# "Start a new DM" in sidebar for users who cannot use DMs
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630
**Category:** UX
**Tags:** chat, sidebar
**Created:** [October 14, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630 "2025-10-14T22:10:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630/1 "2025-10-14T22:10:44Z")
I just checked my forum from the perspective of a new user and found this new “start a new DM” entry in the sidebar\[1\]
However, the experience of using it was rather disappointing. The test user is in `Chat allowed groups` but not in `Direct message enabled groups`, so no user can be found in the search, which then opens.
> **After adding TL0 to 'Direct message enabled groups':**
>
> 
Is this intentional? Why is this visible for users who cannot use DM chats?
* * *
1. I think it was added in [UX: adds a start new dm link when no dms present by jjaffeux · Pull Request #34820 · discourse/discourse · GitHub](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/34820)
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### Author:  [@lindsey](https://meta.discourse.org/u/lindsey)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2025, 10:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630/2 "2025-10-14T22:47:13Z")
> [@Moin](#):
>
> Is this intentional? Why is this visible for users who cannot use DM chats?
No, not intentional — thanks for catching this. We’ll fix it up!
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 10:43am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630/4 "2025-10-16T10:43:25Z")
That should fix it thanks:
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/35440](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/35440)
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630/5 "2025-10-16T19:30:28Z")
Is it possible to also hide the line that would usually separate the DM section from the channel section?
 
When the user isn’t allowed to chat at all, there is no line below the tag section. But when they are allowed to chat, but not to use DM chats, then there is a line below the Channel section.
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630/6 "2025-10-16T19:30:57Z")
Will look if I can do this👍
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630/7 "2025-10-19T19:31:14Z")
This topic was automatically closed 3 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
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### Author:  [@j.jaffeux](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j.jaffeux)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2025, 12:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/start-a-new-dm-in-sidebar-for-users-who-cannot-use-dms/385630/8 "2025-10-24T12:47:47Z")
@moin you already have seen it 😃
But FTR I made the followup:
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/35595](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/pull/35595)