# Ability to convert message to topic?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [January 22, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359 "2016-01-22T20:41:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/1 "2016-01-22T20:41:29Z")
Not sure if this has come up before but no combination of search terms pulled it up.
It would be helpful if admins and moderators had access to an admin function to convert a private message between a few people or within a group into a full blown topic in a category. This can be very useful on our site where many great conversations start in private.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/2 "2016-01-22T21:06:36Z")
I believe the opposite request has been made a fair bit, to convert a public message to a private one.
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/3 "2016-03-17T15:29:05Z")
I think this has actually been done now - it’s possible to move a whole (private) message thread into a (public/community) topic.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/4 "2016-03-18T00:01:52Z")
Not that I’m aware of. This isn’t “move” it is “convert”.
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2016, 12:23am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/5 "2016-03-18T00:23:56Z")
What’s the difference?
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/6 "2016-03-18T00:24:48Z")
From a filesystem perspective, the difference between a copy of a file, and renaming a file..
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/7 "2016-03-18T13:15:10Z")
Sorry, still not getting it. Functionally I don’t see the difference, but maybe it doesnt matter.
We are able to take a private conversation public which is awesome. Problem solved.
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### Author:  [@techAPJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/techAPJ)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/8 "2016-05-03T20:48:08Z")
This feature is now available:
> [@Convert a private message to public topic or vice versa](https://meta.discourse.org/t/convert-a-private-message-to-public-topic-or-vice-versa/43635):
>
> I just [pushed](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/acfb5409522d2cdc71d22145c8d627db3e349c33) a commit that adds a button (visible to staff) to admin wrench to make a topic public or private message. Convert public topic to private message: Small action post indicating that public topic is converted to private message: Convert private message to public topic: Small action post indicating that private message is converted to public topic:
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### Author:  [@techAPJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/techAPJ)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/ability-to-convert-message-to-topic/38359/9 "2016-05-03T20:48:11Z")