Use Upwork Messages to communicate professionally, manage conversations, share files, and do interviews. Learn about editing messages, handling files, taking personal notes, making video calls, and messaging in our mobile app below. You'll also find information on communication policies and tools like screen recordings, filters, and notification settings.
Upwork Messages gives you a place to discuss projects, interview, share documents, and keep the conversation going — to build strong, professional relationships through great communication.
You cannot use Upwork Messages to share contact or payment information. Payment details must always remain on Upwork's platform. Once you have an active contract, you can exchange contact information in the contract workroom for necessary business purposes. Learn more about the contract workroom for clients or for freelancers.
Many of Upwork Messages' features are also available in Upwork’s mobile apps, but the experience may be a little different. For more information, scroll down to the Messaging in mobile apps dropdown below.
When clients send freelancers a direct message or respond to a proposal on Upwork, we automatically create a conversation room in Upwork Messages — a space where you can chat about a project and keep track of your messages.
You can start a new conversation in the main three dot (...) messages menu and hide it when you’re done with that discussion, or select favorite to find it more easily later. You may also see an option to archive some group conversations — you can’t archive one-on-one conversations or interviews, for example.
Want to loop in your team?
You can add team members to certain conversations—like interview rooms, contract-related chats, or any conversation you’ve created manually. Once added, they’ll be able to see the full message history. You can’t add members to a direct message from a client to a freelancer.
You cannot add members to a direct message from a client to a freelancer.
Members of a conversation may have different abilities:
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The Owner created a conversation. For example, the client who created a job is the owner of an interview or contract conversation.
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The Admin can invite other members into a conversation
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Members have been invited to join a conversation
Filtering and search options make it easy to find the messages you’re looking for. Use the search bar above the list of conversations or filter options to search through conversations.
You can make important conversations easier to search for later by marking them as favorites. In the conversion list, choose the star icon or select the (...) options menu and choose Add to favorites.
If you’ve hidden a conversation and want to see it again, type the person's name or a phrase you remember from the conversation into the search bar above your messages.
Whenever you send or receive a message on Upwork, we’ll send an email to the address linked to your account. You can reply directly from the email, and your response will appear in the original Upwork conversation. By default, message emails are sent every 15 minutes.
Want updates faster—or fewer emails?
You can choose how often you get email notifications, or turn them off completely:
- To adjust your message settings, select the three-dot menu in the left sidebar and choose Message settings
- To update other types of notifications (like job alerts or proposal updates), head to your Notification settings
You have options within the (...) options menu on each message you send and receive.
How to reply to a message on desktop or mobile web:
- Hover over the message you want to reply to
- Choose the arrow icon
How to edit a message:
You can edit any message you send within one hour of sending it on your desktop or on web mobile. After one hour, you won’t be able to edit the message. All members of a conversation will be able to see that the message has been edited.
- Hover over a message you want to edit
- Choose the pencil icon to change the message, then send it again
How to delete a message:
You can delete a message within an hour of sending it, and you’ll see a note in italics that the message was removed.
- Hover over a message and choose the (...) options menu
- Choose Delete message
If you don’t see the option to delete, it means the hour time window has passed.
How to favorite a message:
- Hover over a message you want to add to your favorites
- Choose the star icon
- You can access this message later by filtering for favorite messages
How to mark a message as unread on desktop or mobile web:
- Hover over the message and choose the (...) options menu
- Choose Mark as unread
You can attach, search, preview, and download files to share your work through Messages. You can also delete messages and files if you do so within one hour of sending on desktop or mobile web.
How to attach files in a message:
- You can attach files of 1 GB or under, or link to your Dropbox account from within your Upwork Messages
- Select the paperclip icon in the message box to add a file
If you’re using Messages from the Desktop app, you can also take and attach a screenshot by selecting the screenshot icon at the bottom of your message.
How to search for files in your messages:
- To search through the files in a room, open the right panel (ⓘ button) and choose the Files and links button
- Use the search bar at the top of the panel to search by file name
How to view files in your messages:
- To view all of the files in a room, open the right panel (ⓘ button) and choose the Files and links button
- From there, you can see all files, preview image files, and download or delete them
How to download files in your messages:
- Locate the message in the conversation where it was attached
- Hover over the relevant file or message and select the (...) options menu
- Choose Download
You can’t download files through the files and links dropdown.
How to delete files in your messages:
If you want to delete a message or file, you must do so within an hour of sending it. After that, you won’t be able to delete it. You’ll also need to be on your desktop or mobile web to delete just an attachment — on the mobile app, you can only delete the entire message.
- Locate the message in the conversation where it was attached
- Hover over the relevant file or message and select the (...) options menu
- Choose Delete
If you don’t see the delete button, it means the hour time limit to delete your file has passed. You can’t delete files through the files and links dropdown.
Upwork Messages have a built-in screen recording service through Loom. Recording your screen is a great way to show others how to perform a certain task, share your work, etc., and the video can be watched anytime. Learn more about screen recordings here.
Two things to know about Loom in Upwork Messages:
- It's not available in the Upwork Desktop App
- It's only accessible when using Chrome, Edge, or Brave as your browser
Each conversation room includes a personal notepad just for you. It's a great spot to jot down notes, brainstorm ideas, or make to-do lists. To view or add notes, select Personal notepad in the conversation's sidebar.
Upwork Messages have built-in video and voice call services, including via Zoom (or Upwork video meetings, when available), with screen sharing capability. Learn more about using Zoom for meetings in messages.
If the contract hasn’t started yet, you can track the proposal process from the conversation’s sidebar. Just open the Activity timeline dropdown on the right to see what’s happened so far—and what needs to happen next to keep things moving.
How to create a new message on the mobile app:
Select the + sign from the message room’s list view
How to reply to a message on the mobile app:
You can reply to a message by swiping it, or you can:
- Long press on the message you want to reply to
- Choose the arrow icon
How to mark a message as unread on the mobile app:
- Long press or swipe the message and select the (...) options menu
- Choose Mark as unread
How to report a message that violates Upwork’s Terms of Service:
- Long press the message and select the (...) options menu
- Choose Report Message
Some messaging features are not available on any mobile apps. For the following features, you’ll need to be on your desktop or mobile web:
- Archiving messages
- Marking a message as a favorite (though filter options for favorites are available on the apps)
- Using Loom in messages
You need to report a message if it is suspicious or violates Upwork’s Terms of Service. If you don’t have an active contract with the person who sent the message, you may also choose to block the person who sent it.
If you need to report a message that is suspicious or violates Upwork’s Terms of Service, hover over the message (or long press on it in the Upwork app) and an options menu (...) will appear. Select the options menu and then choose Report Message.
You’ll see a list of options to choose from to describe the problem, including the option “Something else” if nothing on the list fits your situation. Choose one of the options and select the Submit button. Learn more about reporting violations and suspicious behavior here.
You need to report a message if it is suspicious or violates Upwork’s Terms of Service. Examples include if someone:
- Asks you to spend money to submit a proposal, like purchasing gift cards, background checks, or equipment
- Asks you to share your contact information such as an email address or phone number before starting a contract
- Asks you to accept a payment upfront or outside Upwork
- Wants to purchase your Upwork account
- Is misrepresenting their skills or skill level
- Sent a suspicious link or something that looks like a scam
- Sent threatening or abusive messages
These are examples, but you can report any behavior that you think is suspicious or against Upwork’s Terms of Service, and we will follow up. Learn more about reporting violations and suspicious behavior here.
Select the gear icon in your compose box to change the default behavior of "enter" from sending the message to creating a line break (or back again). Line breaks can also be added by pressing Alt + Enter or Ctrl + Enter or Shift + Enter, or, if you’re on a Mac, pressing Ctrl + Return and Shift + Return
To block or unblock someone:
- Go to Messages and find a conversation with the user
- Select their profile icon in the module on the right, then select Block or Unblock
Important notes about blocking:
- When you block someone, you won't be able to send each other messages in conversations where you are the only participants. However, you will still be able to send each other messages in group conversations
- You can’t block anybody you have an active contract with
- After you block someone, you will still be able to see the conversation, in case you need to report something
Freelancers and clients can block each other from sending direct messages as long as there is no active contract between them. However, you may still be able to communicate in group conversations where both of you are present.
To share contact information once a contract is in place, you must use the specific message room for your contract — going to messages in your Contract Workroom is an easy way to make sure you’re in the right place. (Each contract has its own workroom even when you have multiple contracts with one person. It includes everything you need to collaborate, including contract details and action buttons for working on the contract, and you can find it simply by going to your contract list and opening the contract.)
Choose the three-dot menu (...) in the left sidebar of your Upwork Messages screen and select Out of office in the drop-down menu. Once on the "Out-of-Office Responder" page, toggle the responder on, and set your away message and the start/end dates.
Select your picture icon at the top of your profile to see dropdown options. By “Online for messages,” you’ll see a toggle button that you can toggle on (green) or off (gray). When toggled on, a green dot will show by your profile picture in Messages to indicate you’re available.
You can also control your profile’s entire visibility to those who don’t have your profile link yet if you want to limit messages from new people. Learn more about your profile visibility here.
Click the three-dot menu over your conversation, then select Archive. This feature is only available on desktop or mobile web, not on the Upwork apps.
Note:
You can only archive group conversations. One-on-one, contract, and interview conversations can't be archived, but they can be hidden.
If you start to receive too many email notifications, or if you don't wish to receive any from your messages at all, you can change your settings. Select the three-dot menu in the left sidebar, then choose Message settings and update your preferences.
To update other kinds of notifications from Upwork, go to your Notification settings.
You can find a hidden conversation by typing the freelancer’s name or a phrase you remember from the conversation into the search bar above your messages, or use the filters to search through hidden and archived conversations.
Messaging shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter | Sends message |
| Alt + Enter Ctrl + Enter Shift + Enter | Creates new line within message entry box |
| Up-Arrow | Edit last message (messages can only be edited or deleted for one hour after being sent) |
| Esc | Closes @ mention box if open; closes emoticon panel if open; cancels edit if editing message context |
| Alt + up/down | For next/prev rooms |
| Alt + shift + up/down | For going between rooms and unread rooms |
| Ctrl + shift + f | Go to search |
| Ctrl+shift+v | Paste a quote as text only |
| /giphy [text] | To add an animated GIF in conversation, type /giphy on a new line followed by a keyword or phrase. You’ll see a GIF chooser pop up, and you can click “Shuffle” until you’re happy with the GIF displayed. Pressing “Send” will then display the GIF you’ve chosen in your Upwork Messages room. |
Message or Personal Notepad formatting shortcuts
| Format | Shortcut | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Wrap text in two "**"s or "__"s **Some text** or __Some text__
|
Some text |
| Italic | Wrap text in a single "*" or "_"s *Some text* or _Some text_
|
Some text |
| Strikethrough | Wrap text in two "~~"s ~~Some text~~
|
|
| Code block | Wrap text in "`"s for single-line codeblocks `Some code`
|
Some code Note that no formatting happens within code blocks. This includes URL linking
|
| Multi-line code block | Wrap text in "```" for multi-line code blocks (first line must contain just the quotes) ``` Some code Other line of code ```
|
Some codeOther line of code |
| Blockquote | Start lines with ">" > Text quoted
|
Text quoted |
| Insert emoji | Use the standard ":emoji_name:" format (colon wrapped) Unicode emoji are supported (e.g. from a smartphone's emoji keyboard) You can find additional emoji here :smile:
|
😊 |
Personal Notepad formatting shortcuts
| Format | Action |
|---|---|
| Bullet List | Start lines with "-" or "*" |
| Nested list item | Start lines with spaces |
| Numbered List | Start lines with number followed by "." (ex. 1.) |
| Headings | Start line with #, ##, ###, ####, #####, ###### |
| Links | Use the format [text](url) or |
Advanced Search Queries
For queries of just one word, double quotes are not needed. For queries consisting of two or more words, please add quotation marks or the second word won't be included in the search.
| Action | Query format |
|---|---|
| Get messages sent by a certain user |
from:
|
| Search for messages in a specific room |
in:
|
| Finds messages before/on the specific time in yyyyMMdd format |
before:
|
| Finds messages after/on the specific time in yyyyMMdd format |
after:
|