---
title: "Disabling IM and SMS Messaging in 8x8 Admin Console"
slug: "disabling-im-and-sms-messaging-in-8x8-admin-console"
updated: 2026-05-17T17:50:47Z
published: 2026-05-21T21:25:23Z
canonical: "help.8x8.com/disabling-im-and-sms-messaging-in-8x8-admin-console"
---

> ## 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.

# Disabling IM and SMS Messaging in 8x8 Admin Console

## Objective

Disable messaging functionality (IM/SMS) for a user.

## Applies To

- Admin Console
- Messaging (IM, SMS)

## Procedure

1. Log in to [**Admin Console**](https://apps.8x8.com).
2. Click on **Side bar** (three vertical lines) > **Profile Policies**.
3. Click **Create new profile policy** (top right of the page).![2019-07-31_09-26-23.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/10710?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A40%3A29Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A40%3A29Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=Vo1gd7%2BgImaFWYkvS%2BjAuMx%2F5mA4j2kPLnh4Es%2FpPGg%3D)
4. Enter a **Policy name**.
5. Under General, **toggle Disable messaging functionality**.
6. Click **Save**.
7. Click **Home** > **Users**.
8. **Select the user(s)** to edit > click **Edit icon** (pencil) to the right-hand side.
9. Under **Services and Permissions**, assign the new policy.
10. Click **Save**.
11. Have the user log out and log back in.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:**
> 
> *Toggling Disabling messaging functionality ON/OFF will do so for all users under that policy. To disable Messaging for individual users, without creating an individual Policy profile for each user, contact customer support.*

## Additional Information

- Senders will not get an error when sending IM/SMS to the affected users.
- If the users get the messaging capability re-enabled, those messages will show up in their history.
- If disabled, the messaging tab is removed from 8x8 Work for Desktop.