Source: Roblox Creator Hub · CC BY 4.0 · View source · Code samples: MIT Imported 2026-10-03. Formatting adapted for this site.
TextChannel
Inherits from: Instance → Object
Represents a text chat channel. Contains TextSources as descendants.
To send a chat message to the TextChannel, call TextChannel:SendAsync() from a LocalScript. The corresponding TextSource of the user with TextSource.CanSend = true must be in that channel.
Messages from different TextChannels can be separated into different tabs in the chat window using ChannelTabsConfiguration. Multiple channels with the same name might cause unexpected behavior with the chat window, even if the player isn't a member of the other channels.
To learn more, see In-Experience Text Chat.
Inherits from: Instance
Memory category: Instances
Properties
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TextChannel.DirectChatRequester | Player | The TextChannel will only deliver messages to users that can send direct messages to the DirectChatRequester. |
Inherited from Instance
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Instance.Archivable | boolean | Determines if an Instance and its descendants can be cloned using Instance:Clone(), and can be saved/published. |
| Instance.archivable | boolean | |
| Instance.Capabilities | SecurityCapabilities | The set of capabilities allowed to be used for scripts inside this container. |
| Instance.IsInSandbox | boolean | Indicates whether the instance is inside a sandboxed container. |
| Instance.Name | string | A non-unique identifier of the Instance. |
| Instance.Parent | Instance | Determines the hierarchical parent of the Instance. |
| Instance.PredictionMode | PredictionMode | Reflects the client-side prediction mode applied to the instance under server-authoritative physics. |
| Instance.RobloxLocked | boolean | A deprecated property that used to protect CoreGui objects. |
| Instance.Sandboxed | boolean | When enabled, the instance can only access abilities in its Capabilities list. |
| Instance.UniqueId | UniqueId | A unique identifier for the instance. |
Inherited from Object
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Object.ClassName | string | A read-only string representing the class this Object belongs to. |
| Object.className | string |
TextChannel.DirectChatRequester
The TextChannel will only deliver messages to users that can send direct messages to the DirectChatRequester. This property can only be set using SetDirectChatRequester().
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| type | Player |
| tags | ["ReadOnly","NotReplicated"] |
| security | {"read":"None","write":"None"} |
| thread safety | ReadSafe |
| category | Data |
| serialization | {"can_load":false,"can_save":true} |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |
Methods
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TextChannel:AddUserAsync | Tuple | Adds a TextSource to the TextChannel given userId of a Player. |
| TextChannel:DisplaySystemMessage | TextChatMessage | Displays a system message to the user. |
| TextChannel:SendAsync | TextChatMessage | Sends a TextChatMessage to the server. |
| TextChannel:SetDirectChatRequester | () | Sets the DirectChatRequester for the TextChannel. The TextChannel will only deliver messages to users that can send direct messages to the DirectChatRequester. |
Inherited from Instance
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Instance:AddTag | () | Applies a tag to the instance. |
| Instance:children | Instances | Returns an array of the object's children. |
| Instance:ClearAllChildren | () | This method destroys all of an instance's children. |
| Instance:Clone | Instance | Create a copy of an instance and all its descendants, ignoring instances that are not Archivable. |
| Instance:clone | Instance | |
| Instance:Destroy | () | Sets the Instance.Parent property to nil, locks the Instance.Parent property, disconnects all connections, and calls Destroy() on all children. |
| Instance:destroy | () | |
| Instance:FindFirstAncestor | Instance? | Returns the first ancestor of the Instance whose Instance.Name is equal to the given name. |
| Instance:FindFirstAncestorOfClass | Instance? | Returns the first ancestor of the Instance whose Object.ClassName is equal to the given className. |
| Instance:FindFirstAncestorWhichIsA | Instance? | Returns the first ancestor of the Instance for whom Object:IsA() returns true for the given className. |
| Instance:FindFirstChild | Instance? | Returns the first child of the Instance found with the given name. |
| Instance:findFirstChild | Instance | |
| Instance:FindFirstChildOfClass | Instance? | Returns the first child of the Instance whose ClassName is equal to the given class name. |
| Instance:FindFirstChildWhichIsA | Instance? | Returns the first child of the Instance for whom Object:IsA() returns true for the given className. |
| Instance:FindFirstDescendant | Instance? | Returns the first descendant found with the given Instance.Name. |
| Instance:GetActor | Actor? | Returns the Actor associated with the Instance, if any. |
| Instance:GetAttribute | Variant | Returns the value which has been assigned to the given attribute name. |
| Instance:GetAttributeChangedSignal | RBXScriptSignal | Returns an event that fires when the given attribute changes. |
| Instance:GetAttributes | Dictionary | Returns a dictionary of the instance's attributes. |
| Instance:GetChildren | Instances | Returns an array containing all of the instance's children. |
| Instance:getChildren | Instances | |
| Instance:GetDebugId | string | Returns a coded string of the debug ID used internally by Roblox. |
| Instance:GetDescendants | Instances | Returns an array containing all of the descendants of the instance. |
| Instance:GetFullName | string | Returns a string describing the instance's ancestry. |
| Instance:GetStyled | Variant | Returns the styled or explicitly modified value of the specified property, or else the default property value if it hasn't been styled/modified. |
| Instance:GetStyledPropertyChangedSignal | RBXScriptSignal | Returns an event that fires when the given style property changes on the instance. |
| Instance:GetTags | Array | Gets an array of all tags applied to the instance. |
| Instance:HasTag | boolean | Check whether the instance has a given tag. |
| Instance:IsAncestorOf | boolean | Returns true if an Instance is an ancestor of the given descendant. |
| Instance:IsDescendantOf | boolean | Returns true if an Instance is a descendant of the given ancestor. |
| Instance:isDescendantOf | boolean | |
| Instance:IsPropertyModified | boolean | Returns true if the value stored in the specified property is not equal to the code-instantiated default. |
| Instance:QueryDescendants | Instances | Returns an array containing all descendants of the instance that match the selector string. |
| Instance:Remove | () | Sets the object's Parent to nil, and does the same for all its descendants. |
| Instance:remove | () | |
| Instance:RemoveTag | () | Removes a tag from the instance. |
| Instance:ResetPropertyToDefault | () | Resets a property to its default value. |
| Instance:SetAttribute | () | Sets the attribute with the given name to the given value. |
| Instance:WaitForChild | Instance | Returns the child of the Instance with the given name. If the child does not exist, it will yield the current thread until it does. |
Inherited from Object
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Object:GetPropertyChangedSignal | RBXScriptSignal | Get an event that fires when a given property of the object changes. |
| Object:IsA | boolean | Returns true if an object's class matches or inherits from a given class. |
| Object:isA | boolean |
TextChannel:AddUserAsync
Adds a TextSource to the TextChannel given userId of the user (with Player.UserId). Can only be used in a Script.
If a TextSource representing the user does not exist, this adds a TextSource.
If a TextSource representing the user does exist, this returns the TextSource.
If the user has chat off or isn't in the server, this returns a tuple nil, false.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| userId | User | The userId of the Player. |
Returns
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Tuple | Returns TextSource and true if a new TextSource is created for the user, TextSource and false if there is an existing TextSource, or nil and false if the user has chat off or is not in this server. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| tags | ["Yields"] |
| security | None |
| thread safety | Unsafe |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |
TextChannel:DisplaySystemMessage
Displays a system message to user. Can only be used in a LocalScript, or in a Script with RunContext of RunContext.Client. Messages are only visible to that user and aren't automatically filtered or localized.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| systemMessage | string | The system message sent to the TextChannel. | |
| metadata | string | Use to identify system message types, such as the default system messages. |
Returns
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| TextChatMessage | A TextChatMessage with TextChatMessage.Status property that indicates the condition of the message. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| security | None |
| thread safety | Unsafe |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |
TextChannel:SendAsync
Sends a TextChatMessage to the server. Can only be used in a LocalScript, or in a Script with RunContext of RunContext.Client. Please note that only messages typed and sent by the user will be delivered.
The metadata argument has a limit of 200 characters. If this is called with a metadata argument that has more than 200 characters, the message will not be sent to other users. Instead, the sender will receive a TextChatMessage with the TextChatMessage.Metadata and TextChatMessage.Text properties set to empty strings.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| message | string | The message to send to the TextChannel. | |
| metadata | string | Custom metadata to attach to the message. |
Returns
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| TextChatMessage | A TextChatMessage with TextChatMessage.Status property that indicates the condition of the message. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| tags | ["Yields"] |
| security | None |
| thread safety | Unsafe |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |
TextChannel:SetDirectChatRequester
Sets the DirectChatRequester for the TextChannel. This method is only available for use in server scripts.
Use this API if you are working with TextChatService and have a custom implementation of direct chat outside of the default text channels.
When called on a TextChannel that is parented to TextChatService and has no existing TextSources, SetDirectChatRequester adds the requested users as a TextSource and set the DirectChatRequester property for the channel.
When DirectChatRequester is set, only messages between users that can direct chat with the DirectChatRequester are delivered.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| requester | Player | The Player whose direct-message permissions gate the channel; only users who can send direct messages to this player are delivered messages on the channel. |
Returns
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| () |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| security | None |
| thread safety | Unsafe |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |
Code samples: View on Creator Hub (TextChannel-SetDirectChatRequester).
Events
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TextChannel.MessageReceived | Fires when TextChannel:DisplaySystemMessage() is invoked on the client, or when the client receives a valid TextChannel:SendAsync() response from the server. |
Inherited from Instance
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Instance.AncestryChanged | Fires when the Instance.Parent property of this object or one of its ancestors is changed. | |
| Instance.AttributeChanged | Fires whenever an attribute is changed on the Instance. | |
| Instance.ChildAdded | Fires after an object is parented to this Instance. | |
| Instance.childAdded | ||
| Instance.ChildRemoved | Fires after a child is removed from this Instance. | |
| Instance.DescendantAdded | Fires after a descendant is added to the Instance. | |
| Instance.DescendantRemoving | Fires immediately before a descendant of the Instance is removed. | |
| Instance.Destroying | Fires immediately before (or is deferred until after) the instance is destroyed via Instance:Destroy(). | |
| Instance.StyledPropertiesChanged | Fires whenever any style property is changed on the instance, including when a property is set to nil. |
Inherited from Object
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Object.Changed | Fires immediately after a property of the object changes, with some limitations. |
TextChannel.MessageReceived
Like TextChatService.MessageReceived, fires when TextChannel:DisplaySystemMessage() is invoked on the client, or when the client receives a valid TextChannel:SendAsync() response from the server. This event is only fired on the client.
If the server's TextChannel.ShouldDeliverCallback property is bound and returns false, the client will not fire TextChannel.MessageReceived.
Use the TextChatMessage parameter to get the TextSource and the text of the message (with TextChatMessage.Text).
The TextChatMessage parameter is the final result of any functions bound to TextChatService.OnIncomingMessage or TextChannel.OnIncomingMessage.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| incomingMessage | TextChatMessage | The received TextChatMessage. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| security | None |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |
Callbacks
| Name | Type / Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TextChannel.OnIncomingMessage | Tuple | Called when TextChannel is receiving an incoming message. |
| TextChannel.ShouldDeliverCallback | Tuple | Called for each client when TextChannel is receiving an incoming message to determine whether or not it should be delivered to that client. |
TextChannel.OnIncomingMessage
Called when TextChannel is receiving an incoming message. Can only be implemented on the client.
Use this to decorate TextChatMessages. If this callback returns a TextChatMessageProperties, those properties are merged with the TextChatMessage parameter to create a new TextChatMessage.
When bound to the client sending a message, this callback is run twice; first when the message is initially sent and received locally, and again when the client receives the result of the filtered message from the server.
TextChannel.OnIncomingMessage callbacks always run after the TextChatService.OnIncomingMessage callback.
This should be defined only once per TextChannel in the source code. Multiple bindings to the same channel will override one another in a nondeterministic manner.
When TextChatService:CreateDefaultTextChannels() is true, those default TextChannels have their TextChannel.OnIncomingMessage callbacks assigned internally in order to exhibit special default behavior.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| message | TextChatMessage | The incoming TextChatMessage. |
Returns
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Tuple | If a TextChatMessageProperties is returned, those properties are merged with the TextChatMessage parameter to create a new TextChatMessage with those properties. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| security | None |
| thread safety | Unsafe |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |
TextChannel.ShouldDeliverCallback
Called for each client when TextChannel is receiving an incoming message to determine whether or not it should be delivered to that client. Can only be defined on the server.
Once defined, this callback needs to return a truthy value such as true, 1, or "hello" to deliver the message to said client. If the callback returns anything else (including nil), the message won't be delivered to that client, although the sender will see the message regardless.
The sender can be referenced by TextChatMessage.TextSource, while the receiver is the textSource argument. Note that the sender and receiver can be the same, as the callback iterates through all possible receivers.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| message | TextChatMessage | The message being sent, which also contains the sender of the message. | |
| textSource | TextSource | The TextSource of the user who will be receiving the message. |
Returns
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Tuple | A truthy value (such as true, 1, or a non-empty string) to deliver the message to the given client, or a falsy value (including nil) to withhold it from that client. |
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| security | None |
| thread safety | Unsafe |
| capabilities | ["Chat"] |