# Use the shared Inbox > The Inbox holds every customer conversation on SMS, calls, WhatsApp, email and Web Chat in one list. Open a conversation to read it, reply, or close it. Source: https://useline.io/help/inbox/shared-inbox Section: Inbox and contacts Last updated: 2026-11-06 The **Inbox** shows every customer conversation in one list: texts, calls, voicemails, WhatsApp, email and Web Chat. Every member of your workspace sees the same conversations and can reply. ## Find your way around The Inbox has three columns: | Column | What it shows | |---|---| | Conversation list | One row for each conversation, newest activity first. The badge on the avatar shows the channel. The small avatar at the foot of a row shows who the conversation is assigned to. | | Thread | The messages, calls and internal notes of the open conversation, with the composer at the bottom. | | Contact panel | The contact's details, **Call** and **Open contact**. Use **Show contact details** or **Hide contact details** in the thread header to show or hide it. | The sub-menu on the left holds your views, such as **My Inbox**, **Mentions** and one view for each channel. See [Organise the Inbox with views](https://useline.io/help/inbox/inbox-views). ## Open and read a conversation 1. Open **Inbox**. 2. Select a conversation in the list. An unread conversation has a dark dot and a heavier name. Line marks a conversation as read when you open it. To mark it as unread again: 1. Select the actions menu (three dots) in the thread header. 2. Select **Mark as unread**. ## Search Type in **Search people, numbers, messages** above the list. The search looks in open and closed conversations. A closed result has a **Closed** tag. ## Reply 1. Open the conversation. 2. Make sure the **Reply** tab is selected in the composer. 3. Type your message. 4. Select **Send**, or press Command + Enter. The reply goes on the same channel as the conversation. The composer shows the channel and the number next to **Send**, for example "via SMS". The composer also has buttons to attach a file, insert a template, add an emoji and record a voice note. Some buttons show only on channels that support them. SMS cannot carry files. When you reply to a conversation that nobody holds, Line assigns it to you. ## Conversation states The list has five tabs: **Open**, **Waiting**, **Snoozed**, **Closed** and **Spam**. Each conversation is in one state. The list shows only the conversations in the selected tab. | Tab | What it holds | |---|---| | **Open** | Conversations that need work | | **Waiting** | Conversations in which your team replied and waits for the customer | | **Snoozed** | Conversations that you put away until a time that you choose | | **Closed** | Finished conversations | | **Spam** | Conversations that you marked as spam | When the customer sends a new message, Line moves a waiting, snoozed or closed conversation back to **Open**. A conversation in **Spam** stays in **Spam**. ## Change the state of a conversation To close a conversation, select **Close** in the thread header. To reopen a closed conversation, select **Reopen**. To snooze it, select **Snooze** (the alarm clock) in the thread header. For the other actions: 1. Open the conversation. 2. Select **Conversation actions** (three dots) in the thread header. 3. Select an action. | Action | What it does | |---|---| | **Close conversation** | Moves the conversation to **Closed**. | | **Reopen conversation** | Moves a closed conversation to **Open**. | | **Snooze…** | Opens **Snooze until**. Select **In 3 hours**, **Tomorrow, 9:00** or **Next Monday, 9:00**. Or set a date and time, then select **Snooze**. The time must be in the future and no more than one year away. At that time, Line moves the conversation back to **Open**. | | **Mark as waiting** | Moves the conversation to **Waiting**. | | **Mark as open** | Shows on a waiting or snoozed conversation. Moves it to **Open**. | | **Merge…** | Email only. Opens **Merge with**. It lists the other email conversations of the same contact. Select one, then select **Merge**. The older conversation stays and keeps its subject. The messages, notes, files and drafts of the newer one move into it. You cannot undo a merge. | | **Mark as spam** | Moves the conversation to **Spam**. Select **Not spam** to move it back to **Open**. | After you change the state, a toast shows **Undo**. A merge has no **Undo**. The **Send** menu in the composer also has **Send and close** and **Send and snooze…**. An Owner or Admin can turn on **Set Waiting when a reply is sent** in **Settings** > **General**. Then a reply from the Inbox moves an open conversation to **Waiting**. It is off by default. ## Delivery status For SMS and WhatsApp, the line under your last message shows a tick: | Icon | Status | |---|---| | Clock | Sending | | One grey tick | Sent | | Two grey ticks | Delivered | | Two olive ticks | Read (WhatsApp only) | | Warning and **Not delivered** | Failed | Point to **Not delivered** to see the reason. Select **Retry** to send the same text again as a new message. Email and Web Chat show only **Sent** or **Not delivered**. ## Common problems **A message is not delivered.** See [A text message was not delivered](https://useline.io/help/troubleshooting/sms-not-delivered) or [WhatsApp messages do not arrive](https://useline.io/help/troubleshooting/whatsapp-not-receiving). **A conversation that you closed comes back.** The customer sent a new message. Line moves a waiting, snoozed or closed conversation back to **Open** when the customer writes again. ## Related articles - [Assign a conversation to a teammate](https://useline.io/help/inbox/assign-conversations.md): Use the assignee button in the thread header to give a conversation to a teammate. When you reply to an unassigned conversation, Line assigns it to you. - [Add internal notes and mention teammates](https://useline.io/help/inbox/internal-notes-and-mentions.md): Select Internal note in the composer to write a note that only your team sees. Type @ to mention a teammate, who then sees it in Mentions. - [Organise the Inbox with views and folders](https://useline.io/help/inbox/inbox-views.md): The Inbox sub-menu has My Inbox, Mentions and one view for each channel. Select Manage to change the order of views and to make your own folders. - [Send and reply to text messages](https://useline.io/help/messaging/send-sms.md): Send an SMS from the Inbox with New message, or reply in the conversation. Texts leave from your Line number and cost credits per segment.