zulip/help/restrict-direct-messages.md

Restrict direct messages

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In Zulip, users can exchange direct messages with other users, bots and themselves. Organization administrators can configure who is allowed to use direct messages.

Configure who can use direct messages

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This feature is beta; see the notes below for details.

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{settings_tab|organization-permissions}

1. Under Other permissions, configure Who can use direct messages.

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Notes on restricting direct messages

• Disabling direct messages will cause sending a direct message to throw an error; the Zulip UI will appear to still allow direct messages. We expect to make some UI adjustments when direct messages are disabled during the beta period.

• Even if direct messages are disabled, users can still exchange direct messages with bot users (this detail is important for Zulip's new user onboarding experience). Consider also restricting bot creation when using this feature.

• Restricting direct messages does not automatically restrict creating private streams.