Meshtastic-Android/docs/en/user/messages-and-channels.md

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title	parent	nav_order	last_updated	description	aliases
Messages & Channels	User Guide	3	2026-05-13	Send and receive messages, manage channels, configure encryption, and use quick chat, reactions, and message actions.	channels direct-messages messaging conversations

Messages & Channels

Meshtastic supports two communication modes: channel broadcasts and direct messages.

Channels

Channels are shared communication groups. All nodes configured with the same channel key can read and send messages on that channel.

Default Channel

Every Meshtastic device comes with a default LongFast channel. This is an unencrypted channel used for general mesh communication.

Channel Security

Channels support multiple encryption levels:

Icon	Security Level	Description
🔒	PSK (256-bit AES)	Fully encrypted with a strong pre-shared key. Only nodes with the matching key can read messages.
🔐	PSK (128-bit AES)	Encrypted with a shorter key. Secure for most uses but 256-bit is preferred for sensitive data.
🔓	Default / Open	Uses the well-known default key. Any Meshtastic device on the same preset can read these messages.
⚠️	Insecure + Position	Open channel that also broadcasts your GPS position. Use with caution in public meshes.

🔒 Security Tip: Always configure a unique PSK for private communications. The default channel is intentionally open so new users can discover the mesh — but you should create a separate encrypted channel for anything sensitive.

Adding a Channel

1. Navigate to Settings → Channels.
2. Tap Add Channel or scan a QR code.
3. Configure the channel name and encryption key.
4. Share the channel URL/QR code with others who need access.

Tapping a channel shows its details and sharing options.

Direct Messages

Direct messages (DMs) are point-to-point encrypted communications between two specific nodes.

Sending a Direct Message

1. Open the Messages tab.
2. Select a node from your contacts list or tap a node in the node list.
3. Type your message and tap Send.

Message States

State	Icon	Meaning
Queued	⏳	Message waiting to be sent
En route	✓	Delivered to the radio, awaiting acknowledgment
Delivered	✓✓	Acknowledgment received from recipient
Received	✓	Message received from the mesh (incoming)
S&F Routing	🔗	Store & Forward: message being routed through an S&F node
S&F Confirmed	🔗	Store & Forward: delivery confirmed via S&F node
Error	✗	Delivery failed after retries

Delivery Errors

When a message fails to deliver, the error indicator shows what went wrong:

Error	Meaning	What to Do
No Route	No path exists to the destination node	The recipient may be offline or out of mesh range. Try later or move closer.
Got NAK	The next-hop node refused to relay	The relay node may be congested. Wait and retry.
Timeout	No acknowledgment within retry window	The recipient may be just out of range. Try increasing hop limit or moving to a better position.
No Interface	No radio interface available to send	Check that your radio is connected and the channel is configured.
Max Retransmit	All retry attempts exhausted	The mesh path is unreliable. Try a different channel or wait for conditions to improve.
No Channel	The destination channel doesn't exist	Verify both nodes share the same channel configuration.
Too Large	Message exceeds maximum payload size	Shorten your message (max ~230 characters).
No Response	Node received message but didn't respond	The recipient's radio may be busy or in low-power sleep mode.
Duty Cycle Limit	Regional airtime limit reached	Your radio has used its allowed transmit time. Wait for the duty cycle window to reset (typically 1 hour in EU regions).
Bad Request	Malformed or invalid message	This usually indicates a software bug. Try restarting the app.

💡 Tip: Most delivery errors resolve themselves. If a node is intermittently reachable, the mesh will retry. For persistent "No Route" errors, check that intermediate Router nodes are online.

Message Features

Quick Chat

Pre-configured messages for rapid communication:

• Access via the Quick Chat button in the message input area
• Choose from built-in phrases or custom messages
• Customize quick chat messages in Settings → Quick Chat
• Useful when typing is impractical (gloves, small screen, urgent)

The channel list shows each channel with its latest message preview.

Message Bubbles

Messages appear as chat bubbles — sent messages on the right, received messages on the left. Each bubble shows the sender, timestamp, and delivery status. Messages with replies include a quoted preview of the original message above the response.

Reactions

React to messages with emoji:

• Long-press a message to open the actions menu
• Tap Add Reaction to choose an emoji
• Reactions appear below the message bubble
• Multiple users can react to the same message
• React to your own messages or others' messages

💡 Tip: Reactions are lightweight — they use minimal mesh bandwidth compared to full text messages.

Message Actions

Long-press any message to access:

• Copy — copy message text to clipboard
• Reply — quote the message in your response
• React — add an emoji reaction
• Delete — remove a message you sent (local deletion)

Message Priority

Messages are queued and transmitted based on priority:

1. Emergency/alert messages (highest)
2. Direct messages
3. Channel broadcasts (lowest)

Message Limits

• Maximum length: 237 bytes (approximately 230 characters for ASCII text)
• Rate limiting: The mesh enforces airtime fairness; heavy message volume may be throttled
• Delivery: Messages are retried automatically if no acknowledgment is received

Best Practices

• Use channels for group coordination
• Use direct messages for private person-to-person communication
• Keep messages short — mesh bandwidth is limited
• Configure encryption for sensitive communications

Related Topics

• Nodes — tap a node to start a direct message
• Settings — Radio & User — configure channel encryption and presets
• MQTT — bridge channel messages to the internet
• Channel configuration — detailed channel settings on meshtastic.org

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