Blink has two types of messaging - Chats for direct conversations between individuals, and Channels for group-based discussions. Understanding the difference helps you pick the right one every time.
What's the difference between Chats and Channels?
Chats are standalone conversations between individual users with their own membership list. Channels belong to a Group and inherit their membership from that Group. Anyone can start a Chat, but only Group Admins can create Channels.
✅ Why it matters
• Choose the right conversation type - Chats for specific people, Channels for existing Group audiences
• Stay organized - Channels are discoverable through their Group, while Chats stay private between members
• Protect your access - leaving a Channel still lets you search its content, but leaving a Chat means losing it permanently
💬 How are Chats and Channels different?
Chats | Channels | |
Belongs to | Standalone - no Group required | Always belongs to a Group |
Membership | Individual users you add | Inherited from the Group |
Discoverable | No - private to members only | Yes - through the Group |
If you leave | You permanently lose access to all content | You can still search the content while you're in the Group, and rejoin at any time |
Who can create | Anyone on Blink | Group Admins only |
Who controls it | Chat Admins manage settings and members | Group Admins manage settings and members |
Adding people | Chat Admins can add anyone in the organization | Use Invite Guest to add people outside the Group |
📱 How do I start a Chat?
Go to the Chats section - on the left side of desktop, or the bottom menu on mobile
Tap the + icon next to the search bar
Choose New private chat
Pick your chat type:
Group Chat - enter a title, then search for and add members by name
Private 1:1 Chat - search for a name and select the person to start chatting immediately
💡 Another way to start a 1:1 chat: Go to Directory, find the person you want, open their profile, and tap Chat. This also adds them to your Contacts.
📢 How do I start a Channel?
Channels are created from within a Group, not from the Chats screen. Only Group Admins can create Channels.
💡 Don't see the option to create a Channel? This feature needs to be enabled for your organization. Ask your admin to contact Blink support to activate it.
Desktop
Go to Groups
Open the My Groups section
Select the Group you want to create a Channel for
Scroll down to the Channels section on the lower right and tap the + button next to New Channel
Give your Channel a name, purpose, and select followers
Tap Create
💡 Leave the followers box blank to automatically add all Group members as followers.
Mobile
Go to Groups at the bottom of the app
In My Groups, select the Group you want
In the Channels section, tap the red + button and choose Create channel
Give your Channel a name, purpose, and select followers
Tap Create
Once created, the Channel appears in your Chats list alongside your private and group chats. You can create multiple Channels within each Group for different topics - upcoming projects, events, shared interests, or anything your team needs to discuss.
❓ FAQs
Do Blink chats have read receipts?
Do Blink chats have read receipts?
Not at this time. Blink chats do not currently support read receipt notifications. You can submit feature suggestions on the Blink feedback portal.
What are Contacts in Blink?
What are Contacts in Blink?
When you start a 1:1 chat with someone (or someone starts one with you), that person automatically appears in your Contacts tab. Contacts is a quick-access list of everyone you've had a direct conversation with.
What happens if I leave a Chat vs a Channel?
What happens if I leave a Chat vs a Channel?
If you leave a Chat, you permanently lose access to all messages and files shared in that conversation. If you leave a Channel, you can still find its content through Search as long as you're a member of the parent Group. You can also rejoin a Channel at any time.
I don't see the option to create a Channel. Why?
I don't see the option to create a Channel. Why?
Two possible reasons: you may not be a Group Admin for the Group you're looking at, or the Channels feature may not be enabled for your organization. Check with your admin or contact Blink support for help.
🚀 What's next?
Now you know the difference between Chats and Channels, here's how to get more from your conversations:
Prioritize your messages - Determining important chats
Stay on top of things - Managing your inbox
Get someone's attention - Mention someone
Control the conversation - Control who can send a message