device's prompts.

The **Log in with passkey** button only appears if your device supports passkeys.

## Rename a passkey

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Passkeys**.
1. Select the three-dot menu next to the passkey.
1. Select **Rename**.
1. Update the name in the **Name** field.
1. Select **Continue**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Passkeys**.
1. Tap the three-dot menu next to the passkey.
1. Tap **Rename**.
1. In **Rename passkey**, change the name.
1. Tap **Save**.

## Delete a passkey

Root will not let you lock yourself out. If you try to delete your last passkey on an account with no password, it asks you to set one first. Enter a password and select **Set Password** (**Set password** on mobile), and the deletion carries on.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Passkeys**.
1. Select the three-dot menu next to the passkey.
1. Select **Delete**.
1. Verify your identity.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Passkeys**.
1. Tap the three-dot menu next to the passkey.
1. Tap **Delete**.
1. Tap **Delete** to confirm.
1. Verify your identity.

## Remove your password

After adding a passkey, you can remove your password so your account uses your passkey and recovery codes to sign in instead.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Passkeys**.
1. Select **Remove Password**.
1. Verify your identity.
1. Select **Remove Password** to confirm, or **Keep Password** to cancel.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Passkeys**.
1. Tap **Remove password**.
1. Tap **Remove password** to confirm.
1. Verify your identity.

## Sign in with a recovery code

If you have lost your passkeys, a recovery code gets you back in.

### Desktop

On the sign in screen, select **Forgot your username or password?** and choose the recovery option, then enter your username or email along with one of your codes.

### Mobile

1. On the sign in screen, tap **Forgot your username or password?**
1. On the **Account Recovery** screen, tap **Use recovery code**.
1. Enter your **Username or email**.
1. Enter one **Recovery code**. Type or paste all of the words from a single code, separated by spaces.
1. Tap **Recover account**.

Each code works once. If it is rejected, Root tells you the code did not match, so check both the code and the username or email.

## Manage recovery codes

Recovery codes let you access your account if you lose all your passkeys. Each code can only be used once. Store them somewhere safe.

### View your recovery code status

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Passkeys**.
1. Under **If you can't use a passkey**, find **Recovery Codes** to see your current status.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Passkeys**.
1. Tap **Recovery codes** to open the recovery codes screen.

The screen shows how many codes remain and when they were last generated.

### Generate or regenerate recovery codes

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Passkeys**.
1. Under **If you can't use a passkey**, find **Recovery Codes**.
1. Select **Generate** if you have no codes, or **Regenerate** to replace your existing ones.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Passkeys**.
1. Tap **Recovery codes**.
1. Tap **Generate recovery codes** if you have no codes, or **Regenerate codes** to replace your existing ones.

> **Caution:** Regenerating your codes replaces all existing ones. Any previously saved codes will no longer work.

### Copy your recovery codes

After generating or regenerating codes, copy them before dismissing the screen.

### Desktop

1. Select **Copy All** to copy all codes to your clipboard.
1. Save the codes somewhere safe outside of Root.
1. Select **Done** to dismiss the codes.

### Mobile

1. Tap **Copy all** to copy all codes to your clipboard.
1. Save the codes somewhere safe outside of Root.
1. Tap **Done** to dismiss the codes.

> **Caution:** Save your codes before selecting **Done**. They will not be shown again after you dismiss this screen.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Set your custom status

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/set-custom-status

# Set your custom status

Share what you're doing with a short personal message on your profile card.

## What is a custom status?

A *custom status* is a short text message (up to 100 characters) you can set to let others know what you're doing. Unlike your online status, which shows your availability (online, away, or offline), a custom status is a personal message you write yourself.

Your custom status appears on your profile card when others select your avatar or username. It is visible to all members, not just friends.

## Set a custom status

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select **Set a status**.
1. Type your status message (up to 100 characters).
1. Press **Enter** or select outside the field to save.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap the status bubble on your profile card.
1. Type your status message (up to 100 characters).
1. Tap **Save**.

## Clear a custom status

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select your current status to open the status field.
1. Select the **clear** icon (✕) inside the status field.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap the status bubble on your profile card.
1. Tap the **clear** icon  on the text field to remove your status.
1. Tap **Save**.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Set your online status

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/set-online-status

# Set your online status

Choose how your availability shows to other members.

## What is online status?

Your *online status* shows other community members whether you're available or away. Root displays a colored indicator next to your profile picture:

| Online status | Indicator | | Description |
|--------|-----------|:-:|-------------|
| Online | Green | [Online] | You're active and available |
| Away | Orange | [Away] | You're temporarily unavailable |
| Offline | Gray | [Offline] | You appear offline to others |

## How online status works

Root calculates your visible online status using two factors: your **global online status** and whether you're **attached** to a specific community.

### Global online status

Your global online status reflects your overall activity across all Root clients (Desktop and Mobile). Root tracks whether you're actively using the app, idle, or disconnected.

### Community attachment

When you open a community, you become *attached* to it. This means Root knows you're actively viewing that community. When you switch to a different community or close Root, you become detached.

If you have multiple devices (for example, Desktop and Mobile), each device can be attached to different communities at the same time. Root tracks each device separately and shows your online status based on whether any of your devices is attached to the community you're viewing.

### Online status visibility rules

What other members see depends on two things: whether you're attached to their community, and whether you're friends:

| Your situation | What friends see | What non-friends see |
|----------------|------------------|----------------------|
| Attached to this community | Your actual online status (Online/Away) | Your actual online status (Online/Away) |
| Online but viewing a different community | Online elsewhere indicator | Offline |
| Away but viewing a different community | Away elsewhere indicator | Offline |
| Offline | Offline | Offline |

Friends can see that you're online even when you're in a different community. Non-friends only see your online status when you're actively viewing their community.

### Online elsewhere indicator

When viewing a community, you may notice some friends have a green or orange status indicator with a small cutout (a hole in the center). This means the friend is online but currently viewing a different community.

| Indicator | | Meaning |
|-----------|:-:|--------|
| Solid green | [Online] | Friend is online and viewing this community |
| Green with cutout | [Online elsewhere] | Friend is online but in a different community |
| Solid orange | [Away] | Friend is away and viewing this community |
| Orange with cutout | [Away elsewhere] | Friend is away but in a different community |

This indicator only appears for friends. Non-friends who aren't currently viewing the community appear offline.

### Large communities

To keep big member lists quick to load, communities with more than 1,000 members hide the offline group from the member list entirely.

This changes how the online elsewhere indicator behaves. A friend who is online but viewing a different community is grouped with the offline members, so in a large community they may not appear in the member list at all, even while they're online. You can still see that they're online through your friends list or a direct message, which use your global online status rather than community attachment.

The same applies to how you appear to others. If you're online but don't have a large community open, you won't show in that community's member list until you open it (attach to it). This is why you can look online in one community and be missing from the list in another at the same time.

## Automatic online status changes

Root automatically adjusts your online status based on your activity:

| Situation | Online status change |
|-----------|---------------|
| No mouse or keyboard activity for 5 minutes (Desktop) | Changes to Away |
| App is minimized or in the background (Mobile) | May change to Away or Offline |
| App is closed or loses connection | Changes to Offline |
| Activity resumes or app returns to foreground | Restores to Online |

These automatic changes help others know your true availability without requiring you to manually update your online status.

### Manual online status as a limit

Your manual online status setting acts as an upper limit. If you set your online status to Away, Root will never show you as Online, even if you're actively using the app. This lets you stay less visible when you don't want to be disturbed.

| Manual setting | Possible displayed online statuses |
|----------------|----------------------------|
| Online | Online, Away, or Offline (based on activity) |
| Away | Away or Offline only |
| Offline | Offline only |

## Change your online status

Manually setting your online status establishes the maximum visibility level described in [Manual online status as a limit](#manual-online-status-as-a-limit). Your setting persists until you change it, even after signing out or switching devices.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
1. Select your preferred online status from the dropdown menu.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap your name. Your current online status shows next to it.
1. Select your preferred online status from the list.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Switch accounts

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/switch-accounts

# Switch accounts

Save up to 5 Root accounts on one computer and switch between them without signing out.

## How switching works

When you add another account, Root saves it on this device. You can then jump between your saved accounts from your profile, without typing your details again.

- You can save up to **5 accounts** on one device. To add another, remove one first.
- If you switch while you're in a call, Root asks you to confirm first, because switching disconnects you from the call.
- If a saved account has been signed out, it shows **Signed out**. Select **Log in again** to sign back in.

## Add an account

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Switch accounts**, then **Manage accounts**.
1. Select **Add an account**.
1. Sign in to the other Root account.

### Mobile

Switching accounts is not available on mobile.

## Switch to another account

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Switch accounts**.
1. Select the account you want to use.

### Mobile

Switching accounts is not available on mobile.

## Remove a saved account

Removing an account only takes it off this device. The account itself isn't changed or deleted. You can't remove the account you're using, so switch to another account first.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Switch accounts**, then **Manage accounts**.
1. Next to the account, select the **Remove account** icon .
1. Confirm. To use that account again later, you'll need to log in again.

### Mobile

Switching accounts is not available on mobile.

## Verify your email

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/verify-email

# Verify your email

Confirm your email address so you can use everything on your account.

## Why verify

Some communities only accept members with a verified email address, so an unverified account can be blocked from joining. Verifying also lets you use the privacy settings that require other people to be verified before they can contact you.

You only need to do this once.

## Verify your email

### Desktop

Root emails you a six digit code when you create your account. While your account is unverified, a blue banner at the top of the window reads **Your account is not verified**.

1. Select **Enter code** in the banner.
1. Enter the six digit code from your sign-up email.
1. Select **Verify**.

If you no longer have that code, select **Didn't receive a code? Resend** for a new one. A short countdown then shows when you can ask again.

### Mobile

Root emails you a six digit code when you create your account. A **Verify email** row appears on your profile while your account is unverified. It disappears once you are done.

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Verify email**. The **Verify your account** screen opens.
1. Enter the six digit code from your sign-up email.
1. Tap **Verify**.

Root confirms with **Account verified successfully**.

If you no longer have that code, tap **Resend code** for a new one. A short countdown then shows when you can ask again.

## If the code does not arrive

Check your spam or junk folder first, and make sure the address on your account is the one you expect. See [Change your email](change-email.md) if it is wrong.

Requesting a new code repeatedly restarts a short waiting period before the next one can send, so ask once and give it a minute.

If it still does not arrive, [contact support](https://www.rootapp.com/support).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Accessibility

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/accessibility

# Accessibility

Make Root easier to read and use: change the text size, spacing and zoom, choose how role colors show, and reduce motion.

## Open Accessibility settings

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Accessibility**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Accessibility**.

A **Live preview** at the top of the page shows sample messages, so you can see each change as you make it. Changes take effect straight away.

> **Note:** On desktop, Accessibility settings are saved on this computer only.

## Quick setups

On desktop, pick a quick setup to change several settings at once. You can still adjust each setting afterwards.

| Quick setup | What it does |
|-------------|--------------|
| **Standard** | Puts every setting on this page back to Root's default, including **Interface zoom** (100%) |
| **Easy reading** | Chat text 18px, underlined links, **Roomy** list spacing, **Comfortable** messages, and 24px group spacing |
| **Compact** | Chat text 14px, **Tight** list spacing, **Compact** messages, and no extra group spacing |
| **Calm** | Turns on **Reduce motion**, and stops GIFs and animated emoji from playing |

## Reading

| Setting | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| **Chat text size** | The size of text in chat. Names, timestamps, replies, emoji and reactions get bigger or smaller with it. On desktop, choose from 12px to 24px. The default is 15px. On mobile, choose from 85% to 150%. The default is 100%. It adds to your phone's own text size, and the text you type changes size with it. |
| **Underline links** | Underlines links in messages, so they're easier to spot. This is off by default. |

## Layout

| Setting | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| **Message style** | **Comfortable** (the default) shows the avatar and name above each group of messages. **Compact** puts the name on the same line as the message and leaves out avatars, so more messages fit on screen. |
| **Group spacing** | Desktop only. Extra room when someone new starts talking, from 0px to 24px. The default is 16px. Changing **Message style** sets it again: 0px for **Compact**, 16px for **Comfortable**. |
| **List spacing** | Desktop only. Row height in channel, member and direct message lists: **Tight**, **Default** or **Roomy**. |
| **Interface zoom** | Desktop only. Makes all of Root bigger or smaller, from 50% to 200%. The default is 100%. The zoom applies to all of Root's windows, including popped out tabs and Mod mode, but not the game overlay. |

On desktop, you can also zoom with your keyboard: press **Ctrl + Plus** to zoom in, **Ctrl + Minus** to zoom out, and **Ctrl + 0** to go back to 100% (**Cmd** on Mac).

## Color

**Role colors** sets how members' role colors show in chat and member lists:

- **On names** (the default): names show in their role color.
- **As a dot**: names stay in the normal text color, with a small dot in the role color.
- **Off**: no role colors.

## Motion

**Reduce motion** cuts down animations across Root. On desktop, slides, zooms and bounces become simple fades. On mobile, animations are turned off. **Match system** (the default) follows the reduce motion setting on your computer or phone. Choose **On** or **Off** to set it for Root only.

GIFs and animated emoji have their own settings, and they work differently on each platform.

### Desktop

| Setting | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| **Autoplay GIFs** | Plays GIFs and animated images while Root is the window in use. |
| **Animated emoji** | Plays emoji animations in messages, reactions and the emoji picker. |

When **Reduce motion** is on, GIFs and animated emoji stop playing too, unless you've changed those settings yourself. Root shows **Paused by Reduce motion** under each one. To play them anyway, turn on **Autoplay GIFs** or **Animated emoji**. If you change **Reduce motion** later, these two go back to following it.

### Mobile

| Setting | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| **Play animated emoji** | Custom emoji move in messages, reactions and the emoji picker. This is on by default. |
| **Automatically play GIFs** | GIFs play on their own in messages and the GIF picker, and so do animated profile pictures and banners. This is on by default. |
| **Message animations** | Reactions and the send button pop in, and reply highlights fade. This is on by default. |

On mobile, **Reduce motion** doesn't change these three. Each one follows only its own switch.

## Touch

On mobile, **Haptics** turns the small vibrations for taps, swipes and alerts across Root on or off. This is on by default.

## Reset to defaults

To put every Accessibility setting back to Root's default in one go:

### Desktop

1. Under **Quick setups**, select **Standard**.

### Mobile

1. At the bottom of the page, tap **Reset to defaults**.
1. On **Reset accessibility settings?**, tap **Reset**.

Text size, links, message style, role colors, motion and haptics go back to their defaults.

## Advanced

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/advanced

# Advanced

Turn on developer tools, and on desktop, tweak display options like smooth scrolling.

## Settings

| Setting | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Developer mode** | Lets you copy IDs for users, communities, channels, channel groups, roles and messages |
| **Copy User ID** | Copies your user ID to the clipboard. Appears when developer mode is on. On desktop, select **Copy** next to **Your user ID**. |
| **Smooth scrolling** | Desktop only. Scrolling that glides to a stop. Turn it off for instant scrolling. |
| **Native call engine** | Desktop only, experimental. See [Use the native call engine](#use-the-native-call-engine). |

## Open Advanced settings

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Advanced** from the left navigation.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Advanced**.

## Use the native call engine

The *native call engine* is a new, experimental way for Root desktop to run calls. Calls no longer need the built in browser, so video and screen shares get better frame rates and quality. It's off by default.

1. Open Advanced settings (see above), or **Audio and video** settings. The switch is under **Calls**, with an **EXPERIMENTAL** tag.
1. Turn on **Native call engine**.

It takes effect the next time you join a call. If calls aren't working for you, turn it off again. The setting only shows on computers that can run it.

With the native call engine on, you also get:

- **Input profiles** for your microphone. See [Choose an input profile](./audio-video.md#choose-an-input-profile).
- **Deafen mutes your mic too.** See [Deafen](../voice-video/control-audio-video.md#deafen-turn-off-incoming-root-audio).
- **Full screen calls.** Select **Full screen** on the call, and **Exit full screen** to go back.
- Redesigned call controls.

## Copy IDs with developer mode

With **Developer mode** on, Root adds options to copy the ID of the thing you are looking at. IDs are useful when you report a problem, or when a tool or bot asks for one.

### Desktop

Right-click a user, community, channel, channel group, role or message, or open its menu, and choose the copy ID option, for example **Copy Channel ID**.

### Mobile

Open the menu for a community, channel, channel group or message, or open a member's profile or a role's settings, and tap the copy ID option, for example **Copy Channel ID**. Your own user ID appears under **Copy User ID** on the Advanced screen.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Audio and video

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/audio-video

# Audio and video

Set up your mic, speakers, and camera for calls.

> **Try the native call engine:** On desktop, the **Native call engine** switch is at the top of Audio and video settings, under **Calls**, marked **EXPERIMENTAL**. See [Use the native call engine](./advanced.md#use-the-native-call-engine).

> **Note:** Most audio and video settings are only available on desktop. On mobile, you can adjust noise suppression, automatically watch screen shares and, on Android, hardware echo cancellation.

## Select your microphone

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Devices**, select your microphone from the **Microphone** dropdown.

## Select your speakers

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Devices**, select your speakers or headphones from the **Speakers** dropdown.

## Select your camera

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Devices**, select your webcam from the **Camera** dropdown.

## Automatically watch screen shares

By default, someone's screen share does not play until you choose to watch it. To have shares start playing as soon as they begin instead, turn on this setting.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Screen shares**, turn on **Automatically watch screen shares**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Audio settings**.
1. Turn on **Automatically watch screen shares**.

You can also change it during a call: tap the **Settings** icon  at the top of the call.

## Adjust input volume

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Devices**, adjust the **Volume** slider below **Microphone**.

The slider ranges from 0% to 100%. Higher values increase your microphone sensitivity.

## Adjust output volume

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Devices**, adjust the **Volume** slider below **Speakers**.

The slider ranges from 0% to 200%. Values above 100% amplify the audio output.

## Set your input mode

Input mode controls how your microphone activates during calls.

> **On a Mac:** The **Input mode** setting only appears after you allow Root in **System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility** (**System Preferences** on older versions of macOS).

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Speaking**, next to **Input mode**, choose an option:

| Option | How it works |
|--------|-------------|
| **Voice activity** | Your microphone activates automatically when you speak |
| **Push to talk** | Your microphone only activates while you hold a key |

### Configure push to talk

When **Push to talk** is selected, two additional settings appear:

- **Shortcut**: The key or key combination that activates your microphone. Select **Edit keybind** and press your preferred key to assign it.
- **Release delay**: How long your microphone stays active after you release the key. The slider ranges from 1 to 2000 ms. A small delay prevents speech from being clipped at the end of sentences.

## Choose an input profile

An *input profile* sets up your microphone's processing in one step, instead of changing each setting yourself. Input profiles only show when the [native call engine](./advanced.md#use-the-native-call-engine) is on.

| Profile | What it does | Good for |
|---------|--------------|----------|
| **Voice isolation** | Just your voice: noise suppression, echo cancellation, and automatic sensitivity are on | Everyday calls. This is the default. |
| **Studio** | An open mic with no processing | A good microphone, or playing music |
| **Custom** | Your own combination of the settings under **Fine-tune** | Fine tuning |

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Sound processing**, choose **Voice isolation**, **Studio**, or **Custom**.

If you change any of the settings under **Fine-tune** yourself, the profile switches to **Custom**. Root remembers your **Custom** settings, so you can try **Voice isolation** or **Studio** and switch back without losing them.

### Mobile

Input profiles are not available on mobile.

## Adjust noise suppression

Noise suppression filters background noise from your microphone so others hear just your voice.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Audio and video**.
1. Under **Sound processing**, select **Fine-tune**, then adjust the **Noise suppression strength** slider.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Audio settings**.
1. Turn **Noise suppression** on.
1. Adjust the **Strength** slider.

Noise suppression is on by default. You can also adjust it during a call from the **Audio settings** sheet (tap the **Settings** icon  in the call).

Higher values filter out more background noise but may affect voice clarity. Lower values preserve more natural sound but allow more ambient noise through.

## Turn hardware echo cancellation on or off

On Android 10 and newer, Root can use your phone's own echo cancellation. It hears everything your phone plays, so it stops sound from other apps (like a video you are screen sharing) from echoing through your open mic to others. It is on by default.

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Audio settings**.
1. Turn **Hardware echo cancellation** on or off.
1. Restart Root for the change to take effect.

On some phones it works less well. If you have problems with your audio in calls, try turning it off. This setting does not appear on iPhone or on older Android phones.

## Adjust individual user volume

During a voice call, you can adjust the volume of individual participants without affecting your global audio settings.

### Desktop

1. Right-click on a user in the voice call.
1. In the context menu, adjust the **User volume** slider to control their voice volume.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold a participant's tile in the call.
1. Adjust the **User volume** slider to control their voice volume.

The slider ranges from 0% to 200%, allowing you to boost quieter users or reduce louder ones. Your volume preferences for each user are saved and applied automatically in future calls.

## Adjust screen share audio volume

When someone is sharing their screen with audio, you can adjust the volume of their screen share separately from their voice.

### Desktop

1. Right-click on a user who is screen sharing in the voice call.
1. In the context menu, adjust the **Stream volume** slider to control their screen share audio.

The slider ranges from 0% to 100%.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the participant's tile, or the tile showing their screen share.
1. Adjust the **Stream volume** slider to control their screen share audio.

The slider ranges from 0% to 200%.

Your volume preferences are saved and applied automatically in future calls.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Chat

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/chat

# Chat

Adjust how messages and emoji work in Root.

## Auto-convert emoticons to emoji

Automatically turn text emoticons like `:P` into emoji like 😛 as you type.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **Chat** from the left navigation.
4. Under **Writing and replying**, turn **Turn emoticons into emoji** on or off.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **Chat**.
4. Toggle **Auto-convert emoticons to emoji** on or off.

## Add several emoji at once

On mobile, keep the emoji picker open so you can add more than one emoji to a message. This is off by default.

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Chat**.
1. Toggle **Add several emoji at once** on or off.

When it is on, the picker stays open after each emoji you pick. The bar above it shows what you have added, with buttons to delete the last emoji and to close the picker.

## Tap to reply

Control whether clicking a message opens the reply composer.

### Desktop

When turned on (the default), selecting a message starts a reply to that message. When turned off, use the action bar or right-click menu to reply.

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **Chat** from the left navigation.
4. Under **Writing and replying**, turn **Click a message to reply** on or off.

### Mobile

When turned on (the default), tapping on a message starts a reply to that message. When turned off, use the long press menu to reply.

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **Chat**.
4. Toggle **Tap to reply** on or off.

## Swipe to reply

On mobile, swipe a message to the left to start a reply to it. Swipe it again to cancel. This is on by default.

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Chat**.
1. Toggle **Swipe to reply** on or off.

## Animations

To turn animated emoji, GIFs and message animations on or off, see the Motion section of [Accessibility](./accessibility.md#motion) settings.

## Time format

Choose whether times on messages use a 12-hour or 24-hour clock. This setting is on desktop.

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Chat** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Time format**, choose **12-hour**, **24-hour**, or **Automatic**.

**Automatic** follows your device's region settings.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Game overlay

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/game-overlay

# Game overlay

See who's in voice, read chat and watch call video while you play fullscreen games.

## What is the game overlay?

The *game overlay* displays Root information on top of fullscreen games and applications. It includes:

- **Voice overlay**: Shows who is in your current voice channel and indicates when they're speaking
- **Notification overlay**: Displays chat messages and notifications from your communities and direct messages
- **Call video**: Shows the person talking and up to two screen shares from your call (needs the [native call engine](./advanced.md#use-the-native-call-engine))

The overlay appears over your game while you're in a fullscreen application, so you can stay connected without switching windows. You can move and resize each part of it in [interactive mode](#move-and-resize-the-overlay).

> **Note:** The game overlay is only available on Windows. It can't show over games running in exclusive fullscreen. If it doesn't appear, set the game to borderless or windowed fullscreen in its display settings.

## Enable or disable the game overlay

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Game overlay** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Over fullscreen games**, turn **Game overlay** on or off. It stays off until you turn it on.

### Mobile

The game overlay is not available on mobile.

## Enable or disable the voice overlay

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Game overlay** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Over fullscreen games**, below **Game overlay**, turn **Voice channel members** on or off.

The voice overlay shows who is in your current voice channel and indicates when they're speaking.

### Mobile

The game overlay is not available on mobile.

## Enable or disable the notification overlay

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Game overlay** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Over fullscreen games**, below **Game overlay**, turn **Chat messages and notifications** on or off.

The notification overlay displays chat messages and notifications over fullscreen games.

### Mobile

The game overlay is not available on mobile.

## Move and resize the overlay

### Desktop

While you're in a game, press **Ctrl + F1** to switch the overlay to *interactive mode*. In interactive mode you can:

- Drag a panel to move it.
- Drag a panel's corner to resize it.
- Select the **Overlay settings** icon  at the top to change what the overlay shows without leaving your game.

To put every panel back where it started, select **Reset layout** in **Overlay settings**.

Press **Ctrl + F1** again, or **Esc**, to go back to your game. You can change the shortcut in [Keybindings](./keybindings.md).

### Mobile

The game overlay is not available on mobile.

## Customize overlay appearance

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Game overlay** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Voice overlay look**, adjust these options:

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Opacity** | Adjust the transparency of the overlay elements (10 to 100%) |
| **Show** | Select **Avatars**, **Names**, or both, to choose what the voice overlay shows for each person |
| **Only show who's speaking** | Hide the overlay background and only show people while they are speaking |

To change the size of a panel, drag its corner in [interactive mode](#move-and-resize-the-overlay). The same options are also in **Overlay settings** inside the overlay, under **Appearance**.

### Hide the overlay from screen capture

Under **Privacy**, turn on **Hide from screen capture** to keep the overlay's chat and call video out of your screen shares, recordings and screenshots. It is off by default and needs Windows 10 version 2004 or later.

### Mobile

The game overlay is not available on mobile.

## Show call video in the overlay

### Desktop

With the [native call engine](./advanced.md#use-the-native-call-engine) turned on, the overlay can show video from your call. Set it up in **Settings** > **Game overlay**, in the **Call video** section:

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---------|--------------|---------|
| **Speaker panel** | Shows the person talking. Choose **Camera on** (only when their camera is on), **Always** (with their avatar when the camera is off), or **Off**. | Camera on |
| **Stream panels** | Lets you watch up to two screen shares over your game. | On |
| **Open new screen shares automatically** | When you watch a screen share in Root, it also opens in a free stream panel. | On |

In interactive mode, the **Streams** list shows the screen shares in your call, so you can pick which ones to watch. To stop watching one, select **Close stream** on its panel. To keep the speaker panel on one person, select the lock on the panel. Select it again to follow whoever is talking.

### Mobile

The game overlay is not available on mobile.

## When to use the game overlay

The game overlay is useful when you want to:

- **See who's talking** in a voice channel without leaving your game
- **Watch a friend's stream** while you play
- **Stay updated on chat** while playing fullscreen games
- **Monitor activity** across multiple communities during gaming sessions

Consider disabling the overlay if it interferes with game UI elements.

## Keybindings

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/keybindings

# Keybindings

Set up keyboard shortcuts for getting around Root.

## What are keybindings?

*Keybindings* are keyboard shortcuts that trigger specific actions in the Root desktop client. Keybindings are not available on mobile.

You can customize most keybindings to match your preferences or reset them to their defaults at any time. Changes are saved automatically. Root supports standard keyboard keys, function keys F1-F24, numpad keys, and mouse buttons for keybindings.

Numpad keys are treated as distinct from their standard keyboard equivalents. When you assign a numpad key, Root displays it with a "NumPad" prefix (for example, NumPad5, NumPad+, or NumPadEnter).

Supported numpad keys:

| Key | Display name |
|-----|-------------|
| 0-9 | NumPad0 through NumPad9 |
| + | NumPad+ |
| - | NumPad- |
| * | NumPad* |
| / | NumPad/ |
| . | NumPad. |
| Enter | NumPadEnter |

On the Keybindings settings page, shortcuts are grouped into **Getting around**, **Messages**, **Voice and video** and **Interface**, and some actions have shorter names there (for example **Mute mic** for Toggle mute). The keyboard shortcuts panel uses these categories:

| Category | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| Navigation | Switch between tabs and channels, and go back or forward |
| Search | Open search panels |
| Messaging | Mark channels as read, upload files, and jump to recent messages |
| Voice and video | Toggle mute, deafen, and push to talk |
| Interface | Open settings, keyboard shortcuts reference, toggle the members list, and toggle streamer mode |
| Game overlay | Switch the game overlay between interactive and passive |

## Keyboard shortcuts panel

The *keyboard shortcuts panel* is a window that lists all available shortcuts, organized by category. Use it to look up shortcuts without leaving your current view. The panel is read-only; to customize shortcuts, use the Keybindings settings page.

To open the keyboard shortcuts panel, press **Ctrl + /** (Windows/Linux) or **Cmd + /** (macOS).

## View keybindings

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Keybindings**.

### Mobile

Keybindings are not available on mobile.

## Change a keybinding

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Keybindings**.
1. Find the action you want to customize.
1. Select **Edit**.
1. Press the new key combination you want to use. You can use standard keys, function keys, numpad keys, or mouse buttons.

The keybinding updates automatically when you release the keys. If your new shortcut conflicts with an existing keybinding, Root displays a confirmation dialog asking if you want to replace it.

To cancel without making changes, select **Cancel** instead of pressing a new key combination.

### Mobile

Keybindings are not available on mobile.

## Reset all keybindings

If you have modified any keybindings, you can reset them all to their default values.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Keybindings**.
1. Next to **Default keybinds** at the top of the page, select **Reset all**.
1. Select **Reset** to confirm.

The **Reset all** option only appears when you have modified keybindings from their defaults.

### Mobile

Keybindings are not available on mobile.

## Turn all keybindings on or off

Switch every keybinding off at once, without changing any of your shortcuts, then switch them back on when you want them.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Keybindings**.
1. Turn off **Use keybinds**.

While **Use keybinds** is off, your keybind shortcuts won't trigger anything, and your customized shortcuts are kept for when you turn it back on. Push to talk is not affected.

### Mobile

Keybindings are not available on mobile.

## Default keybindings

The following tables show the default keybindings for Windows/Linux and macOS.

### Navigation

| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
|--------|---------------|-------|
| Previous tab | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Ctrl + Shift + Tab |
| Next tab | Ctrl + Tab | Ctrl + Tab |
| Previous channel | Alt + Up | Option + Up |
| Next channel | Alt + Down | Option + Down |
| Pop out tab | Ctrl + Shift + P | Cmd + Shift + P |
| Close tab | Ctrl + W | Cmd + W |
| New tab | Ctrl + T | Cmd + T |
| Back | Alt + Left | Cmd + [ |
| Forward | Alt + Right | Cmd + ] |

> **Note:** On macOS, switching tabs uses **Ctrl** (not Cmd), because the system reserves Cmd + Tab for its own app switcher.

### Search

| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
|--------|---------------|-------|
| Search channel | Ctrl + F | Cmd + F |
| Search community | Ctrl + Shift + F | Cmd + Shift + F |

### Messaging

| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
|--------|---------------|-------|
| Mark channel as read | Ctrl + End | Cmd + End |
| Mark community as read | Shift + Esc | Shift + Esc |
| Upload file | Ctrl + Shift + U | Cmd + Shift + U |
| Return to present | Esc | Esc |

### Voice and video

| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
|--------|---------------|-------|
| Toggle mute | Ctrl + Shift + M | Cmd + Shift + M |
| Toggle deafen | Ctrl + Shift + D | Cmd + Shift + D |
| Push to talk | Left Shift | Left Shift |

### Interface

| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
|--------|---------------|-------|
| Keyboard shortcuts | Ctrl + / | Cmd + / |
| Open settings | Ctrl + , | Cmd + , |
| Toggle members list | Ctrl + U | Cmd + U |
| Toggle streamer mode | Ctrl + Shift + S | Cmd + Shift + S |

To zoom in or out, press **Ctrl + Plus** or **Ctrl + Minus** (**Cmd** on Mac). These always work and can't be changed. See [Accessibility](./accessibility.md).

### Game overlay

| Action | Windows/Linux | macOS |
|--------|---------------|-------|
| Toggle overlay interactive mode | Ctrl + F1 | Ctrl + F1 |

## Global keybindings

Some keybindings work even when Root is not the active window. These *global keybindings* include:

- Toggle mute
- Toggle deafen
- Push to talk
- Toggle overlay interactive mode

On macOS, global keybindings require accessibility permissions. Until you allow it, they don't appear on the Keybindings page at all. To allow it, open **System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility** (**System Preferences** on older versions of macOS) and enable Root.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 */}

## Language

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/language

# Language

Choose the language Root uses for its menus, buttons and messages.

Root is available in:

- **English**
- **Deutsch** (German)
- **Español** (Spanish)
- **Français** (French)
- **Bahasa Indonesia** (Indonesian)
- **Italiano** (Italian)
- **Nederlands** (Dutch)
- **Polski** (Polish)
- **Português (Brasil)** (Portuguese, Brazil)
- **Türkçe** (Turkish)

By default, Root uses your device's language. If your device is set to a language Root doesn't have yet, Root uses English.

## Change your language

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Language**.
1. Under **App language**, choose a language from the dropdown.
1. Select **Restart now**.

Root restarts in the language you chose. If you'd rather restart later, Root switches language the next time you open it.

To go back to your computer's language, choose **Use system language**. The dropdown shows which language that is, for example "Currently English".

Apps also get the language you picked, so Apps that support it show in your language too. App Store categories are translated.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Language**.
1. Under **App language**, tap a language.

Root switches language straight away, with no restart, and your push notifications use it too. Each language is listed in its own name, with its name in your current language underneath.

To go back to your phone's language, tap **Use system language**. It shows which language that is, for example "Currently English".

> **Not signed in yet?:** On mobile, you can choose your language before you sign in. Tap the globe at the top left of the welcome, sign in or sign up screen.

> **Note:** Your language is saved on this device only. It doesn't change the language of messages other people send.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Linux

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/linux

# Linux

Adjust settings that apply only to Root on Linux.

## Use system title bar

Choose whether Root draws its own title bar, or uses the window frame and title bar from your desktop. Root already uses the system title bar automatically on tiling window managers, and when your desktop does not support Root's own title bar.

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Linux** from the left navigation.
1. Turn **Use system title bar** on or off.
1. Restart Root for the change to take effect.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 */}

## Notifications

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/notifications

# Notifications

Decide how and when Root alerts you.

## Change your notification settings

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **Notifications**.
4. Toggle your preferred settings on or off.

  | Setting | Description | Platform |
  |---------|-------------|----------|
  | **Show a desktop notification** | Show notification popups on your screen, even when Root is minimized | All |
  | **Play a sound** | Play a sound when notifications arrive | All |
  | **Flash the taskbar icon** | Flash the taskbar icon for new notifications | Windows |
  | **Use the system notification center** | Use your operating system's notification center instead of Root's built-in popups | Windows, Linux |

  When **Use the system notification center** is turned on, notifications appear in your operating system's notification center (Windows Action Center or Linux notification daemon) instead of Root's built-in popup windows. They work with your system's Do Not Disturb mode and notification history. This setting is not available on macOS.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **Notifications**.
4. Toggle **In-app notifications** on or off.

  To manage push notifications (when the app is closed), go to your device's **Settings** app, find **Root**, and adjust your notification permissions.

## Turn off notifications temporarily

To quiet just one community, channel, or conversation, mute it for a set time instead. See [Community and channel notifications](../notifications/community-notifications.md).

There's no Do Not Disturb setting for all of Root. To go quiet everywhere for a few hours or a few days, turn your notifications off and turn them back on when you're ready.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **Notifications**.
4. Turn off **Show a desktop notification** and **Play a sound**.
5. Turn them back on when you want notifications again.

For a longer break, turn on **Use the system notification center** (Windows and Linux) so Root's alerts go through your operating system. You can then silence Root using your system's own Do Not Disturb, which you can usually schedule.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Tap **Settings**.
3. Tap **Notifications**.
4. Turn off **In-app notifications**.
5. Turn it back on when you want notifications again.

This stops the alerts you see while Root is open. To stop push notifications as well, open your device's **Settings** app, find **Root**, and turn its notifications off there. Most phones let you pause an app's notifications for a set time or on a schedule.

Turning notifications off does not pause anything else. You stay in your communities, and your mentions, friend requests, and invites are all still waiting in your notifications list when you come back.

## Respond directly from notifications

### Desktop

When **Use the system notification center** is on, you can respond directly from the notification:

| Notification | Actions |
|--------------|---------|
| Community invite | Accept, Decline |
| Friend request | Accept, Decline |

When using Root's built-in notifications, select the notification to open the app and respond.

### Mobile

You can respond directly from push notifications:

| Notification | Actions |
|--------------|---------|
| Community invite | Accept, Decline |
| Friend request | Accept, Decline |
| Direct message | View (opens the conversation) |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Streamer mode

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/streamer-mode

# Streamer mode

Hide personal info while you stream or record.

## What is streamer mode?

*Streamer mode* is a privacy feature that helps content creators protect their personal information during livestreams and recordings. When active, streamer mode prevents viewers from seeing sensitive details in your Root interface.

On Windows, streamer mode can turn on automatically when Root detects streaming software running on your computer. On any computer, you can turn it on yourself in settings or with a keyboard shortcut.

## How streamer mode works

When streamer mode is enabled, Root:

- **Hides personal information** like email addresses and notes on member profiles
- **Hides invite links** so viewers cannot see or use your community invite codes
- **Turns off desktop notifications** so alerts don't interrupt your stream or reveal private messages
- **Turns off notification sounds** to mute all audio alerts
- **Hides message previews** in notifications and direct message previews
- **Shows a banner** at the top of the window indicating that streamer mode is active

The banner includes a quick **Disable** button so you can turn off streamer mode without opening settings.

## Supported streaming software

On Windows, Root automatically detects these streaming and recording apps:

- OBS Studio
- XSplit Broadcaster
- Wirecast
- vMix
- Twitch Studio

Automatic detection isn't available on macOS or Linux. Turn streamer mode on yourself instead.

## Toggle streamer mode manually

You can turn streamer mode on or off at any time in settings.

> **Toggle it without opening settings:** Press **Ctrl + Shift + S** (**Cmd + Shift + S** on macOS) to turn streamer mode on or off instantly, handy if you need to hide personal information mid-stream. You can change the shortcut in [Keybindings](keybindings.md).

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Streamer mode** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Turn on**, turn **Streamer mode** on or off.

### Mobile

Streamer mode is not available on mobile.

## Enable or disable automatic activation

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Streamer mode** from the left navigation.
1. Under **Turn on**, turn **Turn on when I start streaming** on or off.

When enabled, streamer mode activates automatically when Root detects supported streaming software running on your computer. This works on Windows only.

### Mobile

Streamer mode is not available on mobile.

## Configure streamer mode options

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Streamer mode** from the left navigation.
1. Configure the following options:

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Turn on when I start streaming** | Activates streamer mode when OBS, XSplit, or other supported streaming software is running (Windows only) |
| **Personal info** | Hides your email address and notes on member profiles |
| **Invite links** | Hides invite link codes from view (you can still copy them using the copy button) |
| **Desktop pop-ups** | Prevents desktop notification popups from appearing on screen |
| **Notification sounds** | Mutes all notification sounds while streamer mode is enabled |
| **Message previews** | Hides message content in notifications and direct message previews |

### Mobile

Streamer mode is not available on mobile.

## When to use streamer mode

Streamer mode is useful when you want to:

- **Protect your privacy** while streaming or recording Root
- **Prevent interruptions** from notification popups during content creation
- **Hide sensitive information** from your audience, such as email addresses or private messages
- **Maintain professionalism** by controlling what viewers can see in your interface

Consider keeping automatic activation enabled if you regularly stream or record content that includes Root.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 */}

## Theme

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/theme

# Theme

Choose how Root looks on your device. On mobile, these settings are under **Appearance**. Your theme saves to your account, so it follows you to every device you sign in on.

Root comes with these built-in themes:

- **Root dark**
- **Light**
- **Dark**
- **OLED**, a true black theme that is easier on the eyes in the dark and saves battery on phones with OLED screens.
- **Match system** (**System** on mobile), which matches your device's light or dark setting.

You can also create your own custom theme, either a **solid** theme or a **gradient** theme, or import one that has been shared with you.

## Change your theme

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Theme**.
1. Select your preferred theme.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Appearance**.
1. Under **App theme**, select your preferred theme.

## Sync your theme across devices

Your theme syncs to your account, so it follows you to every device you sign in on. To use a different theme on just one device, turn off **Same theme on all devices** on the Theme screen (**Sync across devices** on the mobile Appearance screen), then pick a theme for that device only.

## Create a custom theme

Design your own theme and save it to your account. You can build a **solid** theme, with a color for each part of the app, or a **gradient** theme that blends colors across the background.

### Desktop

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
1. Select **Settings**.
1. Select **Theme**.
1. Under **Your themes**, select **New theme**, then choose **Solid theme** or **Gradient theme**.
1. In **Customize your theme**, give your theme a **Name** and set it up:
   - For a **solid** theme, choose a **Base Theme** to start from, then set the colors in each group: **Brand**, **Text**, **Background**, **UI**, **Status**, **Other**, and **Mentions**.
   - For a **gradient** theme, choose a dark or light **Appearance**, pick your **Colors** (select **+ Add Color** to blend in more, up to 5 colors), and adjust **Gradient Direction** and **Color Intensity**. Select **Surprise Me!** to try a random combination, or **Reset** to start over. To set the brand, text, link, and mention colors yourself, switch to the **Palette** tab, or select **Match Gradient** there to pick accent colors from your gradient.
1. Select **Apply** to use your theme.

To keep a copy of a theme, select the export icon at the bottom of the customizer. It saves the theme to your device, so you can import it again later. To bring a saved theme back in, select **Import** next to **New theme**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Appearance**.
1. Tap the **+** at the top of the Appearance screen, then tap **Create theme**.
1. Under **Start from**, choose a starting point: **Surprise me** for a random gradient, a built-in theme, or one of your own themes to copy.
1. In **Customize theme**, give your theme a **Name**, choose a dark or light **Appearance**, then set it up under **Colors**:
   - On the **Gradient** tab, turn **Gradient background** on for a gradient theme, or off for a solid theme. Pick the gradient colors in the **Colors** section (tap the **+** to blend in more, up to 5 colors), then tap **Direction and intensity** to adjust **Gradient direction** and **Color intensity**.
   - On the **Palette** tab, tap a group such as **Text** or **Mentions**, then tap a color to change it. Use the color picker or type a 6 digit hex code, and drag the **Opacity** slider to make the color more or less see through. On a gradient theme, tap **Match gradient** to pick accent colors from your gradient.
1. Tap **Save**, then choose **Save & apply** to switch to the theme now, or **Just save** to keep your current theme. If you are editing the theme you are already using, **Save** updates it immediately.

To bring in a theme file, such as one you made on desktop, tap the **+**, then tap **Import theme**. To keep a copy of a theme or send it to someone, tap the options icon  next to the theme, then tap **Share**. On Android 10 and later, you can also tap **Save to Downloads** to save the theme file to your device.

> **Tip:** On a gradient theme, some colors on the **Palette** tab are marked **Set by the gradient**. The gradient chooses those for you, so they cannot be changed.

## Liquid Glass

On iOS 26 and later, you can use the iOS tab bar and Liquid Glass headers instead of Root's own. This is off by default.

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Settings**.
1. Tap **Appearance**.
1. Under **General**, toggle **Liquid Glass** on or off.
1. Close and reopen Root to see the change.

> **Note:** Liquid Glass is experimental. It is only on iPhone and iPad, and only shows if your device supports it.

> **Note:** On desktop, you can zoom in and out using keyboard shortcuts: **Ctrl + Plus** to zoom in, **Ctrl + Minus** to zoom out, and **Ctrl + 0** to reset (**Cmd** on Mac). The zoom level ranges from 50% to 200%. You can also set it with **Interface zoom** in [Accessibility settings](./accessibility.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Windows

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/windows

# Windows

Adjust settings that apply only to Root on Windows.

## Keep Root running in the tray

Control what happens when you close the Root window. When turned on, clicking the X button keeps Root running in the system tray instead of fully closing the application. You can access Root again by clicking its icon in the system tray. When turned off, clicking the X button closes Root completely.

1. Select your profile picture in the user tray.
2. Select **Settings**.
3. Select **Windows** from the left navigation.
4. Under **When you close the window**, turn **Keep Root running in the tray** on or off.
5. Restart Root for the change to take effect.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 */}

## Edit and delete messages

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/edit-delete-messages

# Edit and delete messages

Fix a typo or remove a message you've sent.

## Edit your message

### Desktop

1. Hover over your message.
1. Select the **Edit message** icon .
1. Make your changes in the text field.
1. Press **Enter** to save or **Escape** to cancel.

If you can't send messages in a channel, the **Edit** option doesn't appear on your messages there.

> **Tip:** You can also press the **Up Arrow** key to quickly edit your most recent message.

### Mobile

1. Long-press your message.
1. Tap **Edit message**.
1. Make your changes.
1. Tap the confirm icon  to save, or the cancel icon  to discard your changes. Both sit beside the message field.

If you can't send messages in a channel, **Edit message** doesn't appear on your messages there. In direct messages you can always edit.

Once a message has been edited, it is marked so others can see it changed. On mobile an **edited** tag appears under the message.

## Delete your message

### Desktop

1. Hover over your message.
1. Select the **More options** icon .
1. Select **Delete message**.
1. Confirm by selecting **Delete**.

> **Tip:** Hold **Shift** and select the **Delete message** icon  to delete a message instantly without a confirmation dialog.

### Mobile

1. Long-press your message.
1. Tap **Delete message**.
1. A **Delete message?** confirmation appears. Tap **Delete**.

> **Warning:** Deleted messages cannot be recovered.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Markdown formatting

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/format-messages

# Markdown formatting

Style your messages with bold, italics, headings, code, lists, and more.

Root supports *Markdown*, a lightweight syntax for formatting text. You can apply formatting in two ways:

- **Formatting toolbar** (desktop): Highlight text and select a formatting button (or use a keyboard shortcut)
- **Markdown syntax**: Type special characters directly, like `**bold**` or `*italic*`

Both methods produce the same result. The toolbar buttons insert Markdown syntax for you.

## Basic formatting

### Desktop

Select text and use the formatting buttons below the message field, or use keyboard shortcuts:

| Format | Button | Shortcut | Markdown |
|--------|--------|----------|----------|
| **Bold** | **B** | Ctrl+B (Cmd+B on Mac) | `**text**` |
| *Italic* | *I* | Ctrl+I (Cmd+I on Mac) | `*text*` |
| ~~Strikethrough~~ | ~~S~~ | None | `~~text~~` |
| Spoiler | 👁 | None | `\|\|text\|\|` |
| `Inline code` | None | None | `` `code` `` |
| Code block | `</>` | None | triple backticks |

### Mobile

On mobile, select the text you want to format and pick a format from the menu that appears.

You can also type Markdown syntax directly:

| Format | Markdown |
|--------|----------|
| **Bold** | `**text**` |
| *Italic* | `*text*` |
| ~~Strikethrough~~ | `~~text~~` |
| Spoiler | `\|\|text\|\|` |
| `Inline code` | `` `code` `` |

## Headings

Structure longer messages with headings. Root supports six levels of headings.

### Desktop

Start a line with one or more `#` symbols followed by a space. The number of `#` symbols sets the heading level:

```
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
#### Heading 4
##### Heading 5
###### Heading 6
```

### Mobile

Start a line with one or more `#` symbols followed by a space. The number of `#` symbols sets the heading level:

```
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
#### Heading 4
##### Heading 5
###### Heading 6
```

## Links

Share URLs in your messages.

### Desktop

**Paste a URL directly**: Type or paste a URL and Root automatically makes it clickable.

```
Check out https://example.com for more info.
```

**Add custom link text**: Use Markdown syntax to display text instead of the URL.

```
Check out [this site](https://example.com) for more info.
```

### Mobile

**Paste a URL directly**: Type or paste a URL and Root automatically makes it clickable.

```
Check out https://example.com for more info.
```

**Add custom link text**: Use Markdown syntax to display text instead of the URL.

```
Check out [this site](https://example.com) for more info.
```

## Lists

Create bulleted or numbered lists to organize information.

### Desktop

**Bulleted list**: Start each line with `-` or `*` followed by a space.

```
- First item
- Second item
- Third item
```

**Numbered list**: Start each line with a number followed by `.` and a space. You can use `1.` for every item. Markdown automatically numbers them in sequence.

```
1. First item
1. Second item
1. Third item
```

### Mobile

**Bulleted list**: Start each line with `-` or `*` followed by a space.

```
- First item
- Second item
- Third item
```

**Numbered list**: Start each line with a number followed by `.` and a space. You can use `1.` for every item. Markdown automatically numbers them in sequence.

```
1. First item
1. Second item
1. Third item
```

## Blockquotes

Use blockquotes to reference or highlight text from another source.

### Desktop

Start with `>` followed by a space:

```
> This is a blockquote.
```

For a multi-line quote:

```
> This is a blockquote.
> This is part of the same blockquote.
```

The `>` is optional after the first line:

```
> This is a blockquote.
It can span multiple lines, this will be part of the blockquote.

This won't be part of the blockquote because of the empty line.
```

### Mobile

Start with `>` followed by a space:

```
> This is a blockquote.
```

For a multi-line quote:

```
> This is a blockquote.
> This is part of the same blockquote.
```

The `>` is optional after the first line:

```
> This is a blockquote.
It can span multiple lines, this will be part of the blockquote.

This won't be part of the blockquote because of the empty line.
```

## Inline code

Use inline code to highlight short code snippets, commands, or technical terms within a sentence.

### Desktop

Wrap text in single backticks:

```
Use `console.log()` for debugging.
```

### Mobile

Wrap text in single backticks:

```
Use `console.log()` for debugging.
```

## Spoilers

Hide message content that others can reveal by clicking or tapping.

### Desktop

Wrap text in double pipes:

```
||This text is hidden until revealed.||
```

You can also highlight text and select the **Spoiler** button  in the formatting toolbar.

Spoiler text appears as a gray block. Click it to reveal the hidden content.

### Mobile

Wrap text in double pipes:

```
||This text is hidden until revealed.||
```

Spoiler text appears as a gray block. Tap it to reveal the hidden content.

## Code blocks

Use code blocks to share multi-line code snippets or preformatted text.

### Desktop

1. Select the **Code block** button  in the formatting toolbar, or type three backticks (` ``` `) on a new line.
1. Type or paste your code.
1. Close the block with three backticks on a new line.

To specify a programming language for syntax highlighting, add the language name after the opening backticks:

~~~
```json
{ "key": "value" }
```
~~~

### Mobile

Type three backticks (` ``` `) on a new line, add your code, then close with three backticks on a new line.

To specify a programming language, add the language name after the opening backticks:

~~~
```json
{ "key": "value" }
```
~~~

### Supported languages for syntax highlighting

Root supports syntax highlighting for the following languages. Use the **Language name** value after the opening backticks (for example, ` ```csharp `).

| Language | Language name |
|----------|---------------|
| AsciiDoc | `asciidoc` |
| Batch (Windows) | `bat` |
| C | `c` |
| C++ | `cpp` |
| C# | `csharp` |
| Clojure | `clojure` |
| CoffeeScript | `coffeescript` |
| CSS | `css` |
| Dart | `dart` |
| Diff | `diff` |
| Dockerfile | `dockerfile` |
| F# | `fsharp` |
| Git commit/rebase | `git-commit`, `git-rebase` |
| Go | `go` |
| Groovy | `groovy` |
| Handlebars | `handlebars` |
| HLSL | `hlsl` |
| HTML | `html` |
| INI | `ini` |
| Java | `java` |
| JavaScript | `javascript`, `js` |
| JSON | `json` |
| Julia | `julia` |
| LaTeX | `latex`, `tex` |
| Less | `less` |
| Log | `log` |
| Lua | `lua` |
| Makefile | `makefile` |
| Markdown | `markdown`, `md` |
| Objective-C | `objective-c` |
| Pascal | `pascal` |
| Perl | `perl` |
| PHP | `php` |
| PowerShell | `powershell`, `ps1` |
| Pug | `pug` |
| Python | `python` |
| R | `r` |
| Razor | `razor` |
| Ruby | `ruby` |
| Rust | `rust` |
| SCSS | `scss` |
| ShaderLab | `shaderlab` |
| Shell/Bash | `shellscript`, `bash`, `sh` |
| SQL | `sql` |
| Swift | `swift` |
| TypeScript | `typescript`, `ts` |
| Typst | `typst` |
| Visual Basic | `vb` |
| XML | `xml` |
| YAML | `yaml` |

> **Tip:** Language names are case-insensitive. Both `JSON` and `json` work the same way.

## Markdown reference

| Format | Syntax | Result |
|--------|--------|--------|
| Heading 1 | `# text` | Heading level 1 |
| Heading 2 | `## text` | Heading level 2 |
| Heading 3 | `### text` | Heading level 3 |
| Heading 4 | `#### text` | Heading level 4 |
| Heading 5 | `##### text` | Heading level 5 |
| Heading 6 | `###### text` | Heading level 6 |
| Bold | `**text**` | **bold text** |
| Italic | `*text*` | *italic text* |
| Strikethrough | `~~text~~` | ~~strikethrough~~ |
| Spoiler | `\|\|text\|\|` | Hidden text |
| Inline code | `` `code` `` | `inline code` |
| Code block | ` ```code``` ` | Multi-line code |
| Code block with syntax highlighting | ` ```language ` | Highlighted code |
| Blockquote | `> text` | Quoted text |
| Bulleted list | `- item` or `* item` | • List item |
| Numbered list | `1. item` | 1. List item |
| Link (auto) | `https://example.com` | Clickable URL |
| Link (custom text) | `[text](url)` | Clickable link |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Message and app links

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/message-and-app-links

# Message and app links

Share a link that takes someone straight to a message, channel, or app in Root.

A Root *link* is an ordinary web address (from links.rootapp.com) that opens Root and jumps whoever opens it to the exact spot you linked to. You can paste one anywhere, in another channel, a direct message, or even outside Root, and it opens in the app.

## Copy a link to a message

Copy a link to any message in a community channel, then share it so others can jump straight to that message. Message links work in community channels, not in direct messages.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the message.
1. Select **Copy message link**.

The link is copied to your clipboard, ready to paste.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the message.
1. Tap **Copy link**.

Root confirms with **Link copied successfully**.

For example, copy a link to your community's rules message and paste it in your welcome channel. New members can open it to jump straight to the rules, even before they have explored the rest of the community.

## Open a link

When you open a Root link, the app takes you to whatever the link points to:

- A **message** opens its channel and scrolls to that message.
- A **channel** opens that channel.
- An **app** opens to the exact view the link points to.

If the link points to a different community than the one you are viewing, Root switches to that community for you. Because these are ordinary web links, they also open Root when you select them outside the app, like in a browser or another chat.

You need to be a member of the community a link points to. If you are not, the link will not take you there.

> **Tip:** When you paste a Root link into a message, it shows as a tidy label (like the channel name) instead of a long web address, so it stays easy to read. Select the label to jump straight there.

## App links

Some apps can create their own links that point to a specific spot inside them, like a particular board or item. You do not make these yourself, you receive them, for example in a message or a notification, and opening one takes you right to that spot in the app. See [What are Apps and Bots?](../apps/what-are-apps.md).

An app link will not open if the app is unavailable, updating, or suspended.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Pin messages

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/pin-messages

# Pin messages

Pin an important message in a channel so it stays easy to find.

## What are pinned messages?

*Pinned messages* are messages kept in their own list so everyone in the channel can find them again. Use them for information people need often: rules, a shared link, or a decision the group made.

Pinning needs the Manage Pinned Messages permission, so not everyone in a channel can pin. Anyone can read the pinned list.

Pinned messages also carry a **pinned** tag under the message itself, so you can see one has been pinned while scrolling.

## Pin a message

### Desktop

1. Hover over the message you want to pin.
1. Select the **Pin message** icon  in the message actions, or right-click the message and select **Pin message**.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the message you want to pin.
1. Tap **Pin message**.

## Unpin a message

### Desktop

1. Hover over the pinned message.
1. Select the **Unpin message** icon  in the message actions, or right-click the message and select **Unpin message**.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the pinned message.
1. Tap **Unpin message**.

## View pinned messages

### Desktop

1. Open the channel.
1. Select the **Pinned messages** icon  in the channel header toolbar.
1. Select a message to jump to it in the channel.

### Mobile

1. Tap the channel name at the top to open the channel details.
1. Tap **Pinned messages**.
1. Tap a message to jump to it in the channel.
1. Or press and hold a pinned message, then select **Jump to message** or **Unpin message** without opening the channel first.

If nothing has been pinned yet, desktop shows "No pinned messages" and mobile shows "Nothing to see here".

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## React to messages

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/react-to-messages

# React to messages

*Reactions* are emoji you can add to any message, a quick way to reply without typing.

## Add a reaction

### Desktop

1. Hover over a message.
1. Select the **Add Reactions** icon .
1. Choose an emoji from the picker, or search for one.

The reaction appears below the message.

### Mobile

1. Long-press a message.
1. Tap one of the quick emoji in the row at the top of the menu, or tap the **Add reaction** icon  to browse them all.

The reaction appears below the message.

> **Tip:** Once a message already has reactions, you do not need to long-press it again. Tap the **Add reaction** icon  at the end of the reaction row to go straight to the emoji picker.

## Add to an existing reaction

If someone else has already reacted with an emoji, you can add your reaction to the same one. This increases the count on that emoji instead of creating a duplicate.

### Desktop

Select the existing reaction emoji below the message. The count increases and your reaction is added.

### Mobile

Tap the existing reaction emoji below the message. The count increases and your reaction is added.

## See who reacted

### Desktop

Hover over a reaction below the message to see who added it.

### Mobile

Press and hold a reaction below the message. A panel opens with a tab for each emoji used, showing how many people used it and who they were.

## Reaction notices

When someone reacts to one of your messages, a notice appears in the title bar with the reaction, so you can see it without leaving what you're doing. Select the notice to jump straight to the message.

This is available on the desktop app, on Windows and Mac.

## Remove your reaction

### Desktop

Select the reaction emoji you added. Your reaction is removed and the count decreases.

### Mobile

Tap the reaction emoji you added. Your reaction is removed and the count decreases.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Send GIFs

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/send-gifs

# Send GIFs

Drop animated GIFs into your messages with the built-in Klipy picker.

### Desktop

1. Select a text channel from the channel list.
1. Select the **GIF** button on the right side of the message field to open the picker.
1. Select a GIF using the picker.
1. The GIF picker closes and the GIF appears in the chat.

### Mobile

1. Tap a text channel to open it.
1. Tap the **plus** button  on the left of the message field.
1. Tap **GIFs** to open the GIF picker.
1. Tap a GIF to send it.
1. The GIF picker closes and the GIF appears in the chat.

> **Tip:** GIFs are sent immediately when selected. You cannot add a text message alongside a GIF in a single message. To include context, send a separate text message before or after the GIF.

> **Note:** On mobile, if GIFs don't move, check that **Automatically play GIFs** is on. See [Accessibility](../settings/accessibility.md#motion).

## Favorite a GIF

Star the GIFs you use most and they are saved to your Favorites for quick reuse.

### Desktop

- Hover over a GIF in the picker and select the **star** to save it to your Favorites.
- You can also star a GIF from a message in the chat.
- Open the **Favorites** section in the GIF picker to find your starred GIFs.

### Mobile

- Press and hold a GIF in the picker to save it to your Favorites. A small star marks the GIFs you have saved. Press and hold a saved GIF to remove it.
- To save a GIF from a message, tap it to open it, then tap the **star** at the top of the screen. This works for GIFs sent from the GIF picker and for links that end in .gif.
- Tap **Favorites** in the GIF picker to find your saved GIFs again.

Your Favorites are saved to your account, so they follow you to any device you sign in on.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Send messages

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/send-messages

# Send messages

Send messages and join the conversation in a text channel.

## Send a message

### Desktop

1. Select a text channel from the channel list.
1. Type your message in the text field at the bottom. **Shift+Enter** opens a new line without sending the message.
1. Press **Enter** to send.

When your message contains a URL, Root automatically displays a preview card with the page's title, description, and image.

### Mobile

1. Tap a text channel to open it.
1. Tap the text field at the bottom.
1. Type your message.
1. Tap the **Send** icon .

When your message contains a URL, Root automatically displays a preview card with the page's title, description, and image.

A message can be up to 10,000 characters. If you go over, a counter shows how many characters to remove before you can send.

## Retry a message that failed to send

If a message cannot be sent, it stays in the channel marked as failed instead of disappearing.

### Desktop

The message shows **Failed to send** with a **Try again** link next to it. Select **Try again** to resend.

### Mobile

The message reads **Failed to send - tap to retry, hold for options**.

1. Tap the failed message to retry it, or press and hold for more options.
1. In the options, tap **Retry** to send it again, or **Delete message** to remove it.

## Format your message

Add emphasis and structure to your messages. Highlight text and use the formatting options, or type Markdown directly, like `**bold**` or `*italic*`. On mobile, the formatting options appear in the menu that shows when you select text.

For everything you can do, headings, lists, spoilers, code blocks, and the exact steps on desktop and mobile, see [Markdown formatting](format-messages.md).

## Add attachments

Share files, images, and GIFs in your messages.

### Desktop

Use the buttons on the right side of the message field:

| Button | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Attach Files** (paperclip) | Upload files from your computer. See [Share files and images](share-files.md). |
| **GIF** | Search and insert animated GIFs. See [Send GIFs](send-gifs.md). |

You can also drag and drop files directly into the message field.

### Mobile

Tap the **plus** button  on the left of the message field, then choose **Camera**, **Photo & Video Library**, **GIFs**, or **Files**. See [Share files and images](share-files.md) and [Send GIFs](send-gifs.md).

You can also paste images directly from your clipboard into the message field.

## Add emojis

Express yourself with emojis in your messages. The emoji picker includes standard emojis and any custom emojis uploaded by community owners.

> **Skip the picker:** Type `:` followed by at least two characters to search emoji by name as you type, without opening the picker at all. Typing `:tha` will find 🙏, and community emoji show up first.

In channels where you have the Use External Emojis permission, you can use custom emoji from any community you belong to.

### Desktop

1. Select the **Emojis** button  on the right side of the message field.
1. Browse or search for an emoji. Community emoji appear in their own section.
1. Select an emoji to insert it into your message.

> **Add several at once:** Hold **Shift** while you select emoji in the picker. The picker stays open, so you can keep adding more.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **Emojis** button  in the message field.
1. Browse or search for an emoji. Community emoji appear in their own section.
1. Tap an emoji to insert it into your message.

## Reply to a message

A *reply* links your message to a specific message in the conversation, creating a visual thread that helps others follow the discussion. When you reply to a message, your response appears with a reference to the original message, making it easy to see what you're responding to.

You can reply to up to 5 messages at once, which is helpful when addressing multiple points in a conversation.

### Desktop

1. Start a reply using one of these methods:
   - Hover over a message and select the **Reply** icon 
   - Right-click a message and select **Reply**
1. Type your reply in the text field (the original message appears above).
1. Press **Enter** to send.

### Mobile

1. Start a reply using one of these methods:
   - Swipe the message to the left (if **Swipe to reply** is enabled in [Chat settings](../settings/chat.md)). Swipe it again to cancel.
   - Tap a message (if **Tap to reply** is enabled in [Chat settings](../settings/chat.md))
   - Long-press a message and tap **Reply**
1. Type your reply.
1. Tap the **Send** icon .

To change your mind, tap the message again, or long-press it and tap **Remove reply**. To clear every queued reply at once, tap the **X** on the reply bar above the message field.

The reply bar above the message field has an **@** toggle that controls whether the person you are replying to gets a notification. It is on by default.

Select the small reference above a reply to jump to the original message.

## Mention a user or role

A *mention* notifies a specific user or everyone with a particular role that you're addressing them. When you mention someone, they receive a notification (if enabled) and your message highlights their name, making it easy to spot.

Mentioning a role notifies all members who have that role assigned to them.

### Desktop

1. Type `@` followed by the username or role name.
1. Select the correct user or role from the popup list.
1. Complete your message and press **Enter**.

### Mobile

1. Type `@` followed by the username or role name.
1. Tap the correct suggestion from the popup list.
1. Tap the **Send** icon .

### Mention everyone

The suggestion list also offers two mentions that reach more than one person:

| Mention | Who it notifies |
|---------|-----------------|
| **@All** | Everyone in the channel |
| **@Here** | Everyone in the channel who is online right now |

### Link to a channel

Type `#` followed by the channel name, then pick the channel from the list. The channel name becomes a link that takes people straight there.

### Open a mention

Select someone's mention in a message to open their profile.

### Desktop

Select the mention to open the person's profile.

### Mobile

Tap a mention to open the person's profile, or press and hold it for **Copy username** and **View user profile**.

## Copy a message

### Desktop

Right-click the message and select **Copy message**.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the message.
1. Tap **Copy text**.

Root confirms with **Text copied successfully**.

## Open a link

When a message contains a link, selecting it opens the site. Root shows a confirmation first so you can check where you are going. See [Open external links](../privacy/external-links.md).

On mobile you can also press and hold a link for **Link options**, which offers **Copy link** and **Open link**.

To share a link that jumps someone straight to a message, channel, or app inside Root, see [Message and app links](./message-and-app-links.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Share files and images

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/share-files

# Share files and images

Share files, images, and other media right in a text channel.

## Upload a file

### Desktop

1. Select the **Attach Files** icon  in the message field.
1. Choose the file from your computer.
1. Optionally, add a message.
1. Press **Enter** to send.

You can also drag and drop files directly into the message field.

### Mobile

1. Tap the **plus** button  on the left of the message field.
1. Choose a source from the list: **Camera** to take a new photo, **Photo & Video Library** to pick from your gallery, or **Files** to browse your files.
1. Optionally, add a message.
1. Tap the **Send** icon .

Past 10 items, Root shows "Cannot add more attachments. Max limit - 10."

You can attach up to 10 files to one message. Images can be up to 10 MB each and other files up to 100 MB. See [Limits](../../support/limits.md).

## Take and share a photo

### Desktop

This feature is not available on desktop. Upload photos from your computer using the **Attach Files** icon .

### Mobile

1. Tap the **plus** button  on the left of the message field.
1. Tap **Camera**.
1. Take a photo.
1. Tap **Use Photo** to attach it.
1. If prompted, choose whether to allow Root to save the photo to your photo library. The photo is attached to your message regardless of your choice.
1. Optionally, add a message.
1. Tap the **Send** icon .

## View shared files

### Desktop

**Images** display as previews in the chat. Select an image to view it full-size.

**Files** display with a download icon. Select the file name to download it.

### Mobile

**Images** display as thumbnails. Tap to view full-size.

**Files** display with their name and size. Tap a file to download and open it. On Android 10 and later, tap the download icon on the file to save it to your Downloads folder.

## Save or copy an image

To view images others have sent, and to save or copy them, see [View and save images](./view-images.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## View and save images

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/view-images

# View and save images

When a message includes images or GIFs, you can open them full size, and save or copy them.

### Desktop

Click any image or GIF in a message to open it in the full-window viewer. When a message has several images, they show as a grid, so click any one to open it. The top of the viewer shows who sent it, when, and the file name.

**Move between images**: use the **arrows** on either side, the **left and right arrow keys**, or select a **thumbnail** along the bottom.

**Zoom and pan**: select **Zoom In** to zoom into the image, then **drag** to move around it.

**Save or copy**: right-click an image, or use the options in the viewer, to:

- **Save image**: save the original file to your computer.
- **Copy image**: copy the image to your clipboard.
- **Copy link**: copy a link to the image.

### Mobile

Tap an image to view it full size. The download and share options appear along the bottom.

To save or copy an image:

1. Press and hold the image or video in the message.
1. Choose what you want to do:
   - **Copy** puts the image on your clipboard.
   - **Copy link** copies a link to it instead.
   - **Open link** opens it outside Root.
1. To save it to your device, tap the download icon . To send it to another app, tap the share icon.

Root confirms with **Copied to clipboard.** or **Copied link to clipboard.** when you copy.

To send images and files of your own, see [Share files and images](./share-files.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Call controls

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/voice-video/control-audio-video

# Call controls

Control your mic and camera while you're on a call.

## What each button does {#call-controls}

These are the buttons you use during a call.

### Desktop

The call controls are in the voice bar at the bottom of the window.

| Icon | Control | What it does |
|:----:|---------|--------------|
|  | **Share your screen** | Shows your screen to everyone in the call. See [Share your screen](share-screen.md). |
|  | **Turn on camera** / **Turn off camera** | Turns your camera on or off. See [Turn your camera on or off](#turn-your-camera-on-or-off). |
|  | **Chat** | Opens the call's text chat. See [Voice channel chat](voice-channel-chat.md). |
|  | **Mute** / **Unmute** | Turns your microphone off or on. See [Mute and unmute your microphone](#mute-and-unmute-your-microphone). |
|  | **Deafen** / **Undeafen** | Turns off the sound from everyone in the call. See [Deafen](#deafen-turn-off-incoming-root-audio). |
|  | **Audio settings** | Opens your [Audio and video settings](../settings/audio-video.md). |
|  | **Disconnect** | Leaves the call. |
|  | **Open in new window** | Opens the call in its own window. See [Use Root while you stay in the call](#use-root-while-you-stay-in-the-call). |

### Mobile

The main controls are along the bottom of the call screen. Layout (when there's a choice), chat and settings are at the top.

| Icon | Control | What it does |
|:----:|---------|--------------|
|  | Share screen | Shows your phone's screen to everyone in the call. See [Share your screen](share-screen.md). |
|  | **Camera** | Turns your camera on or off. See [Turn your camera on or off](#turn-your-camera-on-or-off). |
|  | **Mute** | Turns your microphone off or on. See [Mute and unmute your microphone](#mute-and-unmute-your-microphone). |
|  | **Deafen** | Turns off the sound from everyone in the call, and mutes your mic too. See [Deafen](#deafen-turn-off-incoming-root-audio). |
|  | Leave | Leaves the call. |
|  | Chat (top) | Opens the call's text chat. See [Voice channel chat](voice-channel-chat.md). |
|  | **Settings** (top) | Opens your audio settings for the call, like noise suppression and where the sound comes out. See [Choose where the sound comes out](#choose-where-the-sound-comes-out). |

## Mute and unmute your microphone

### Desktop

1. In the [call controls](#call-controls), select the **Mute** icon  to turn your microphone on or off.
1. A slash through the icon indicates you're muted.

### Mobile

1. In the [call controls](#call-controls), tap the **Mute** icon  to turn your microphone on or off.
1. A slash through the icon indicates you're muted.

> **Tip:** If you leave a call with your microphone muted, the next call you join starts muted too, so you are never unexpectedly live.

## Turn your camera on or off

### Desktop

1. In the [call controls](#call-controls), select the **Turn on camera** icon  to turn video on or off.
1. The camera icon will have a solid blue fill color when the camera is on.

### Mobile

1. In the [call controls](#call-controls), tap the **Camera** icon  to turn the camera on or off.
1. The button is filled in while your camera is on, and dimmed while it is off.

To switch between your front and back cameras, tap the flip icon  on your own tile, or the one at the top left, next to the close icon , when your own tile is expanded. In a two person call, tap your small tile to make it bigger first.

> **Your own video looks mirrored:** On the front camera, your own tile is mirrored (flipped like a mirror) so it feels natural. Everyone else sees you the normal way, and the mirror turns off when you switch to the back camera.

On Android, your camera keeps going when you leave Root. On iPhone and iPad, it keeps going while the [Picture in Picture](#keep-watching-outside-root) window is open (iOS 18 or later). Otherwise it turns off when you leave Root and comes back on when you return. That is expected, not a fault.

## Choose where the sound comes out

### Desktop

Choose your input and output devices in [Audio and video settings](../settings/audio-video.md).

### Mobile

1. In the call, tap the **Settings** icon  at the top (see [call controls](#call-controls)).
1. Tap **Audio output**.
1. Pick where you want the sound to play.

On Android the options are **Phone**, **Speaker**, **Wired headset**, and **Bluetooth**, and only the ones currently available are listed. On iOS this opens the system audio picker instead.

## Change the call layout

### Desktop

To focus on a shared screen, see [View a shared screen](share-screen.md#view-a-shared-screen).

### Mobile

Root picks a layout for you:

| In the call | What you see |
|-------------|--------------|
| Two people | The other person fills the screen, and you are in a small tile in a corner. |
| A screen share you are watching | The share on top (on the left if your phone is sideways), with everyone else beside it. |
| Any other call | A grid. With more than 8 people and screen shares, scroll to see them all. |

In a two person call, drag your tile to any corner. Tap it to make it bigger, then tap again to make it smaller.

To choose a different layout, tap the **Layout** icon at the top right of the call screen. It shows in a two person call, while you watch a screen share, and while a tile is expanded.

| Layout | What it does |
|--------|--------------|
| **Focus** | Fills the screen with the share, or the person you expanded. In a two person call, it only shows when their camera is on. |
| **Stage** | The share large, with everyone else beside it. This is the default while you watch a share. |
| **Chat** | Two people only. The other person full screen, you in the corner. This is the default for two people. |
| **Gallery** | Everyone in equal tiles. |

Root remembers **Stage**, **Chat** and **Gallery** for your next calls.

In **Focus**, the **Participants** icon next to **Layout** sets where everyone else goes: **Row** (a row of small tiles, the default), **Floating** (a few tiles you can drag to any corner), or **Hidden**.

> **Only see cameras:** Turn on **Hide people without video** in the call's settings (the **Settings** icon at the top of the call screen). While anyone has their camera on, only cameras and screen shares show.

## Show and hide the call controls

See [Call controls](#call-controls) for what each button does.

### Desktop

The call controls stay visible while you are in a call.

### Mobile

The controls fade away on their own so they do not cover the video. Tap anywhere on the call screen to bring them back, and tap again to hide them.

## Use Root while you stay in the call

### Desktop

Open the call in its own window so you can carry on elsewhere in Root. See [Share your screen](share-screen.md#popout-the-call).

### Mobile

Swipe down on the call screen (with more than 8 people and screen shares, use the arrow instead), or tap the down arrow  at the top left, before the call's name. The call keeps running and shrinks to a small floating window. On Android, the back button does the same.

- Drag the window anywhere on screen. Let go near an edge and it snaps to it.
- Push it past the edge to tuck it away, leaving a small handle. Tap the handle to bring it back.
- Tap the window to return to the full call screen.

### Keep watching outside Root

If you leave Root during a call where someone has their camera on, or while you watch a screen share, the call keeps playing in a small *Picture in Picture* window over your other apps. It shows the screen share you are watching, or the last person to speak.

- Tap the expand icon in the window to go back to Root, where you left off.
- Tap the close icon to close the window. You stay in the call.

There is no window in a call with no cameras, unless you are watching a screen share. Picture in Picture needs iOS 15 or later, or Android 8 or later. To turn it off, use your phone's settings: on iPhone, open the **Settings** app, then **General** > **Picture in Picture** > **Start Automatically**; on Android, the Picture in Picture permission for Root.

You can also control the call without opening Root at all. On iPhone it appears in the Dynamic Island and on the Lock Screen, so you can mute or hang up from there. On Android an ongoing call notification stays in your notification shade while you are connected.

## If Root cannot use your microphone

On mobile, Root asks for microphone access the first time you join a call. If you decline, you still join, but with no microphone, so you can hear everyone and nobody can hear you.

Tapping the microphone or camera control then shows **Microphone access needed** or **Camera access needed**, with a **Go to settings** button that takes you to the right place to allow it.

## Deafen (turn off incoming Root audio)

When deafened, you can't hear anyone. It's like turning off your speakers for incoming Root audio.

### Desktop

> **Warning:** Your microphone is not muted; others can still hear you. If you use the [native call engine](../settings/advanced.md#use-the-native-call-engine), deafening mutes your mic too, and undeafening puts it back how it was.

1. In the [call controls](#call-controls), select the **Deafen** icon .
1. Select again to undeafen.

### Mobile

Deafening also mutes your microphone, so others can't hear you either. When you undeafen, your microphone goes back to how it was before. Unmuting while deafened undeafens you too.

1. In the [call controls](#call-controls), tap the **Deafen** icon .
1. Tap again to undeafen.

> **Tip:** Deafen stays on for your next calls until you turn it off.

## Direct message calls

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/voice-video/dm-calls

# Direct message calls

Call anyone straight from a conversation or their profile.

## Start a call from a conversation

### Desktop

1. Open a direct message conversation.
1. Select the **Call** icon  in the conversation header.
1. The call starts. The other person receives an incoming call notification.

### Mobile

1. Open a direct message conversation.
1. Tap the **Call** icon  in the header.
1. A confirmation sheet appears, showing who is in the conversation.
1. Tap **Start call**. The other person receives an incoming call notification.

The sheet is headed **Start voice call?** when nobody is in the call yet. If someone is already on the call it reads **Join voice call?** and the button says **Join call** instead, along with how many people are in there.

For group conversations, all members receive a notification and can join the call.

> **Tip:** When a direct message is pinned as a tab, a call in that conversation sits side by side with the messages, so you can talk and keep chatting at once. The same side by side layout appears when you pop the call out into its own window.

## Join a call that is already happening

### Desktop

Open the conversation and select the call option in the header to join.

### Mobile

If a call is already running in a conversation, the phone icon in the header is replaced by a **Join call** button. If you are already in that call, it reads **View call** instead and takes you back to it.

Conversations with a call in progress are also grouped under an **Active calls** heading at the top of your Messages list, each with its own **Join call** button.

> **Tip:** In a call on your computer and want to carry on from your phone? Open Root on your phone and tap **Join on mobile**. See [Move a call to your phone](./voice-channels.md#move-a-call-to-your-phone).

## Start a call from a user's profile

You can call any community member directly from their profile, even if you don't have an existing conversation with them. A direct message conversation is created automatically when you start the call.

### Desktop

1. Select a user's name or profile picture in the member list or in a message to open their profile.
1. In their profile, select the **Call** icon .
1. The call starts. The other person receives an incoming call notification.

### Mobile

1. Tap a user's name or profile picture to open their profile.
1. Tap the call icon . It sits in a row of icons with the message and add friend icons, and has no text label.
1. Confirm on the **Start voice call?** sheet by tapping **Start call**.

The call does not begin the moment you tap the icon. You get the same confirmation sheet as anywhere else.

> **Note:** If the other user's privacy settings prevent direct messages, you'll see an "Action not allowed" message and the call won't connect.

## Answer an incoming call

When someone calls you, an incoming call window appears.

### Desktop

1. When you see the incoming call window, select **Accept** (green phone icon) to join the call or **Decline** (red phone with X) to decline the call
1. You're now connected to the call.

### Mobile

1. When you receive a call notification, tap **Accept** (green phone icon) to join the call or **Decline** (red phone with X) to decline the call.
1. You're now connected to the call.

You can also decline the call by not responding. The incoming call window eventually closes.

> **Note:** On mobile, if you are already in a call and accept an incoming call, a confirmation sheet appears asking you to confirm the switch. Tap **Switch call** to disconnect from the current call and answer the incoming one.

## End a call

### Desktop

Select the **Disconnect** icon  to leave the call.

### Mobile

Tap the **Leave** icon  to leave the call.

If you're the only person remaining in the call, the call ends automatically.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Share your screen

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/voice-video/share-screen

# Share your screen

Show your screen to everyone during a voice or video call.

## Start screen sharing

### Desktop

1. During a call, select the **Share your screen** icon .
1. Configure your sharing options:
   - **Share stream audio** (Windows and Linux only): Toggle on to include sound from the shared screen or application.
   - **Stream quality**: Choose a quality mode:

     | Mode | Description |
     |------|-------------|
     | **Game mode** | Smoother video (720p @ 30fps) |
     | **Screenshare mode** | Text clarity (Source @ 5fps) |

     With [Sudo](../../sudo/get-started/what-is-sudo.md), you choose the quality yourself instead: **FPS** (15, 30 or 60) and **Resolution** (720p, 1080p or 1440p (2K)).
1. Select a screen or application window from the picker to start sharing.
1. The **Share your screen** icon will have a solid blue fill color when you're sharing.

### Mobile

Screen sharing needs iOS 16.4 or later, or Android 7 or later.

1. During a call, tap the screen share icon  in the call controls.
1. Confirm with your phone:
   - **iPhone:** in the screen recording panel that appears, choose **Root**, then tap **Start Broadcast**.
   - **Android:** allow Root to share or record your screen when your phone asks.
1. A **You’re sharing your screen** bar appears in the call while you share.

Sound is off when you start. To share the sound from the app you are showing (a video or a game, for example), tap **Audio** in that bar so it is highlighted. Tap it again to turn the sound off. Root remembers your choice for next time. Sharing sound needs Android 10 or later. It works on all supported iPhones.

## Stop screen sharing

### Desktop

Select the **Stop sharing your screen** icon  to stop sharing.

### Mobile

Tap **Stop** in the **You’re sharing your screen** bar.

On iPhone, stopping the broadcast from Control Center also ends the share. On Android, locking your phone ends it.

## View a shared screen

By default, screen shares don't play on their own. When someone shares their screen, a **Watch Stream** card appears for them in the call, and the stream plays once you choose to watch it. To have shares play as soon as they start, turn on [Automatically watch screen shares](../settings/audio-video.md#automatically-watch-screen-shares).

### Desktop

- Select the **Watch Stream** card to start watching that person's screen.
- To stop watching, hover over the stream and select the stop option. You stay in the call either way.
- Once you are watching, select the stream to toggle between it and the participant tiles view.
- Drag the edge of the member tiles area to resize it, or collapse it entirely to focus on the shared screen.

### Mobile

When someone shares their screen, a **Watch Stream** card appears for them, marked with a red **LIVE** badge. Tap the card to start watching. Unless **Automatically watch screen shares** is on, nothing plays until you do.

Once you are watching, the share goes on the *Stage* by default: large at the top (on the left if your phone is sideways), with everyone else beside it. To choose a different layout, see [Change the call layout](control-audio-video.md#change-the-call-layout).

Tap the expand icon  to fill the screen with the stream. From there you can pinch to zoom, and turn your phone sideways for a wider view. Tap the close icon  to go back.

To stop watching, tap the crossed out eye icon  at the top right of the stream. If the stream fills the screen, tap the more icon (three dots) at the top right, then **Stop Watching**.

The expand icon is on every video tile in a grid or beside a share, not just shared screens, so you can do the same with anyone's camera.

## Popout the call

Open your call in a separate window to multitask while staying connected.

### Desktop

1. During an active call, select the **Open in new window** icon  in the voice bar or channel toolbar.
1. The call opens in a separate window where you can continue viewing participants and screen shares.
1. Close the popout window to return the call to the main application.

### Mobile

Call popout is not available on mobile.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Chat in a voice channel

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/voice-video/voice-channel-chat

# Chat in a voice channel

Every voice channel has its own text chat, so you can share links or type to the people in the call without interrupting anyone.

### Desktop

- While you are in a voice channel, open its chat to read and send messages beside the call.
- Drag the edge of the chat to make it wider or narrower.
- You do not have to be in the call to read along. To open a voice channel's chat without joining, hover over the channel and select the **Open chat** icon , or right-click the channel and select **Open chat**.
- If you pop the call out into its own window, the chat comes with it.

### Mobile

Open the voice channel's chat to read and send messages alongside the call.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Voice channels

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/voice-video/voice-channels

# Voice channels

Join live audio and video chats in a community's voice channels.

## Join a voice channel

### Desktop

1. In the channel list, find a voice channel (marked with a speaker ).
1. Select the voice channel to join.
1. You're now connected. Other members in the channel can hear you.

### Mobile

1. Tap a voice channel in the channel list.
1. A confirmation sheet appears showing the channel name and how many people are in the call.
1. Tap **Join call** to connect.

## Switch to a different voice channel

If you are already in a voice call, you can switch to a different voice channel. Switching disconnects you from the current call.

### Desktop

1. In the channel list, select a different voice channel.
1. A confirmation dialog asks if you want to switch. It displays the name of your current call and the call you are joining.
1. Select **Switch call** to disconnect from the current call and join the new one.

### Mobile

1. Tap a different voice channel in the channel list.
1. A confirmation sheet appears, showing that switching will disconnect you from your current call.
1. Tap **Switch call** to disconnect and join the new channel.

## Move a call to your phone

If you are in a call on another device, such as your computer, and then open Root on your phone, Root asks **Continue on mobile?** It shows which call you are in.

- Tap **Join on mobile** to move the call to your phone. You leave the call on your other device, so you are only in it once.
- Tap **No thanks** to stay in the call where you are.

This works for voice channels and direct message calls.

## Leave a voice channel

### Desktop

1. Look at the voice bar at the bottom of the window.
1. Select the **Disconnect** icon .

### Mobile

1. If you have moved away from the call screen, tap the floating call window to reopen it (see [Use Root while you stay in the call](./control-audio-video.md#use-root-while-you-stay-in-the-call)).
1. Tap the leave icon  in the call controls to disconnect.

If the controls are hidden, tap anywhere on the call screen to bring them back.

> **Tip:** Every voice channel has its own text chat. See [Chat in a voice channel](./voice-channel-chat.md) to read and send messages beside the call.

## Adjust user volume

You can adjust the volume of individual users in a voice channel. Volume adjustments are local to your device and do not affect what other members hear.

### Desktop

1. Right-click on a user in the voice channel.
1. Adjust the **User volume** slider (0-200%).

If the user is sharing their screen, you can also adjust **Stream volume** separately.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold a participant's tile.
1. Adjust the **User volume** slider (0-200%).

The same panel has a **Stream volume** slider for their screen share audio. Pressing and holding the tile showing their screen share opens just the **Stream volume** slider.

To silence someone just for yourself, tap **Mute** below the sliders. The **User volume** slider then reads **Muted**. Your volume setting for that person is remembered for next time.

## More things you can do with a participant

Pressing and holding a participant's tile opens a panel with more than the volume sliders.

### Desktop

Right-click a user in the voice channel to see the options available to you.

### Mobile

Everyone can:

- **View profile** to open that person's profile.
- **Mute** to silence them for yourself only.

In a community voice channel, if you have the right permissions you also see these actions below **View profile**:

| Action | What it does |
|--------|--------------|
| **Admin mute** | Stops that person speaking for everyone in the call. |
| **Admin deafen** | Stops that person hearing the call. |
| **Remove from voice call** | Disconnects them from the channel. |

If someone has muted or deafened you this way, tapping your own microphone or headphone control tells you so, and you will need an admin to undo it.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Communities overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/communities/overview

# Communities overview

Discover and join communities on Root.

## What is a community?

A *community* is a group of members who come together in Root to communicate and collaborate. Each community has its own set of channels for text and voice conversations, its own member list, and its own rules and culture.

There are two ways to join. Most communities are private, so you join with an invite link or an invitation from a member. Some communities are listed in *Community Discovery*, Root's directory of public communities, and you can join those without an invite. See [Join a community](./join-community.md) and [Community Discovery](./discover-communities.md).

Community owners manage who can join and what members can do through roles and permissions.

## How communities work

A community is organized into several parts:

- **Channels** are where conversations happen. Text channels are for written messages that persist over time. Voice channels are for live audio and video calls.
- **Channel groups** organize related channels together. For example, a gaming community might have channel groups for different games.
- **Members** are the people who belong to the community. You can see who's online and what they're doing in the member list.
- **Roles** are assigned by community owners and can give members special permissions or access to certain channels.

When you join a community, you appear in its member list and can participate in channels you have access to. Some channels may be restricted to members with specific roles.

## When to join a community

Join a community when you want to:

- **Connect with a group** that shares your interests, whether it's a game, hobby, sport, or topic
- **Stay in touch with an organization** like a school club, workplace team, or local group
- **Find others to play with** in multiplayer games or collaborative activities
- **Learn from others** who are knowledgeable about a subject you're interested in

If you don't have an invite yet, browse the public communities in Discovery. They're sorted by category, so it's a quick way to find groups that match your interests. See [Community Discovery](./discover-communities.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Direct messages overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/direct-messages/overview

# Direct messages overview

Talk privately with anyone on Root.

## What is a direct message?

A *direct message* (DM) is a private conversation between you and one or more other Root users. Unlike messages in community channels, direct messages are only visible to the people in the conversation.

Direct messages exist separately from communities. Who can message you depends on your [privacy settings](../privacy/contact-privacy.md). You can allow messages from friends only, shared connections, anyone, or nobody. Conversations continue even if you leave a shared community.

## How direct messages work

Direct messages have several features:

- **Text messages** work the same as in channels. You can send text, attachments, reactions, and replies.
- **Pinned messages** let you highlight important messages for easy access later.
- **Voice and video calls** let you call someone directly from your conversation. The other person receives a notification and can accept or decline.
- **Conversation list** shows all your active direct message conversations in one place, sorted by most recent activity.
- **Online status** shows whether the other person is currently online, away, or offline.
- **Pin to tab** lets you pin conversations to the tab bar for quick access (Desktop only).

Direct messages can be one-on-one (between you and one other person) or group conversations (between you and multiple people). See [Group conversations](./group-conversations.md) to learn more about chatting with multiple friends at once.

When someone sends you a direct message, you receive a notification (unless you've muted them or have notifications turned off). The conversation appears in your direct messages list.

To remove a conversation from your list, [leave it](./manage-conversations.md#leave-a-conversation). Leaving deletes the conversation from your list.

## When to use direct messages

Use direct messages when you want to:

- **Have a private conversation** that shouldn't be in a community channel
- **Contact someone directly** without involving the rest of a community
- **Coordinate one-on-one** for plans, questions, or personal topics
- **Call someone privately** for a voice or video conversation

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Friends overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/friends/overview

# Friends overview

Connect with people you want to keep in touch with.

## What is a friend?

A *friend* is another Root user you've added to your friends list. Your *friends list* is a collection of all your friends, making it easy to see who's online and message them directly. Adding someone as a friend creates a mutual connection. You can see each other's online status, message each other directly, and find each other easily without needing to share a community.

Friendship in Root is mutual. Both people must agree to be friends. You send a friend request, and the other person accepts or declines it.

## How friends work

The friends system includes several features:

- **Friends list** shows all your friends in one place, sorted into your friend groups in the order you set
- **Friend groups** let you organize friends into custom categories like "Gamers", "Colleagues", or "Family". Every friend belongs to exactly one group. See [Friend groups](organize-friends.md) to learn more.
- **Online status** lets you see when friends are online, away, or offline
- **See friends in other communities** lets you see when friends are online even if they're in a different community (indicated by a cutout in the status circle)
- **Friend requests** are how you add new friends. You send a request using their username, and they choose whether to accept
- **Direct access** to friends means you can always message them, even if you don't share any communities

Your friends list is separate from community member lists. Someone can be your friend without being in any of your communities, and community members aren't automatically your friends.

If you no longer want someone as a friend, you can remove them. This is mutual and removes the connection for both of you.

## When to add friends

Add someone as a friend when you want to:

- **Stay connected** with someone you met in a community
- **See their status** to know when they're online and available
- **Message them easily** without searching through community member lists
- **Keep in touch** even if one of you leaves a shared community

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/get-started/overview

# Overview

*Root* is an app for text, voice, and video communication, with Apps and Bots that extend what your communities can do.

## Key concepts

- **Communities**: Groups of people organized around a shared interest, game, organization, or topic
- **Channels**: Spaces for conversation within a community (text for messages, voice for calls)
- **Direct messages**: Private conversations with other Root users outside of communities

## What you'll do

This guide helps you get started on Root:

1. [Install Root](./install-root.md): Download the app
1. [Create an account](./create-account.md): Set up your identity
1. [Sign in and out](./sign-in-out.md): Access your account
1. [Navigate Root](./navigate-root.md): Explore the interface
1. [Set up your settings](./set-up-settings.md): Check your microphone, notifications and theme

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## Using Root

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/member-home

# Using Root

Join communities, chat in channels, and talk in voice calls. This guide covers everything you do as a member of Root, from your first install to setting up your profile.

## Start here

New to Root? [Get started](./get-started/index.md) walks you through installing Root, creating your account, and navigating the app.

## What you can do

- **Join communities:** find communities, join them, and explore their channels. [Communities](./communities/index.md)
- **Chat in channels:** send messages, react, share files, and post GIFs. [Text channels](./text-channels/index.md)
- **Talk and stream:** join voice channels, make calls, and share your screen. [Voice and video](./voice-video/index.md)
- **Message directly:** start one-on-one and group conversations. [Direct messages](./direct-messages/index.md)
- **Add friends:** connect with people and organize your friends list. [Friends](./friends/index.md)
- **Use apps and bots:** track tasks, run polls, play games, and more. [Apps and Bots](./apps/index.md)
- **Make it yours:** set up your profile, notifications, and app settings. [Profile](./profile/index.md)

Want to start or run your own community? See [Running a community](../leader/leader-home.md).

## Notifications overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/notifications/overview

# Notifications overview

Keep up with the activity that matters to you across Root.

## What are notifications?

*Notifications* are alerts that let you know when something happens in Root that involves you. When someone mentions you in a message, sends you a friend request, or invites you to a community, Root sends you a notification so you can respond.

## How notifications work

Root collects notifications in a central location where you can view and manage them. Notifications appear as a list, with the most recent at the top. Unread notifications display a visual indicator so you can quickly see what's new.

When you view your notifications, Root automatically marks them as read:

- **Desktop**: Notifications are marked as read one at a time, as you hover over them.
- **Mobile**: Every notification is marked as read about a second after the screen opens, whether or not you scroll down to it.

### How notification delivery works

Root delivers notifications differently depending on your platform:

**Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux):** Root displays notifications while the app is running. On Windows and Linux, you can choose between Root's built-in notification popups or your operating system's native notification center. Root's built-in popups appear in a dedicated window, while native notifications integrate with your operating system's notification center, Do Not Disturb mode, and notification history. You can customize desktop notifications with options for sounds, taskbar alerts, and notification style.

**Mobile (iOS, Android):** Root uses push notifications delivered through your device's notification system. Push notifications can reach you even when the app is closed. Whether push notifications reach your device is controlled in your device settings, but Root has its own setting for the alerts you see while the app is open. See [Notification settings](../settings/notifications.md).

Both platforms notify you about the same types of activity, but the settings and controls differ based on what each platform supports.

## Notification types

Root sends notifications for the following events:

| Type | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Mentions** | Someone mentioned you in a message using @your-username |
| **Friend requests** | Someone sent you a friend request, or responded to a friend request you sent |
| **Community invites** | Someone invited you to join a community |
| **Apps & Bots** | An app in one of your communities sent you a notification |
| **Community removals** | You were kicked or banned from a community |

## Filter notifications

You can filter your notification list to show only specific types:

- **All**: Shows all notifications
- **Mentions**: Shows only @mention notifications
- **Friend requests**: Shows only friend request notifications
- **Community invites** (**Community Invites** on desktop): Shows only community invitation notifications
- **Apps & Bots**: Shows only notifications from apps

There's no filter for community removals, so kick and ban notifications only appear under **All**.

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## Privacy overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/privacy/overview

# Privacy overview

Decide who can reach you and stay safe on Root.

## What is privacy in Root?

*Privacy* in Root refers to the settings and features that let you control your interactions with other users. These tools help you manage who can contact you, protect yourself from unwanted interactions, and stay safe when navigating external content.

Root provides several privacy features:

- **Friend and DM privacy**: Control who can send you friend requests and direct messages
- **Community invite privacy**: Control who can send you community invites
- **Blocking users**: Prevent specific users from contacting you or seeing your activity
- **Reporting**: Flag a message or an account so it can be reviewed
- **External link protection**: Review links before leaving Root to visit external websites

## How privacy works

Privacy features in Root work at the account level, meaning your settings apply across all communities and conversations.

When you configure friend and DM privacy:
- You choose who can send you friend requests (nobody, shared connections, or anyone)
- You choose who can send you direct messages (nobody, friends only, shared connections, or anyone)
- You can optionally require that users have a verified email address
- Existing friends and conversations are not affected

When you configure community invite privacy:
- You choose who can send you community invites (nobody, friends only, shared connections, or anyone)
- You can optionally require that users have a verified email address
- Existing community memberships are not affected

When you block a user:
- They cannot send you direct messages
- They cannot add you as a friend
- Their messages are hidden from your view in shared channels
- They cannot see your online status

When you report a message or an account:
- Root receives it for review, along with the reason you picked
- The person is not told that you reported them
- Reporting on its own does not delete the message or stop the person contacting you
- You report from the message itself or from the person's profile, on both desktop and mobile

When you select an external link:
- Root displays a confirmation dialog showing the destination URL
- You can review the link before deciding to visit the site
- This helps protect you from phishing attempts and malicious links

## When to use privacy features

Use Root's privacy features when you want to:

- **Stop unwanted contact**: Block users who are harassing you or sending unwanted messages
- **Flag rule breaking**: Report a message or an account so the behavior can be reviewed
- **Clean up your experience**: Hide messages from users you don't want to interact with
- **Stay safe online**: Verify external links before visiting unfamiliar websites
- **Protect your information**: Prevent unknown users from tracking your online status

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## Profile overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/profile/overview

# Profile overview

Customize how others see you across Root.

## What is a profile?

A *profile* is your personal identity in Root. It includes your username, profile picture, bio, custom status, profile banner, join date, and online status. Other members see your profile when they view the member list, receive your messages, or interact with you in voice channels.

Your profile is the same across all communities you join. When you update your profile, the changes appear everywhere in Root.

## How profiles work

Your profile has several components:

- **Username** is your unique identifier in Root. Others can use it to find you and send friend requests. You can change your username, but it must be unique.
- **Profile picture** is the image that appears next to your name in messages, member lists, and voice channels.
- **Bio** is a short description (up to 200 characters) where you can share a bit about yourself. Links work on desktop and mobile. On desktop, bold, italic, strikethrough and inline code also work, and spoilers show as `****`. Other Markdown shows as plain text.
- **Custom status** is a text message (up to 100 characters) that lets others know what you're doing. Unlike your online status, a custom status is a personal message you write yourself.
- **Profile banner** is an image displayed at the top of your profile card.
- **Join date** shows when you created your Root account. Your join date is set automatically and cannot be changed.
- **Badges** show something a person does for Root, like working at Root or moderating Root's official communities. See [Profile badges](./badges.md).
- **Online status** shows your availability (online, away, or offline) to other members.

Your bio, custom status, join date, and profile banner appear on your *profile card*. A profile card is the popup that other members see when they select your avatar or username anywhere in Root. Profile cards are visible to all members, not just friends.

### Your profile on mobile

On mobile, tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar to see your own profile. Under your name are **Joined Root** and the date, your badges and your bio.

- Tap your name to change your [online status](./set-online-status.md).
- Tap your badges to see a list of them with their names.
- Tap your profile picture or banner to see it full size.

## When to update your profile

Consider updating your profile when you:

- **Join Root for the first time** to set up your identity and help others recognize you
- **Want to refresh your look** with a new profile picture or banner
- **Want to share something about yourself** by adding or updating your bio
- **Want to let others know what you're doing** by setting a custom status
- **Need to communicate availability** by setting your online status to away

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## Settings overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/settings/overview

# Settings overview

Set up Root the way you like it.

## What are settings?

*Settings* let you control how Root looks, sounds, and behaves. You can adjust how the app appears, set up your audio and video devices, and control when and how you get notifications.

Your account details, privacy choices and theme (when **Same theme on all devices** is on, called **Sync across devices** on mobile) follow your account. Most other settings, like notifications, chat and keybindings, are saved on each device, so set them up on each computer or phone you use.

## How settings work

To open settings:

- **Desktop:** select your profile picture in the user tray, then **Settings**. You can also press **Ctrl + ,** (**Cmd + ,** on Mac).
- **Mobile:** tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar, then **Settings**.

Settings are split into three groups, the same as in the app. On mobile, an **About** group at the bottom also holds What's New. Changes take effect straight away unless the page says otherwise.

### User settings

Your account and who can reach you.

| Setting | What it's for | Available on |
|---------|---------------|--------------|
| **[User profile](../profile/edit-profile.md)** | Edit your profile, change your email or password, or delete your account | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Privacy](../privacy/contact-privacy.md)** | Choose who can send you friend requests, direct messages and community invites | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Blocked users](../privacy/block-unblock-users.md)** | See the people you've blocked, and unblock them | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Passkeys](../profile/passkeys.md)** | Sign in without a password, and manage your recovery codes | Desktop, Mobile |

### Billing settings

Your subscription, payments and cores.

| Setting | What it's for | Available on |
|---------|---------------|--------------|
| **[Sudo](../../sudo/get-started/managing-your-sudo-subscription.md)** | Manage your Sudo subscription | Desktop |
| **[Billing](../../sudo/get-started/billing-and-payments.md)** | Your payment methods and transaction history | Desktop |
| **[Cores](../../sudo/cores/what-are-cores.md)** | See your cores and where they're assigned. On mobile you can view them, and make changes on desktop | Desktop, Mobile |

### App settings

How Root looks, sounds and behaves on your device.

| Setting | What it's for | Available on |
|---------|---------------|--------------|
| **[Audio and video](./audio-video.md)** | Your mic, speakers, camera and noise suppression. Called **Audio settings** on mobile | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Chat](./chat.md)** | How messages behave, like tap to reply and emoji conversion | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Notifications](./notifications.md)** | When and how Root alerts you | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Theme](./theme.md)** | Light, dark or your own custom theme. Called **Appearance** on mobile, where it also has Liquid Glass | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Accessibility](./accessibility.md)** | Text size, spacing, zoom, role colors, reduce motion, and haptics on mobile | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Language](./language.md)** | The language Root's menus and buttons use | Desktop, Mobile |
| **[Keybindings](./keybindings.md)** | Your keyboard shortcuts | Desktop |
| **[Streamer mode](./streamer-mode.md)** | Hide personal information while you stream or record | Desktop |
| **[Windows](./windows.md)** | Keep Root running in the system tray when you close the window | Windows |
| **[Game overlay](./game-overlay.md)** | Show voice and chat on top of fullscreen games | Windows |
| **[Linux](./linux.md)** | Use your desktop's own title bar | Linux |
| **[Advanced](./advanced.md)** | Developer mode, plus display options like smooth scrolling on desktop | Desktop, Mobile |

### What's New

**What's New** shows the release notes for each update.

- **Desktop:** select **What's New** at the bottom of Settings. It also opens by itself the first time you start Root after an update.
- **Mobile:** tap **What's New** under **About** at the bottom of Settings. A dot on your profile picture marks notes you haven't read yet. To turn the dot off, turn off **Show a dot for new updates** at the top of What's New.

## When to change settings

Adjust your settings when you:

- **Set up Root for the first time** to configure your audio and video devices before joining a call
- **Switch environments** and need to change from speakers to headphones, or adjust for ambient noise
- **Find the display uncomfortable** and want to switch themes or adjust the zoom level
- **Get too many (or too few) notifications** and want to fine-tune what alerts you receive

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## Text channels overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/text-channels/overview

# Text channels overview

Chat with your community in organized text channels.

## What is a text channel?

A *text channel* is a place within a community where members send written messages. Unlike direct messages between individuals, text channel messages are visible to all members who have access to that channel.

Messages in text channels stay there for members to read later. You can scroll back through the conversation to catch up on what you missed.

## How text channels work

Text channels support several types of content and interactions:

- **Messages** are the text you type and send. They can include formatting, links, and line breaks.
- **Attachments** let you share files, images, and other media alongside your messages.
- **Reactions** are emoji you add to messages to respond without typing. Multiple people can add the same reaction.
- **Replies** let you respond to a specific message, creating a visual thread that links your response to the original.
- **Mentions** notify specific users or roles when you include them in your message using the @ symbol.
- **Pinned messages** are important messages kept somewhere easy to find. Anyone with the Manage Pinned Messages permission can pin one. See [Pin messages](pin-messages.md).

When someone sends a message, it appears at the bottom of the channel for everyone to see. The channel shows who's currently typing, so you know when others are composing a response.

## When to use text channels

Participate in text channels to:

- **Have a conversation** that others can join or read later
- **Share information** with a group, like announcements, links, or files
- **Ask questions** and get answers from knowledgeable community members
- **Talk at your own pace** when not everyone is online at the same time

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## Voice and video overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/member/voice-video/overview

# Voice and video overview

Talk, video chat, and share your screen live.

## What are voice and video calls?

Root supports two types of voice and video communication:

- **Voice channels** are spaces within a community where members can join and leave freely. Multiple people can be in a voice channel at once, and there's no time limit.
- **Direct message calls** are private calls you start from a conversation or a user's profile. The other person receives an incoming call notification and can accept or decline.

Both types support audio and video, and the controls work the same way once you're in a call. You can share your screen and watch someone else's on both desktop and mobile.

> **Note:** To configure your microphone, speakers, and camera, see [Audio and video settings](../settings/audio-video.md).

## Voice channels

*Voice channels* appear in community channel lists, marked with a speaker . When you join a voice channel, you can hear everyone else in the channel and they can hear you. Your name appears in the channel's participant list, and a colored ring around your avatar indicates when you're speaking.

Voice channels are ideal for:

- Hanging out casually with community members
- Playing games together while communicating with teammates
- Hosting meetings or events with multiple participants
- Collaborating on something visual where screen sharing helps

See [Voice channels](./voice-channels.md) to learn how to join and leave.

## Direct message calls

You can call anyone directly from a conversation or from their profile. When you start a call, the other person receives a notification and can choose to accept or decline. For group conversations, all members receive the notification and can join.

> **Call someone you have never messaged:** You do not need an existing conversation to call someone. Open their profile, select the call button, and Root creates the conversation for you.

Direct message calls are ideal for:

- Private one-on-one conversations
- Quick calls with friends outside of a community context
- Group calls with a specific set of people

See [Direct message calls](./dm-calls.md) to learn how to start and answer calls.

## Common features

Once you're in any call (voice channel or direct message), you have access to:

- **Mute** to turn your microphone on or off
- **Video** to share your camera feed
- **Screen sharing** to show your screen or a specific application
- **Deafen** to mute all incoming audio
- **Chat** to read and send text messages alongside the call

See [Call controls](./control-audio-video.md) and [Share your screen](./share-screen.md) for details.

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---

# Leader Guides

Guides for community leaders: creating communities, managing channels, roles, and members.

## Add Apps and Bots to channels

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/apps/add-apps-to-channels

# Add Apps and Bots to channels

Choose which channels each App or Bot can access.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

**Required permissions:** Manage Apps (manage channel assignments for Apps and Bots)

## Why channel access matters

Apps and Bots can only interact with channels they're assigned to. Controlling access lets you limit what an App can see and do, for example keeping a moderation Bot out of private staff channels, or restricting a polling App to specific discussion channels.

## How channel permissions work

Like members, Apps and Bots receive permissions through roles, Channel Visibility, and channel permissions. If you're not familiar with how permissions work, see [Roles and permissions overview](../roles-permissions/overview.md).

Here's how the system determines the permissions an App or Bot has in a channel or channel group:

1. **Manifest defines base permissions**: Every App and Bot includes a *manifest*, a file created by the developer that declares the permissions the App needs to function. The App or Bot starts with the channel permissions declared in its manifest. You can think of this as a virtual role that's automatically created and assigned.
2. **Roles add permissions**: Like members, Apps and Bots get the Everyone role by default. You can assign additional roles.
3. **Channel Visibility controls access**: Apps and Bots can only see channels they're added to under Channel Visibility.
4. **Permissions adjust per channel**: You can grant or deny specific permissions in specific channels or channel groups.

The final permissions depend on the combination of all four, using the same calculation used for members. For details, see [Permission troubleshooting](../roles-permissions/permission-calculation.md).

Channel permissions are the ones you have the most control over. You can restrict them below what the manifest requests using roles and channel permissions, which is useful for limiting an App or Bot to only the channels and actions it needs. Granting permissions beyond the manifest is possible but rarely useful. If the App or Bot needed a permission, it would be in the manifest.

For step-by-step instructions on Channel Visibility and permissions, see [Manage channel visibility](../roles-permissions/manage-access-rules.md).

## Assign channels to an App or Bot

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **Management**, select **Apps** or **Bots**.
1. Select the App or Bot to open its management panel.
1. Select the **Channel assignment** tab.
1. Check or uncheck individual channels and channel groups as needed. Use the search bar, **Select all**, or **Deselect all** to manage assignments quickly.

### On mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**, then **Apps**.
1. Tap the App, then tap **Channel assignment**.
1. Check or uncheck channels and channel groups. Use **Search channels** to find one, or the checkbox next to the channel count to select all.
1. Tap **Save**.

## Remove an App or Bot from channels

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **Management**, select **Apps** or **Bots**.
1. Select the App or Bot to open its management panel.
1. Select the **Channel assignment** tab.
1. Uncheck the channels you want to remove.

The App or Bot will no longer be able to see or interact with content in those channels.

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## App and Bot settings

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/apps/configure-app-and-bot-settings

# App and Bot settings

View details and tweak settings for your installed Apps and Bots.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

**Required permissions:** Manage Apps (configure settings for Apps and Bots)

## The management panel

Each installed App or Bot has a management panel where you can view its details and adjust settings.

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **Management**, select **Apps** or **Bots**.
1. Select the App or Bot to open its management panel.

The panel has three tabs:

- **General**: App details, assigned roles, and permissions.
- **Global settings**: Community-wide configuration (not all Apps have this).
- **Channel assignment**: Control which channels the App can access. See [Add Apps and Bots to channels](./add-apps-to-channels.md).

On mobile, tap the community name, then **Community settings** > **Apps**, and tap the App. Its page shows the installed version, the App's channel and its permissions, with rows for **App settings**, **Channel assignment** and **Roles**.

## Global settings

Some Apps have settings that apply across the entire community. These are defined by the App developer and vary per App. One App might have connection settings, while another might have feature toggles or default behaviors. Not all Apps have global settings. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (\*).

On desktop, an App can also ask you to pick a channel or channel group, a date or time, or a color. Only text channels are listed. Dates and times are in your local time. If a setting is optional, you can choose **None** or select **Clear** to empty it.

## View App details and permissions

Select the **General** tab to see:

- The installed version and the date the App was added.
- The name of the App's channel.
- The roles assigned to the App, displayed as colored badges. You can assign, remove, and set a primary role from this section.
- The permissions the App requested in its manifest. Community permissions are granted automatically during installation. Channel permissions can be adjusted. See [Add Apps and Bots to channels](./add-apps-to-channels.md).

## Assign roles to an App

Assign community roles to an App to control which roles the App can act on behalf of.

**Required permissions:** Manage Roles (assign or remove roles from an App)

1. Open the App's management panel.
1. Select the **General** tab.
1. In the **Roles** section, select the **Add role** button .
1. Search for a role or browse the list.
1. Check the roles you want to assign, then close the dropdown.

The assigned roles appear as colored badges next to the add button.

To remove a role, hover over its badge and select the **X** button.

To set a primary role, select a role badge. The primary role is highlighted with a blue border. The color setting for the primary role will be used for the name in the member list sidebar.

### On mobile

1. Open the App's page from **Community settings** > **Apps**.
1. Tap **Roles** to open **Manage roles**.
1. Toggle the checkboxes to add or remove roles.

## Change global settings

1. Open the App's management panel.
1. Select the **Global settings** tab.
1. Update the fields as needed.
1. Save your changes.

### On mobile

1. Press and hold the App's channel in the channel list.
1. Tap **App settings**.
1. On the App's page, tap **App settings**.
1. Update the fields. **Save** appears once you change something; tap **Discard changes** instead to undo.

The **App settings** option only appears if you have the Manage Apps permission.

You can also tap **App settings** on the App's page in **Community settings** > **Apps**.

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## Install Apps and Bots

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/apps/install-apps

# Install Apps and Bots

Browse the App Store to install, update, or remove Apps and Bots.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

**Required permissions:** Manage Apps (install, update, and remove Apps and Bots)

## What to expect

Installing an App creates a dedicated channel in your community. Installing a Bot adds it to your community without a channel. During installation, you assign roles to give the App or Bot the permissions it needs.

When you install an App, it creates a dedicated channel in your community. You'll name the channel and configure who can see it. Some Apps also have **global settings** (configuration specific to that App, like choosing which roles can create content or who can vote). If an App has required settings, you'll need to fill them in before the installation can finish.

After installation, you'll also want to choose which channels the App or Bot operates in (that is, which channels it can see). See [Add Apps and Bots to channels](./add-apps-to-channels.md) for details. You can also adjust settings at any time. See [App and Bot settings](./configure-app-and-bot-settings.md).

## App and Bot slots

How many Apps and Bots your community can run depends on its level. Each core a member assigns adds one slot. See [Community levels](../cores-and-levels/community-levels.md).

If your community drops below the number of slots it's using, because a member takes a core back or their subscription ends, one of your Apps is suspended and then permanently deleted after about three days. Community owners get an email with the deadline.

## Install an App

> **Note:** Apps can also be installed from **Community Settings.** Under **Management**, select **Apps**, then select **Add App** to open the App Store. Select an App card, choose a **Channel Group**, then select **Install**. Then follow the same steps from step 8.

1. Right-click a channel group in the sidebar and select **Create channel**, or select the **+** icon  next to the group.
1. Under channel type, select **App channel**.
1. Select **Choose app** to open the App Store.
1. Browse the available Apps or use the search bar to find a specific one. Each card shows the App's name, developer, category, and a short description.
1. Select an App card to view its details, including the description, screenshots, and developer information.
1. Select **Install** to choose the App.
1. Back in the Create Channel dialog, configure the App:
   - **General**: Enter a channel name and optional description.
   - **Permissions**: Control who can see the App channel. By default, permissions sync with the parent channel group. Turn off **Sync Permissions** to customize.
   - **App Global Settings**: Configure the App's settings. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (\*). This tab only appears for Apps that have global settings.
1. Select **Create**.
1. In the **Assign roles to [App name]** dialog, select **+** to assign roles to the App.
1. Select **Done**.

The App appears as a new channel in the channel group you selected.

## Install an App on mobile

On mobile, you can install Root's own Apps. Apps from other developers show **Install from desktop** instead, and are installed from the desktop app.

1. Open the community drawer by swiping right, or by tapping the menu icon  in the top left corner. Inside a community, that button shows the community's picture instead.
1. Tap the **Discover** icon  in the drawer header.
1. Tap the **App Store** icon  in the top right corner.
1. Browse the Apps, or tap **Search apps** to find one. Use the category pills (**All**, **Entertainment**, **Productivity**, **Tools**) to narrow the list.
1. Tap an App to open its page, with its description, screenshots and the permissions it asks for.
1. Under **Community**, tap **Choose a community** and pick where to install it. Communities where you don't have the Manage Apps permission are marked **Needs the Manage Apps permission**.
1. Under **Channel group**, choose the channel group for the App's channel.
1. Tap **Install app**, then confirm with **Install app**.
1. On the **Set up** screen, tap **Assign roles** to give the App the roles it needs, or **Not now** to do it later.

The App appears as a new channel in the channel group you chose.

> **Install straight into a community:** If you are already in the community, tap the community name, then **Community settings** > **Apps**, and tap the **+**. The App Store opens for that community, so you skip choosing one.

If the community doesn't have a free App slot, Root offers to assign one of your cores first. The button reads **Assign core and install**.

## Install a Bot

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **Management**, select **Apps**.
1. Select **Browse the bot store**.
1. Browse the available Bots or use the search bar to find a specific one.
1. Select a Bot card to view its details.
1. Select **Install**.
1. In the **Install bot** dialog, select **Install** to confirm.
1. In the **Assign roles to [Bot name]** dialog, select **+** to assign roles to the Bot.
1. Select **Done**.

Bots run in the background without a channel.

## Update an App or Bot

When a new version is available, the App's channel shows an update dot, with **Update available** under the channel name. You can update it two ways.

### From the App's channel

1. Right-click the App's channel in the sidebar.
1. Select **App settings**. A green dot next to it means an update is waiting.
1. In the **UPDATE AVAILABLE** panel at the top of the **General** tab, select **Update**.
1. In the **Update app** window, select **Update** to confirm.

### From App settings

1. Select the community image in the sidebar, then **Community settings**.
1. Under **Management**, select **Apps** or **Bots**.
1. Select the App to open its **General** tab. When an update is available, an **UPDATE AVAILABLE** panel appears at the top.
1. Select **Update**, then select **Update** again in the **Update app** window to confirm.

If the update needs new settings, the **Update app** window asks you to fill them in before you confirm.

### On mobile

1. Press and hold the App's channel in the channel list.
1. Tap **Update to** and the new version number, then confirm.

You need the Manage Apps permission to see this option.

### Automatic updates

When a new version is released, you have 24 hours to update manually. After 24 hours, the update is applied automatically. The App channel is temporarily unavailable while the update is being applied.

### Suspended Apps

An App is suspended when your community doesn't have enough cores to power it, for example after a member unassigns a core or their subscription ends. The channel shows **App suspended**, and a red **APP SUSPENDED** banner appears at the top of the App's **General** tab.

Adding a core brings the App back, with nothing to reinstall. Do it before the deadline in the owner's email, because suspended Apps are deleted after about three days. See [Restore a suspended app](../cores-and-levels/community-levels.md#restore-a-suspended-app).

## Remove an App or Bot

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **Management**, select **Apps** or **Bots**.
1. Select the App or Bot to open its management panel.
1. On the **General** tab, scroll to **Remove**.
1. Select **Remove app** (or **Remove bot**).
1. In the confirmation, select **Delete**.
1. Confirm the removal.

Removing an App permanently deletes the App, its channel, and all associated data. This action cannot be undone.

### On mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**, then **Apps**.
1. Tap the App.
1. In the **Remove app** section at the bottom, tap **Remove**.
1. Tap **Remove** again to confirm.

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## What are Apps and Bots?

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/apps/what-are-apps

# What are Apps and Bots?

Apps and Bots are add-ons that bring new features to your community.

> **Note:** You can install and manage Root's own Apps on desktop or mobile. Apps from other developers, and Bots, are installed from Root on desktop. Once installed into a community, Apps and Bots can be used on Root desktop and mobile.

*Apps* and *Bots* are custom software available in the Root App Store. Both run on Root's servers, so there's nothing for you to host or maintain.

## What is a Root App?

A *Root App* is a full app with its own visual interface. When installed, it creates a dedicated channel where members interact with it using buttons, forms, panels, and live updates.

Apps are ideal for experiences that need visual interfaces, like:

- Task boards with cards you drag and drop
- Event calendars with sign-up forms
- Interactive dashboards and charts
- Games and collaborative canvases
- File browsers and media galleries

### Example Apps

| App | Description |
|-----|-------------|
| Raid Planner | Schedule raids, manage rosters, and track sign-ups for MMO guilds |
| Task Tracker | Organize projects with tasks, tags, and assignments |

## What is a Root Bot?

A *Root Bot* is a simple, text-only application. Bots don't get their own channel. Instead, they listen for events in your community (like new messages or new members) and respond by posting messages, managing content, or automating tasks in existing channels.

Bots are ideal for background automation, like:

- Welcoming new members with a message
- Moderating content automatically
- Posting scheduled announcements
- Responding to commands in chat
- Integrating with external services

### Example Bots

| Bot | Description |
|-----|-------------|
| Welcome Bot | Sends a personalized greeting when someone joins |
| Reminder Bot | Posts scheduled reminders to a channel |
| Moderation Bot | Automatically removes messages that violate rules |

## Apps vs Bots

| Feature | App | Bot |
|---------|-----|-----|
| User interface | Full visual interface in a dedicated channel | Text-only, no dedicated channel |
| User interaction | Buttons, forms, panels, live visuals | Chat messages and commands |
| Best for | Visual experiences, interactive tools | Background automation, chat responses |
| Complexity | More features, more setup options | Simpler, faster to configure |

Both Apps and Bots:

- Are installed from the Root App Store
- Run on Root's servers (nothing to host)
- Can access community data (members, channels, messages)
- Can have configurable settings
- Require the **Manage Apps** permission to install

Many communities use a combination. For example, you might install the Task Tracker App for project management and a Welcome Bot to greet new members.

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## Manage channel files

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/channel-files/manage-files

# Manage channel files

Upload, organize, and delete files in any text channel.

> **Note:** Channel files are currently available on Desktop only.

## Access channel files

1. Open a text channel.
2. Select the **Files** icon  in the channel header.

The file browser opens, showing the channel's root folder. Select a folder to open it and view its contents.

## Upload files

**Required permissions:** Upload Files

1. Open the channel's files.
2. Navigate to the folder where you want to upload files.
3. Select the **Upload file** icon .
4. Choose the files you want to upload.

You can also right-click and select **Upload file**. Dragging and dropping files into the file browser also needs the **Manage Files** permission.

## Create a folder

Organize files by creating folders within a channel's file storage. Folders can be nested inside other folders.

**Required permissions:** Upload Files

1. Open the channel's files.
2. Navigate to the folder where you want to create a subfolder.
3. Right-click in the file browser.
4. Select **Create folder**.

A folder named "New folder" is created. To give it a descriptive name, right-click the folder and select **Rename** (this needs the **Manage Files** permission).

## Rename a file or folder

**Required permissions:** Manage Files

1. Open the channel's files.
2. Right-click the file or folder you want to rename.
3. Select **Rename**.
4. Enter the new name.
5. Press **Enter** or select outside the name field to save.

## Delete a file or folder

Members with **Upload Files** permission can delete their own files. To delete folders, or files uploaded by other members, you need the **Manage Files** permission.

**Required permissions:** Upload Files (Required to delete your own files), Manage Files (Required to delete folders, or files uploaded by other members)

1. Open the channel's files.
2. Right-click the file or folder you want to delete.
3. Select **Delete**.

> **Deleting folders:** Deleting a folder also deletes all files and subfolders inside it. This action cannot be undone.

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## Channel permissions

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/channels/channel-permissions

# Channel permissions

Choose who can see and use each channel and group.

Every channel and channel group has its own permissions that decide who can see it and what they can do inside. New channels are visible to everyone by default. You change that by controlling who has access and, where you need to, adjusting specific permissions for a role or member. Channel permissions build on your community's [roles and permissions](../roles-permissions/overview.md), but apply to one channel or group.

## Common setups

The setups you'll reach for most. Each one is built from who can see the channel and a few permission changes.

| Goal | How to do it |
|------|--------------|
| **Announcements channel** | Keep EVERYONE in Channel Visibility, but set Send Messages to Deny. Only roles where Send Messages is set to Allow can post. |
| **Channel for moderators only** | Remove EVERYONE from Channel Visibility. Add your moderator role. |
| **Private channel group** | Remove EVERYONE from the group's Channel Visibility. Add the roles or members who should see the group and all its channels. |
| **Archive no one can post in** | Keep EVERYONE in Channel Visibility, with Send Messages set to Deny. Everyone can read, no one can post. |
| **Voice channel for one role** | Remove EVERYONE from Channel Visibility. Add the role that should have voice access. |
| **Members choose to post** | Set it up like an announcements channel, then make the posting role [self assignable](../roles-permissions/self-assignable-roles.md). Members add the role to start posting. Useful for a channel with posting rules, like sharing communities or art. |
| **Stop one member posting** | Add the member to the channel and set Send Messages to Deny. They can still read the channel, and they can't post even if one of their roles allows it. |
| **Let mods manage one channel** | Add your moderator role to the channel and set Channel Full Control to Allow. Mods can then edit that channel's permissions, for example to stop one member posting. It doesn't give them control of any other channel. |

> **Change one channel without touching your roles:** Channel permissions only apply to that channel, so you can open up or lock down a single channel without changing anyone's roles. If the channel follows its group's permissions, turn off [permission syncing](../roles-permissions/permission-syncing.md) for it first.

## Change a channel's permissions

Three controls shape what a channel allows. Each has its own page with full steps.

- **Who has access**: give specific roles or members access, or remove EVERYONE from Channel Visibility to make a channel private. See [Manage channel visibility](../roles-permissions/manage-access-rules.md).
- **What they can do**: set a specific permission to Allow or Deny for one channel. See [All permissions](../roles-permissions/permission-reference.md) for everything you can set.
- **Whether it follows its group**: a channel uses its group's permissions unless you turn off syncing. See [Permission syncing](../roles-permissions/permission-syncing.md).

## Manage channels and groups

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/channels/manage-channels-and-groups

# Manage channels and groups

Create, edit, and delete channels and channel groups.

## Create a channel group

**Required permissions:** Create Channel Groups

### Desktop

1. Right-click on any open area in the channels pane.
2. Select **Create channel group**.
3. Enter the name.
4. Optionally, select the **Permissions** tab to control who can see this group.
5. Select **Create**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the menu.
2. Select **Create channel group**.
3. Enter the name.
4. Optionally, select the **Permissions** tab to control who can see this group.
5. Select **Create**.

**Name requirements:**
- 2 to 100 characters
- Letters and numbers, with at most one space and one apostrophe
- The apostrophe can only be in the first word
- Must start and end with a letter or number

By default, new channel groups are visible to all members (EVERYONE). To make a group private, remove EVERYONE from Channel Visibility and add specific roles or members.

## Create a channel

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control (Required on the channel group where you're creating the channel), Manage Apps (Required to create an App channel)

### Desktop

1. Select the **+** symbol next to the channel group where you want to add the channel.
1. Enter the name.
1. Optionally, select the image box at the start of the name field to upload a channel icon (up to 256 KB).
1. Enter the description (optional).
1. Select the channel type (Text, Voice, or App channel).
1. Optionally, select the **Permissions** tab to control who has access.
1. Select **Create**.

### Mobile

1. From the **Home** screen, select the **+** symbol next to the channel group.
1. Optionally, tap the image above the name to upload a channel icon (up to 256 KB).
1. Enter the name.
1. Enter the description (optional).
1. Select the channel type (Text, Voice, or App channel).
1. Optionally, select the **Permissions** tab to control who has access.
1. Select **Create**.

> **App channels:** App channels (beta) run an interactive App in place of a message feed. To install Apps and set them up, see [Install Apps and Bots](../apps/install-apps.md).

**Name requirements:**
- 1 to 100 characters
- Letters, numbers, and hyphens only
- Cannot start or end with a hyphen
- Cannot contain consecutive hyphens (--)

**Description requirements:**
- Maximum 256 characters

By default, new channels inherit permissions from their channel group. See [Permission syncing](../roles-permissions/permission-syncing.md) for details.

## Edit a channel

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel you want to edit.
2. Select **Edit channel**.
3. Make your changes:
   - **Name**: The channel name shown in the channel list
   - **Description**: A brief description of the channel's purpose
   - **Icon**: Select the image box at the start of the name field to upload a channel icon (up to 256 KB)
   - **Permissions**: Control who can access the channel
4. Select **Save**.

### Mobile

1. Tap and hold the channel you want to edit.
2. Select **Edit channel**.
3. Make your changes:
   - **Name**: The channel name shown in the channel list
   - **Description**: A brief description of the channel's purpose
   - **Icon**: Tap the image above the name to upload a channel icon (up to 256 KB)
   - **Permissions**: Control who can access the channel
4. Tap **Save changes**.

## Edit a channel group

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control (Required on the channel group you're editing)

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel group name.
2. Select **Edit channel group**.
3. Make your changes:
   - **Name**: The group name shown in the channel list
   - **Permissions**: Control who can see the group and its channels
4. Select **Save**.

### Mobile

1. Tap and hold the channel group name.
2. Select **Edit channel group**.
3. Make your changes:
   - **Name**: The group name shown in the channel list
   - **Permissions**: Control who can see the group and its channels
4. Tap **Save changes**.

## Delete a channel

> **Deletion is permanent:** When you delete a channel, all messages, files, and history in that channel are permanently deleted. This cannot be undone.

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control (Required on the channel you're deleting)

> **App channels:** You can't delete an App channel from the channel list. To remove it, remove its App in community settings. See [Remove an App or Bot](../apps/install-apps.md#remove-an-app-or-bot).

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel you want to delete.
2. Select **Delete**.
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

### Mobile

1. Tap and hold the channel you want to delete.
2. Select **Delete channel**.
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

## Delete a channel group

When you delete a channel group, all channels inside it are also deleted. You must have Channel Full Control on the group and on every channel it contains.

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control (Required on the channel group and every channel inside it)

If the group contains an App channel, desktop shows **Cannot delete channel group**. Move the App channel to another group, or remove the App first. See [Remove an App or Bot](../apps/install-apps.md#remove-an-app-or-bot).

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel group name.
2. Select **Delete**.
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

### Mobile

1. Tap and hold the channel group name.
2. Select **Delete channel group**.
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

### Before deleting

Consider these alternatives before deleting a channel:

| Alternative | When to use |
|-------------|-------------|
| **Make it private** | You want to hide the channel from most members but keep the history. Remove EVERYONE from Channel Visibility. |
| **Archive it** | Move the channel to a private "Archive" group so it's out of the way but still accessible. |
| **Move channels first** | If deleting a group, move channels you want to keep to another group before deleting. |

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## Organize channels

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/channels/organize-channels

# Organize channels

Reorder channels and move them between groups.

## Reorder channels

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control (Required on the channel you're moving)

### Desktop

1. Drag a channel to a new position within its group.
1. Release to drop the channel in place.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the channel list to open the list options.
1. Tap **Reorder**.
1. On the **Channels** tab, drag a channel by its handle to a new position.
1. Tap **Save**.

## Move a channel to a different group

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control (Required on both the channel and the destination group)

### Desktop

1. Drag the channel from its current group.
1. Drop it into the target channel group.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the channel list to open the list options.
1. Tap **Reorder**.
1. On the **Channels** tab, drag a channel by its handle and drop it under the group you want to move it to.
1. Tap **Save**.

> **Permission syncing:**
> When you move a channel to a new group, its permission syncing setting stays the same. If syncing is on, the channel will adopt the permissions of its new group. If syncing is off, the channel keeps its existing permissions.
> 
> See [Permission syncing](../roles-permissions/permission-syncing.md) for details.

## Reorder channel groups

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control (Required on the channel group you're moving)

### Desktop

1. Drag a channel group header to a new position.
1. Release to drop the group in place.

### Mobile

1. Press and hold the channel list to open the list options.
1. Tap **Reorder**.
1. Select the **Groups** tab, then drag a group by its handle to a new position. Its channels move with it.
1. Tap **Save**.

## Tips for organizing channels

- **Group by topic**: Put related channels together (e.g., all project channels in a "Projects" group)
- **Put important channels first**: Members see the top channels first, so put announcements and general chat near the top
- **Use clear names**: Channel names should make it obvious what the channel is for
- **Archive old channels**: Instead of deleting, move inactive channels to an "Archive" group

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## Community Discovery FAQs

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community-discovery/faqs

# Community Discovery FAQs

Answers to common questions about listing your community in Discovery.

## Listing your community

### What is a Community Discovery listing?

A listing puts your community in Root's public directory, so anyone on Root can find it by category or search and join without an invite. It's off until the owner turns it on, and you can unlist at any time. See [List your community in Discovery](./list-your-community.md).

### Who can turn listing on?

Only the community owner. Admins don't see the **Discovery** section in Community settings, even with the Manage Community permission.

### Why can't I turn listing on?

Your community has to meet every requirement first: a picture, banner, description, and category, join throttling turned on, a verified owner email, at least 4 cores (level 4), at least 10 members, and at least 7 days old. The **Discovery** page in Community settings lists each one under **NEEDS ACTION** or **MET**, and links to where you fix it. The toggle stays off until everything is met. See [Listing requirements](./list-your-community.md#listing-requirements).

### Why does listing need level 4?

Because it keeps the directory worth browsing. Discovery is the first place many new Root users look for a community. If it filled up with abandoned or low effort communities, real ones would get buried and people would stop using it. Asking for four cores is the simplest filter: a community with cores behind it is one that people are invested in.

The cores aren't only for the listing. They also unlock app and bot slots and the other level benefits, and they keep doing that for as long as they're assigned. See [Community levels](../cores-and-levels/community-levels.md).

### Do I need a Sudo subscription to list my community?

No. The level 4 requirement means four cores assigned to your community, and they can come from any members. Members get cores with a Sudo subscription or by buying them directly. See [Community levels](../cores-and-levels/community-levels.md).

### How do I unlist my community?

Turn **List in Discovery** off on the **Discovery** page in Community settings. Your community leaves the directory straight away, and the members you already have stay.

## After you're listed

### Why can't I find my community in Discovery?

A few things to check:

- **Sorting**: the directory sorts by **Highest level** by default, and **Most members** is the other option. A community that has just met the minimums sits near the bottom of both. Select **Load more** to see further down the list.
- **Search**: type your community's name in **Search communities**. Search matches names and descriptions.
- **Category**: if a category pill is selected, only that category shows. Select **All**.
- **You're already a member**: your own community still appears, with a **Joined** tag on its card.

If the **Discovery** settings page says your community is listed, it is in the directory. On desktop, select **View in Discovery** on that page to jump straight to your listing.

### Does my community get unlisted if it drops below a requirement?

No. The requirements are checked when you turn listing on. If a member leaves or a core is unassigned afterwards, your community stays listed. You only need to meet the requirements again if you unlist and want to turn listing back on.

### Why can't I remove my community's banner, description, or join throttle?

Because your community is listed. A listed community is expected to keep its picture, banner, description, category, and join throttle. On desktop and mobile, a save that would clear one of them is blocked and a notice names the field. You can still change these, but you cannot leave them empty. To remove one, unlist your community first: open the **Discovery** page in Community settings, turn **List in Discovery** off, then make the change.

### Can people join from Discovery if my community is age restricted or requires a verified email?

Yes. Those settings still apply. Someone joining from Discovery is asked to confirm they're 18 or older, or to verify their email address, before they get in. See [Age restrictions](../community/age-restrictions.md) and [Verified member access](../members-and-invites/require-email-verification.md).

### Why does the Discovery page say listing has been disabled?

Root moderation has removed your community from Discovery, usually for breaking the [Community Discovery guidelines](./guidelines.md). The toggle is locked while this applies. If you think it's a mistake, [report an issue](../../support/report-issue.md) to Root support.

### Can I see who joined from Discovery?

Yes. The community's action log records each member who joined from Discovery, and when listing was turned on or off. See [Monitor actions](../moderation/action-log.md).

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## Community Discovery guidelines

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community-discovery/guidelines

# Community Discovery guidelines

Keep your listed community within Root's rules so it stays in Discovery.

A Discovery listing puts your community in front of everyone on Root. That reach comes with a few responsibilities for owners and moderators. These guidelines apply to the community, its channels, its apps, and any places it links to. Owners and moderators are responsible for keeping the community within them.

Root can remove a community from Discovery if it breaks these guidelines. See [If Root disables your listing](./list-your-community.md#if-root-disables-your-listing).

## Follow the Root Community Guidelines and Terms of Use

Listing doesn't change the rules. It makes following them more important, because far more people can see your community. Everything in the [Community Guidelines](https://www.rootapp.com/community-guidelines) applies: Be Kind, Be Rooted in Safety, Be Authentic, and Honor User Privacy.

Your moderators should handle reports made in your community, and your team should know when something needs to go to Root instead. A community that Root takes action against can be removed from Discovery.

## Keep it welcoming

People should feel safe joining from a public listing. That means:

- No content or behavior meant to single out, bully, or harass people or other communities, on Root or elsewhere.
- No organizing raids or group harassment.
- No encouraging a toxic, hateful, or insulting culture, even as a joke.

## Keep public spaces suitable for every Root user

Root is open to people 16 and up. Graphic violence, gore, and sexual content are not allowed in a listed community's public spaces or in its listing.

- The name, description, picture, and banner must be suitable for all audiences. This applies even if the community has the age restriction turned on.
- The Community Guidelines allow sexually explicit content only inside communities with the age restriction turned on, and never in public places such as pictures and banners.

## No drugs, regulated goods, or illegal activity

- No discussion of buying, selling, or using controlled substances.
- No communities dedicated to regulated goods such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling, or weapons.
- Nothing that helps people break the law or harms others.

## Present the community honestly

The listing is a promise about what someone will find inside.

- The name, description, and category must accurately describe the community. Don't pick a misleading category to show up in more searches.
- No profanity in the name, description, or channel names.
- No pretending to be another person, brand, game, or community.
- No spam, scams, or communities that exist only to advertise.

## Respect other people's rights

Only use content you own or have permission to use, including the picture and banner. Don't share private information about other people or make false claims about them.

## Have an active moderation team

Someone needs to be watching. A listed community should have moderators who handle reports, enforce the community's own rules, and can be trusted by members. Keep the join throttle on so a sudden wave of new members from Discovery doesn't overwhelm them. See [Join throttle](../members-and-invites/join-throttle.md).

These guidelines build on the [Root Community Guidelines](https://www.rootapp.com/community-guidelines) and [Terms of Use](https://www.rootapp.com/terms-of-use). If the two ever disagree, the Community Guidelines and Terms of Use apply.

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## List your community in Discovery

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community-discovery/list-your-community

# List your community in Discovery

List your community publicly so anyone on Root can find and join it.

## What is a Discovery listing?

A *Discovery listing* puts your community in Root's public directory, on the **Explore** page on desktop and the **Community discovery** screen on mobile. Anyone on Root can browse the directory, search it, and join your community with one tap. No invite is needed.

Listing is opt in. Your community is not listed until you turn it on, and you can unlist it at any time. While it's listed, your community's age restriction and verified member access settings still apply to anyone who joins.

Only the community **owner** can list or unlist a community. Admins don't see the **Discovery** section in Community settings, even with the Manage Community permission.

A listed community has to follow the [Community Discovery guidelines](./guidelines.md), on top of Root's Community Guidelines. Read them before you turn listing on.

## Listing requirements

Before you can turn listing on, your community has to meet all of these requirements. The **Discovery** settings page shows each one, grouped as **Needs action**, **Checked when you turn listing on**, or **Met** (in capitals on mobile), with a running count like **6 of 9 met**.

| Requirement | What you need | Where to fix it |
|-------------|---------------|-----------------|
| **Community picture** | A community image | [Change community image](../community/customize-community-appearance.md#change-community-image) |
| **Community banner** | A banner image, shown on your card in Discovery | [Add a community banner](../community/customize-community-appearance.md#add-a-community-banner) |
| **Description** | A short description of what your community is about | [Add a description and category](../community/customize-community-appearance.md#add-a-description-and-category) |
| **Category** | One of Root's categories, so people can filter for you | [Add a description and category](../community/customize-community-appearance.md#add-a-description-and-category) |
| **Join throttle** | Join throttling turned on, to protect a public community from raids | [Join throttle](../members-and-invites/join-throttle.md) |
| **Verified owner email** | Your own email address verified | [Verify your email address](../../member/get-started/create-account.md#verify-your-email-address) |
| **Cores** | At least 4 cores assigned to the community (level 4) | [Community levels](../cores-and-levels/community-levels.md) |
| **Members** | At least 10 members | |
| **Community age** | Created at least 7 days ago | |

The last three are minimums set by Root and can change. The settings page always shows the current numbers, for example **Need at least 10 members · 7 now**.

The minimums are there to keep the directory useful. A community that has members, has been around for a week, and has cores behind it is one that people are invested in, and that's what someone browsing Discovery wants to find. The cores can come from any members, not only the owner, and they unlock app and bot slots as well as the listing.

Each requirement under **Needs action** (**NEEDS ACTION** on mobile) links straight to the place you fix it, such as **Upload in Profile** (**Upload in Overview** on mobile) or **Enable in Protection**.

> **Tip:** The **Preview** card at the bottom of the Discovery settings page shows exactly how your community will look in the directory. Check it before you turn listing on, and use it to see how your banner and description read at a glance.

> **Recommended: set up moderation before you list:**
> Listing opens your community to everyone on Root, so expect more new members and, now and then, spam or someone looking to cause trouble. None of these are required to list, but they're worth having in place first:
> 
> - A **moderator role**, so a trusted team can act fast. See [Moderation overview](../moderation/overview.md).
> - The **[Moderation App](../../member/apps/moderation.md)**, which automatically removes harmful messages and catches spam using slur, profanity, and custom word filters. You can also install a third-party moderation app if you have the [cores for an app slot](../cores-and-levels/community-levels.md).
> - **[Email verification](../members-and-invites/require-email-verification.md)** on top of the required join throttle, to make throwaway spam accounts harder to create.

## List your community

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Discovery**.
1. Work through any items under **Needs action**.
1. Toggle **List in Discovery** on.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the channel list to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Discovery**.
1. Work through any items under **NEEDS ACTION**.
1. Toggle **List in Discovery** on.

The change applies straight away, with no save button. The status line confirms that your community is listed. On desktop, select **View in Discovery** on the same page to open your listing and see it as members do.

The toggle stays off until everything under **Needs action** (**NEEDS ACTION** on mobile) is done. If a requirement is still open, the page tells you how many are left.

## Unlist your community

Turn **List in Discovery** off on the same page. Your community leaves the directory straight away. Members who already joined stay in the community.

## After you're listed

The requirements are checked when you turn listing on, not afterwards. If your community later drops below one of the minimums, for example a member leaves or a core is unassigned, it stays listed. You only need to meet the requirements again if you unlist and want to turn listing back on.

The parts of the listing you control directly are protected while you're listed. You can change your community's picture, banner, description, and category, and adjust the join throttle, but you cannot leave one empty. If a change would leave one empty, you cannot save it, and a notice explains that the field is required while your community is listed in Discovery. This works the same on desktop and mobile.

To remove one of these, unlist your community first, then make the change.

## What members see

- In the directory, your community appears as a card with its picture, banner, name, category, member count, level, and description.
- Members who join from Discovery get the **Everyone** role, like any other new member.
- The community's action log records when you list or unlist the community, and when someone joins from Discovery. See [Monitor actions](../moderation/action-log.md).

## If Root disables your listing

Root moderation can remove a community from Discovery, usually for breaking the [Community Discovery guidelines](./guidelines.md). If that happens, the Discovery settings page shows **Discovery has been disabled for this community by Root moderation** and the toggle is locked. If you think this is a mistake, [report an issue](../../support/report-issue.md) to Root support.

Can't find your community in the directory, or wondering what happens if you lose a core? See [Community Discovery FAQs](./faqs.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Age restrictions

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/age-restrictions

# Age restrictions

Limit your community to members who confirm they're 18 or older.

## What are age-restricted communities?

*Age-restricted communities* require members to confirm they are 18 or older before they can view content. When turned on, users see a confirmation prompt when joining or when the setting is activated on a community they already belong to.

Only the community **owner** can change this setting. Admins don't see the **Age-restricted community** toggle at all, even with the Manage Community permission.

## Enable or disable age restrictions

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **Moderation**, select **Protection**. Under **Who can join**, find **Age-restricted community**.
1. Toggle the switch on or off.
1. Select **Save changes** to apply your changes.

### Mobile

1. Open your community.
1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Overview**.
1. Find **Age-restricted community**.
1. Toggle the switch on or off.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

## What members see

Members see a confirmation prompt in two situations: when joining an age-restricted community, and when a community they already belong to enables age restrictions.

### Joining an age-restricted community

When a user joins an age-restricted community (via link, invite, or Community Discovery), they see a confirmation prompt:

- **Title**: Age-Restricted Community
- **Message**: This community is age-restricted. You must confirm that you are 18 years or older to join.
- **Confirm**: "I am 18 or older" (desktop) / "I am 18+" (mobile)
- **Decline**: "Cancel"

### Existing members

Members who are already in the community see a similar prompt the next time they open it and must confirm to continue or leave.

- **Title**: Age-Restricted Community
- **Message**: This community is age-restricted. You must confirm that you are 18 years or older to join. (desktop) / This community is now age-restricted. You must confirm that you are 18 years or older to stay in the community. (mobile)
- **Confirm**: "I am 18 or older" (desktop) / "I am 18+" (mobile)
- **Decline**: "Leave"

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Community settings

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/community-settings

# Community settings

Manage every part of your community from one place.

## What is Community settings?

*Community settings* is the control panel for your community. It's where you
set up the community itself, manage members and invites, install Apps and
Bots, and handle moderation. The settings are grouped into three sections:
**General**, **Management**, and **Moderation**.

You only see the sections and items you have permission to manage, so your menu
may show fewer options than the ones listed here.

## Open Community settings

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select a section from the left navigation.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the channel list to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap a section.

## General

| Setting | What it does | Learn more |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Profile** | Set your community's name, image, color, banner, description, and category. On mobile this page is called **Overview**, and it also has the age restriction (owner only). | [Customize appearance](./customize-community-appearance.md), [Age restrictions](./age-restrictions.md) |
| **Engagement** | Choose a system messages channel and the default notifications for members. | [System messages channel](./system-messages-channel.md), [Default notifications](./default-notifications.md) |
| **Discovery** | List your community in Root's public directory so anyone can find and join it (owner only). | [Community Discovery](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md) |
| **Roles** | Create roles and choose what members can do. | [Manage roles](../roles-permissions/role-tasks.md) |
| **Emoji** | Add and manage custom emoji for your community. | [Manage community emoji](./manage-emoji.md) |

## Management

| Setting | What it does | Learn more |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Members** | View your member list and manage individual members. | [Manage members](../members-and-invites/manage-members.md) |
| **Invites** | Create invites and see who's been invited. | [Invite members](../members-and-invites/invite-members.md) |
| **Apps** | Install and manage Apps in your community. | [Apps and Bots](../apps/index.md) |
| **Bots** | Install and manage Bots in your community. | [Apps and Bots](../apps/index.md) |
| **Cores** | See the cores powering your community, its level, and what it has unlocked. | [Community levels](../cores-and-levels/community-levels.md) |

On mobile, this section is called **Member management** and has **Members** and **Invites**. **Cores**, **Apps**, and **Bots** are under **General**.

## Moderation

| Setting | What it does | Learn more |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Protection** | Guard against spam and raids with join limits and email verification. On desktop, the age restriction (owner only) is here too. | [Join throttle](../members-and-invites/join-throttle.md), [Verified member access](../members-and-invites/require-email-verification.md), [Age restrictions](./age-restrictions.md) |
| **Action logs** | Review a log of changes and activity in your community. | [Monitor actions](../moderation/action-log.md) |
| **Banned members** | See who's banned and lift a ban when needed. | [Manage banned members](../moderation/banned-members.md) |

## Leave or delete

At the bottom of Community settings, the owner can [delete the community](./delete-community.md), and any member can leave it.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Create a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/create-community

# Create a community

Start a fresh community, ready with default roles and channels.

> **Coming from Discord?:** If you have an existing Discord server, you can [import a Discord server template](import-discord-template.md) to recreate your roles, channels, and channel groups automatically.

## Prerequisites

- Root client installed ([download Root](https://www.rootapp.com/download))
- A Root user account

## Create your community

### Desktop

1. Select the **+** button in the tab bar at the top of the screen to open a new tab.
1. In the new tab, select **Create community**.
1. Enter your community name. The name must only contain letters, numbers, apostrophes, and spaces, and be 1 to 100 characters long.
1. Choose a community color. On the **Palette** tab, choose from preset colors. On the **Spectrum** tab, use the color spectrum and slider, or type a 6-character hex code (e.g., `FF5500`) in the hex input field.
1. Upload your community image (optional).
1. Select **Create** to finish.

### Mobile

1. Tap the menu icon  in the top-left corner.
1. Select **Create community**.
1. Enter your community name. The name must only contain letters, numbers, apostrophes, and spaces, and be 1 to 100 characters long.
1. Choose a community color.
1. Upload your community image (optional).
1. Tap **Create** to finish.

> **Image won't upload?:** Your community image is optional and must be 10 MB or smaller. If the upload fails, try a smaller image, or create the community without one and add it later in your community settings.

## Community owner

The member who created the community is the **owner**. Owners have a crown  next to their name and automatically have every permission. Only the owner can delete the community or transfer ownership to another member.

## Default roles

New communities include two default roles. You can change the permissions for each role as needed.

| **Role** | **Description** | **Notes** |
| ---- | ----------- | ----- |
| **EVERYONE** | Basic role for all members. Includes permissions for everyday activity: viewing channels, sending messages, using voice, viewing files, and more. All members automatically get this role. | You cannot remove it from members, and you cannot delete the role from the community. |
| **Admins**   | A powerful role with nearly all permissions. Give this role to members who help run the community. | Includes the ability to manage the community, roles, members, channels, and more. Does not include Full Control. Add only to trusted members. You can edit, remove, or delete this role. |

## Default channel groups

New communities include two default channel groups, one for members and one for administrators.

### General group

The **General** group and all its channels are open to EVERYONE.

| **Channel** | **Type** | **Description**                               |
| ----------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| **Text**    | Text     | Standard text channel for general discussion. This is also set as the default channel for system messages. |
| **Voice**   | Voice    | Voice channel for calls.                      |

### Admin group

The **Admin** group and all its channels are only available to members with the **Admins** role. Members who are not **Admins** won't see the channel group or its channels.

| **Channel**     | **Type** | **Description**                                                     |
| --------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Admin-Text**  | Text     | Private text channel for administrator discussions.                 |
| **Admin-Voice** | Voice    | Private voice channel for administrator meetings and conversations. |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Customize community appearance

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/customize-community-appearance

# Customize community appearance

Give your community its own name, image, color, banner, and description.

**Required permissions:** Manage Community (Change community settings)

## Change community name

The community name appears in the tab bar and in search results.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select the **Profile** category.
1. Edit the **Name** field.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Overview**.
1. Enter the new name.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

**Name requirements:**
- 1 to 100 characters
- Letters, numbers, apostrophes, and spaces only

## Change community image

The community image appears in the tab bar and helps members identify your community.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select the **Profile** category.
1. Select the community image to upload a new one, or select the **Remove** icon  to delete the current image.
1. When you upload a new image, drag it to reposition and use the zoom slider to frame it, then select **Apply**.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Overview**.
1. Tap the community image, or tap the **Remove** icon  to delete the current image.
1. Choose a new image from your device.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

## Change community color

The community color appears as an accent throughout the community interface.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select the **Profile** category.
1. Select a new color from the color picker. On the **Palette** tab, choose from preset colors. On the **Spectrum** tab, use the color spectrum and slider.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Overview**.
1. Select a new color.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

## Add a community banner

The banner appears on your community's card in Community Discovery. It's always shown at a 3:1 ratio, so the crop you set here is what people see.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select the **Profile** category.
1. Select the banner (it shows **Upload a banner** until you add one) and choose an image.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Overview**.
1. Under **Banner**, tap to upload an image.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

The recommended size is 900×300 pixels.

## Add a description and category

The description and category appear on your community's card in Community Discovery, and both are needed before you can list your community. See [Community Discovery](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md).

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select the **Profile** category.
1. Under **What it's about**, enter a **Description**.
1. Choose a **Category** from the list.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Overview**.
1. Enter a **Description**.
1. Choose a **Category** from the list.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

The description can be up to 256 characters. The categories are **Gaming**, **Music**, **Education**, **Technology**, **Art & Creative**, **Sports**, and **Social**.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Default notifications

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/default-notifications

# Default notifications

Choose what your members get notified about until they pick their own setting.

## What are default notifications?

*Default notifications* decide which messages notify members who haven't chosen a notification setting for your community yet. There are two options:

| Option | What members get |
|--------|------------------|
| **All messages** | A notification for every new message |
| **Only @mentions** | A notification only when they're mentioned |

If you haven't chosen a default, the setting shows **Only @mentions**. Members can change their own setting at any time, and their choice always wins over the default. See [Community and channel notifications](../../member/notifications/community-notifications.md).

## How it works in large communities

Bigger communities have a few limits, so members aren't flooded:

- **More than 250 members:** members who haven't chosen their own setting get **Only @mentions**, even if the default is **All messages**.
- **More than 2,500 members:** mobile push notifications are only sent for mentions, even to members who chose **All messages**.

The settings page shows a note when either limit applies to your community.

## Change the default notifications

**Required permissions:** Manage Community (Change community settings)

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select the **Engagement** category.
1. Under **Default notifications**, select **All messages** or **Only @mentions**.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the channel list.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Engagement**.
1. Under **Default notifications**, tap **All messages** or **Only @mentions**.

Changes save straight away.

The change is recorded in the community's [action log](../moderation/action-log.md).

## Delete a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/delete-community

# Delete a community

Permanently remove your community and all its content.

## About community deletion

Only the community owner can delete a community. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.

When you delete a community:

- All channels, messages, and files are permanently deleted
- All roles and permissions are removed
- All members lose access immediately
- Apps installed in the community are removed
- The community name becomes available for reuse

:::danger This action is permanent
Deleting a community cannot be undone. All data, including messages, files, roles, and member history, will be permanently lost. Make sure you want to proceed before confirming.
:::

## Delete your community

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Delete community**.
1. Type the community name to confirm.
1. Select **Delete** to permanently remove the community.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Delete community**.
1. Type the community name to confirm.
1. Tap **Delete** to permanently remove the community.

## Alternatives to deletion

Before deleting your community, consider these alternatives:

| Alternative | When to use |
|-------------|-------------|
| **Transfer ownership** | You want to leave but keep the community running. See [Transfer ownership](transfer-ownership.md). |
| **Remove members** | You want to clear the community but keep it for yourself. See [Kick or ban members](../moderation/kick-ban-members.md). |
| **Leave the community** | You're not the owner and just want to exit. You can leave without affecting other members. |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Import a Discord server template

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/import-discord-template

# Import a Discord server template

Recreate your Discord server's structure in a new Root community.

When you import a Discord server template, Root recreates your roles, channels, and channel groups so you can get started quickly without setting everything up yourself.

## What is a Discord server template?

A Discord server template is a shareable blueprint of your Discord server's structure. It includes roles, channels, and categories but not members, messages, or other content.

To learn how to create a template from your Discord server, see [Discord's template documentation](https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041033511-Server-Templates).

## Before you start

You need a Discord server template URL. The URL looks like this: `https://discord.new/abc123`

## Import a template

### Desktop

1. Select the **+** button in the tab bar at the top of the screen.
1. Select **Create community**.
1. Select **Import from Discord**.
1. Paste your Discord template URL in the input field.
1. Select **Import**.
1. After the template loads, the community name auto-fills with your Discord server name. You can change it.
1. Choose a community color and upload a community image (optional).
1. Select **Create** to finish.

### Mobile

1. Tap the menu icon  in the top-left corner.
1. Select **Create community**.
1. Turn on **Import from Discord**.
1. Paste your Discord template link in the **Template link** field.
1. Tap **Import**. Root shows how many channel groups, channels and roles it found. Tap **Clear** to start again with a different link.
1. Enter your community name, and choose a community color and image (optional).
1. Tap **Create**.

Root shows **Setting up** while it creates the roles and channels. Keep Root open until it finishes. If some of the template couldn’t be copied, Root tells you, and you can add the rest yourself.

## What gets imported

| **Discord element** | **Root equivalent** | **Notes** |
| ------------------- | ------------------- | --------- |
| Server name | Community name | Auto-fills, but you can change it |
| @everyone role | EVERYONE role | Permissions from Discord's @everyone are applied to Root's EVERYONE role |
| Other roles | Roles | Includes name, color, and permissions |
| Categories | Channel groups | Structure preserved |
| Text channels | Text channels | Name, description, and position preserved |
| Voice channels | Voice channels | Name and position preserved |
| Permission overwrites | Channel Visibility and permissions | Role permissions set per channel |

## What doesn't get imported

- Members and member roles
- Message history
- Files and attachments
- Custom emojis and stickers
- Bots and webhooks
- Server settings (verification level, etc.)
- Integrations
- The default Admins role

## Permission mapping

Discord permissions are automatically converted to the closest Root equivalents. Some Discord permissions don't have a direct match in Root and are skipped.

For example:
- Discord's **Administrator** becomes Root's **Full Control**
- Discord's **Manage Server** becomes Root's **Manage Community**
- Discord's **Kick Members** becomes Root's **Kick**

After importing, review your roles to verify the settings match your expectations.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Manage community emoji

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/manage-emoji

# Manage community emoji

Add custom emoji your members can use in messages and reactions.

## What are community emoji?

*Community emoji* are custom images that members can use alongside standard emoji in messages and reactions. Community owners upload emoji to their community, and any member can use them through the emoji picker or by typing the shortcode.

In channels where members have the Use External Emojis permission, they can use custom emoji from other communities they belong to. External emoji are always available in direct messages.

## How community emoji work

Each community can have up to 100 custom emoji. The emoji page in community settings shows how many slots are available.

When you upload an emoji, you assign it a *shortcode*, a short name wrapped in colons (for example, `:wave_hello:`). Members type the shortcode or select the emoji from the picker to use it.

| Requirement | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| Max emoji per community | 100 |
| Max file size | 256 KB |
| Animated images | Supported (GIF) |
| Shortcode characters | Letters, digits, underscores |
| Shortcode min length | 2 characters |
| Shortcode max length | 32 characters |

For every size, count, and length limit across Root in one place, see [Limits and maximums](../../support/limits.md).

## Add a custom emoji

**Required permissions:** Manage Emojis (add custom emoji to the community)

### Desktop

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **General**, select **Emoji**.
1. Select **Upload Emoji**.
1. Choose an image file.
1. Drag the image to reposition it in the crop area. Use the zoom slider to adjust the size.
1. Check the preview on the right to see how the emoji will appear in reactions and messages.
1. Enter the emoji's shortcode in the **Emoji name** field (for example, `wave_hello`).
1. Select **Finish**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Emoji**.
1. Tap the **+** button.
1. Select an image.
1. Enter a shortcode for the emoji in the **Shortcode** field (for example, `wave_hello`).
1. Tap **Add emoji**.

## Delete a custom emoji

Permanently remove a custom emoji from the community. Deleted emoji can no longer be used in new messages or reactions.

**Required permissions:** Manage Emojis (delete custom emoji from the community)

### Desktop

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Under **General**, select **Emoji**.
1. Under **Custom emoji**, select the emoji you want to delete.
1. Under **Delete**, select **Delete emoji**.
1. Confirm the deletion.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Emoji**.
1. Tap the emoji you want to delete.
1. Tap **Delete Emoji**.
1. Confirm the deletion.

> **Caution:** Deleting an emoji is permanent and cannot be undone.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## System messages channel

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/system-messages-channel

# System messages channel

Pick a channel where Root posts automatic updates about your community.

## What is the system messages channel?

The *system messages channel* is a text channel that automatically receives notifications when important events happen in your community. These system messages help members stay informed about community activity without requiring manual announcements.

## How it works

You can turn this feature on or off and change the channel at any time in community settings. After changing channels, new system messages go to the new channel. Messages already sent to the previous channel remain there.

If you turn off system messages, automatic notifications are not sent anywhere. Events still happen normally (members can still join, messages can still be pinned) but no automatic messages announce these events.

Turning on the system messages channel only affects future events. System messages are only created when events happen while the feature is turned on. You won't see messages for events that happened before you enabled the feature or while it was turned off.

## What messages appear?

The system messages channel receives automatic notifications for:

| Event | Example message |
|-------|-----------------|
| Member joined | "Alex joined the community!" |
| Member left | "Alex left the community!" |
| Member kicked | "Jordan kicked Sam" |
| Member banned | "Jordan banned Sam" |
| Message pinned | "Jordan pinned a message" |
| Message unpinned | "Jordan unpinned a message" |
| Channel name changed | "Jordan set the *channel name* to **announcements**" |
| Channel description changed | "Jordan set the *channel description* to **Important updates**" |
| Community name changed | "Jordan set the *community name* to **Gaming Hub**" |
| Other community setting changed | "Jordan turned on *age restriction*" |
| Core added | "Alex powered up the community with a core" |
| Core removed | "A core from Alex was removed from the community" |
| App suspended | "Polls has been suspended due to insufficient cores" |
| Added to channel visibility | "Jordan added @Moderators" |
| Removed from channel visibility | "Jordan removed @Moderators" |

System messages appear inline with regular messages and are visually distinct from user-sent messages.

## Best practices

Consider these recommendations when setting up your system messages channel:

- **Think about visibility.** System messages follow the same permissions as regular messages in that channel. If you want all members to see system messages, designate a channel that everyone can access. If system messages contain sensitive information, consider limiting access to community owners or moderators.

- **Use a dedicated channel.** Don't mix system messages with regular conversation. Create a separate channel specifically for system messages so they don't get lost in chat.

- **Make it read-only.** Restrict posting permissions so only system messages appear. This keeps the channel clean and makes it easy to scan for important events.

## Enable or disable system messages

You can enable or disable system messages at any time. When turned off, no system messages are sent to any channel. New communities have system messages turned on, sent to the **Text** channel. You can pick another channel at any time.

**Required permissions:** Manage Community (Change community settings)

  
### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select the **Engagement** category.
1. Turn **System messages** on or off.
1. If it's on, choose the text channel that should receive system messages under **Channel**.
1. Select **Save changes**.
  
  
### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the channel list.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Engagement**.
1. Turn **System messages channel** on or off. Turning it on picks your first text channel.
1. To use a different channel, tap the channel under **Select channel** and pick one.

Changes save straight away.
  

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Transfer ownership

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/transfer-ownership

# Transfer ownership

Hand over ownership of your community to another member.

## About ownership transfer

The community owner has full control over the community, including the ability to delete it. Only the current owner can transfer ownership to another member.

When you transfer ownership:

- The new owner gets all owner abilities, including full control and the crown 
- You become a regular member (unless the new owner assigns you a role)
- The transfer takes effect immediately and cannot be undone by you

> **Warning:** Transferring ownership is permanent. You will lose all owner abilities. Only transfer ownership to someone you trust completely.

## Transfer ownership

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Members**.
1. Locate the member to become the new owner.
1. Select the menu button . You can also right-click the member.
1. Select **Transfer ownership**.
1. Select **Transfer**.
1. In **Verify Identity**, select **Use Password** or **Use Passkey**, then enter your password or use your passkey to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **View members**.
1. Locate the member to become the new owner.
1. Tap their avatar.
1. Tap **Transfer ownership**.
1. Tap **Continue**.
1. Verify your identity with your password or passkey.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Community levels

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/cores-and-levels/community-levels

# Community levels

See what your community has unlocked and who helped power it up.

## What is a community level?

A *community level* is a measure of how many cores members have assigned to your community. A *core* is a power-up a member can give to a community, from a Sudo subscription or bought directly. One core makes the community level 1, two cores make it level 2, and so on.

Levels are earned by your members, not bought by the community. Any member can assign a core, and cores from different members all count toward the same total.

## What each level unlocks

A community's level keeps climbing as members assign more cores, with no upper limit.

| Level | What it unlocks |
|-------|-----------------|
| 1 | 1 app or bot slot |
| 2 | A [vanity invite link](./vanity-invite-link.md), plus another app or bot slot |
| 3 | Another app or bot slot |
| 4 | A [Community Discovery listing](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md), plus another app or bot slot |
| 5 and up | Another app or bot slot at each level |

Every core adds one app or bot slot, so a higher level means you can install more apps. See [Install apps](../apps/install-apps.md).

The other benefits unlock at the level shown and stay unlocked while the community keeps that many cores. Above level 4, each level currently adds another app or bot slot. More benefits for the higher levels are planned.

> **Tip:** The level badge shows the community's level number. Its artwork reaches its top design at level 10, and the number keeps climbing from there as the community earns more cores.

## View your community's level

Everyone in the community can see the level badge, so members can see what the community has unlocked.

### Desktop

Select the **level badge** at the top of the members panel, on the left.

The **Level up the community** panel shows your current level, the next level, and what each one unlocks.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
1. Tap the **level badge**.

The screen shows your current level, the next level, and what each one unlocks.

## View cores and contributors

The community's Cores page shows every core assigned to the community, who contributed it, and how many app or bot slots are still free.

**Required permissions:** Manage Community (view the community's cores), Manage Apps (view the community's cores)

Either permission is enough.

### Desktop

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Cores**.

The page shows your level, how many cores are **available for apps & bots**, the benefits next to **Unlocked**, and a **Contributed by** list of the members who assigned cores. If a core is due to leave and that would take you below the number of apps you have installed, a warning appears here.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Cores**.

The page lists **Unlocked benefits** and **Contributors**, and flags any core that is leaving or moving, with the date.

> **Note:** Members can unassign a core or move it elsewhere, which lowers your level and can remove a benefit for everyone. Those changes are not immediate: they take effect at the start of that core's next billing cycle, so you get some warning. The Cores page flags any core that is due to leave, with the date.

## If your community loses a core

Losing a core lowers your community's level. If that leaves you with fewer app or bot slots than you have apps installed, **one of those apps is suspended**.

A core can go for a few reasons: a member unassigns it, a member moves it to another community, or a member's Sudo subscription ends.

### What a suspended app looks like

A suspended app stops working, but its data is kept for now. A message is posted in the community, the suspension is recorded in the community's audit log, and community owners get an email.

What you see in the app depends on the platform.

### Desktop

- The channel shows a **red dot** and **App suspended** in the channel list
- Opening the app's settings shows an **APP SUSPENDED** warning

The warning covers two different situations: the community not having enough cores, and the app being under maintenance. Only the first one deletes anything. If you got an email about a lost core, it's that one, and the deadline in the email applies.

### Mobile

- The channel shows a **red dot** and **App suspended** in the channel list
- Tapping the channel shows a message: **This app is suspended and can't be opened right now**
- If the app is open when it gets suspended, an **APP SUSPENDED** warning appears

Like desktop, the warning covers two situations, the community not having enough cores and the app being under maintenance, and only the cores one deletes anything. It doesn't show the deletion date. If you got an email about a lost core, it's the cores one, and the deadline in the email applies.

:::danger Suspended apps are deleted after about three days
The email tells you the exact date and time. If you do nothing before then, **the app and its data are permanently deleted**. This cannot be undone.
:::

### Restore a suspended app

To bring the app back, restore your community's capacity before the deadline in the email. Either:

- Get a core back, by asking a member to assign one, or
- Have the member whose subscription lapsed reactivate it

Once the community has enough cores again, the app is restored and starts working. There's nothing to reinstall.

> **Tip:** If you're close to your app or bot slot limit, it's worth removing an app you don't use before you lose a core. That way you choose which app goes, rather than finding out by email.

## Encourage members to power up your community

If your community has no cores yet, the Cores page explains that members can power it up from the community's level badge. Point members at the badge rather than at settings, since assigning a core does not need any permission.

Members can get a core to give with a Sudo subscription, or by buying cores directly. See [Cores overview](../../sudo/cores/what-are-cores.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Vanity invite link

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/cores-and-levels/vanity-invite-link

# Vanity invite link

Claim a short, memorable invite link with your community's name in it.

## What is a vanity invite link?

A *vanity invite link* is a custom invite link you choose, instead of the random code Root generates. It makes your community easier to share out loud, print, or put in a video description.

Your community needs to be **level 2**, which means two members have assigned cores to it. See [Community levels](./community-levels.md).

> **Note:** The link stays claimed only while the community stays at level 2 or above. If the level drops, you lose the custom link.

## Choose a code

Before you claim, pick a code that fits these rules:

| Requirement | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| Length | 3 to 32 characters |
| Characters | Letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens |
| Availability | Must not already be taken by another community |

Root checks as you type and shows **This link is available!** (desktop) or **Available!** (mobile) when a code is free. Two lengths are not allowed, 22 and 36 characters, because Root reserves those for the codes it generates itself. If you enter one, you are asked to pick a slightly shorter or longer code.

## Claim your vanity invite link

**Required permissions:** Manage Invites (claim and manage the vanity invite link)

### Desktop

1. Select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Invites**.
1. Under **Vanity link**, find **Vanity invite link**. It shows **Unlocked** once the community is level 2.
1. Enter the code you want. Root checks whether it is free as you type.
1. Select **Claim link**.
1. Check the confirmation, then select **Claim**.

Your community is now reachable at the new link.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Invites**.
1. Find **Vanity invite link**.
1. Enter the code you want.
1. Tap **Claim**, then confirm.

If the community is below level 2, the section shows **Locked** on desktop (**LOCKED** on mobile) instead of the claim box. On mobile, it also shows **Unlocks at community level 2**.

## Share or remove your link

### Desktop

On the **Invites** page, under **Vanity link**:

- Select **Copy link** next to your link to copy it. You can also select the link itself.
- To give the link up, select the options button  next to **Copy link**, then select **Remove link**.

The number of times the link has been used shows under **Vanity invite link**.

### Mobile

On the **Invites** page, tap your vanity invite link to share it. Or tap the three dots next to **Vanity invite link**, then tap **Share link** to share it or **Delete** to give it up.

> **Caution:** Removing your vanity invite link frees the code for any other community to claim. Anyone using the old link can no longer join with it, so replace it anywhere you have shared it.

Your other invite links keep working as normal. See [Invite people](../../member/communities/invite-people.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Create channels and channel groups

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/get-started/create-channels-and-groups

# Create channels and channel groups

Create channels where members talk, and organize them into channel groups.

## Create a channel group

### Desktop

1. Right-click on any open area in the channels pane.
1. Select **Create channel group**.
1. Enter the name.
1. Set custom permissions (optional).
1. Select **Create**.

### Mobile

1. From the **Home** screen, select the community name.
1. Select **Create channel group**.
1. Enter the name.
1. Set custom permissions (optional).
1. Select **Create**.

## Create a channel

### Desktop

1. Select the **+** symbol next to a channel group.
1. Enter the name.
1. Enter the description (optional).
1. Select the type.
1. Set custom permissions (optional).
1. Select **Create**.

### Mobile

1. From the **Home** screen, select the **+** symbol next to a channel group.
1. Enter the name.
1. Select the type.
1. Enter the description (optional).
1. Set custom permissions (optional).
1. Select **Create**.

## Learn more

For detailed information about channels, including editing, deleting, organizing, and setting permissions, see the [Channels](../channels/index.md) section.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Start your community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/get-started/create-community

# Start your community

Every community starts with a name, a color and an optional image.

Follow the steps in **[Create a community](../community/create-community.md)**, then come back here for the next step.

> **Coming from Discord?:** If you have an existing Discord server, you can [import a Discord server template](../community/import-discord-template.md) to recreate your roles, channels, and channel groups automatically.

## What you get

Your new community includes:

- **You as the owner**: Full control over the community, marked with a crown 
- **Two roles**: EVERYONE (all members) and Admins (trusted helpers)
- **Two channel groups**: General (public) and Admin (private)

Next, set up the channels your members will use.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Invite members

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/get-started/invite-members

# Invite members

New members join with an invite, so you decide who's in.

You can add members in two ways: send a direct invitation to friends already on Root, or share an invite link that anyone can use. Later, once your community has grown a little, you can also [list it in Community Discovery](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md) so people can find it without an invite.

## Send a direct invitation

Invite friends who already have a Root account.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Invite members**.
1. Find the friend you want to invite.
1. Select the role(s) you'd like to automatically give them when they join (optional).
1. Select **Invite**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Invite members**.
1. Find the friend you want to invite.
1. Tap **Invite**.

## Share an invite link

Share a link that anyone can use to join your community.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Invite members**.
1. (Optional) Select **Edit invite link** to customize the invite link.
1. Select **Copy** to copy your invite link.
1. Share the link either inside or outside of Root.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Invite members**.
1. (Optional) Tap the **Settings** icon  to customize the invite link.
1. Tap the invite link, or the **Share** icon  next to it. Your phone's share menu opens, so you can send the link in another app or copy it.
1. Share the link either inside or outside of Root.

For detailed information about invite link settings and management, see [Invite members](leader/members-and-invites/invite-members.md) in the Members and invites section.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## What's next?

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/get-started/whats-next

# What's next?

You've created your community, set up channels, and invited your first members. Here's what to explore next.

## Connect with Root

Join the official Root community to get help from the team, share feedback, and connect with other community owners. Official Root communities display a verification badge next to their name.

- [Root](https://rootapp.gg/root)

## Help people find you

Once your community has reached level 4 and meets the other listing requirements, such as having 10 members and being 7 days old, the owner can list it in Community Discovery, Root's public directory, so anyone can find and join it without an invite.

- [Community Discovery](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md): See the listing requirements and turn listing on

## Set up roles and permissions

Control what members can do by creating roles and assigning permissions. You can create roles for moderators, trusted members, or any group that needs specific abilities.

- [Roles and permissions overview](../roles-permissions/overview.md): Learn how roles, permissions, and channel visibility work together
- [Manage roles](../roles-permissions/role-tasks.md): Create, edit, and assign roles

## Keep your community safe

Use moderation tools to manage disruptive members and track activity.

- [Kick or ban members](../moderation/kick-ban-members.md): Remove members who violate your rules
- [Action log](../moderation/action-log.md): See who made changes and when
- [Verified member access](../members-and-invites/require-email-verification.md): Restrict your community to verified users

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Invite members

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/members-and-invites/invite-members

# Invite members

Invite new members with a direct invitation or a shareable link.

**Required permissions:** Invite Users (Send direct invitations and generate personal invite links), Manage Invites (All of the above, plus view and delete invite links created by other members)

## Invitation methods

Root supports two ways to invite new members:

| Method | Best for |
|--------|----------|
| Direct invitation | Inviting friends who are already on Root |
| Invite link | Sharing with people outside Root or posting publicly |

## Send a direct invitation

Send a direct invitation to friends who already have a Root account.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Invite members**.
3. Find the friend you want to invite in the list.
4. (Optional) Select **Add role** to automatically grant them roles when they join.
5. Select **Invite**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
2. Tap **Invite members**.
3. Find the friend you want to invite in the list.
4. Tap **Invite**.

Your friend receives a notification and can accept or decline the invitation.

## What is an invite link?

An invite link is a shareable URL that allows anyone with the link to join your community. Invite links are useful when you want to:

- Invite people who are not yet on Root
- Share an invitation publicly (social media, website, email newsletter)
- Invite multiple people without sending individual invitations

Each invite link includes a unique code that identifies your community. When someone opens the link, they see your community name, image, and member count before joining.

## Generate an invite link

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Invite members**.
3. Your personal invite link appears at the top of the dialog. If you do not have an active link, one is created automatically.
4. Select **Copy** to copy the link to your clipboard.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
2. Tap **Invite members**.
3. Your personal invite link appears at the top of the screen. If you do not have an active link, one is created automatically.
4. Tap the link, or the **Share** icon  next to it. Your device's share menu opens, so you can send the link or copy it.

## Configure invite link settings

You can customize your invite link with expiration and usage limits.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Invite members**.
3. Select **Edit invite link**.
4. Configure the link options:

   | Option | Description |
   |--------|-------------|
   | Expire after | When the link stops working (1 hour to 7 days, or never) |
   | Max number of uses | How many times the link can be used (1, 5, 10, 25, 50, or 100 uses, or no limit) |

5. Select **Generate invite link** to create a new link with your settings.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
2. Tap **Invite members**.
3. Tap the **Settings** icon .
4. Configure the link options:

   | Option | Description |
   |--------|-------------|
   | Expires at | When the link stops working (1 hour to 7 days, or never) |
   | Max uses | How many times the link can be used (1, 5, 10, 25, 50, or 100 uses, or no limit) |

5. Tap **Generate invite link** to create a new link with your settings.

## Manage invite links

Anyone with the **Manage Invites** permission can view and delete all invite links created by members.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Invites** from the left navigation.
4. View all active invite links with their creator, expiration, and usage count.
5. Select **Generate invite link** to create a new invite link.
6. To delete an invite link:
   1. Select the three dots  on the invite link's row.
   2. Select **Delete**.
   3. In the confirmation dialog, select **Delete** to confirm.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
2. Tap **Community settings**.
3. Tap **Invites**.
4. View all active invite links with their creator, expiration, and usage count.
5. Tap an invite link to view options, including delete.

## Invite link details

Each invite link displays the following information:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| Inviter | The member who generated the link |
| Invite code | The unique identifier in the link URL |
| Uses | How many times the link has been used |
| Expires | When the link will stop working, or "never" |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Join throttle

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/members-and-invites/join-throttle

# Join throttle

Slow down how fast new members can join to guard against spam and raids.

## What is join throttling?

*Join throttling* limits how many new members can join your community within a specific time window. When the limit is reached, additional join attempts are temporarily blocked until the window resets. This helps protect your community from coordinated spam attacks, bot raids, or sudden waves of unwanted members.

## How join throttling works

Join throttling works over a set time window:

- **Joins allowed**: The maximum number of joins permitted per time window
- **Time window**: The period, in minutes, over which joins are counted before the counter resets

For example, if you set 50 joins allowed with a 10-minute window, up to 50 members can join every 10 minutes. After 50 joins, new members must wait until the window resets.

> **Note:** New communities start with join throttling already on, set to **20 joins per 10 minutes**. You can change these numbers, or turn it off, in **Protection** settings at any time.

## Enable join throttling

### Desktop

**Required permissions:** Manage Community

1. Right-click the community tab, or right-click the community profile area in the left sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Protection** from the left navigation.
1. Toggle **Join throttle** on.
1. Drag the **Joins allowed** slider (1–500): the number of joins allowed within the time window.
1. Drag the **Time window** slider (1–60 minutes): the period over which joins are counted.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

**Required permissions:** Manage Community

1. Open the community.
1. Tap the community name at the top to open the community menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Protection**.
1. Toggle **Join throttle** on.
1. Enter a value in the **Joins allowed** field (1–500): the number of joins allowed within the time window.
1. Enter a value in the **Time window** field (1–60 minutes): the period over which joins are counted.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

## Disable join throttling

If your community is listed in Community Discovery, it needs a join throttle. Unlist your community before you turn join throttling off. See [Why can't I remove my community's banner, description, or join throttle?](../community-discovery/faqs.md#why-cant-i-remove-my-communitys-banner-description-or-join-throttle)

### Desktop

**Required permissions:** Manage Community

1. Right-click the community tab, or right-click the community profile area in the left sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Protection** from the left navigation.
1. Toggle **Join throttle** off.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

**Required permissions:** Manage Community

1. Open the community.
1. Tap the community name at the top to open the community menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Protection**.
1. Toggle **Join throttle** off.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

## System messages and action logs

When join throttle settings are changed, Root automatically:

- Posts a system message in the system messages channel (if configured)
- Records the change in the community action log

Anyone with access to the action log can see who changed the setting and when.

## When to use join throttling

Consider enabling join throttling when:

- **Your community is being raided** and you need to slow down or stop the influx
- **You expect high growth** and want to control how fast new members join
- **You're running a limited event** and want to control attendance
- **You need time to moderate** new members before more join

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Manage members

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/members-and-invites/manage-members

# Manage members

View your member list and manage members one by one.

## Member list information

The member list in **Community settings** shows the following for each member:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| **Name** | The member's display name (colored by their primary role) |
| **Avatar** | The member's profile picture |
| **Roles** | Badges showing which roles the member has |
| **Joined** | Desktop only. The time since the member joined the community (for example, 5m, 2h, or 3d) |
| **Owner crown** | Mobile only. A crown  marks the community owner |
| **+ button** | Opens the role picker to assign roles (requires Manage Roles permission). On your own row, it also shows when the community has self assignable roles. |
| **Options menu** | Three dots button for additional actions like kick or ban |

On desktop, the sidebar member list shows a simplified view with the member's avatar, name (colored by primary role), online status indicator, and a crown  for the community owner.

## View the member list

**Required permissions:** Manage Community (Open the member list in **Community settings**)

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Members** from the left navigation.

You can also view members in the sidebar panel, where they are organized by online status and grouped by role.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
2. Tap **View members**.

## Search for a member

Find a specific member in your community.

### Desktop

1. Open **Community settings** > **Members**.
2. Use the search box at the top of the member list.
3. Type the member's name to filter the list.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **View members**.
1. Tap the **Search** icon .
1. Type the member's name to filter the list.

## View a member's profile

See detailed information about a member and take actions.

### Desktop

1. Select a member's name or avatar anywhere in the community (member list, message, or voice channel).
2. Their profile panel opens, showing:
   - Display name and avatar
   - Action buttons (Call, Message, Add Friend)
   - Roles assigned to them
   - Notes (personal notes visible only to you)
   - Quick message box

### Mobile

1. Tap a member's name or avatar.
2. Their profile opens, showing:
   - Display name and avatar
   - Action buttons (Call, Message, Add Friend)
   - Roles assigned to them
   - Notes (personal notes visible only to you)

## Add or edit a note about a member

Write a personal note about any member. Notes are private and only visible to you.

### Desktop

1. Select a member's name or avatar to open their profile panel.
1. In the **Notes** section, select the text field.
1. Type your note (up to 256 characters).
1. Close the profile panel. Your note saves automatically.

### Mobile

1. Tap a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
1. Tap **Notes**.
1. Type your note, up to 256 characters.
1. Tap **Save**.

> **Note:** Notes are hidden while Streamer Mode is active.

## Assign roles to a member

Give members roles to grant them additional permissions.

**Required permissions:** Manage Roles

### Desktop

**From community settings:**

1. Open **Community settings** > **Members**.
2. Find the member you want to modify.
3. Select the **+** button next to their roles.
4. Select or deselect roles as needed.

**From a member's profile:**

1. Select the member's name or avatar to open their profile.
2. In the **Roles** section, select the **+** button.
3. Select or deselect roles.

### Mobile

1. Tap a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
2. Tap **Manage roles** in the Roles section.
3. Toggle the checkboxes to add or remove roles.

## Set a member's primary role

The primary role determines the color displayed next to a member's name.

**Required permissions:** Manage Roles

### Desktop

1. Open the member's profile.
2. In the **Roles** section, select the role you want to set as primary.

The primary role is indicated with a highlight border around it.

### Mobile

1. Open the member's profile.
1. Tap **Manage roles**.
1. Under **Primary role**, tap the current role, then pick a role in **Select a primary role**.

## Remove a member

Remove a member from your community. For details on kicking and banning, see [Kick or ban members](../moderation/kick-ban-members.md).

You can also select several members at once and kick or ban them in one action. On desktop, use the checkboxes in the member list. On mobile, tap **Select**. See [Kick or ban several members at once](../moderation/kick-ban-members.md#kick-or-ban-several-members-at-once).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Verified member access

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/members-and-invites/require-email-verification

# Verified member access

Limit your community to members who've verified their email.

## What is verified member access?

Verified member access is a community setting that prevents unverified users from joining. When turned on, only users who have confirmed their email address can join your community, whether through an invite link, a direct invitation, or Community Discovery.

This means members have a valid email address, which helps reduce spam accounts.

## Enable or disable verified member access

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Under **Moderation**, select **Protection**. Under **Who can join**, find **Verified member access**.
4. Toggle the switch on to require verification, or off to allow anyone to join.
5. Select **Save changes** to apply your changes.

### Mobile

1. Open your community.
2. Tap the community name to open the menu.
3. Tap **Community settings**.
4. Tap **Protection**.
5. Find **Verified member access**.
6. Toggle the switch on to require verification, or off to allow anyone to join.
7. Tap **Save changes** to apply your changes.

## What happens when an unverified user tries to join

When verified member access is enabled and an unverified user attempts to join your community, they see a message explaining that verification is required. They cannot join until they verify their email address.

The user sees:
- **Title**: Verification required
- **Message**: This community requires verified users. Please verify your account to join.

## When to use this setting

Consider enabling verified member access when:

- You want to reduce spam or bot accounts
- Your community handles sensitive topics and you want members tied to a real email
- You want a basic check on who joins your community

You may want to leave it turned off when:

- You want joining to be as quick and easy as possible
- Your community is open and casual
- You're running a public event where quick access matters

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Action log

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/moderation/action-log

# Action log

See a log of changes and activity across your community.

## What is the action log?

The *action log* is a record of administrative actions taken in your community. It shows who made changes, what was changed, and when. Use it to monitor community activity, investigate issues, or verify that changes were applied correctly.

## What the action log tracks

| Category | Events tracked |
|----------|----------------|
| **Community** | Settings changes (name, picture, color, banner, description, category, owner, system messages channel, default notifications, verified email requirement, join throttle, age restriction, listing in Discovery) |
| **Roles** | Role created, edited, or deleted; permission changes |
| **Channels** | Channel created, edited, or deleted; channel moved to different group |
| **Channel groups** | Channel group created, edited, or deleted |
| **Channel Visibility** | Role or member added, changed, or removed; permission changes |
| **Members** | Member joined, invited, kicked, or left; invite revoked or rejected (these two show on desktop) |
| **Bans** | Member banned or unbanned (the ban reason shows on mobile) |
| **Member roles** | Role assigned to or removed from members |
| **Messages** | Message edited, deleted by moderator, pinned, or unpinned (includes channel and message author) |
| **Files** | File uploaded, updated, or deleted; folder created, updated, or deleted (these entries show on mobile) |
| **Apps** | App installed, removed, or suspended |
| **Cores** | Core assigned to or removed from the community |

### Entry details

Select any log entry to expand it and see:

- **Who**: The member who performed the action
- **When**: The exact date and time of the action
- **What changed**: Before and after values for edits (for example, the old and new role name, or permission changes)

For member events, the log also shows the affected member's username, who sent the invite (for joins), and the ban reason (on mobile).

For message events, the log shows the channel, message author, and message content.

## View the action log

### Desktop

**Required permissions:** View Action Log

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Action logs** from the left navigation.

Log entries are grouped by date. Scroll down to load older entries.

Select any log entry to open the **Action log details** panel, which shows the member who performed the action, the timestamp, and additional details about what changed.

### Mobile

**Required permissions:** View Action Log

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Action logs** under the Moderation section.

Log entries are grouped by date. Scroll down to load older entries. Pull down on the list to refresh and load the latest entries.

Tap any log entry to open the **Action Details** panel, which shows the member who performed the action, the timestamp, and additional details about what changed.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Manage banned members

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/moderation/banned-members

# Manage banned members

View who's banned and lift a ban when needed.

**Required permissions:** Manage Bans (view banned members and revoke bans)

## View banned members

See a list of all members currently banned from the community.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Banned members** from the left navigation.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
2. Tap **Community settings**.
3. Tap **Banned members**.

The most recent bans are at the top. The banned members list shows:

- Member name and avatar
- Who issued the ban (on desktop, select the member's row and check **Banned by** in the ban details)
- When the ban was issued
- Ban reason (if provided)

You can also ban someone from this screen using their user ID, even if they are not in your community. See [Ban someone by their user ID](kick-ban-members.md#ban-someone-by-their-user-id).

## Revoke a ban

Allow a banned member to rejoin the community.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Banned members** from the left navigation.
1. Find the member's row in the table.
1. Select the row to open the ban details.
6. Select **Revoke ban**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
2. Tap **Community settings**.
3. Tap **Banned members**.
4. Tap the member you want to unban.
5. Tap **Revoke ban**.

After revoking a ban, the member can rejoin the community if they receive a new invitation.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Delete and pin messages

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/moderation/content-moderation

# Delete and pin messages

Delete inappropriate messages and pin the important ones.

## What is content moderation?

Content moderation is the practice of reviewing and managing the messages, media, and other content that members post in your community. As a community owner, you're responsible for keeping conversations healthy and on topic. This includes:

- Removing messages that violate your community's rules or guidelines
- Pinning important messages so members can find them easily
- Maintaining a welcoming environment for all members

Any member can delete their own messages. To delete messages posted by other members, you need the **Delete Messages** permission. To pin or unpin messages, you need the **Manage Pinned Messages** permission.

## Delete a message

Remove a message from a channel. Deleted messages cannot be recovered.

### Desktop

1. Hover over the message you want to delete.
2. Select the **more options** menu (**⋯**).
3. Select **Delete message**.
4. Select **Delete** to confirm the action.

> **Tip:** Hold **Shift** and select the **Delete message** icon  to delete a message instantly without a confirmation dialog.

### Mobile

1. Long press the message you want to delete.
2. Tap **Delete message**.
3. Tap **Delete** to confirm the action.

## Pin a message

Pinned messages are highlighted in a channel and accessible from the pinned messages list. Use pins to highlight important announcements, rules, or frequently referenced information.

**Required permissions:** Manage Pinned Messages

### Desktop

1. Hover over the message you want to pin.
1. Select the **Pin message** icon  in the message actions, or right-click the message and select **Pin message**.

The message displays a **(pinned)** indicator.

### Mobile

1. Long press the message you want to pin.
1. Tap **Pin message**.

The message displays a **(pinned)** indicator.

## Unpin a message

Remove a message from the pinned messages list.

**Required permissions:** Manage Pinned Messages

### Desktop

1. Hover over the pinned message.
1. Select the **Unpin message** icon  in the message actions, or right-click the message and select **Unpin message**.

### Mobile

1. Long press the pinned message.
1. Tap **Unpin message**.

## View pinned messages

Each channel has its own list of pinned messages.

### Desktop

1. Open the channel.
1. Select the **Pinned messages** icon  in the channel header.

### Mobile

1. Open the channel.
1. Tap the channel name to open the channel menu.
1. Tap **Pinned messages**.

## Best practices

- **Act consistently**: Apply the same standards to all members when moderating content.
- **Document your rules**: Make sure your community has clear guidelines so members know what content is not allowed.
- **Use the action log**: After deleting or pinning messages, you can review moderation actions in the [action log](action-log.md).
- **Consider the context**: Before deleting, consider whether a warning or conversation might be more appropriate.
- **Keep pins relevant**: Regularly review pinned messages and unpin outdated content to keep the list useful.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Kick or ban members

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/moderation/kick-ban-members

# Kick or ban members

Kick or ban disruptive members to remove them from your community.

## Kick vs. ban

Kicking and banning are two ways to remove someone from your community. The key difference is whether they can come back.

| Action | What happens | Can they rejoin? |
|--------|--------------|------------------|
| **Kick** | Removes the member from the community immediately | Yes, with a new invitation |
| **Ban** | Removes the member and blocks them from rejoining | No, unless the ban is revoked |

You can kick or ban members you [outrank](#who-you-can-kick-or-ban), as long as you have the required permission. You can also ban users who have already left the community, or who were never in it, by [using their user ID](#ban-someone-by-their-user-id). Nobody can kick or ban the community owner.

### Who you can kick or ban

You can only kick or ban members you *outrank*. You outrank someone when you have every community permission they have, plus at least one more. Channel permissions don't count, and neither does the order of roles in the list.

- The community owner outranks everyone.
- A member with **Community Full Control** outranks everyone except the owner and other members with Community Full Control.
- A member with **Community Full Control** can only be kicked or banned by the owner.

Root only offers to kick or ban members you outrank. In Mod mode, if Root hasn't loaded someone's member details yet, it may still offer to ban them. This doesn't apply to removing someone from a voice call, which only needs the **Kick Voice Member** permission. See [Moderate voice channels](voice-moderation.md).

### When to kick

Kicking is a lighter action. When you kick someone, they leave the community but are not blocked from returning. If another member sends them a new invitation, they can rejoin as if nothing happened.

Consider kicking when:

- A member is causing minor disruptions but may improve with a second chance
- You need to remove someone temporarily while you investigate an issue
- A member joined by mistake or is no longer active
- You want to give someone a warning without permanently removing them

### What happens when someone is kicked

When you kick a member:

- **They are removed immediately**: The member loses access to the community and all its channels.
- **They receive a notification**: The kicked member is notified that they were removed from the community.
- **A system message is posted**: The community's system channel displays a message announcing that the member was kicked.
- **Their messages remain**: Messages the kicked member posted are not deleted.
- **They can rejoin**: Unlike a ban, the kicked member can accept a new invitation and rejoin the community.

### When to ban

Banning is a stronger action. When you ban someone, they are removed and cannot rejoin, even if they receive a new invitation. The only way for a banned member to return is if anyone with the **Manage Bans** permission revokes the ban.

Consider banning when:

- A member has violated community rules repeatedly
- Someone is harassing other members
- A member is posting spam or inappropriate content
- You need to permanently remove someone to protect the community

### What happens when someone is banned

When you ban a member:

- **They are removed immediately**: The member loses access to the community and all its channels.
- **They receive a notification**: The banned member is notified that they have been banned, including any reason you provided.
- **A system message is posted**: The community's system channel displays a message announcing that the member was banned.
- **Their messages remain**: Messages the banned member posted are not deleted. If you need to remove their messages, you must delete them manually.
- **They cannot be mentioned**: Since banned members are no longer part of the community, they won't appear in the mention autocomplete when composing messages.
- **Existing mentions stay visible**: Any mentions of the banned member in older messages remain visible and display their username.
- **They cannot rejoin**: The ban blocks them from accepting new invitations. They can only return if someone with the **Manage Bans** permission revokes the ban.

## Kick a member

Remove a member from the community. They can rejoin if someone invites them again.

**Required permissions:** Kick Member

### Desktop

1. Select a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
1. Click the menu button  on the top right of the profile card.
1. Select **Kick member**.
1. Select **Kick** to confirm the action.

### Mobile

1. Tap a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
2. In the **Moderator actions** section, tap **Kick**.
3. Tap **Kick** to confirm the action.

## Ban a member

Remove a member and prevent them from rejoining. You can also ban users who have already left the community to prevent them from returning. You can optionally provide a reason for the ban.

**Required permissions:** Create Bans

### Desktop

1. Select a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
1. Click the menu button  on the top right of the profile card
2. Select **Ban member**.
3. (Optional) Enter a reason for the ban.
4. Select **Ban** to confirm the action.

### Mobile

1. Tap a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
2. In the **Moderator actions** section, tap **Ban**.
3. (Optional) Enter a reason for the ban.
4. Tap **Ban** to confirm the action.

## Ban someone by their user ID

Ban someone using their user ID, including people who are not in your community.

**Required permissions:** Manage Bans (open the banned members list), Create Bans

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Banned members** from the left navigation.
1. Select **Create ban**.
1. Paste the person's ID into **User Id**.
1. (Optional) Enter a **Ban reason**.
1. Select **Ban**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Banned members**.
1. Tap the **+** icon  in the top-right corner.
1. Paste the person's ID into **User ID**.
1. (Optional) Enter a **Ban reason**.
1. Tap **Ban**.

To get someone's user ID, turn on developer mode. See [Advanced settings](../../member/settings/advanced.md#copy-ids-with-developer-mode).

## Kick or ban several members at once

Select multiple members from the member list and remove them in a single action.

**Required permissions:** Manage Community (open the member list in Community settings), Kick Member, Create Bans

### Desktop

1. Open **Community settings** > **Members**.
1. Select the checkbox next to each member you want to remove. A count at the top shows how many are selected (for example, **3 of 40 selected**). Members you don't outrank have a dimmed checkbox you can't select.
1. Select **Kick** or **Ban**.
1. For a ban, you can enter one reason for all of them under **Why are you banning these members?**
1. Confirm the action.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name to open the menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Members**.
1. Tap **Select** in the top right corner. To pick every member you can remove, tap **Select all**.
1. Tap each member you want to remove. The title shows how many are selected (for example, **3 selected**). Members you can't remove have no checkbox.
1. Tap **Kick** or **Ban**.
1. For a kick, tap **Kick** to confirm.
1. For a ban, you can enter one reason for all of them under **Why are you banning these members?**, then tap **Ban**.

To view banned members and revoke bans, see [Manage banned members](banned-members.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Mod mode

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/moderation/mod-mode

# Mod mode

Spot a raid early and stop it fast, all from one window.

## What is Mod mode?

*Mod mode* is a separate moderator window for one community. It shows everything happening in your community live: who's joining, who's posting, messages as they arrive (including ones that get deleted) and what the rest of your mod team is doing.

When a raid starts, Mod mode helps you see it, select the accounts behind it and act on them all at once. You can ban, kick or delete messages in bulk, lock the community down, and save a report of what happened.

Mod mode is on the desktop app only. To moderate from your phone, see [Kick or ban members](./kick-ban-members.md). It's built for moderators who are online and ready to act. To protect your community when no one is around, use the [Moderation App](../../member/apps/moderation.md), a [join limit](../members-and-invites/join-throttle.md) and [email verification](../members-and-invites/require-email-verification.md).

Mod mode is experimental, so it may change as Root improves it.

> **Keep the community open:** Mod mode only watches a community while Root is running and that community is open. If you close Root, or haven't opened the community, you won't get raid alerts and automatic lockdown won't start.

## Who can use Mod mode

You can open Mod mode if you're the community owner, have **Community Full Control**, or have **View Action Log** plus at least one of these:

- **Kick Member**
- **Create Bans**
- **Delete Messages** in at least one channel

Inside Mod mode, each action still needs its own permission:

| Action | Permission needed |
|--------|-------------------|
| Ban, Ban by phrase, Ban sync | **Create Bans** |
| Kick | **Kick Member** |
| Delete messages | **Delete Messages** in that channel |
| Lock chat | **Manage Roles** |
| Limit joins | **Manage Community** |

Moderators are never included when you select accounts or take bulk actions. Mod mode treats anyone with **Kick Member**, **Create Bans**, **Manage Bans**, **Manage Roles**, **Manage Community** or **Community Full Control** as a moderator, along with the owner, apps and bots.

## Open Mod mode

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Mod mode**.

Mod mode opens in its own window. Each community has one Mod mode window, so opening it again brings the same window to the front.

> **Open it in one click:** Select the **Mod mode** icon  (shield) at the top right of the community banner.

The first time you open Mod mode, a short tour shows you around. To see it again, select the **Settings** icon  (gear), then **Take the tour again**.

## When a raid starts

Act fast, then clean up. In Mod mode:

1. Select **Lock down** (or press **L**) to stop chat and slow new joins. See [Lock down your community](#lock-down-your-community).
1. Let members know what's happening. Post a quick message from the box at the bottom of the feed, like "We're dealing with some spam, chat will be back shortly." The roles you chose under **Roles that can still talk** can keep posting during a lockdown.
1. Select **Select suspects** in the red **Possible raid** banner (or press **S**). This selects the new accounts and spam accounts behind the raid.
1. Select **Ban** in the bar at the bottom (or press **B**), choose how long, and leave **Also delete their recent messages** on.
1. When things are calm, select **Lift lockdown**.

> **Save what happened:** Select the **Download** icon  to save an incident report before you close Mod mode. See [Save an incident report](#save-an-incident-report).

## Find your way around

| Area | What it shows |
|------|---------------|
| **Threat level** (top left) | **CALM**, **ELEVATED** or **RAID**, worked out live from message rate, joins, new accounts, spam and ghost pings. Beside it: **Msg / sec**, **Joins / min**, **New accounts** and **Messages in view**. |
| **Joins** (left) | A chart of everyone who joined in the last 10 minutes, colored by account age (**Under an hour**, **Under a day**, **Under 30 days**, **Older**). Below it, **Recent joins** lists each person with badges such as **NEW**, **KICKED 2× TODAY** or **GONE**. |
| **Channels** (left) | Messages per minute in each channel. Select a channel to focus the feed and the bubbles on it. |
| **Voice channels** (left) | Who's in each voice channel and for how long. You can server mute, server deafen or disconnect people from here. |
| **Who's posting** (center) | Each account is a bubble, grouped by the channel it posts in most. Bubbles grow as they post. A red ring means a new account or someone who just joined, and an amber ring means spam or ghost pings. |
| **Mod log** (center) | What you and the rest of your mod team have done, newest first. Use the chips to show only **Bans**, **Kicks**, **Deletes**, **Roles** or **Other**. Your bans end with the ban reason, if there is one, for example "Banned 1: @user · Banned in Phantom Hive". When a mod deletes several messages from one person in a row, they show as one line, for example "Deleted 11 messages by @user · #Chat". |
| **Copy-paste** (center, beside **Mod log**) | Groups of accounts posting the same text, with a count on the tab. Each group has **Select**, and groups that look like spam also have **Remove all and ban**. Select the **X** to hide a group that isn't spam. |
| **Feed** (right) | Every message as it arrives, including ones that get deleted. Use **Flagged**, **Deleted** and **Ghost pings** to narrow it down. Select the reply line above a message to jump to the message it replies to. Post from the box at the bottom. Choose the channel from the dropdown, or select the channel name on any message to post there. |

A *ghost ping* is a mention that its author deletes within 5 seconds, so the person mentioned never sees who did it.

Select a bubble or a message to open that person's user card. In **Recent joins**, right-click a person. The card shows why the account stands out, for example how new it is, their recent messages, and a history of what you and other mods have done to them. If the account is already banned, the card shows **BANNED** instead of **Ban** and **Kick**, and an **Unban** button if you can manage bans. Banned accounts can't be selected.

> **Freeze the bubbles:** Bubbles moving too much to click? Press **F** to freeze them in place, and **F** again to unfreeze.

## Select accounts

Select accounts first, then act on all of them at once. You can:

- Shift-click a bubble to add or remove it.
- Drag around bubbles in **Who's posting** to select everyone inside.
- Select a person in **Recent joins**.
- When many accounts post the same text, open the **Copy-paste** tab beside the **Mod log** and select **Select** on that group.
- Select **Select suspects** in the **Possible raid** banner, or press **S**.
- Select **Find similar accounts** on a user card to add accounts created around the same time, in the same join wave or posting the same text.

The bar at the bottom shows how many accounts you've selected. Press **Esc** to clear your selection.

> **Add to your selection:** Hold **Shift** while you drag around bubbles to add them to what you've already selected, instead of starting again.

## Ban, kick or delete messages

You need **Create Bans** to ban, **Kick Member** to kick, or **Delete Messages** to delete.

1. [Select the accounts](#select-accounts).
1. In the bar at the bottom, select **Ban**, **Kick** or **Delete messages**.
1. For a ban, choose how long in **Ban for**: **Permanent**, **1 hour**, **1 day** or **7 days**. You can also add a reason.
1. For a ban or kick, leave **Also delete their recent messages** on to remove what they posted, or turn it off.
1. Select **Ban**, **Kick** or **Delete messages** to confirm.

Kicked accounts can rejoin with an invite. Banned accounts can't. To undo a ban you just made, select **Undo** next to it in the **Mod log**.

You can also ban or kick one person from their user card, or right-click one of their messages.

> **Clear out spam in one go:** When many accounts post the same text, open the **Copy-paste** tab beside the **Mod log** and select **Remove all and ban** on that group. It bans everyone who posted it and deletes their messages. You confirm first.

## Lock down your community

A *lockdown* stops chat and slows new joins until a moderator lifts it. You see exactly what will change before anything happens.

You need **Manage Roles** to lock chat, and **Manage Community** to limit joins.

1. Select **Lock down** at the top right of Mod mode, or press **L**.
1. Under **What to lock**, choose **Chat and joins**, **Chat only** or **Joins only**.
1. Under **Roles that can still talk**, check the roles that should keep chatting, like your moderators.
1. Check **What will change** to see exactly what the lockdown does.
1. (Optional) Check **Use these settings next time** to save these choices.
1. Select **Lock down now**.

A lock icon  and **Locked until lifted** show at the top of Mod mode.

What a lockdown changes:

- **Chat**: everyone except the roles you chose stops being able to send messages, react, attach files or mention people.
- **Joins**: new joins slow to one every 24 hours. See [Join throttle](../members-and-invites/join-throttle.md).

A lockdown has no timer. It stays on until a moderator lifts it.

> **Be ready before a raid:** Set up your **Lockdown preset** in [settings](#raid-alerts-and-settings) now, with the roles that can still talk. Then **Lock down** opens with your choices already filled in, so you only need to select **Lock down now**.

### Lift the lockdown

1. Select **Lift lockdown** at the top right of Mod mode.

Chat permissions and the join limit go back the way they were. If you only have one of the two permissions, Mod mode lifts the part you can and tells you what's still locked.

## Clean up a join wave

Remove a whole wave of accounts that joined together. You need **Delete Messages**, and **Create Bans** if you want to ban them too.

1. In **Joins**, drag across the chart to cover the time the wave joined.
1. In **Clean up a wave**, check the accounts to clean up.
1. Turn **Also ban these accounts** on to ban them permanently as well, or off to only delete their messages. It's already on when most of the wave are new accounts.
1. Select **Clean up**.

Their recent messages are deleted.

> **Keep an eye on a wave:** Not sure yet? Select **Watch this wave** instead. Mod mode remembers those accounts for 30 days and warns you if they start posting together.

## Ban by phrase

Ban everyone who recently posted the same text or link. You need **Create Bans**.

1. Select the **Search** icon  (magnifying glass) at the top right of Mod mode.
1. Enter a word, phrase or link. Type at least 3 letters.
1. Choose **Last 5 min**, **Last 15 min** or **Last 30 min**.
1. Check the accounts to ban. New accounts are checked for you.
1. Leave **Also delete their recent messages** on, or turn it off.
1. Select **Ban matches**.

These bans are permanent. Mod mode matches whole words only, so "cat" doesn't match "category". Moderators are never included.

## Ban sync

Ban accounts that were just banned in your other communities, before they reach this one. You need **Create Bans**.

1. Select **Ban sync** at the top right of Mod mode.
1. Choose **Last 24 hours** or **Last 7 days**.
1. Check the communities to copy bans from. Expand a community to see each account: who banned it there and when, the reason, how old the account is, and where else it's banned. Uncheck any account you don't want to ban.
1. Read **What happens**, then select **Pre-ban**.

What a pre-ban does:

- The ban here is permanent, even if their ban in the other community is temporary (marked **TEMP BAN**).
- Accounts that are already in this community (marked **MEMBER HERE**) are removed right away.
- The ban reason names the community they were banned in, for example "Banned in Phantom Hive". You see it at the end of the ban in the **Mod log**.
- Their messages aren't deleted, and nothing changes in your other communities.
- Accounts already banned here, and accounts with mod permissions here, are left out.

To undo a pre-ban, select **Undo** in the **Mod log**, or unban them in **Community settings** > **Banned members**.

Mod mode checks up to 40 of your other communities.

If one of your other communities banned several accounts today, Mod mode may suggest a ban sync for you. Select **Review** to see them.

## Save an incident report

Save a record of a raid to share with your team or with Root support.

1. Select the **Download** icon  at the top right of Mod mode.
1. Choose where to save the file.

The report is a Markdown (.md) file. It includes the threat level timeline, the evidence, spam posted by many accounts, ghost pings, recent joins with account ages, and the mod log.

## Practice a raid

Try Mod mode on a fake raid before you need it. Practice uses fake accounts and your real tools, but nothing you do reaches your community.

1. Select the **Settings** icon  (gear) at the top right of Mod mode.
1. Next to **Practice a raid**, select **Practice**.
1. Choose a scenario, then select **Start practice**.

| Scenario | Level | What happens |
|----------|-------|--------------|
| **Join flood** | Warm-up | New accounts pour in and keep posting the same giveaway link. |
| **Ping storm** | Medium | Accounts spam @all, mention your regulars and ghost ping you. |
| **Sleepers** | Hard | Accounts that joined earlier chat like regulars, then all start spamming at once. |

The raid starts after a 5 second countdown, and you have 3 minutes to deal with it. A **PRACTICE** badge shows the whole time. To stop early, select **End practice**.

When the raid is over, you get a score and a breakdown: raiders removed, spam cleaned up, how quickly you acted and locked down, regulars hit by mistake, and kicked raiders who came back. Tips show what to do better next time. Select **Run again** to try again, or **Back to live** to go back to your community.

If a real raid starts while you are practicing, Mod mode tells you. Select **Go to live view** to deal with it.

> **Practice as a team:** Ask each of your mods to run **Join flood** once. Then the first real raid isn't the first time they use Mod mode.

## Raid alerts and settings

Root can alert you when a raid starts, even when Mod mode is closed. The alert has buttons to **Open Mod mode** or **Lock down**.

To change your settings, select the **Settings** icon  (gear) at the top right of Mod mode.

| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---------|--------------|---------|
| **Raid alerts** | Watches this community in the background and alerts you when a raid starts | On |
| **Send a test alert** | Shows a raid alert now, so you can see what one looks like | |
| **Take the tour again** | Replays the Mod mode tour | |
| **Practice a raid** | Runs a raid fire drill with fake accounts. See [Practice a raid](#practice-a-raid). | |
| **Lock down automatically** | Applies your lockdown preset as soon as a raid is detected. It stays on until a moderator lifts it. When Mod mode is closed, this also needs **Raid alerts** on. | Off |
| **Lockdown preset** | What to lock and which roles can still talk, used by automatic lockdowns and as the starting point for **Lock down** | **Chat and joins** |

Select **Save** to keep your changes. Your settings are saved on this computer, so set them up on each computer you use.

> **Note:** Raid alerts and automatic lockdown only work while Root is running with the community open. Alerts don't show while Streamer mode is on.

## Keyboard shortcuts

These keys work in Mod mode whenever you're not typing in a text box.

> **No need to memorize them:** The shortcuts are listed along the bottom of the Mod mode window.

| Key | Action |
|-----|--------|
| **B** | Ban the selected accounts |
| **K** | Kick the selected accounts |
| **Delete** | Delete the selected accounts' recent messages |
| **S** | Select suspects |
| **L** | Lock down |
| **F** | Freeze or unfreeze the bubbles |
| **/** | Jump to the message box |
| **Esc** | Close the user card, or clear your selection |
| **Ctrl + W** | Close Mod mode |

## FAQs

### Why can't I see Mod mode in the menu?

You need **View Action Log** plus at least one of **Kick Member**, **Create Bans** or **Delete Messages**. Owners and members with **Community Full Control** always see it. See [Who can use Mod mode](#who-can-use-mod-mode).

### Does automatic lockdown work when my computer is off?

No. Raid alerts and automatic lockdown only work while Root is running with the community open. To protect your community when no one is around, use the [Moderation App](../../member/apps/moderation.md), a [join limit](../members-and-invites/join-throttle.md) and [email verification](../members-and-invites/require-email-verification.md).

### Is Mod mode on mobile?

No, Mod mode is on the desktop app only. To kick or ban from your phone, see [Kick or ban members](./kick-ban-members.md).

### Can I lock down without locking out my mods?

Yes. When you lock down, check your mod roles under **Roles that can still talk**. They can keep chatting while everyone else is locked.

### How do I let members know about a lockdown?

Post a message from the box at the bottom of the feed, like "We're dealing with some spam, chat will be back shortly." To post in the channel where the raid is happening, select that channel's name on one of its messages. Your mods can keep posting during a lockdown if their roles are checked under **Roles that can still talk**.

### Can practice affect my real community?

No. Practice uses fake accounts, and nothing you do during practice reaches your community. See [Practice a raid](#practice-a-raid).

### Will other mods see what I do in Mod mode?

Yes. Your bans, kicks and deleted messages show in their **Mod log** and in the **History** on that person's user card. If you lock down, their Mod mode shows that the community is locked and who locked it.

## Moderate voice channels

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/moderation/voice-moderation

# Moderate voice channels

Mute, deafen, or remove members to keep voice channels under control.

## Moderation actions

| Action | Effect | Permission required |
|--------|--------|---------------------|
| **Mute** | Prevents the member from speaking. They cannot unmute themselves. | Mute Microphones |
| **Deafen** | Prevents the member from hearing audio. They cannot undeafen themselves. | Mute Speakers |
| **Kick from voice** | Removes the member from the voice channel. They can rejoin. | Kick Voice Member |

These actions only affect the current voice session. When the member leaves and rejoins the voice channel, the mute or deafen is cleared.

## Mute a member

Muting prevents a member from speaking in the voice channel. Use this when someone is being disruptive or broadcasting unwanted audio.

**Required permissions:** Mute Microphones

### Desktop

1. In the voice channel, right-click the member's name or avatar.
2. Check the **Admin mute** checkbox.

To unmute, right-click the member and uncheck the **Admin mute** checkbox.

### Mobile

1. In the call, press and hold the member's tile.
1. Below **View profile**, tap **Admin mute** so it is checked.

To unmute, press and hold their tile again and tap **Admin mute** to uncheck it.

> **Note:** When you remove an admin mute, the member stays muted until they unmute themselves. This way their mic is never turned back on without them knowing.

## Deafen a member

Deafening prevents a member from hearing any audio in the voice channel. Use this in combination with muting to fully disconnect someone from the conversation without removing them.

**Required permissions:** Mute Speakers

### Desktop

1. In the voice channel, right-click the member's name or avatar.
2. Select **Admin deafen** checkbox.

To undeafen, right-click the member and uncheck the **Admin deafen** checkbox.

### Mobile

1. In the call, press and hold the member's tile.
1. Below **View profile**, tap **Admin deafen** so it is checked.

To undeafen, press and hold their tile again and tap **Admin deafen** to uncheck it.

## Kick a member from voice

Kicking removes a member from the voice channel immediately. They can rejoin the channel if they still have access.

**Required permissions:** Kick Voice Member

### Desktop

1. In the voice channel, right-click the member's name or avatar.
2. Select **Remove from voice call**.

### Mobile

1. In the call, press and hold the member's tile.
1. Below **View profile**, tap **Remove from voice call**.

> **Tip:** If a member keeps rejoining after being kicked, consider [banning them](kick-ban-members.md) from the community or removing their access to the voice channel using [Channel Visibility](../roles-permissions/manage-access-rules.md).

## Voice moderation vs. community moderation

Voice moderation actions are temporary and only affect voice channels:

| Voice moderation | Community moderation |
|------------------|----------------------|
| Affects current voice session only | Affects all community access |
| Member can rejoin voice channel | Member is removed from community |
| No record in action log | Recorded in action log |
| Use for temporary disruptions | Use for serious violations |

For persistent issues, use [kick or ban](kick-ban-members.md) to remove the member from the community entirely.

## Manage channel visibility

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/manage-access-rules

# Manage channel visibility

Choose which roles and members can see and use specific channels and groups.

## What is Channel Visibility?

*Channel Visibility* is the list of roles and members who can see a channel. Add a role or member and they can see that channel or channel group; leave them off and it's invisible to them: not locked, just not there.

Seeing a channel and acting in it are two separate things. Channel Visibility handles the seeing. What a member can then do inside (send messages, delete messages, and so on) comes from their roles, which you can adjust for one channel in its permissions (below). For how roles and visibility fit together, see [Roles and permissions overview](./overview.md).

When you create a channel or channel group, Root adds the EVERYONE role to Channel Visibility automatically, so everyone can see it. Remove EVERYONE to make the channel private, or keep it and adjust what people can do in the channel's permissions.

## Set permissions for a role or member

Most of the time you don't need any extra setup. Adding a role or member to Channel Visibility is enough to let them see and use the channel based on their roles.

When you want to change one specific permission in one specific place, set that role or member's permissions for the channel. For example, an announcements channel might let everyone read but allow only owners to post.

Each permission can be set to one of three states:

| State | What it does |
|-------|--------------|
| **Allow** | Turns the permission on here, whatever the member's roles say |
| **Deny** | Turns the permission off here, whatever the member's roles say |
| **Inherit** | Leaves it to the member's roles (the default) |

For the full list of permissions you can set, see [All permissions](./permission-reference.md).

### When deny wins

A member can be covered by more than one entry, for example through two different roles.

- **Deny wins between roles.** If one of a member's roles sets a permission to Deny and another role sets it to Allow, the member doesn't have it.
- **On a channel, a role can override EVERYONE.** A role set to Allow beats EVERYONE set to Deny. That's how you let one role post in a channel everyone can read.
- **A member's own Deny is the strongest.** Add a member and set a permission to Deny, and they don't have it, even if one of their roles allows it.

For a worked example, see [how Root resolves conflicting permissions](./permission-calculation.md).

## Who can manage Channel Visibility?

You need this permission on the channel or channel group you're editing.

**Required permissions:** Channel Full Control

## Add a role or member

Add a role or member to Channel Visibility to let them see a channel or channel group.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel or channel group and select **Edit channel** or **Edit channel group**.
1. Go to the **Permissions** section.
1. Select **Add role** or **Add user**.
1. Choose a role or search for a specific member.
1. (Optional) Set specific permissions to Allow or Deny for that role or member.
1. Select **Save**.

### Mobile

1. Long-press the channel or channel group and select **Edit channel** or **Edit channel group**.
1. Tap **Permissions**.
1. Tap **Edit role/user**.
1. Search for a role or member, select them, then tap **Done**.
1. (Optional) Tap the role or member, set specific permissions to Allow or Deny, then tap **Save**.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

## Edit a role or member's permissions

Change the permissions for a role or member on a channel.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel or channel group and select **Edit channel** or **Edit channel group**.
1. Go to the **Permissions** section.
1. Select the role or member you want to modify.
1. For each permission you want to change, select **Allow**, **Deny**, or **Inherit**.
1. Select **Save**.

### Mobile

1. Long-press the channel or channel group and select **Edit channel** or **Edit channel group**.
1. Tap **Permissions**.
1. Tap the role or member you want to modify.
1. For each permission you want to change, select **Allow**, **Deny**, or **Inherit**.
1. Tap **Save**.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

> **Note:** You can only grant permissions you hold yourself. Any permission you don't have is shown dimmed, and hovering it explains that you need that permission before you can give it to someone else. If a change can't be saved because you're missing a permission, the save bar tells you when you try to save.

## Remove a role or member

Remove a role or member from Channel Visibility to revoke their access to a channel or channel group.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel or channel group and select **Edit channel** or **Edit channel group**.
1. Go to the **Permissions** section.
1. Select the role or member you want to remove.
1. Right-click and select **Remove**.
1. Select **Save**.

### Mobile

1. Long-press the channel or channel group and select **Edit channel** or **Edit channel group**.
1. Tap **Permissions**.
1. Long-press the role or member you want to remove.
1. Tap **Remove from visibility**.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

You can also tap **Edit role/user**, deselect the role or member, then tap **Done** and **Save changes**.

## Permission troubleshooting

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/permission-calculation

# Permission troubleshooting

Work out why a member can or can't do something, and fix it.

When someone says "I can't see that channel" or "my mod can't delete messages," the answer always comes down to the same few things: the roles a member has, whether they're in the channel's Channel Visibility, and whether the channel's permissions change anything for them. This page helps you trace a permission back to its cause.

## How Root decides (the short version)

For anything a member tries to do, Root checks a few things in order:

1. **Full Control wins instantly.** If any of the member's roles has **Community Full Control**, they can do everything, everywhere. Nothing below applies.
1. **Community actions come from roles only.** Things like Manage Roles or Create Bans depend purely on the roles a member has. If any role grants it, they can do it.
1. **Channel actions need two things:** *Channel Visibility* that lets the member see the channel, and the *permission* itself from one of their roles.
1. **Permissions can change in one place.** For a role or member in Channel Visibility, you can set a permission to Allow or Deny just for that channel or group.
1. **Deny wins between roles.** If one of a member's roles denies a permission on a channel and another role allows it, the member doesn't have it.
1. **On a channel, a role can override EVERYONE.** A role set to Allow beats EVERYONE set to Deny. This is how an announcements channel works: everyone can read, but only that role can post.
1. **A member's own Deny is the strongest.** If you add a member to a channel and set a permission to Deny, they don't have it, even if one of their roles allows it.

That's the whole model. The rest of this page applies it to the questions you'll actually get asked.

> **Tip:** Members can have several roles at once. Root grants a permission if *any* of their roles allows it, so a member is always as capable as their most powerful role, never their weakest.

## Why can't I see this channel?

A channel is invisible to a member unless they're in its *Channel Visibility*, either through one of their roles or as a specific member. Not in the list, no channel.

So if someone can't see a channel they expect to:

- Check that the channel (or its channel group) has one of their roles in Channel Visibility.
- If the channel is private, you may need to add that specific member to Channel Visibility.

Channel Visibility is where you set all of this. See [Manage channel visibility](./manage-access-rules.md).

## Why can't my mod do something?

This is the most common question, and there's usually one of four causes. Check them in this order.

| Cause | What's happening | Fix |
|-------|------------------|-----|
| **No role grants it** | None of the member's roles has the permission switched on. | Add the permission to one of their roles, or give them a role that has it. See [Manage roles](./role-tasks.md). |
| **A permission is denied here** | The permission is set to **Deny** on this channel or group, which overrides the role. | Change it to **Allow** or **Inherit** for that role or member. |
| **Another entry denies it** | The member is covered by two entries (say, through two roles), and one sets the permission to **Deny**. Deny wins over another role's Allow. | Find the entry with the Deny and change it, or remove it. |
| **The channel isn't synced** | The channel has its own Channel Visibility that differs from its group's. | Check the channel's own permissions, or turn syncing back on. See [Permission syncing](./permission-syncing.md). |

The mechanics behind channel permissions and when Deny wins live in [Manage channel visibility](./manage-access-rules.md).

## Why can someone do something I didn't expect?

Usually one of two things:

- **Another role grants it.** Because Root grants a permission if *any* role allows it, a permission can come from a role you weren't thinking about. Check every role the member has, not just their main one.
- **They have Full Control.** A role with **Community Full Control** bypasses Channel Visibility and every permission setting. If someone can do something everywhere, check whether one of their roles has it. Grant it sparingly.

## The order Root checks

If you want the full picture, here's the order Root walks through for a channel action. Each step can stop the process early.

**How a channel permission is decided:** Flowchart: Full Control grants everything; otherwise check Channel Visibility, then combine role permissions, apply group and channel permissions, then check Deny and Allow in order: the member's own Deny, a role's Deny, a role's Allow, then EVERYONE's Deny.

Community actions (like Manage Roles) skip all of this: if any role grants the permission, the member has it.

## Common setups

Three recipes that cover most of what you'll want to build. Each is just Channel Visibility and permissions put together a certain way.

### A private admin channel

**Goal:** only admins can see and use a channel.

- Remove EVERYONE from the channel's Channel Visibility (or its group's).
- Add your Admin role to Channel Visibility.

No permission changes needed. The role's permissions apply automatically, and everyone else can't see the channel at all.

### A view only announcements channel

**Goal:** everyone can read, only moderators can post.

- Keep EVERYONE in Channel Visibility so all members can see the channel.
- On the EVERYONE entry, set **Send Messages** to **Deny**.
- Add Moderator to Channel Visibility with **Send Messages** set to **Allow**.

Everyone reads, moderators post.

### A temporary restriction on one member

**Goal:** stop one member posting in a single channel while you look into something.

- Add that specific member to the channel's Channel Visibility.
- Set **Send Messages** to **Deny** on it.

They keep seeing the channel but can't post, and nothing changes for them anywhere else.

## Permission model

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/permission-model

# Permission model

See how Root works out what a member can do, so your roles behave the way you expect.

Before you start building roles, it helps to know the model underneath them. Root decides permissions a little differently from what you might be used to, and a few minutes here will save you a lot of confusion later. If you'd rather jump straight to definitions, start with the [Roles and permissions overview](./overview.md).

## Roles don't rank

You might expect roles to work like a ladder, where a member's highest role wins and outranks the ones below it. Root doesn't work that way.

Roles are *flat*. None sits above another, and a member's abilities are the combination of every role they hold, not whichever one is on top. A member with a Moderator role and a Member role has everything either role grants, and nothing is taken away.

You can still order your roles in the list, and every member has a *primary role* that sets their name color. That ordering is purely about how things look. It never changes what a member can do.

There's one place where members are compared: to kick or ban someone, you have to outrank them. That comes from the permissions each of you has, not from role order. See [Who you can kick or ban](../moderation/kick-ban-members.md#who-you-can-kick-or-ban).

> **Tip:** Reordering your roles or changing someone's primary role is always safe. It only affects display color and sorting, never permissions, so you can tidy your roles list without worrying about breaking access.

## Permissions add up

Root grants a permission if *any* of a member's roles allows it. Give someone a second role and you can only ever give them more, never less.

This means you build up what a member can do by handing out roles, not by ranking them. There's no way to cancel a permission by adding a role on top. The only thing that takes a permission away is setting it to **Deny** for a specific channel, covered in [Manage channel visibility](./manage-access-rules.md).

One catch when you assign roles: you can only grant permissions you have yourself. Any permission you don't hold appears grayed out while you're editing a role.

## Two separate questions

Every channel comes down to two separate questions, and it's easy to mix them up:

| Question | Decided by |
|----------|------------|
| Can the member **see** the channel? | Channel Visibility |
| Can the member **do** the action? | The permissions from their roles |

*Channel Visibility* controls who can see a channel: if a member isn't in it, the channel is invisible, no matter how many permissions they have. The role permissions then decide what they can do once they're in.

Because these are separate, a member can hold the Send Messages permission and still not see a channel, simply because they're not in that channel's Channel Visibility. When something doesn't behave as you expect, it's almost always one of these two questions, not both. [Permission troubleshooting](./permission-calculation.md) walks through how to tell which.

## The one true override

One permission ignores everything above. A role with *Community Full Control* grants every ability everywhere and bypasses Channel Visibility and every permission setting. It's the single real exception to the whole model, which is exactly why you should grant it sparingly.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## All permissions

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/permission-reference

# All permissions

Every permission in Root, organized by category.

Permissions marked **Administrative** (✓) are powerful: they let members change community settings, manage other members, delete others' content, or control voice channels. Grant them only to people you trust.

> **Caution:** Be careful when granting administrative permissions. Members with these permissions can significantly impact your community.

Some permissions turn on others automatically. For example, turning on **Manage Bans** also turns on **Create Bans**. The role editor shows this as **Auto-enabled by Manage Bans**, and you can't turn the other permission off on its own.

## Community

These permissions control community-wide administrative actions.

| Permission | Description | Administrative |
|------------|-------------|:--------------:|
| **Community Full Control** | Grants every permission and overrules channel and channel group permission settings. Deleting the community, transferring ownership, age restriction, and Discovery stay with the owner. | ✓ |
| **Manage Community** | Edit the community's profile (name, picture, color, banner, description, and category), engagement settings (system messages channel and default notifications), and protection settings (verified member access and join throttle). View the community's cores. | ✓ |
| **View Action Log** | View a record of logged member actions. | ✓ |
| **Manage Apps** | Create, update, and delete apps. View the community's cores information. | ✓ |
| **Manage Emojis** | Add, edit, and remove the community's custom emojis. You can set this permission on a role from desktop only. | ✓ |

## Members

These permissions control member management and invitations.

| Permission | Description | Administrative |
|------------|-------------|:--------------:|
| **Invite Users** | Allows members to invite new users to the community. | |
| **Manage Roles** | Create, update, delete, and assign roles. | ✓ |
| **Kick Member** | Remove members from the community. | ✓ |
| **Create Bans** | Ban members from the community for a set or infinite amount of time. | ✓ |
| **Manage Bans** | Ban and unban community members. View and edit current bans. | ✓ |
| **Manage Invites** | View, create, and revoke community invitations. Claim and manage the community's vanity invite link. | ✓ |

> **Manage Roles can't grant more than you have:**
> **Manage Roles** only works within the permissions you already hold. When you create or edit a role, any permission you don't have yourself is grayed out, and you can only assign a role if you already have every permission it grants. So a member with Manage Roles but not **Community Full Control** can't grant the Admin role, or hand out any permission they don't have, to anyone (including themselves).
> 
> Becoming the community owner is separate: it isn't a role, and it only moves through [Transfer ownership](../community/transfer-ownership.md).

## Channels

These permissions control channel creation and management.

| Permission | Description | Administrative |
|------------|-------------|:--------------:|
| **Channel Full Control** | Grants all channel permissions. Allows editing or deleting channels. | ✓ |
| **Create Channel Groups** | Create channel groups. | ✓ |

## Messages

These permissions control what members can do with messages in text channels.

| Permission | Description | Administrative |
|------------|-------------|:--------------:|
| **Send Messages** | Create, edit, and delete your own messages. | |
| **Attach Files** | Include files in your messages. | |
| **Use Global Mentions** | Use global mentions such as @all and @here in your messages. | |
| **View History** | View messages in a channel that were sent before the date you joined the community. | |
| **Add Reactions** | Add reactions to messages. Remove reactions that you added. | |
| **Use External Emojis** | Use custom emojis from other communities. You can set this permission on a role from desktop only. | |
| **Delete Messages** | Delete messages by other members. | ✓ |
| **Manage Pinned Messages** | Pin or unpin messages. | ✓ |

## Files

These permissions control file and directory access in channels.

| Permission | Description | Administrative |
|------------|-------------|:--------------:|
| **View Files** | View files and directories. | |
| **Upload Files** | Upload, view, and delete your files and directories. View others' files and directories. | |
| **Manage Files** | View, create, and delete files and directories. Update file and directory names. | ✓ |

## Voice and Video

These permissions control voice and video chat capabilities.

| Permission | Description | Administrative |
|------------|-------------|:--------------:|
| **Stream Audio** | Use voice chat. | |
| **Stream Video** | Use video chat and screen sharing. | |
| **Mute Microphones** | Prevent a member from talking in voice channels. | ✓ |
| **Mute Speakers** | Prevent a member from hearing audio in voice channels. | ✓ |
| **Kick Voice Member** | Remove a member from a voice channel. | ✓ |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Permission syncing

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/permission-syncing

# Permission syncing

Apply the same visibility and permissions to a whole group of channels at once.

## Overview

Permission syncing lets channels inherit their visibility and permissions from their parent channel group. Instead of setting these on each channel individually, you set them once on the channel group and all synced channels automatically use the same settings.

By default, new channels have permission syncing turned on.

## How it works

### When syncing is on

A synced channel:

- Uses the visibility and permissions from its parent channel group
- Updates automatically when you change the channel group's visibility or permissions
- Cannot have its own visibility configured directly

This is the default state for new channels.

### When syncing is off

An unsynced channel:

- Has its own independent visibility and permissions
- Is not affected by changes to the channel group
- Must be managed separately from other channels

### When to use syncing

Keep syncing **on** when:

- All channels in a group should be visible to the same roles
- You want centralized access management
- You're setting up standard community areas where everyone participates equally

Turn syncing off when:

- A single channel needs different access than its siblings
- You want a private channel within a public group
- You need a read-only channel where only specific roles can post

## Procedures

### Disable permission syncing

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel and select **Edit channel**
2. Go to the **Permissions** section
3. Turn off **SYNC PERMISSIONS**
4. Set **Channel Visibility** for this channel
5. Select **Save**

### Mobile

1. Long-press the channel and select **Edit channel**
2. Tap **Permissions**
3. Turn off **SYNC PERMISSIONS**
4. Set **Channel Visibility** for this channel
5. Tap **Save changes**

### Enable permission syncing

### Desktop

1. Right-click the channel and select **Edit channel**
2. Go to the **Permissions** section
3. Turn on **SYNC PERMISSIONS**
4. Select **Save**

### Mobile

1. Long-press the channel and select **Edit channel**
2. Tap **Permissions**
3. Turn on **SYNC PERMISSIONS**
4. Tap **Save changes**

> **Warning:** Turning sync back on replaces the channel's own visibility and permissions with the channel group's. Any custom permissions on the channel will be lost.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Manage roles

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/role-tasks

# Manage roles

Create, edit, and assign roles to organize what members can do.

## What are roles?

A *role* is a named set of permissions that you assign to members. Instead of configuring permissions for each member individually, you create roles that represent different responsibilities.

Every community starts with two default roles:

| Role | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| **EVERYONE** | Assigned to all members automatically. Sets the permissions all members start with. Cannot be deleted. |
| **Admin** | Full control over the community. Assigned to the community creator. |

You can create additional roles to match your community's needs:

| Example role | Purpose |
|--------------|---------|
| **Moderator** | Helps keep the community safe by managing messages and members |
| **Trusted Member** | Active members with extra abilities like uploading files |
| **Team Lead** | Members who manage specific channels or projects |

Members can have multiple roles. When they do, Root grants a permission if *any* of their roles allows it. One of these roles is their *primary role*, which determines their display color. Changing the primary role does not affect what the member can do. See [Set a member's primary role](#set-a-members-primary-role) below.

**Required permissions:** Manage Roles

## Create a role

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Roles** from the left navigation.
4. Select **Create Role**.
5. Enter a name for the role.
6. Select a color. On the **Palette** tab, choose from preset colors. On the **Spectrum** tab, use the color spectrum and slider.
7. (Optional) Under **Who can use it**, turn on **Mentionable** so members can @mention this role.
8. Select the **Permissions** tab and enable the permissions for this role.
9. Select the **Channel assignment** tab and select which channels and channel groups this role can access.
10. Select the **Members** tab and select which members should have this role.
11. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the community menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Roles**.
1. Tap the **+** icon  in the top-right corner.
1. Enter a name for the role.
1. Tap the color field to select a color.
1. Tap **Create**.
1. The role is created and you are taken to the role edit screen to configure permissions and assignments.

> **Note:** You can only grant permissions you have yourself. When editing a role, permissions you don't have appear grayed out, and you can only assign a role if you already have every permission it grants. This means Manage Roles can't be used to reach a more powerful role like Admin.

## Edit a role

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Roles** from the left navigation.
4. Select the role you want to edit.
5. Make your changes on the Display, Permissions, Channel assignment, or Members tabs.
6. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the community menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Roles**.
1. Tap the role you want to edit.
1. Tap one of the following options:
   - **Display**: Edit the role name, color, and mentionable setting.
   - **Permissions**: Enable or disable permissions for this role.
   - **Channel assignment**: Select which channels this role can access.
   - **Members**: Add or remove members from this role.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

## Assign roles to a member

To give someone a role, you need both of these:

- The **Manage Roles** permission
- Every permission that role grants, since you can't hand out a permission you don't have yourself

That second point is the one people miss: a moderator with **Manage Roles** still can't give out a role if it includes even one permission they don't have. If a moderator can't assign a role they should be able to, check that they have all of that role's permissions.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Members** from the left navigation.
4. Find the member and select the **+** icon  next to their name.
5. Select or deselect roles as needed.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the community menu.
1. Tap **View members**.
1. Tap a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
1. Tap **Manage roles** in the Roles section.
1. Toggle the checkboxes to add or remove roles.

## Set a member's primary role

When a member has multiple roles, their *primary role* determines their display color. Changing the primary role is purely visual. It does not change what the member can do.

### Desktop

1. Open the member's profile.
1. In the **Roles** section, select the role you want to set as primary.
1. The primary role is highlighted with a blue border.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the community menu.
1. Tap **View members**.
1. Tap a member's name or avatar to open their profile.
1. Tap **Manage roles** in the Roles section.
1. Under **Primary role**, tap the current role, then pick a role in **Select a primary role**.

## Reorder roles

The order of your roles sets the order members are grouped in on the member list.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Roles** from the left navigation.
1. Drag a role up or down the list. The new order is saved when you drop it.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the community menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Roles**.
1. Tap the reorder icon  in the top-right corner.
1. Drag a role by its handle to move it.
1. Tap **Save**.

## Delete a role

You can delete any role except the **EVERYONE** role. When you delete a role, members who had that role lose the permissions it granted.

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
2. Select **Community settings**.
3. Select **Roles** from the left navigation.
4. Select the role you want to delete.
5. At the bottom of the **Display** tab, under **Delete**, select **Delete role**.
6. Type the role name to confirm.
7. Select **Delete**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the community menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Roles**.
1. Tap the role you want to delete.
1. Scroll down and tap **Delete role**.
1. Type the role name to confirm.
1. Tap **Delete**.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Self assignable roles

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/self-assignable-roles

# Self assignable roles

Let your members add and remove certain roles themselves, no admin needed.

## What are self assignable roles?

A *self assignable role* is a role that any member can add to or remove from themselves, even without the Manage Roles permission. You choose which roles are self assignable. Every other role can only be assigned by someone with permission.

Self assignable roles work well for things members opt into, like notification pings, game or interest tags, or a color they pick for themselves. The default **EVERYONE** role cannot be made self assignable.

Members add and remove these roles from their own profile card. See [Assign yourself a role](../../member/communities/assign-yourself-a-role.md) for the member view.

## Make a role self assignable

Turn on self assignment for any role, new or existing, so members can add or remove it on their own. On desktop, the **Self-assignable** toggle is under **Who can use it** on the role's **Display** tab. On mobile, the **Role is self assignable** toggle is on the **Display** tab.

**Required permissions:** Manage Roles

### Desktop

1. Right-click the community tab, or select the community image in the sidebar.
1. Select **Community settings**.
1. Select **Roles** from the left navigation.
1. Select the role you want to change.
1. On the **Display** tab, turn on **Role is self assignable**.
1. Select **Save changes**.

### Mobile

1. Tap the community name at the top of the screen to open the community menu.
1. Tap **Community settings**.
1. Tap **Roles**.
1. Tap the role you want to change.
1. On the **Display** tab, turn on **Role is self assignable**.
1. Tap **Save changes**.

Once enabled, any member can add or remove this role from themselves.

When you create a role, the same toggle appears on the **Display** tab (**Self-assignable** on desktop, **Role is self assignable** on mobile), so you can turn it on as you set the role up. See [Manage roles](./role-tasks.md) for the full create and edit steps.

## Add a role to yourself

When a community has self assignable roles, you can add them to yourself without any special permission.

### Desktop

To add a role to yourself:

1. Open your profile card by selecting your name on one of your messages, or your name in the member list.
1. In the **Roles** section, select **Add role** .
1. Select a self assignable role to add it to yourself.

### Mobile

To add a role to yourself:

1. Open your profile card by tapping your name on a message, or your name in the member list.
1. Tap **Manage roles** in the **Roles** section.
1. Turn on the self assignable roles you want.

## Remove a role from yourself

Take off any self assignable role you no longer want.

### Desktop

Do either of the following:

- In the **Roles** section of your profile card, select the role, then select the **X**.
- Select **Add role** , then deselect the roles you no longer want.

### Mobile

1. Open your profile card by tapping your name on a message, or your name in the member list.
1. Tap **Manage roles** in the **Roles** section.
1. Turn off the roles you no longer want.

> **Add yourself from a role mention:** On desktop or mobile, anywhere you see a role mention (the colored @role name in a message), select it to open a small card. If the role is self assignable, you can choose **Add me to this role** or **Remove me from this role** right from there.

> **Your color comes from one role:** When you give yourself several roles, your name color comes from the first one you add. Choosing which role sets your color needs the Manage Roles permission, so if you don't have it, the only way to change your color is to remove your roles and add them back in the order you want.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Channel files overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/channel-files/overview

# Channel files overview

Store and organize files right in your text channels.

## What are channel files?

*Channel files* are files stored directly in a text channel's file storage, separate from message attachments. Unlike files attached to messages, channel files are organized into folders and remain accessible without scrolling through message history.

Channel files are useful for:

- Sharing documents, images, and resources with channel members
- Organizing files into folders by topic or project
- Maintaining a library of reference materials

## How channel files work

### Storage

Every text channel has its own file storage area. On desktop, members access it by selecting the **Files** icon  in the channel header.

Files can be organized into folders and subfolders, similar to folders on your computer. Any member with the appropriate permissions can upload files, create folders, and manage the channel's file library.

> **Note:** Channel files browsing is currently available on desktop only. Mobile users can find files shared in channels by using community search.

### Viewing and downloading files

Channel files cannot be viewed or edited directly inside Root. To view or edit a file, download it first and open it with another app.

To download a file, select the **Download** icon  next to the file. The file is saved to your Downloads folder. After the download completes, select the **Open** icon  to open the Downloads folder where the file was saved.

Image files display thumbnails in the file browser for quick identification.

### Limits

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Maximum file size | 25 MB |
| Maximum files per upload | 10 |
| File name length | 1–64 characters |
| Folder name length | 1–64 characters |

For every size, count, and length limit across Root in one place, see [Limits and maximums](../../support/limits.md).

### Permissions

Three permissions control what members can do with channel files:

| Permission | Capabilities |
|------------|--------------|
| **View Files** | View files and folders uploaded by any member |
| **Upload Files** | Upload files, create folders, and delete your own files |
| **Manage Files** | All of the above, plus rename and delete any member's files and folders |

These permissions can be granted through roles or per channel under Channel Visibility.

### Channel files vs. message attachments

| Feature | Channel files | Message attachments |
|---------|---------------|---------------------|
| Organization | Folders and subfolders | Inline with messages |
| Finding them | Browse in Files panel (desktop only) | Scroll through messages or search |
| How long it lasts | Permanent until deleted | Stays with the message |
| Best for | Reference materials, shared resources | Context-specific sharing |

## When to use channel files

Use channel files when you want to:

- **Build a resource library**: Store documents, templates, or reference materials that members need to access repeatedly
- **Organize by topic**: Group related files into folders instead of scattering them across messages
- **Keep files accessible**: Make important files easy to find without searching message history

Use message attachments when you want to:

- **Share in context**: Attach a file directly to a conversation where it's being discussed
- **Share temporarily**: Send a file that doesn't need to be stored long-term

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Channels overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/channels/overview

# Channels overview

Organize your community's text, voice, and app channels into groups.

## What are channels?

A *channel* is a dedicated space where members communicate. Think of channels as rooms in a building: each room has a purpose, and members go to the right room for the right conversation.

Root supports three channel types:

| Type | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| **Text channel** | Written conversations where members send and receive messages live. Use for discussions, announcements, sharing files, and conversations at your own pace. |
| **Voice channel** | Live audio and video conversations. Members join to talk, listen, and share their screens. |
| **App channel** | Interactive experiences powered by Apps from the Root App Store. These channels display custom interfaces instead of messages. Available on desktop and mobile (beta). |

App channels are how interactive Apps appear in your community. When you install an App from the Root App Store, it gets its own channel where members use buttons, forms, and live panels instead of sending messages. App channels work on desktop and mobile, and are currently in beta. To browse and install Apps, see [Apps and Bots](../apps/what-are-apps.md).

Every channel belongs to a channel group. You can't create a channel outside of a group.

## What are channel groups?

A *channel group* is a container that organizes related channels under a shared heading. Groups appear as collapsible sections in the channel list, making it easier for members to find what they're looking for.

Channel groups also simplify permissions. When you set permissions on a group, channels inside can inherit those permissions automatically. This means you can control access to a whole section of your community in one place.

## How channels and groups work together

When you create a community, Root creates a default channel group with a general text channel. From there, you build your structure by adding groups and channels that match your community's needs.

Here's how the pieces fit together:

1. **Channel groups define sections**: Each group is a category like "Announcements," "Projects," or "Social."
2. **Channels live inside groups**: Every channel must belong to exactly one group.
3. **Permissions flow downward**: By default, channels inherit permissions from their parent group. You can override this for individual channels when needed.
4. **Members see only what they can access**: Channels and groups that a member can't access are hidden from their view.

## Planning your channel structure

Before creating channels, think about how your community will use them. A good structure helps members find conversations quickly and keeps discussions organized.

### Start simple

New communities don't need many channels. Start with a few essentials:

- **An announcements channel**: For important updates from community owners (consider making it read-only for members)
- **A general chat channel**: For everyday conversation
- **A voice channel**: For live discussions when needed

You can always add more channels as your community grows and you understand what members need.

### Group by purpose

Organize channels into groups that make sense for your community:

| Community type | Example groups |
|----------------|----------------|
| Gaming | General, Looking for Group, Game-specific, Voice Lobbies |
| Creative | Showcase, Feedback, Tutorials, Collaboration |
| Professional | Announcements, Projects, Teams, Off-topic |
| Learning | Course Materials, Study Groups, Q&A, Social |

### Control visibility with permissions

Not every member needs access to every channel:

- **Public channels**: Visible to everyone. Good for general discussion and announcements.
- **Role channels**: Visible only to members with specific roles. Good for team discussions or premium content.
- **Private channels**: Visible only to the members you choose. Good for your team's private conversations or anything sensitive.

Permissions are set at the channel group level and inherited by channels inside. See [Channel permissions](./channel-permissions.md) for details.

## When to create new channels

Create a new channel when:

- A topic generates enough discussion to warrant its own space
- You need different permissions for a specific conversation
- A project or team needs a dedicated home
- Members are asking for a place to discuss something specific

Avoid creating channels "just in case." Empty channels clutter the interface and make your community feel inactive. It's better to add channels as needs emerge.

## When to create new channel groups

Create a new channel group when:

- You have multiple related channels that belong together
- You want to apply the same permissions to several channels at once
- A section of your community needs visual separation in the channel list

Generally, if you're creating more than two or three channels for a single purpose, they probably deserve their own group.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Community overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/community/overview

# Community overview

Build a home where your members gather to connect and talk.

## What is a community?

A *community* is your own space on Root where members gather. You control who can join, how it's organized, and what members can do. Think of it as your own corner of Root, complete with channels for conversation, roles for organization, and tools for moderation.

A community is private by default: people join with an invite. When you're ready to grow, you can list it in Community Discovery so anyone on Root can find and join it.

As a community owner, you're responsible for:

- **Structure**: Organizing channels and groups so members can find conversations
- **Access**: Deciding who can join and what they can do
- **Culture**: Setting expectations and moderating behavior
- **Growth**: Inviting members and keeping them engaged

## Key concepts

Before you start, here's how the main pieces fit together:

| Concept | What it is | Learn more |
|---------|------------|------------|
| **Channels** | Spaces where members communicate (text, voice, or app) | [Channels overview](../channels/overview.md) |
| **Channel groups** | Containers that organize related channels together | [Channels overview](../channels/overview.md) |
| **Roles** | Named sets of permissions you assign to members | [Roles and permissions overview](../roles-permissions/overview.md) |
| **Channel Visibility** | Controls who can see and use channels | [Manage channel visibility](../roles-permissions/manage-access-rules.md) |
| **Invites** | Links you share to let people join your community | [Invite members](../members-and-invites/invite-members.md) |
| **Community Discovery** | Root's public directory, where anyone can find and join your community once you list it | [Community Discovery](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md) |

## Community lifecycle

Communities evolve over time. Here's a typical progression:

### 1. Create and set up

Start by creating your community and establishing the basics:

- [Create a community](./create-community.md) or [import from Discord](./import-discord-template.md)
- [Customize your appearance](./customize-community-appearance.md) with a name, image, and color
- Set up [channels and groups](../channels/manage-channels-and-groups.md) for different conversations

### 2. Invite and grow

Bring in your first members and expand:

- [Create invite links](../members-and-invites/invite-members.md) to share with potential members
- Consider [requiring email verification](../members-and-invites/require-email-verification.md) to reduce spam accounts
- Once your community is established, [list it in Community Discovery](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md) so people can find it without an invite
- Add channels as your community's needs become clear

### 3. Organize and delegate

As your community grows, add structure:

- [Create roles](../roles-permissions/role-tasks.md) for different member types (moderators, trusted members, teams)
- Set up [Channel Visibility](../roles-permissions/manage-access-rules.md) to control who can see what
- Use [permission syncing](../roles-permissions/permission-syncing.md) to manage channel access efficiently

### 4. Moderate and maintain

Keep your community healthy:

- [Kick or ban](../moderation/kick-ban-members.md) members who break your rules
- [Monitor the action log](../moderation/action-log.md) to see what's happening
- Use the [system messages channel](./system-messages-channel.md) to track joins, bans, and other events

## Tips for new owners

**Start small.** You don't need dozens of channels on day one. Begin with a few essentials (announcements, general chat, a voice channel) and add more as your community grows.

**Set clear expectations.** Whether formal rules or informal norms, let members know what behavior you expect. This makes moderation easier.

**Delegate when ready.** You don't have to do everything yourself. Create moderator roles and assign trusted members to help manage the community.

**Listen to your members.** Pay attention to what channels get used, what questions come up, and what members ask for. Let their needs guide how you evolve the community.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/get-started/overview

# Overview

A *community* is your private space on Root where members gather to talk and collaborate.

## What you'll build

By the end of this guide, you'll have a working community with:

- **Channels**: Spaces for text, voice, and video conversations
- **Channel groups**: Containers that organize related channels together
- **Members**: People you've invited to join

## What you'll learn

This guide walks you through the essentials:

1. [Start your community](./create-community.md): Set up your community
2. [Create channels and groups](./create-channels-and-groups.md): Organize conversations
3. [Invite members](./invite-members.md): Bring people in

## Learn more

For a deeper look at how communities work, see the [Community overview](../community/overview.md).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Running a community

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/leader-home

# Running a community

Create a community on Root and shape how it runs. This guide covers everything you do as a community owner, from setting up your community to organizing it and keeping it healthy.

## Start here

New to running a community? [Get started](./get-started/index.md) walks you through creating a community, adding channels and groups, and inviting your first members.

## What you can do

- **Set up your community:** customize its appearance, emoji, and settings. [Community](./community/index.md)
- **Organize channels:** create channels and groups, arrange them, and set permissions. [Channels](./channels/index.md)
- **Manage members:** invite people, set join rules, and manage who's in. [Members](./members-and-invites/index.md)
- **Grow it:** list your community publicly so anyone on Root can find and join it. [Community Discovery](./community-discovery/index.md)
- **Control access:** create roles and fine-tune permissions. [Roles](./roles-permissions/index.md)
- **Keep it healthy:** moderate content, kick or ban, and review the action log. [Moderation](./moderation/index.md)
- **Extend it:** add apps and bots to your community. [Apps and Bots](./apps/index.md)

Looking for how to use Root as a member? See [Using Root](../member/member-home.md).

## Members and invites overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/members-and-invites/overview

# Members and invites overview

Decide who can join your community and manage members once they're in.

## What are members?

*Members* are users who have joined your community. Each member has a profile, can be assigned roles, and participates in channels based on their permissions. 

Members are organized by their online status and roles. You can view detailed member information in **Community settings** > **Members**, including their roles, join date, and profile details.

One member is the *community owner*, with extra control over the community. For details about ownership, see [Create a community](../community/create-community.md#community-owner).

## How invitations work

Root provides two ways to bring new members into your community:

| Method | Best for | How it works |
|--------|----------|--------------|
| **Direct invitation** | Inviting friends you already know on Root | Send an invite directly from your friends list. They receive a notification. |
| **Invite links** | Sharing with groups or publicly | Generate a link that anyone can use to join |

Direct invitations notify the recipient immediately, making them ideal for reaching specific people. Invite links can be shared anywhere (in messages, on websites, or in other communities) and work for anyone who clicks them.

Invites aren't the only way in. Once your community is established, the owner can list it in *Community Discovery*, Root's public directory, so anyone on Root can find and join it without an invite. See [Community Discovery](../community-discovery/list-your-community.md).

### Invite link options

When creating an invite link, you can configure:

- **Expiration**: Set the link to expire after a specific time (1 hour to 7 days) or never
- **Max uses**: Limit how many times the link can be used, or allow unlimited uses

You can manage active invite links at any time, viewing usage statistics and deleting links that are no longer needed.

### When to use each method

Choose direct invitations when:

- You know the person and they're already on Root
- You want to personally invite friends to your community
- You prefer a private, personal approach

Choose invite links when:

- You're promoting your community publicly
- You want to share on social media or websites
- You're inviting a group of people at once
- You don't know if recipients already use Root

## Control who can join

Root offers settings to control who can join your community:

- **Verified member access**: Require members to have a verified email address before joining. This reduces spam accounts and ties each member to a real email address. See [Verified member access](./require-email-verification.md) for details.
- **Join throttle**: Limit how many people can join in a set time window, to protect against raids. See [Join throttle](./join-throttle.md) for details.

Verified member access and [age restrictions](../community/age-restrictions.md) apply however someone joins, including from Community Discovery.

## Manage your members

Once members join, you have several tools to manage them:

| Task | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **View member list** | See all members with their roles and status |
| **Search members** | Find specific members by name |
| **Assign roles** | Give members roles to grant permissions |
| **Set primary role** | Choose which role determines a member's name color |
| **Kick members** | Remove someone temporarily (they can rejoin) |
| **Ban members** | Remove someone permanently (blocks rejoining) |

For detailed moderation actions like kicking and banning, see the [Moderation](../moderation/index.md) section.

## Delegate invitation and management tasks

You don't have to handle invitations and member management alone. Root's permission system lets you delegate these responsibilities to trusted members through roles.

| Permission | What it allows |
|------------|----------------|
| **Invite Users** | Invite new users to the community |
| **Manage Invites** | View, create, and revoke community invitations |
| **Kick Member** | Remove members from the community (they can rejoin) |
| **Create Bans** | Ban members from the community |
| **Manage Bans** | Ban and unban members, view and edit current bans |
| **Manage Roles** | Create, update, delete, and assign roles |

For sensitive permissions like Kick Member and Manage Bans, consider creating a dedicated moderator role. See [Roles and permissions overview](../roles-permissions/overview.md) for guidance on setting up your permission structure, or [All permissions](../roles-permissions/permission-reference.md) for the complete list.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Moderation overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/moderation/overview

# Moderation overview

Keep your community safe and welcoming by handling disruptive behavior and content.

## What is moderation?

*Moderation* is the practice of enforcing your community's rules and maintaining a positive environment. As a community owner, you're responsible for handling conflicts, removing inappropriate content, and taking action against members who violate your guidelines.

Effective moderation helps your community thrive. When members feel safe and respected, they're more likely to participate and contribute positively.

## How moderation works

Root provides tools for managing members, content, and voice channels:

| Area | Tools | Learn more |
|------|-------|------------|
| **Member actions** | Kick (temporary removal) and ban (permanent removal with block) | [Kick or ban members](./kick-ban-members.md) |
| **Ban management** | View banned members, revoke bans | [Manage banned members](./banned-members.md) |
| **Content** | Delete messages, pin important messages | [Delete and pin messages](./content-moderation.md) |
| **Voice channels** | Mute, deafen, or remove members from voice | [Moderate voice channels](./voice-moderation.md) |
| **Monitoring** | Action log tracks all administrative changes | [Monitor actions](./action-log.md) |
| **Raids** | Mod mode shows live activity and lets you lock down, ban in bulk and clean up (desktop) | [Mod mode](./mod-mode.md) |

Each tool requires a specific permission. You can delegate moderation responsibilities by creating a moderator role with the appropriate permissions. See [All permissions](../roles-permissions/permission-reference.md) for the complete list.

## When to moderate

Moderation is about judgment. Not every situation requires action, and the right response depends on context.

**Consider immediate action when:**
- A member is harassing others or posting harmful content
- Someone is spamming messages or disrupting voice channels
- A member is repeatedly violating community rules after warnings

**Consider a lighter approach when:**
- A member makes a one-time mistake
- The issue is a misunderstanding between members
- Someone is new and may not know the rules yet

**General principles:**
- Act consistently: apply the same standards to everyone
- Start with warnings for minor issues before escalating
- Use kicks for repeated minor problems, bans for serious violations
- Document your reasoning when banning (use the ban reason field)

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Roles and permissions overview

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/leader/roles-permissions/overview

# Roles and permissions overview

Control what members can see and do in your community.

## What are roles and permissions?

*Permissions* are individual abilities, like "send messages" or "ban members." 

*Roles* are named bundles of permissions that you assign to members. Instead of configuring permissions for each member individually, you create roles that represent different responsibilities.

*Channel Visibility* controls which roles and members can see specific channels and channel groups. It connects your permission structure to your channel structure.

Together, these three concepts let you:

- Prevent mistakes (like a new member accidentally deleting a channel)
- Let trusted members help run and protect the community
- Create private spaces for specific groups

## How roles and permissions work together

Permissions are organized into categories:

| Category | Examples |
|----------|----------|
| **Community** | Manage Community, View Action Log |
| **Members** | Invite Users, Kick Member, Manage Bans |
| **Channels** | Full Control (Channel), Create Channel Groups |
| **Messages** | Send Messages, Delete Messages, Manage Pinned Messages |
| **Files** | View Files, Upload Files, Manage Files |
| **Voice and Video** | Stream Audio, Mute Microphones, Kick Voice Member |

For the complete list, see [All permissions](./permission-reference.md).

Roles bundle these permissions together. Every community starts with two roles:

| Role | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| **EVERYONE** | Assigned to all members automatically. Sets the permissions all members start with. |
| **Admin** | Full control. Assigned to the community creator. |

Members can have multiple roles. When they do, Root grants a permission if *any* of their roles allows it. Roles don't rank above one another, so a member's abilities are the combination of all their roles. For the full picture, see [Permission model](./permission-model.md).

Channel Visibility then determines where those permissions apply. A member might have the "Send Messages" permission from their role, but they can only use it in channels they can see. For details on how these pieces combine, see [Permission troubleshooting](./permission-calculation.md).

## What is a member's primary role?

A member's *primary role* is the role that determines their display color in the community. Members with only the EVERYONE role display in that role's color. When a member is assigned a custom role, it becomes their primary role. If a member has multiple roles, anyone with the Manage Roles permission can change which one is primary.

Changing the primary role is purely visual. It does not change what the member can do. The EVERYONE role cannot be manually set as primary.

## When to configure roles and permissions

**Create a new role when:**

- A group of members needs different permissions than the default
- You want to delegate responsibilities (moderators, team leads)
- You need to identify members visually (roles can have colors)

**Use Channel Visibility when:**

- You need private channels visible only to certain roles
- A channel needs different permissions than normal (like a read-only announcements channel)
- You want to grant access to a specific member without creating a role

**Start simple.** New communities rarely need complex permission structures. Begin with the default roles and add more as your community grows and needs become clear.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

---

# Support

Troubleshooting and account help.

## Fix audio and video problems

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/audio-video

# Fix audio and video problems

If you're having trouble with your microphone, speakers, or camera, try the steps below to get things working again.

## 1. Check your device settings

Make sure your microphone, speakers, and camera are properly connected and not being used by another app. On most systems, you can test and adjust these settings in your system preferences.

* On Windows: Settings > System > Sound / Camera
* On macOS: System Settings > Sound / Camera

## 2. Allow Root to use your microphone and camera

If you see a message like **permission denied by system**, or your audio devices suddenly stop working, your operating system is blocking Root from using them. A system update can reset this without warning, so it's worth checking even if it worked before.

* On Windows: open **Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone**. Turn on **Microphone access** and **Let apps access your microphone**, then scroll down and turn on **Let desktop apps access your microphone**. That last one is easy to miss, and Root needs it because it's a desktop app. Do the same under **Privacy & security > Camera** for video. Then fully close and reopen Root.
* On macOS: open **System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone** and switch **Root** on. Do the same under **Camera** for video. Then fully close and reopen Root.

## 3. Use the correct input and output

On desktop, select your profile picture in the user tray, then go to **Settings > Audio and video** and select the correct devices for input (microphone), output (speakers), and video (camera). On mobile, you can change your audio output during a call.

## 4. Update your software

Make sure you're running the latest version of Root, and check for any operating system or driver updates that may affect audio and video.

* On desktop, open **Profile → Settings** and select **Check for updates**. When an update is ready, a green arrow appears in the title bar. Select it, or select **Update client** in your profile, to install the update. You can also download the latest version from the [Root download page](https://www.rootapp.com/download).
* On mobile, check for an update in the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6742028281) or [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rootapp.mobile).

## 5. Restart Root or your device

Sometimes the fastest fix is to close and reopen Root, or restart your device entirely.

## Still having trouble?

- [**Report a voice call issue**](./report-voice-call-issue.md) if the problem is with your call.
- [**Contact support**](https://www.rootapp.com/support) for help with anything else.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Troubleshoot sign in and connection problems

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/cant-sign-in-or-connect

# Troubleshoot sign in and connection problems

Get back into Root when sign in fails, account creation won't finish, or the app can't reach our servers.

If Root says your username or password is wrong when you know they're right, or account creation stops with "something went wrong", the problem usually isn't your account. It's that Root can't reach our servers, so the app falls back to a general error. You might also see a "failed to connect" message.

A quick way to tell the two apart: try signing in to Root on a different device. If it works there, your account and password are fine, and the problem is the connection on the device where Root won't sign in. The steps below help it connect again.

## 1. Restart Root

Often the quickest fix. Close Root completely and reopen it, which forces a fresh connection. On a phone, swipe Root away from the app switcher first, then open it again.

## 2. Turn off your VPN or proxy

A common cause. VPNs, proxies, and some privacy or security tools block or reroute the connection Root needs, so sign in and account creation fail. Turn yours off (or add an exception for Root), then try again. On a phone, this includes any VPN app and any VPN set up in your device's settings.

## 3. Try a different network

Work, school, and public networks often block the traffic Root uses to connect. Switch to another network, such as your home Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot, and try again. On a phone, try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data.

## 4. Check your date and time

If your device's clock is wrong, Root can't make a secure connection to our servers. Make sure your date and time are set correctly, and turn on the option to set them automatically.

## 5. Check what's blocking the connection

Security software, system settings, and data restrictions can quietly block Root's connection. The checks differ by device.

### Desktop

The exact checks depend on your operating system.

**Windows**

- **Windows Firewall:** allow Root through. Open **Settings → Privacy & security → Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall**, then make sure Root is ticked.
- **Antivirus and security suites:** some third-party security software scans secure (HTTPS) connections, which can break Root's connection. Turn off HTTPS or SSL scanning, or add Root as an exception.
- **Windows Update:** install any pending updates in **Settings → Windows Update**. This keeps the security certificates Root relies on up to date.

**macOS**

- **Software updates:** install any pending updates in **System Settings → General → Software Update** to keep your certificates current.
- **Security software:** if you run third-party antivirus or VPN tools, check they aren't blocking Root, or add Root as an exception.

**Linux**

- **Update your certificates:** Root can't connect if your system's certificates are out of date. On Debian or Ubuntu, run `sudo apt install --reinstall ca-certificates`, then try again. On other distributions, update your `ca-certificates` package.
- **Check your firewall:** if you use a firewall such as `ufw`, make sure it isn't blocking Root's connection.

### Mobile

- **Data Saver or Low Data Mode:** these can stop Root connecting. Turn them off, or allow Root to bypass them. It's Data Saver on Android and Low Data Mode on iPhone.
- **Allow mobile data for Root:** make sure Root is allowed to use mobile data and isn't restricted in your phone's settings.

## 6. Update to the latest version

An older version of Root can lose touch with our servers. Make sure you're on the latest version.

- On desktop, download the latest version from the [Root download page](https://www.rootapp.com/download) and install it.
- On mobile, update Root in the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6742028281) or [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rootapp.mobile).

## Still having trouble?

If you still can't sign in after all of the above, let us know and we'll look into it.

- [**Contact support**](https://www.rootapp.com/support) from our website. You don't need to be signed in.
- Once you're back in, you can also [report an issue](./report-issue.md) from inside the app, which attaches your Root version and device details automatically.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Limits and maximums

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/limits

# Limits and maximums

Look up the size, count, and length limits across Root, all in one place.

## Account

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Username length | 3–20 characters |
| Password length | 8–128 characters |
| Communities per user | 200 |

## Channel files

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Maximum file size | 25 MB |
| Files per upload | 10 |
| File name length | 1–64 characters |
| Folder name length | 1–64 characters |
| Folders per channel | 100 |
| Files per folder | 100 |

## Channels and groups

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Channels per community | 500 |
| Channels per group | 50 |
| Channel groups per community | 50 |
| Channel name length | 1–100 characters |
| Channel description length | up to 256 characters |
| Channel group name length | 2–100 characters |
| Access rules per channel or group | 100 |

## Community

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Members per community | 50,000 |
| Members in a voice channel | 200 |
| Video streams in a voice channel | 50 |
| Community name length | 1–100 characters |
| Community description length | up to 256 characters |
| Invite links per community | 1,000 |
| Installed apps per community | 100 |

## Emoji

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Custom emoji per community | 100 |
| Emoji shortcode length | 2–32 characters |

## Friends and direct messages

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Friends per user | 2,000 |
| Friend groups per user | 50 |
| Friend group name length | 2–100 characters |
| Members in a group direct message | 10 |
| Group direct messages per user | 1,000 |

## Images

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Community image | 10 MB |
| Profile image | 10 MB |
| Channel icon | 256 KB |
| Community emoji image | 256 KB |

## Messages

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Message length | 10,000 characters |
| Mentions per message | 50 |
| Link previews per message | 10 |
| Attachments per message | 10 |
| Reactions per message | 1,000 (up to 30 different emoji) |
| Attachment size (images) | 10 MB |
| Attachment size (other files, including video) | 100 MB |
| Favorite GIFs per user | 250 |

## Moderation

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Ban reason length | up to 256 characters |

## Profiles

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Bio length | up to 200 characters |
| Custom status length | up to 100 characters |
| Note length | up to 256 characters |

## Roles

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Roles per community | 250 |
| Roles per member | 50 |
| Role name length | 1–100 characters |

## Themes

| Limit | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Custom themes per user | 10 |
| Theme name length | 1–50 characters |
| Colors in a gradient theme | 5 |

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Troubleshoot messages that won't update

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/messages-not-updating

# Troubleshoot messages that won't update

Get your messages showing up live again when they only arrive after you restart Root.

If new messages don't appear until you close and reopen Root, or the app feels behind, Root has usually lost its live connection to our servers. The steps below help it reconnect and stay current.

## 1. Check your connection

Root needs a steady internet connection to receive messages as they arrive. If your connection drops or your network blocks background traffic, messages can stop updating until you restart.

* Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data to see if one works better.
* If you're on a work, school, or public network, try a different one. Some networks block the traffic Root uses to stay connected.

## 2. Update to the latest version

Make sure you're running the latest version of Root. An older version can fall out of sync with our servers.

* On desktop, open **Profile → Settings** and select **Check for updates**. When an update is ready, a green arrow appears in the title bar. Select it, or select **Update client** in your profile, to install the update. You can also download the latest version from the [Root download page](https://www.rootapp.com/download).
* On mobile, check for an update in the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6742028281) or [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rootapp.mobile).

## 3. Restart Root

Close Root completely and reopen it. On mobile, swipe the app away from the app switcher first, then open it again. This forces Root to make a fresh connection and pull in anything it missed.

## 4. Restart your device

If messages still lag behind, restart your device. This clears up connection issues that Root can't fix on its own.

## Still having trouble?

If your messages keep falling behind after all of the above, let us know so we can look into it.

> **Tip:** When you [report an issue](./report-issue.md) from inside the app, your Root version and device details are attached automatically, so we get what we need to help without you tracking anything down.

- [**Report an issue**](./report-issue.md) to send us the details from the app or our website.
- [**Contact support**](https://www.rootapp.com/support) for help with anything else.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Recover your username

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/recover-username

# Recover your username

If you've forgotten your Root username, you can recover it from the sign in screen.

### Desktop

1. On the sign in screen, select **Forgot your username or password?**
2. Select **Recover username**.
3. Enter the email address linked to your Root account.
4. Select **Send**.

### Mobile

1. On the sign in screen, tap **Forgot your username or password?**
2. Tap **Recover username**.
3. Enter the email address linked to your Root account.
4. Tap **Send**.

> **Security verification:** A **Security Verification** pop up window may appear when you request a username recovery. This verification usually completes silently in the background. If interactive verification is needed, complete the on-screen challenge to continue. To close the pop up window, select **Cancel** on desktop or tap the **X** on mobile.

We'll email your username if there's an account associated with that address.

If you run into any trouble, [contact support](https://www.rootapp.com/support).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Report an issue

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/report-issue

# Report an issue

If you've run into an issue or have an idea, you can submit feedback directly from the Root app or through our website.

## Submit feedback from the app

### Desktop

1. Select the **Support** icon  in the title bar, or select your profile picture in the user tray and then select **Support**.
1. Choose a category:
   - **Help** for questions or problems
   - **Suggestion** for feature requests
   - **Other** for anything else
1. Enter a title summarizing your feedback.
1. Enter a description with details.
1. (Optional) Clear **Root may contact me about this issue** if you don't want us to follow up. This option is selected by default.
1. Select **Submit**.

### Mobile

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom navigation bar.
1. Tap **Support**.
1. Choose a category:
   - **Help** for questions or problems
   - **Suggestion** for feature requests
   - **Other** for anything else
1. Enter a title summarizing your feedback.
1. Enter a message with details.
1. (Optional) Clear **Root may contact me about this issue** if you don't want us to follow up. This option is selected by default.
1. Tap **Submit**.

## Submit feedback from the website

You can also submit feedback through our website: [contact support](https://www.rootapp.com/support).

## Tips for reporting issues

When reporting an issue, it's helpful to include:

- What you were trying to do
- What went wrong (include screenshots if possible)
- Any steps to reproduce the issue

Your app version and device information are automatically included when you submit through the app.

## Tips for suggestions

When submitting a suggestion, consider including:

- What you'd like to see added or improved
- Why it would be helpful for you or your community
- Any context or examples of how you'd use it

Thanks for helping us make Root better!

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Report a voice call issue

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/report-voice-call-issue

# Report a voice call issue

If something goes wrong on a voice call, you can report it to Root directly from the app.

### Desktop

1. While in a call, select the **Report voice call issue** button  in the title bar.
1. (Optional) In the **What went wrong?** field, tell us what happened.
1. Select **Submit**.

Root automatically includes diagnostic information with your report, so you don't need to attach anything.

### Mobile

This feature is not available on mobile.

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Reset your password

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/reset-password

# Reset your password

If you've forgotten your Root password, you can reset it from the sign in screen.

### Desktop

1. On the sign in screen, select **Forgot your username or password?**
2. Select **Reset password**.
3. Enter the email address linked to your Root account.
4. Select **Send**.

### Mobile

1. On the sign in screen, tap **Forgot your username or password?**
2. Tap **Reset password**.
3. Enter the email address linked to your Root account.
4. Tap **Send**.

> **Security verification:** A **Security Verification** pop up window may appear when you request a password reset. This verification usually completes silently in the background. If interactive verification is needed, complete the on-screen challenge to continue. To close the pop up window, select **Cancel** on desktop or tap the **X** on mobile.

We'll email you instructions and a verification code to reset your password. Your new password must be at least 8 characters and include an uppercase letter, lowercase letter, number, and special character. Commonly used passwords are not allowed.

If you run into any trouble, [contact support](https://www.rootapp.com/support).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## Stop Root opening on startup

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/stop-root-opening-on-startup

# Stop Root opening on startup

If Root opens by itself when you turn your computer on, it's in your system's list of startup apps. On Windows, the Root installer adds a shortcut to your Startup folder. On macOS and Linux, Root doesn't add itself, so this happens when Root has been set to launch at startup on your computer. You can turn it off from your operating system's startup settings.

### Windows

1. Press **Windows + R**, type `shell:startup`, and select **OK**.
1. Delete the **Root** shortcut in the folder that opens.

You can also turn it off in Task Manager:

1. Right-click the taskbar and select **Task Manager** (or press **Ctrl + Shift + Esc**).
1. Open the **Startup apps** tab.
1. Find **Root** in the list, select it, and select **Disable**.

### macOS

1. Open the **Apple menu** and select **System Settings**.
1. Select **General**, then **Login Items**.
1. Under **Open at Login**, select **Root**, then select the **–** (minus) button to remove it.

On older versions of macOS, this is under **System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items**.

### Linux

How you manage startup apps depends on your desktop environment. Look for a **Startup Applications** or **Session** tool in your system settings and remove the **Root** entry. Startup entries are usually stored as `.desktop` files in `~/.config/autostart`.

After this, Root won't open on its own the next time you start your computer. You can still open it yourself any time.

> **Tip:** Want Root to keep running quietly instead of fully closing when you select the **X**? On desktop, the **Keep Root running in the tray** setting in **Windows** settings keeps it in your system tray. That's separate from opening on startup.

If Root still opens on startup after this, [contact support](https://www.rootapp.com/support).

{/* verified 2026-10-20 · desktop 0.9.148 · mobile 0.9.39 + OTA 20 */}

## New and updated guides

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/whats-new

---
title: "New and updated guides"
description: "Guides for features we've added or changed recently in Root on desktop, mobile and Apps."
---

# New and updated guides

Guides for features we've added or changed recently, grouped by topic. Select a feature to read how it works.

## Voice and video calls

- **Picture in Picture for calls** (Mobile): Keep watching a call in a small window over your other apps when you leave Root. [Read more](member/voice-video/control-audio-video.md#keep-watching-outside-root)
- **New call layouts** (Mobile): Choose how a call fills your screen, with layouts for two people, screen shares and bigger groups. [Read more](member/voice-video/control-audio-video.md#change-the-call-layout)
- **Shrink a call to a floating window** (Mobile): Swipe the call screen down to keep the call in a small window while you use the rest of Root. [Read more](member/voice-video/control-audio-video.md#use-root-while-you-stay-in-the-call)
- **Set the volume for each person** (Mobile): Change how loud each person sounds in a call, just for you. [Read more](member/voice-video/voice-channels.md#adjust-user-volume)
- **Deafen mutes your mic too** (Mobile): When you deafen, your mic mutes as well. Unmute and you are undeafened too. [Read more](member/voice-video/control-audio-video.md#deafen-turn-off-incoming-root-audio)
- **Share your screen from your phone** (Mobile): Share your phone screen during a call. [Read more](member/voice-video/share-screen.md#start-screen-sharing)
- **Move a call to your phone** (Mobile): Already in a call on another device? Carry it on from your phone. [Read more](member/voice-video/voice-channels.md#move-a-call-to-your-phone)
- **Chat in a voice channel** (Desktop): Every voice channel has its own text chat. Read along beside the call, or open it without joining. [Read more](member/voice-video/voice-channel-chat.md)
- **Watch Stream** (Desktop): Choose when to watch a screen share, instead of it playing straight away. [Read more](member/voice-video/share-screen.md#view-a-shared-screen)

## Messages

- **Add several emoji at once** (Desktop): Add more than one emoji to a message without the emoji picker closing each time. [Read more](member/text-channels/send-messages.md#add-emojis)
- **Favorite GIFs** (Desktop): Star the GIFs you use most, so they are easy to find. [Read more](member/text-channels/send-gifs.md#favorite-a-gif)
- **View images full window** (Desktop): Open images and GIFs in a viewer that fills the window. [Read more](member/text-channels/view-images.md)

## Settings

- **Notification settings on your phone** (Mobile): Choose how much each community, channel and conversation notifies you, or mute one for a set time. [Read more](member/notifications/community-notifications.md)
- **Accessibility settings on your phone** (Mobile): Change the text size, message style, link underlines, role colors and motion, and reset them in one tap. [Read more](member/settings/accessibility.md)
- **React or reply from a notification** (Mobile): Pull a message notification down, or swipe a mention on the Notifications tab, to react or reply without opening the conversation. [Read more](member/notifications/manage-notifications.md#respond-to-a-notification)
- **Liquid Glass** (Mobile): On iOS 26 and later, use the iOS tab bar and Liquid Glass headers instead of Root's own. [Read more](member/settings/theme.md#liquid-glass)
- **Add several emoji at once** (Mobile): Keep the emoji picker open so you can add more than one emoji to a message. [Read more](member/settings/chat.md#add-several-emoji-at-once)
- **Native call engine** (Desktop): Try Root's new call engine, which also brings input profiles for your microphone. [Read more](member/settings/advanced.md#use-the-native-call-engine)
- **Call video in the game overlay** (Desktop): See the person talking and screen shares from your call over your game. Needs the native call engine. [Read more](member/settings/game-overlay.md#show-call-video-in-the-overlay)
- **Root in Indonesian and Dutch** (Desktop): Root desktop is now available in Bahasa Indonesia and Nederlands. [Read more](member/settings/language.md)
- **Root in your language** (Desktop): Use Root in your own language. Choose it in Settings. [Read more](member/settings/language.md)
- **Root in your language on your phone** (Mobile): Choose the language Root uses on your phone. [Read more](member/settings/language.md)
- **What's New on your phone** (Mobile): See what changed in each update, right in the app. [Read more](member/settings/overview.md#whats-new)
- **Swipe to reply** (Mobile): Swipe a message to reply to it. [Read more](member/settings/chat.md#swipe-to-reply)
- **Custom themes** (Desktop): Build your own solid or gradient theme, or try the new OLED theme. [Read more](member/settings/theme.md#create-a-custom-theme)
- **Choose your time format** (Desktop): Show message times on a 12 or 24 hour clock. [Read more](member/settings/chat.md#time-format)
- **Custom themes on your phone** (Mobile): Build your own theme on your phone too. [Read more](member/settings/theme.md#create-a-custom-theme)

## Running a community

- **Mod mode** (Desktop): A moderator window for raids. See who is joining and posting as it happens, then ban, kick or delete messages for many accounts at once. [Read more](leader/moderation/mod-mode.md)
- **Ban by user ID on your phone** (Mobile): Ban someone by their user ID from your phone, even if they are not in the community. [Read more](leader/moderation/kick-ban-members.md#ban-someone-by-their-user-id)
- **Reorder roles on your phone** (Mobile): Change the order of your community's roles from your phone. [Read more](leader/roles-permissions/role-tasks.md#reorder-roles)

## Your profile and account

- **Your new profile tab** (Mobile): See your bio, badges and join date under your name, and tap your picture or banner to see it full size. [Read more](member/profile/overview.md#your-profile-on-mobile)
- **Switch between accounts** (Desktop): Save more than one Root account on your computer and switch between them without signing out. [Read more](member/profile/switch-accounts.md)
- **Pictures from Files** (Mobile): Choose a profile picture or banner from Files, not just your photo library. [Read more](member/profile/edit-profile.md)
- **Go back and forward** (Desktop): Go back and forward through Root, like in a web browser. [Read more](member/get-started/navigate-root.md#move-back-and-forward)

## Apps

- **Open an App in its own window** (Desktop): Open an App channel in its own window, so you can use the App beside Root. [Read more](member/apps/what-are-apps.md#open-an-app-in-its-own-window)
- **Poll Creators** (Apps, Polls): Let chosen members create and run their own polls. [Read more](member/apps/polling.md)
- **Kick, ban and remove messages** (Apps, Moderation): Kick or ban members and remove their recent messages, straight from the Moderation dashboard. [Read more](member/apps/moderation.md)
- **Sticker Wall on your phone** (Apps, Sticker Wall): Create, edit and place stickers on the wall from your phone. [Read more](member/apps/stickerwall.md)
- **Project owners** (Apps, Task Tracker): Every project now has an owner, and you can find the projects you own in one place. [Read more](member/apps/task-tracker.md#projects)
- **Triage suggestions in bulk** (Apps, Suggestions): Sort through lots of suggestions at once, across every board. [Read more](member/apps/suggestions.md)
- **Pause and resume bridges** (Apps, Bridge): Pause a bridge when you need to, and start it again later. [Read more](member/apps/bridge.md)
- **Whitelist requests** (Apps, Command Block): Members can ask to join a whitelisted Minecraft server, and server managers approve or decline each request. [Read more](member/apps/command-block.md#whitelists)
- **Plugins and mods** (Apps, Command Block): Add plugins and mods to your Minecraft server, and players get what they need to join. [Read more](member/apps/command-block.md#plugins-and-mods)
- **Archive a project** (Apps, Task Tracker): Set a project aside without deleting it, and bring it back later. [Read more](member/apps/task-tracker.md#archive-a-project)

## Support

URL: https://support.rootapp.com/docs/support/support-home

# Support

Stuck on something? Find quick fixes for the most common problems, plus how to reach us when you need more help.

## Common fixes

- **Recover your username:** get it back from the sign in screen if you've forgotten it. [Recover your username](./recover-username.md)
- **Reset your password:** set a new one and get back into your account. [Reset your password](./reset-password.md)
- **Can't sign in or connect:** get back in when sign in fails or Root can't reach our servers. [Troubleshoot sign in and connection problems](./cant-sign-in-or-connect.md)
- **Fix audio and video:** get your mic, speakers, or camera working on calls, or report a voice call that went wrong. [Fix audio and video problems](./audio-video.md)
- **Messages not updating:** get new messages showing up live again when they only appear after you restart. [Troubleshoot messages that won't update](./messages-not-updating.md)
- **Stop Root opening on startup:** turn off Root launching by itself when you start your computer. [Stop Root opening on startup](./stop-root-opening-on-startup.md)
- **Report an issue:** send a bug report or a suggestion from the app or our website. [Report an issue](./report-issue.md)
- **Limits and maximums:** look up the size, count, and length limits across Root. [Limits and maximums](./limits.md)

Still stuck? [Contact support](https://www.rootapp.com/support), or [join the Root community](https://rootapp.gg/root) for help from other users and the team.

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