Mobile Chat
MobileDeaku has a native mobile app! Chat on mobile is a fully native experience, not a web view.
Chat is split across two tabs in the bottom navigation bar. Chat (the speech bubble icon) is for your workspace channels, plus direct messages with members of your active workspace. Community (the people icon) is for all your direct messages and group/community channels.
How the tab bar works
On the mobile app, five icons sit in the tab bar at the bottom of the screen. On a tablet, they sit in a rail down the left side instead.
The Chat and Community tab icons each show a coloured dot when you have unread messages in that tab:
- Red dot - a message that @mentions you, or an unread direct message
- Blue dot - other unread messages
- No dot - all caught up
The Find People tab icon also shows a red dot when you have connection requests waiting.
Chat tab: workspace channels
The Workspace view screen shows the active workspace name at the top, and the channel list beneath it.
If your workspace role allows it, a + button in the top-right corner lets you create a new channel. If the workspace is archived, a banner tells you it is read-only.
Switching workspaces
Tap the workspace avatar or name in the top-left corner. A bottom sheet slides up listing every workspace you belong to, showing the workspace logo, name, and member count. Tap a workspace to switch to it. The channel list updates immediately.
Channel list
Channels are listed in the same order as in your Deaku web app. Each row shows:
- A # icon for open channels
- A padlock icon for closed channels
- The other person's avatar (with an online/offline dot) for direct messages - these show at the bottom under a Direct messages header
A red or blue dot appears on the right side of the row to indicate @mentions or general unread activity.
Tap the three dots to the right of any workspace channel row to reveal the Mute and Hide actions. You can mute or hide a channel for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or indefinitely. Hidden channels move to a collapsible Hidden section below your other channels.
Pull the list down to refresh it.
Opening a channel
Tapping a channel pushes the full-screen chat view onto the screen. Swipe to go back to the channel list.
Reading messages
Messages are grouped by sender. As you scroll, a date label (Today, Yesterday, or a full date such as Monday 23 January 2026) appears at the top of the screen, then fades away when you stop scrolling.
Quoted replies show above the message they reply to. Shared workspace items (videos, images, canvases, projects) appear as tappable previews.
Tapping a shared image opens it in the app's image viewer. Tapping a shared canvas opens a read-only view of it inside the app. Tapping a shared video or project opens it in the web-app.
Sending messages
The message input at the bottom of every channel has the following elements:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| + (Plus) | Opens the attachment picker. Choose from workspace assets, upload from your device, or from already uploaded chat files |
| Text field | Type your message; supports @mentions to quickly reference any workspace asset or user |
| Emoji and GIF icons | Opens the Emoji and GIF pickers |
| Send button | Send your message |
| Voice note icon | Record, preview and send a voice message to that channel. The microphone shows in place of the send button while the message box is empty |
Replying to a message
Long-press any message to open the action menu. Tap Reply to quote that message. A preview of the quoted message appears above the input. Tap × on the preview to cancel the reply.
Editing a message
Long-press your own message and tap Edit. The input pre-fills with the original text and a cancel edit link appears below. Edit the text and tap the send button to save. Tap cancel edit to discard.
Other message actions
The long-press menu also has Copy to copy the message text, Delete for your own messages, and Report for other people's messages.
Reacting to a message
Long-press a message to see a row of quick-reaction emojis (👍 ❤️ 😂 😮 😅 🎉 🥦). Tap one to add or toggle your reaction. Tap a reaction already on a message to add to that reaction counter.
Attaching files and workspace items
Tap the + button to open the attachment picker. From here you can:
- Camera Roll - attach photos or videos from your device
- Chat Files - attach files already uploaded to chat
- Workspace - share a video, image, canvas, or project from your active workspace
When you share a workspace item to a channel that includes non-workspace members, Deaku shows a Share Permissions sheet. Choose the access level (Read Only, Can Comment, or Can Edit - which also allows downloading) before the item attaches. Once a message is sent, the permissions are applied automatically.
Attached items appear as badges in a scrollable row above the input. Tap × on any badge to remove it before sending.
GIFs
Tap the GIF icon (the tilted sticker, next to the emoji icon). Search for a GIF or browse trending results. Tap one to attach it as a preview above the input. Tap × on the preview to cancel.
Community tab: DMs and group chats
The Community tab shows direct messages and group or community channels. Workspace channels do not appear here - those live in the Workspace chat section.
Direct messages show at the bottom of the list under a Direct messages section header. Everything else (group and community channels) appears above. Use the search bar at the top to find a community, group or DM by name.
Tapping a DM pushes the standard chat view.
Tapping a community or group channel pushes a three-tab view: Feed, Chat, and Members.
Settings
Tap your avatar in the top-right corner to open a menu with your profile, a Dark Mode toggle, and Settings. In Settings you can manage your account, adjust your notification preferences, read the Privacy Notice and Terms of Service, and open the help center.