How to Use Chat on the Substack Mobile App and Browser
Navigating Chat and finding your way around Substack
Welcome to all of our new subscribers - we’re glad you’re here!
I’ve had a few requests lately for instructions on how to use ‘Chat’ - the main venue for community connection on the FSA Education Substack. The only guide currently offered by Substack is what I am sharing below (their guide was updated seven days ago). I’ve added a few pointers of my own addressing our FSA Education Chat space. I hope you find it helpful.
You’ll also want to read our Community Engagement (Moderation) Guidelines to help keep our Substack community a “safe enough” space for all: https://familyscapegoathealing.substack.com/p/moderation-guideline-political-references
SUBSTACK MOBILE APP USERS: READ THIS POST FROM SUBSTACK REGARDING HOW TO CHOOSE HOW TO RECEIVE AND BE NOTIFIED OF MY NEW CONTENT VIA YOUR NOTIFICATION SETTINGS: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4530171220500-Will-I-still-get-emails-if-I-have-the-Substack-iOS-app
HAVING TROUBLE NAVIGATING SUBSTACK? Scroll down to the bottom part of this post where I’ve posted some tutorials.
Substack Chat is available on the web and the Substack app.
To find my Chats on the Mobile App
Click on the ‘Comment’ icon at the bottom of the App screen to find new Chats or Direct Messages (look for my Substack’s tree with hearts logo, as shown below). Click on the ‘Inbox’ icon to the left of the Chat icon to see my latest posts. My posts will also appear on the home page of the app.
Find My Chat on a Browser
Visit my Substack’s home page at https://familyscapegoathealing.substack.com and click on ‘Chat’ in the Navigation Menu at the top of my site. Or, you can go to our Chat space directly by visiting https://substack.com/chat/2666152
Participating in Chat (Replying in Threads and Subthreads)
Once a writer (publisher) starts a thread, you can participate by tapping on the Chat icon on the Substack app (the comment bubble to the right of ‘Home’ or the ‘Inbox’) or on the web. Substacks you subscribe to will appear showing the most recent threads.
To add a line break to start a new paragraph on an iPhone, hold down the 'Shift' key and then press the 'Return' key at the same time. On other devices, hold down the ‘Shift’ key and then press the ‘Enter’ key at the same time.
Tap on a thread to start interacting with the writer and other readers. You can reply to any thread with text, image, or video as well as react to other readers' replies.
REPLYING TO MY ORIGINAL CHAT MESSAGE: To reply to my new Chat thread posts from a browser, hover over the message and then click on the curved black arrow to the right (click on the 3 horizontal dots next this arrow to see more options). On the Substack mobile app, touch the message with your pointer or long press with your finger and several options will display in a drop-down menu, including ‘Reply’.
REPLYING TO OTHER PEOPLE ON THE THREAD: To keep our Chat threads organized, use ‘Reply in a new subthread’ when replying to someone who commented on my original Chat post. If you are are already in a subthread, you’ll simply reply in the blank comment section at the bottom of the subthread. To reply to other people’s replies to my Chat thread, click on 'reply in a new subthread’.
You can also tap on another reader's message to react or to leave a reply.
How am I notified about Chat?
You can select which Chat push notifications to receive on the Substack app.
New threads: When a writer you're subscribed to starts a new Chat thread.
Replies: When other readers leave a reply in a Chat thread.
Reactions: When readers emoji-react to your reply.
To turn on or turn off Chat notifications, follow these steps:
1. Tap your profile picture and select Settings. In the Settings menu, tap Notifications.
2. On your Notifications, make sure that the boxes are checked next to each item listed in the Chat section. If the boxes are unchecked under the Push column, you will not receive any push notifications about Chat.
Who can see my replies?
Any subscriber of the publication will be able to see your reply in a Thread. If they react to your message, you'll see a notification in your Activity section (click on the bell in the top right corner of the Substack app).
Tip: Don't see a thread? Check to see if you're on the latest version of the Substack app and check your profile picture to see if the publication is listed in your subscription library.
About Our Community Chat space
Substack provides only ONE Chat space and that’s where I post all new threads. There are no categories; there is simply a string of consecutive threads ordered by the date I posted them. All Chat threads are labelled by topic. Right now Substack doesn’t allow you to edit comments but many publishers are requesting this so it may change over time. Substack has yet to create a comprehensive guide on how to use the Substack Mobile App if you’re a user/subscriber/reader but are reportedly in the process of doing so.
Navigating Substack
Finding My Content on the Substack Mobile App: To find my publication on the mobile app, open up one of my posts (these are in the ‘inbox’ area to the right of ‘home’ at the bottom of the mobile app screen); then click on the three vertical dots at the top right of your screen; then click on ‘View Publication’. Scroll down to find my posts, archive, notes, etc.
Substack Mobile App Tutorial
Watch this short video on how to use the Substack Mobile App by Dot Pink:
Desktop Tutorial
Dan Harris made this tutorial for his subscribers. You’ll learn a lot from it and it will help you to navigate my Substack.
Exploring Community Offerings
Visit https://familyscapegoathealing.substack.com/p/fsa-education-community-site-directory to view our Community Site Directory. If you’re on an iPhone, Substack may force you to remain on the app so you may have to use a different device to access my Substack on a browser.
So thorough Ms. Rebecca Ty !! Great tools with such granular transparency - makes it all easier to navigate and consume - munch munch munch Namaste Mo
I'm sorry but it is still confusing to me. I use an iphone and I deleted the app, so only access by my browser. Often when I reply (and I'm already in a subthread) I lose my message. I try to go back to ensure I have it in the right location and it's gone. Only when someone reacts to my reply, do I see it. I have found the browser on my desktop also glitchy in that sense. I can reply in subthread and it opens one window, or reply on chat, and it looks like the same window but I only know I've tried either way when I try to sign out and I see double windows open and I cannot identify whether it was a creating a subthread reply or a standard reply to someone IN a subthread already. It is difficult to track whether I am in the original thread of comments or in a long subthread that I must back out of. tech is usually not this difficult for me, but it seems Substack's system is not typical use-friendly programming that I am familiar with and having the iphone app to start my journey with Substack did NOT help matters at all. So now I get notification emails, and cannot click on them from my iphone because Substack won't let me enter without taking me to the Iphone store to down load the app and I won't use the app. I can access via my iphone browser but Substack isn't programmed for that to work either because every reply is staggered to the right until it is off the screen and I cannot scroll from left to right to pick up the conversation. So my desktop browser is it, only.
I truly am attempting the comment according to the rules. But I find it beyond me at times. And I don't understand why. It's frustrating. I have written down your instructions for web browser and when already in a subthread and commenting on another, instructions say that I can tap on their message and react (emoji) or reply. I am certain that I am doing that, but I saw a message replying to a comment of mine today where it seems like I have not been doing that. ack!!