# 1 to 1 PM vs Group Messaging
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [March 21, 2016, 10:16am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359 "2016-03-21T10:16:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@gingerman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/gingerman)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 10:16am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/1 "2016-03-21T10:16:56Z")
Is there a way to completely block 1 to 1 PM for users but only allow Group Messaging with admin (for private email support)
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 10:19am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/2 "2016-03-21T10:19:41Z")
Yes, this is already (mostly) possible, just disable PMs in site settings, because staff can always PM no matter what.
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### Author:  [@gingerman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/gingerman)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 10:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/3 "2016-03-21T10:22:24Z")
Thanks. But I actually want the other way around. I would have a Support link in the front page pointing to the prefilled support group message. If I disable PM in the global settings, can a user (not staff) initiate a message to this group for support with that link?
Just to add : Idea is to encourage public contribution but still provide support when needed.
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### Author:  [@gingerman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/gingerman)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/4 "2016-03-21T17:28:50Z")
Can anyone help me understand if the above use case is possible.
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/5 "2016-03-21T17:53:42Z")
How about “quiet help” category ("topic templates allow you to have a pre-filled message with category) that is suppressed from the front page (there’s a check-box for that in category settings).
What you really want, I think, is to set a category’s permissions to allow people to create, but not read or reply to messages (that are not their own). I don’t think that’s on the road map. 🙂
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### Author:  [@gingerman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/gingerman)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/6 "2016-03-21T18:02:27Z")
Thanks. In an Ideal world I would want to achieve that with your second option..I know it is not in the roadmap.
With the new developments in the Group Messaging, it is almost there. I just want to know if a normal user can send a group message even if he is not allowed to send individual PM.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/7 "2016-03-21T18:53:07Z")
This is possible if you let Discourse handle the email address. @zogstrip is planning to write a howto on this in the next two weeks.
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### Author:  [@gingerman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/gingerman)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2016, 3:59am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/8 "2016-03-22T03:59:50Z")
> [@codinghorror](#):
>
> This is possible if you let Discourse handle the email address.
This is interesting. Can you explain that ?
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### Author:  [@zogstrip](https://meta.discourse.org/u/zogstrip)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/9 "2017-02-20T23:18:17Z")
> [@codinghorror](#):
>
> write a howto on this
Here’s the howto for the anyone interested 😉
> [@Troubleshoot reply by email](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setup-incoming-emails-e-mail/42026):
>
> If your Discourse does not have incoming email set up, see these topics: [Set up reply by email with POP3 polling](https://meta.discourse.org/t/set-up-reply-by-email-with-pop3-polling/14003)[Configure direct-delivery incoming email for self-hosted sites with Mail-Receiver](https://meta.discourse.org/t/direct-delivery-incoming-email-for-self-hosted-sites/49487)information_source If you already have basic reply via email set up (which is common on hosting plans), and you want to add the ability to start a new topic via email, [see this topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-topic-via-email-e-mail/62977). Logging and Errors All incoming emails are logged and are visible in your admin panel at /admin/email/received.…
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### Author:  [@zogstrip](https://meta.discourse.org/u/zogstrip)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/1-to-1-pm-vs-group-messaging/41359/10 "2017-02-20T23:18:23Z")