We have recently added a small quality of life feature to chat channels, allowing administrators to customize the channel appearance by selecting an emoji that reflects the nature of the chat.
What’s new
In recent versions of Discourse we have implemented improved customization of categories through icons and emojis. However chat has been missing this level of customization until now.
This change allows administrators to add an emoji to chat channels and group chats (DMs) within the channel settings. In the case of group DMs, members of the chat can also customize their group chat by setting an emoji.
Where can I see them?
Channel emojis will appear in the chat drawer, mobile and on desktop sidebar:
Example using chat drawer:
Example using sidebar on desktop:
Example of a Group DM channel on sidebar:
Example when searching for channels:
How to use this feature
Existing Channels (administrators only)
The process of customizing the channel emoji is very straightforward:
- Navigate to the chat channel you wish to update
- Click the channel name at the top to open the channel settings page
- Click the edit link next to the channel title on the settings tab
- Select an emoji using the emoji picker
- Click the Save changes button
To remove an existing emoji:
- Follow steps 1 through 3 (see above)
- Click the Reset emoji button
- Click the Save changes button
New Channels (administrators only)
When adding a new channel you will see a new optional emoji field.
Click the emoji icon to open the emoji picker and make your selection:
Group Chats (members + administrators)
Members of a group chat can also select an emoji in the same way that administrators can for channel emojis. Simply follow the same steps outlined above for existing channels.
We hope you enjoy this feature and that it provides a nice addition to our existing customization tools, in an effort to enhance the appearance of your Discourse community.