---
title: "About messages"
slug: "workd-about-messages"
updated: 2026-07-22T15:09:25Z
published: 2026-07-23T10:07:46Z
canonical: "help.8x8.com/workd-about-messages"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# About messages

**8x8 Work** enables you to send and receive messages via desktop or mobile with your colleagues or with external contacts. Do you want to make your messages more effective by attaching a file you are discussing, emphasize key parts of a message, or even take a particularly important conversation to the next level via **8x8 Meet**? **8x8 Work** messaging allows all of this, and more! If you have questions, [see our FAQs on messages via **8x8 Work for Desktop**](/documentation/docs/faq-messages)!

## Features

- [IM chat](/documentation/docs/use-im-and-sms-messages#im): Send messages with contacts in your company phone system via IM (displayed in blue), and see when your messages are successfully sent and read by the other party.
- [**Meetings via IM chat**](/documentation/docs/use-im-and-sms-messages): Quickly promote a chat to a productive meeting by inviting a colleague to a meeting via **8x8 Meet** from a chat.
- [SMS chat](/documentation/docs/use-im-and-sms-messages#sms): Send messages with external contacts and numbers via SMS (displayed in green), and see when your messages are successfully sent.
- [**SMS content filtering in 8x8 Work**](/documentation/docs/sms-content-filtering-in-8x8-work): 8x8 automatically filters outbound SMS messages sent through the **8x8 Work** apps.
- [**Block external SMS from unknown contacts**](/documentation/docs/use-im-and-sms-messages): Block the incoming SMS spam from unknown senders.
- [Format text](/documentation/docs/faq-messages#formatting): Include formatted text to draw attention to important content in a message.
- [**Team Messaging and group chat**](/documentation/docs/use-team-messaging): Depending on your organization's requirements, you may have access to Team Messaging or to group chat.
  - [Team Messaging](/documentation/docs/use-team-messaging): Collaborate with your colleagues by creating a public or private chat room dedicated to a project, subject, or team.
  - [Group chat](/documentation/docs/use-group-chat): Collaborate with your colleagues by creating a dedicated group chat.
- [**Group MMS messaging**](/documentation/docs/use-the-group-mms-messaging) - Create MMS groups to communicate with internal and external numbers.
- [Attach files in chat](/documentation/docs/attach-files-in-chat): Make your chat conversation more efficient and productive by attaching an image or file you are discussing with a colleague.
- [**Summarize chat messages**](/documentation/docs/summarize-chat-messages) - Generate summarizes for the last 24 hours, the past 3 days, unread messages, or messages starting from any specific point.
- [Message history](/documentation/docs/access-message-history): Can't remember the details of last month's discussion on an important task? Access a comprehensive chat history with any contact, allowing you to come back to past discussions at any time.
- [Language support](/documentation/docs/about-8x8-work-for-desktop#languages): Send messages in any language supported by the app.
- **Cloud-based messaging**: Conversations to continue seamlessly as the user moves between their desktop and mobile applications.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:**
> 
> If your organization does not enable messaging in **8x8 Work for Desktop**, you do not have access to the messaging functionality.