Enabling Event Chat is a fantastic way to boost engagement, networking, and real-time communication at your event. Through the Expo Pass dashboard, you have full control over who can chat, how different groups interact, and how your team manages group channels.
To access these settings, log into your Event, click on the Attendee Connect menu on the left sidebar, and click Manage Chat Settings.
❗ Important: If you do not see Manage Chat Settings under Attendee Connect, please reach out via the red chat bubble, so our Specialist team can enable Chat for you.
NOTE: This is a product feature that must be purchased through the Order Form ahead of your event.
Tab 1: General & Access
This tab controls the fundamental rules of your event's chat environment.
⏱️ Chat Availability
Choose whether chat is Always On throughout your event timeline or restricted to specific times.
🔐 Chat Access Control
Control exactly which roles have permission to use the chat feature at all. You can toggle access for:
Attendees
Exhibitor Admins & Exhibitor Users
Event Owners & Event Users
🔄 Manage Chat Interactions (The Message Center Grid)
This section allows you to decide who is allowed to see and initiate direct messages (DMs) with each other. Simply check the boxes to customize permissions:
Attendees can chat with: Other attendees, exhibitors, or event admins.
Exhibitors can chat with: Attendees, other exhibitor team members, or event admins.
Admins can chat with: Everyone across the platform.
📁 Allowed File Types & Threaded Replies
File Types: Specify which files users can share in chat by typing them out (e.g.,
pdf, doc, docx, png, jpg).Note: Dynamic/animated images (SVGs) and executable files are not supported for safety.
Threaded Replies: Toggle this ON if you want users to be able to reply directly to a specific message, creating a clean conversation thread.
💬 Tab 2: Channel Management
In addition to private direct messages, you can create central hubs for broader group discussions.
➕ Creating a Group Channel
Click the blue Add New Group Channel button to build out your spaces. You will configure the following:
Display Name: Give your channel a clear title (e.g., General Discussion, Announcements, Q&A).
Description (Optional): Briefly explain the purpose of the channel so users know what to post there.
Read-Only Mode: Check this box if you only want Event Owners and Event Users to be able to post (perfect for one-way announcements).
Moderated Mode: Check this box if user messages require admin approval before they appear publicly.
Channel Type: Select whether this channel is Public (open to all chat-enabled users) or Private (restricted to specific invited groups).
🛡️ Tab 3: Moderation & Safety
Keep your event community safe, comfortable, and professional with our moderation tools.
👤 Profile Data Visibility
What it does: This controls which attendee profile fields (like job title or company) are visible to other users when they tap a profile in the chat.
Note: To edit these specific fields, click the Manage in Attendee Fields shortcut link on the right side of the page.
🚩 Flagged Posts & Moderation
If an attendee reports or flags an inappropriate message during the live event, it will appear here. Admins can view, review, and act on flagged content directly from this queue, conveniently grouped by user.
💾 Saving Your Changes
Whenever you make adjustments across any of these three tabs, don't forget to click the blue Save Changes button at the bottom of the screen to push updates live to your attendees!
🚨 Critical Step: Required Settings for Attendee Access
Before configuring your chat permissions, you must ensure attendees have a way to access the app and log in. If these settings are turned off, attendees will not be able to see or use the chat feature.
1. Turn on Event Access Toggles
Navigate to Event Settings ➡️ General and make sure BOTH of the following are toggled ON:
Attendee Mobile App Access
Attendee Web Browser Access
Resource HERE
2. Schedule Your Mobile Magic Link Email
Because Expo Pass has a passwordless option, attendees need their Mobile Magic Link to log into the app and access the chat.
Where to go: Navigate to Event Settings ➡️ Emails.
Our Recommendation: Schedule this email to deploy 1–2 days before your event begins, and again on each morning of the live event to ensure it stays at the top of their inbox.
Resource HERE