# Start a new topic

Topics are a lightweight tool to keep conversations organized. You should
start a new topic whenever you're not replying to an existing message.

## Start a new topic

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1. Click on a stream in the left sidebar.

1. Click **New topic** at the bottom of the app, or type <kbd>C</kbd>.

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Don't worry about picking the perfect topic. The first 2-4 words that come
to mind are great.

Note that topics are not available for [direct messages](/help/direct-messages).
If you find yourself wanting topics in a DM, we recommend
[creating a private stream](/help/create-a-stream).

## Related articles

* [Rename a topic](/help/rename-a-topic)
* [Require topics](/help/require-topics) for all stream messages