---
key: manage-a-text-conversation
title: Star, file, pause or block a text conversation
audience: staff
section: communications/text
routes: ["/communications/text"]
permissions: ["communications.message.read"]
features: ["communications.sms"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Keep the text inbox tidy by starring, coloring, filing, pausing alerts on, archiving, trashing or blocking a conversation, and search inside it or across all of them.
keywords: [text inbox, star conversation, folders, pause notifications, mute texts, archive text, block number, spam text, search texts, delete text]
related: [send-a-text-message, manage-text-conversation-details, star-save-or-check-a-text-message, find-a-conversation-across-channels, block-a-spam-caller-or-texter]
---

In the sidebar, open **Communications**, then **Text**. The page address is `/communications/text`. Conversations are listed on the left; the open conversation and its actions are on the right.

## Before you start

- Anyone who can read texts can mark a conversation read or unread and star it.
- Coloring, pausing alerts, filing, archiving and trashing need your role to be allowed to manage conversations. Blocking also needs permission to block texters. Nova shows these actions either way, but without the permission they end in an error.

## Steps

1. Find the conversation. Press the search button above the list (**Search conversations**) and type at least two characters in **Search name, number, or message text**, then press a result. Or use the envelope and star buttons (**Show unread conversations**, **Show starred conversations**) to narrow the list.
2. Press the conversation to open it.
3. Press the three-dot button in the conversation header (**Open conversation actions**).
4. Pick what you need:
   - **Mark read** or **Mark unread**.
   - **Star for team** (or **Unstar for team**) marks it for everyone. The **Star** button in the header does the same.
   - **Color**, then a color, tints the conversation. **Default** takes the color off.
   - **Pause alerts**, then **Pause 1 hour**, **Pause 8 hours**, **Until tomorrow** or **Turn off until resumed**. For another time, set **Pause until** and press **Apply pause until**. While alerts are paused, the same item offers **Resume alerts**.
   - **Move to folder**, then **Inbox**, **Pinned** or one of your own folders.
   - **Archive** takes it out of the inbox. **Unarchive** brings it back.
   - **Block & report spam** stops this number texting you. **Unblock** undoes it straight away.
   - **Move to trash**, then press **Move to Trash** in the dialog.
5. To search inside the open conversation, choose **Search conversation** from the same menu and type at least two characters in **Search this conversation**. Nova lists the matching messages with their time.

## What you see

- Each row in the list has its own three-dot button (**Open list conversation actions**) with the same actions. On a phone, press and hold a row instead.
- The folder button above the list (**Open folders**) shows **Active**, **Pinned**, **Blocked** and your own folders, with **Archived** and **Trash** under **Recovery**. Type a name in **Add folder** and press Enter to make a folder.
- **Block & report spam?** explains that the conversation is blocked and muted, new alerts stop, and it stays in folders for review. Press **Block**. This blocks texts only; to block calls too, or to see every blocked number, see [[block-a-spam-caller-or-texter]].
- **Move conversation to Trash?** says how many days Trash keeps a conversation before deleting it for good.
- **Add task** opens a new task for this customer with the conversation filled in. The item above it opens the Schedule with a new work order for this customer. Both need the conversation linked to an account.
- **Details** opens the conversation's details; see [[manage-text-conversation-details]]. **Call** in the header rings the customer from your softphone.

## Save an email or phone number mentioned in a text

An incoming message can mention another email address or phone number. Press **Save** beside the detected detail to open **Save contact details**. Choose the account, then move the detail to a person if it belongs to them. Use **Add a person** for a new contact. Check any matches and **Here’s what will be saved**, then confirm with **Save details**.

Nova reuses an existing matching contact method instead of adding a duplicate. Saving a mention keeps the conversation linked to its original sender. It does not mark the detail verified, grant texting consent, change the primary contact, or subscribe the person to updates. Your role needs permission to manage conversations and save contact methods; person creation and linking need their own permissions.

## If something looks different

- **Add task** is greyed out: link the conversation to an account first, or your role cannot create tasks. Point at it to see which.
- The menu shows **Already in trash**: press **Restore from Trash** to put it back in the inbox. **Delete permanently** only appears in Trash when your organization allows permanent deletion, and it cannot be undone.
- **Add folder** is greyed out: only a role that manages text lines can add, rename or delete folders.
- **Call** is greyed out: calls only work in one-to-one conversations with a valid number. It is missing when your role cannot place calls.

[[route:/communications/text|Open Text]]