# Chat tabs for visitors

Give visitors an entry point to live chat, an existing conversation or offline help, with separate desktop and mobile presentation.

*Release 3.3 · admin, developer, visitor*

**Settings › Chat › Themes** · **Settings › Chat › Chat Tab**

## What it is

A chat tab is the entry point visitors see on your website. Its appearance can change when live help is available, a chat is active or only offline help is available.

## Who uses it and why

- Visitors open chat or return to a conversation they have minimised.
- People with the **Settings** role choose the tab's appearance, position and visibility.
- Developers can connect a website-owned button to chat when the standard tab is hidden.

## Where to find it

With the **Settings** role, open **Settings › Chat › Themes**, edit a theme and select **Chat Tabs**. Its **Settings**, **Position** and **Styling** sections control the entry point. Older setups use **Settings › Chat › Chat Tab**.

## How it works

1. INSIDE checks availability and whether the visitor has an active chat.
2. It selects the corresponding online, active or offline tab presentation.
3. The visitor selects the tab to open the pane. A theme can use the pane header or an avatar as the entry point instead.

Desktop and mobile can use different images and positions. Autohiding leaves part of the tab at the page edge; moving the pointer over it reveals the tab.

## Configure it

Choose your images under **Styling**, then set desktop and mobile placement under **Position**. Under **Settings**, decide whether to hide the tab and which devices that rule covers.

If you hide the tab, choose how visitors return to an active chat. **Don't hide Chat Tab for Active Chats** and **Don't hide Chat Pane for Active Chats** are alternative choices. Selecting one clears the other.

For offline access, enable **Enable Offline Chat/Message** under **Offline Pane** and check **Hide Offline Chat Tab** there. Preview **Online**, **Active** and **Offline** in both **Desktop Preview** and **Mobile Preview**.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hide Chat Tab | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Hide the ordinary chat tab on the selected devices. |
| Hide on Devices | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | All listed devices in a new theme: Desktop, Tablet, Mobile and TV/Console | Settings role | Choose which device types the Hide Chat Tab option applies to. |
| Don't hide Chat Tab for Active Chats | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Keep a tab available so visitors can return to an active conversation despite the ordinary hiding rule. |
| Don't hide Chat Pane for Active Chats | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Show the pane for an active conversation when the ordinary chat tab is hidden. |
| Show Chat Pane Header as Tab | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Not set: no device or availability state selected | Settings role | Use the pane header as the entry point in selected desktop or mobile availability states. |
| Show close button on tab | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Not set: no device or availability state selected | Settings role | Add a close control for selected desktop or mobile availability states. |
| Autohide | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Retract the tab towards the page edge when it is not being used. |
| Show | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | 20 pixels when no amount is supplied | Settings role | Set how much of an autohidden tab remains visible. |
| Autohide on Page Load | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Start with the tab retracted when autohiding is enabled. |
| Autohide on Mobile | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Off in a new theme; if absent from a saved theme, mobile autohiding is allowed when Autohide is on | Settings role | Apply autohiding on mobile devices too. |
| Draggable | Settings › Chat › Themes › Chat Tabs › Settings | website | Off | Settings role | Allow the visitor to move the chat tab where supported. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure chat tabs in Themes and the legacy Chat Tab screen. |

## Limits and good to know

- Hiding the ordinary tab does not necessarily hide the return path for an active conversation.
- Offline tab visibility has its own controls.
- Notifications, avatar mode and using the header as a tab can change which control is visible.
- A temporary connection loss does not establish that all operators are offline.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Visitor chat pane](VX-002.md): The tab opens or returns to the visitor chat pane.
- **Configured in** [Visitor chat themes and branding](VX-003.md): The selected theme supplies tab images, styling and visibility options.
- **Configured in** [Offline help for visitors](VX-011.md): Offline Pane settings enable the offline tab and control its device visibility.
- **Configured in** [Visitor tracking consent and communication opt-ins](VX-012.md): Privacy prompts can affect whether the tab is shown.
- **Works better with** [Mobile chat](VX-004.md): Mobile presentation uses separate tab assets and positions.
- **Works better with** [Visitor chat notifications](VX-015.md): Message notifications can change the visible entry point.
- **Works better with** [Chat avatars and visitor reactions](VX-027.md): An enabled avatar can be used instead of an image tab.
- **Related** [Visitor chat status and waiting](VX-007.md): Availability and active-chat state select the online, active or offline tab presentation.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Legacy chat pane settings](VX-032.md): The older chat tab and header have their own display and position settings.
- **Enhances** [Visitor chat pane](VX-002.md): A chat tab gives visitors a way to open and return to the pane.
- **Enhances** [Mobile chat](VX-004.md): Separate mobile tab images, placement and visibility control entry to chat.
- **Enhances** [Offline help for visitors](VX-011.md): An offline chat tab provides an entry point.
- **Enhances** [Visitor chat notifications](VX-015.md): The chat launcher can show unread counts and coexist with previews.
- **Enhances** [Chat avatars and visitor reactions](VX-027.md): Avatars provide an alternative chat entry and interact with the chat tab.
- **Enhances** [Chat performance and tab visibility reports](REP-003.md): Chat-tab visibility measures the visitor chat tab's recorded displays and clicks.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why is the tab missing only on phones?

Check **Hide Chat Tab**, its device selection and the mobile tab image. Also check offline visibility if live help is unavailable.

### Why does a tab appear even though I hid it?

An active conversation may qualify for **Don't hide Chat Tab for Active Chats**. Check the active-chat options in the selected theme.

### Why is there no offline tab?

Enable **Enable Offline Chat/Message** and check **Hide Offline Chat Tab** and its device selection. Privacy choices and other entry-point modes can also affect visibility.

### Can our own button open chat?

Yes. Your developer can connect a website control through the visitor JavaScript integration. Keep a visible return path for visitors who minimise an active chat.