---
title: "Setting up chat message editing"
description: "Platform administrators can allow chat message editing and choose how long a message stays editable after sending, from 15 minutes to no limit."
category: administration-security
section: platform-settings
tags: [admin]
type: Tutorial
lastUpdated: 2026-08-26
locale: en
canonical: https://support.talkspirit.com/en/administration-security/set-up-chat-message-editing
---

# Setting up chat message editing


## Setting up chat message editing
Platform administrators control whether members can edit chat messages after sending them, and for how long. The setting applies to the whole organisation: every conversation and group chat follows the same rule, and there is no per-group override. By default, a member can edit a message for 15 minutes after sending it.

## How do I configure this setting?

1. Go to **Administration**.
2. Under **Apps**, click **Chats**.
3. Under **Message edition settings**, use the **Allow messages edition** switch to allow or block editing.

![The Message edition settings block on the Administration Chats page: the Allow messages edition switch turned on, and below it a dropdown set to 15 minutes for how long a message stays editable.](/images/administration-security/set-up-chat-message-editing/01-message-edition-settings.png)

4. If editing is allowed, select the time during which a message can be modified after sending: **15 minutes**, **30 minutes**, **1 hour**, **12 hours**, **24 hours**, or **No limitation**.
5. Click **Save changes**.

The new rule takes effect immediately for all chat conversations.

## What members see

- Members can edit their own messages only: clicking your own message text opens it for editing, and pressing the up arrow in an empty message field reopens your last message.
- When a message has been edited, the other participants see an **Edited** tag next to it. Hovering over the message shows when it was edited.
- Once the editing window has passed, the message can no longer be opened for editing. If an edit still reaches the server, it is rejected with the error "The time limit for editing the message has expired."

> **Note:** The time window applies to editing only. Members can delete their own messages at any time, whatever their age.

## What's Next?

- [How do I moderate a chat room?](/communication/moderating-a-chat-room)
- [How do I see who read a chat message in a room?](/communication/see-who-read-a-chat-message-in-a-room)
- [How do I modify default privileges for groups?](/communication/modifying-default-privileges-for-groups)