A messenger for everyone

Chat in your own style.

Relay is a messenger you make your own. Pick from 29 colour themes in light or dark, choose your font, text size and sounds, and keep in touch with friends, family and groups from any browser.

No phone number needed. All it takes is an email address.

LLeo

Movie at 8?

I'm in 🍿

Saving you a seat

Message

SSam

What was that sound?

My new Bird tone 🐦

Okay, I need that

Message

MMia

Love your new look!

Thanks! It's Sunset ☀️

Mine's Grape 💜

Message

Make it yours

Every part of Relay can look and sound the way you like. Try it right here: the page takes on your theme, and the chat shows your font and size.

Theme Corporate

Light or dark

Light Dark

Font

Text size 100%

Sounds 24 to choose from

Give each chat its own sound, so you know who it is without looking.

Create your account from here and these choices come with you, to every device you sign in on.

Everything you need to keep in touch

Groups and invite links
Start a group, make friends admins, and share a link anyone can use to join. Or share your own link so people can message you.
Voice notes, photos and files
Record a voice note, or send pictures and documents. Links show a preview of what you're sharing.
Disappearing messages
Set a chat to clear its messages after a while, so nothing hangs around.
Reactions and replies
React with an emoji, reply to one message, forward it, edit it, or save it for later.
Translation
Read messages written in another language, translated right in the chat on devices that support it.
Privacy on your terms
Turn read receipts and typing indicators off, block people, and report anyone who bothers you.
Sign in your way
A password, a passkey or a one-time email code, and a PIN to unlock quickly on your own device.
Wherever you are
Use Relay in any modern browser on your phone, tablet or computer, install it like an app, or get the Android app on Google Play. Your chats come with you.
No phone number
Sign up with an email address. Your number stays yours.

Comfortable for everyone

Bigger text or smaller, extra spacing, bold text, high-contrast and colour-blind-safe themes, a dyslexia-friendly font and full keyboard control. They're all just settings: switch on what you like and leave the rest.

Ready to make it yours?

Relay

Chat in your own style.

Your messages and settings are saved to your account and follow you to every device.

Pick a chat

Choose a chat from the list, or start a new one.

This is what other people see when they open your profile.

Photo

Choose a photo

A square crop from the middle, resized in your browser before it is sent. PNG, JPEG or WebP.

Identity

Display name

Username

How people find you. 3–20 characters: letters, numbers and underscores.

Role or job title optional

About you optional

280 characters left

Avatar colour

Let people see when I was last online — off means they only see whether you are online now

Status

A short note shown beside your name. Clears itself when it expires.

Clear it

Time zone

Your time zone so people know when you're likely around

Message link

A link that opens a chat with you, in the Relay app or on the website. Put it in an email signature or a bio. Anyone who opens it can message you; people without an account create one first.

Help

How do I start a chat?

Choose Find people and search by name or @username. If they aren't on Relay yet, send them your invite link (Profile › Message link): it opens a chat with you once they've made an account.

How do I change how Relay looks or sounds?

Theme, text size and font are under Appearance. Underlined links, a stronger focus outline and larger touch targets are under Accessibility. Sounds are under Sounds, including a different sound for one chat.

My message says "Not sent"

Choose Try again under it, or Remove. If you were offline, messages wait and send by themselves when you're back; the bar at the top says how many are waiting.

How do I mute a chat?

Open the chat, choose the three dots at the top, then Mute notifications. You can mute for a while or until you turn it back on. Quiet hours for this device are under Chat & notifications.

How do I block or report someone?

Open their profile from the chat and choose Block or Report. To report one message, open its actions and choose Report message. The people you've blocked are listed under Data & privacy.

Messages from people I don't know

They wait in Message requests at the top of your chat list. They can't see that you've read them until you accept.

Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts
Search	`Ctrl` + `K`
Next / previous chat	`Alt` + `↓` / `↑`
New chat	`Alt` + `N`
Edit your last message	`↑` in an empty composer
New line	`Shift` + `Enter`
Settings	`Ctrl` + `,`
This help	`?` (outside a text field)
Move through messages	`↑` / `↓` in the message list
Message actions	`Enter` on a message
Reply / edit / copy / forward a message	`R` / `E` / `C` / `F`
Save a message / take it out of Saved	`S`
Pin a message / unpin it	`P`
Close / cancel	`Esc`

Formatting

Messages support **bold**, *italic*, ~~strikethrough~~, `code` and ||spoilers||, which stay hidden until tapped.

Start a line with - or 1. for a list, or > for a quote. Put ``` on the lines before and after code to keep its spacing. Links are detected automatically.

Accessibility statement

Relay targets WCAG 2.2 AA: full keyboard operability, visible focus, semantic landmarks, screen-reader announcements for new messages, respect for reduced-motion and forced-colors system preferences, and themes designed for deuteranopia, protanopia, tritanopia and monochrome vision. Status is always conveyed with icons and text, never colour alone.

About

Relay v2.0, a messenger you can make your own and actually read.

Chat in your own style.

Make it yours

Everything you need to keep in touch

Groups and invite links

Voice notes, photos and files

Disappearing messages

Reactions and replies

Translation

Privacy on your terms

Sign in your way

Wherever you are

No phone number

Comfortable for everyone

Ready to make it yours?

Sign in

Create your account

Reset your password

Sign in with an email code

Pick a chat