I keep seeing references to the ability to reply to a topic by creating another topic, but I can’t find the UI that would actually let me do that. It looks like it was a menu option when clicking on the dots at some point, but now that it brings up a bunch of icons, I don’t see reply as topic there - only things like “like”, “flag”, and “delete”.
AI-generated summary
Users are seeking guidance on how to “reply as topic” in Discourse, a feature that lets them start a new linked topic from an existing post. int19h initially couldn’t find the UI, noting the three-dot menu no longer shows the option. cpradio clarified that users can click the post’s timestamp or share icon to access the “New Topic” button, or use the reply selector arrow in the editor. ChrisBeach noted the feature is hard to discover and shared a pinned guide they created: How to reply as a new linked topic with optional quoting. int19h confirmed their forum also pinned instructions in “Site Feedback.” T_Yamada echoed the confusion, while matklad suggested improving discoverability—perhaps by modifying the Reply button to show something like <- Reply | ...—since users often resort to searching for instructions.
It’s really tucked away and users rarely find it / use it.
I created these instructions and periodically bump them on my forum:
https://se23.life/t/how-to-reply-as-a-new-linked-topic-with-optional-quoting/2036?u=chrisbeach
Yep, we also ended up making a pinned topic in “Site Feedback” on this.
I also have the same queation. thx.
Just had to google this, as I wanted to create a separate topic, and couldn’t figure out how to do it just from UX. Perhaps it makes sense to add some UI affordance to show that this is possible? Ie, the Reply button could look like <- Reply | ... or something.