# Start using the Tidio panel Section: Get Started Description: A tour of the Tidio panel: the main menu, replying to chats, visitor details, the Visitors list, solving and transferring conversations, adding agents, your status, notifications, Operating hours and the Chat page. Verified against Tidio panel 12.304.0 Last updated: 2026-11-07 Source: https://help.tidio.com/articles/start-using-the-panel/ In this article, we're sharing the most important information and highlights on using Tidio. By reading this, you'll know how to get the most out of your project. **In this article, you'll learn:** - [How to navigate the Tidio user interface]() - [What information about visitors you can find]() - [How the Customers section works]() - [How to manage the conversations]() - [How to add new agents]() - [How to transfer chats to different agents]() - [What communication channels Tidio supports]() - [How to change your avatar]() - [How to go offline]() - [How to use offline email notifications]() - [How Operating Hours work]() - [What the Chat Page is]() [Video]() Silent walkthrough. Tour the main menu, join and answer a chat, check the customer details, reassign the chat to another agent, open Add agent and switch your online status off and on. ## User interface basics Everything in Tidio starts from the main menu on the left of your panel: **Dashboard**, **Inbox**, **Lyro AI Agent**, **Flows**, **Customers**, **Analytics**, **Getting started**, **Help Center**, **Integrations** and **Settings**. Depending on your permissions, you may see fewer of them. New to Tidio? The [Getting started]() page (the light bulb icon) walks you through your first steps: ![The main menu on the left of the panel, with the cursor on the Inbox icon and its tooltip showing; the Dashboard, Inbox, Lyro AI Agent, Flows, Customers and Analytics icons at the top, then Getting started (light bulb), Help Center, Integrations and Settings, and the agent's avatar at the bottom]() Receiving and replying to visitors' messages is easy\! This is what the widget looks like from your visitor's point of view: ![The Tidio website with an arrow pointing to the chat launcher at the lower right.]() When a visitor sends you a message, you will get a pop-up and a sound notification: ![A Chrome notification from Tidio showing a visitor message that says "Hey there\!".]() The new conversation will appear in the **Unassigned** folder, under **Live conversations** in your **Inbox**: ![The Inbox "Unassigned" folder under "Live conversations" with one new chat saying "Hello, I need help\!".]() 💡 **Please note:** if Lyro (the AI agent) is active on your live chat, it answers your visitors first and passes the conversation to your team when needed. You decide when Lyro steps in: go to **Lyro AI Agent \> Channels**, open the **Live conversations** tab, and under **Lyro responds**, choose **Always** or **Only when human agents are offline**. See [Lyro - a quick setup]() for more. You can respond to visitors by typing your message in the conversation window and hitting **Enter** on your keyboard (or the **Reply** button). If you would like to send a file or a picture during a conversation, click on the **+** icon (**Add to message**) and choose **Upload a file**, or drag and drop the image inside the chat's conversation window (your customers can do that from their end too\!). In the same menu, you'll find **Insert link**, to add a hyperlink to your message before sending it. ![The reply box at the bottom of a live chat conversation, with a short reply typed in, the + (Add to message) menu open showing Upload a file and Insert link, and the Reply button on the right]() To enhance your messages, try the [**AI Writing Tools**]() - a reply assistant designed to help customer service agents deliver high-quality, well-composed replies to customers faster. You can access them by clicking on **AI Writing Tools** at the bottom of your reply box. With the power of AI, these tools can generate good-looking responses from the input provided by the agent. The available options allow you to **Rewrite**, **Elaborate** or **Shorten** your text. For tickets, you'll also see an [AI summary]() of the whole thread at the top. In the panel, AI Writing Tools are part of the Inbox AI add-on - if they aren't included in your subscription, choosing an option shows you how to unlock them. ![The reply box of a live chat conversation with a short reply typed in and the AI Writing Tools menu open above it, showing Rewrite, Elaborate and Shorten]() An additional tool is also available under the **Actions** button next to it (or press **Cmd + K** on a Mac, **Ctrl + K** on Windows) - it allows you to quickly search for different features and commands while chatting, e.g. for managing the conversation or performing basic actions: ![A live chat conversation with the Actions panel open over the reply box: the search field at the top and the list of available actions below it; the Actions button at the bottom of the reply box highlighted]() Please note that the **Actions** menu is best used when you're already familiar with Tidio's basic functions, so don't worry about it if you're new to all this\! ## Information on the visitor You will see the details of your visitor in the panel on the right of your conversation window (if it's hidden, click on **Show details** in the top-right). This part will display the visitor's name or ID, their location (with a link to the map), browser and operating system, IP address, email and phone number, tags and contact properties, as well as the visitor's last viewed page. If the Pre-chat survey is enabled, all information that the survey collected will display there too (e.g., a phone number). ![A live chat conversation with the customer details panel open on the right: the visitor's name, location with the map link, browser and operating system, IP address, email, phone number, tags, then the Customer data section and the Last viewed page section]() 💡 **Please note:** the full history of **Viewed pages** is available on the **Growth** plan and above. If your plan doesn't include detailed visitor information, details like the location and IP address are blurred - click on them to see how to unlock them. Any visitor currently on your website will also appear in the **Customers** section. ## The Customers section In the **Customers** section, you can also see some additional information about your current website visitors, listed under **Visitors**, in **Now live**: ![The Customers "Now live" page listing one visitor, their location and browser, last visited page, and a "Start Chat" button.]() 💡 **Please note:** the full live Visitors list is available on the **Starter** plan and above. See [The Visitors List]() for everything it can do. #### Visitor's name Displays a randomly generated unique Visitor ID (e.g., \#*2ftg9*, *\#5mff3*, or *\#lg0ku*), an email address, or an actual name. The email will display if you have the Pre-chat survey enabled (which you can find in **Settings \> Live Chat \> Appearance \> Content**, on the **Pre-chat survey** tab) or if the visitor provided their email during the conversation. #### Name of the agent handling the conversation Displays as a grey, horizontal bar next to the visitor's name, e.g., @you). If you do not see it there, no one is chatting with the visitor at the time. #### Entry time Indicating how long ago the visitor entered your website. #### Flag Indicating the country your visitor is typing from. This data is gathered based on the visitor's IP. #### Browser icon Representing the browser your visitor is currently using to contact you. #### URL A live preview of the particular URL your visitor is currently visiting. ![A live visitor row showing arrival time, country, browser, last visited page, and a "Start Chat" button, with an assigned-agent tooltip.]() Now, how to engage your visitor in a conversation? It's effortless - click on the **Start Chat** button next to the visitor. Doing so will take you to the chat window. ## Managing your conversations For a more detailed guide on live chat conversations and managing chats, please see [Live chat conversations](). If you would like to pick up the conversation - click on the system notification or choose a chat from the **Unassigned** folder under **Live conversations** in your **Inbox**. The agent who assigned themselves to it is responsible for that chat. The next step is simply reading the visitor's message, typing in your reply, and letting the conversation take its course. ![The Inbox "Unassigned" folder under "Live conversations" with one new chat saying "Hello, I need help\!".]() Whenever a visitor considers the chat finished, it's enough to minimize the widget. When they open the chat widget again, the conversation will be visible to them right where you left off. The chat will stay in your open conversations until it's solved. To mark it as solved - click the **Solve** button in the top bar of the conversation: ![The conversation toolbar with an arrow pointing to the "Solve" button.]() Sometimes, when there's more than one agent assigned to a conversation, you may want to leave it instead. Click on the three-dots menu (**More options**) in the top bar and choose **Leave**. This allows you to leave the chat when there are multiple agents assigned to it. Another agent can later mark the chat as solved when the conversation is finished and resolved. ![The top bar of a live chat conversation assigned to two agents, with the Solve button and the three-dots More options menu open, showing Leave at the top followed by the transcript options]() ## Add new agents As the person who set up a Tidio account, you are its Project Owner - the first (and most important) agent. You can add other team members, however\! To add a new agent, please go to **Settings \> Team**, on the **Agents** tab: ![The Settings sidebar with "Team" selected under "General".]() ... and click on the **Add agent** button in the top-right: ![Settings \> Team with the Agents tab open: the Agents, Departments and Roles tabs at the top, the list of agents, and the Add agent button in the top-right highlighted]() Once clicked, the **Add an Agent** window will open, and you will be asked to enter your new agent's **Name** and **Email**, and choose their **Permissions** and **Departments**. Then, click on the **Add** button to complete the process. ![The Add an Agent window with the Name and Email fields filled in, the Permissions field and the Departments field below, and the Add button at the bottom]() 💡 **Please note:** agent [permissions]() are available on the **Growth** plan and above, and [Departments]() on the **Plus** plan and above. If all the seats on your plan are taken, you'll see **Upgrade your plan to add more agents** instead of the **Add agent** button. You'll see the message **New agent has been added. An invitation email has been sent to that agent.** Your new agent simply follows the link in the invitation email to join your project - no password is sent by email. From that moment, your agent is free to log in via [www.tidio.com]() or the desktop/mobile app to access the panel. If the invitation got lost, use the **Resend invitation** button next to the agent in the list. For more, see [Managing agents](). ![Settings \> Team, Agents tab, right after adding an agent: the "New agent has been added. An invitation email has been sent to that agent." message, and the new agent's row in the list with the Resend invitation button next to it]() ## Transfer to another agent At any point, the conversation can be transferred to another agent if you need to step out for a minute or your workload is too heavy at the moment. To transfer a conversation, click on the three-dots menu next to it in your conversation list and select the **Reassign** option (or **Assign**, if nobody is assigned yet): ![The Live conversations list in the Inbox with the cursor on a conversation and its three-dots menu open, showing Solve, Select and Reassign, with Reassign highlighted]() From there, select the appropriate person or [department]() in the **Assign to...** panel: ![The "Assign to..." panel open over the Inbox, with the search field at the top and the list of Departments and Agents below it, one agent highlighted]() You also have the option to reassign a chat by selecting another agent from the assignee dropdown in the conversation's top bar, next to the **Solve** button. ![The conversation header with the "Assignee" dropdown outlined beside the "My open" chat list.]() And it's done\! The chat window on the other agent's side will display the message that the chat has been transferred. Finally, when you consider the conversation finished, you can un-assign yourself from it with **Solve** in the top bar, or **Leave** in the **More options** menu (see [Live chat conversations]()). If all agents have left the conversation, the next time the same visitor sends you a message, it will display in the **Unassigned** folder, just like any other incoming chat. All agents who are currently online will see the notification and will be able to jump right into the conversation. ## Communication channels At Tidio, you can receive messages from several channels in the **Live conversations** part of your Inbox: a normal chat message, a Facebook Messenger message, an Instagram message or a WhatsApp message. They all appear differently, and that is how you will be able to recognize them. Emails from your connected mailbox arrive as tickets, in the **Tickets** part of your Inbox. #### Chat Every chat message will always have the ID assigned based on the first letter/email of the user's name. While responding to the chat, you should always respond via the 'chat message.' This should be automatically set to reply via chat if the visitor is on your website. ![The conversation composer with "Chat" selected beside Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp tabs.]() 💡 If you see a red dot on the **Chat** icon, it indicates that this visitor is not looking at the chat at the moment - they have probably left the website entirely. #### Messenger Integrating your Facebook Fan Page with Tidio will make any messages sent to your Facebook page accessible in Tidio. These messages may display the sender's profile picture instead of a letter or number and will include a Messenger icon to show they originated from Messenger. #### Instagram Once your Instagram Business Account is connected to Tidio, messages sent to your Instagram account will also appear in Tidio. These messages might show the sender's profile picture instead of a letter or number and will feature an Instagram icon to indicate they came from Instagram. #### WhatsApp When your WhatsApp number is linked to Tidio, your incoming WhatsApp messages will show up in Tidio as well. These messages may include the sender's profile picture rather than a letter or number and will display a WhatsApp icon to denote their source. ## Avatar You can upload your own avatar in the **Settings \> Account** section: ![The Settings sidebar with "Account" selected under "Personal".]() Once inside, on the **Personal details** tab, you will see the option to upload a new avatar (**Your picture**), and modify other details for your agent profile. See [Set your profile picture]() for the details: ![The Account "Personal details" tab with fields for name, profile picture, email, region, and language.]() ## Going offline Please see [Using your widget's online/offline status]() for more details on using your online/offline status in Tidio. When you feel your work is done for the day, you can change your status from **online** to **offline**. This will cause your widget to notify your visitors when they can expect a reply from you. They will still be able to send you a message along with their contact email, which you can forward directly to your email inbox. Here's what the widget looks like: ![The chat widget displaying an offline message asking the visitor for an email address so an agent can respond later.]() Changing your status and logging out of the panel can be done from a dedicated menu. Click on your avatar in the bottom-left corner of your panel (if you haven't uploaded a picture yet, you will see a placeholder image). There, you can turn the **Show online** switch on or off, or **Log out**: ![The menu that opens after clicking on the agent's avatar in the bottom-left corner of the panel, with the Show online switch turned on and Log out at the bottom]() ### Offline email notifications If you would like to receive email notifications for messages that come in while your team is offline, you can configure that under **Settings \> Notifications**. As the tooltip in the **Email** column says, **You will receive email notifications only when your whole team is offline.** You can read all about it in [Offline email notifications](). ![Settings \> Notifications: the table with the Notification type, Email, Web notification and Web notification sound columns, and the New message, New chat request, Incoming visitor, New ticket and ticket messages and New mention rows, with the Email box ticked for New message and the Email column's tooltip showing]() To set up the **offline email notifications** - make sure the box in the **Email** column is checked for **New message**. The **New chat request** email box follows it automatically, to ensure you will receive both - the new chat requests and messages from the conversations you're already assigned to. ![The notification settings with email alerts enabled for new messages and chat requests, plus enabled email forwarding and a recipient field.]() The email notifications are always sent to the email address you used to create a Tidio account. If you would like to receive them at another email address too, turn on **Forward email notifications** below the table and add that address. ### Operating Hours Your offline & online hours. You can use the **Operating hours** option within your Tidio Panel. That way, your status will switch between offline and online automatically at the hours of your choosing. You will find that option by going to **Settings \> Operating hours**: ![The "Operating hours" settings with scheduling enabled, weekday time sliders, and Saturday and Sunday marked offline.]() 💡 **Please note:** Operating hours are available on the **Starter** plan and above. ## Chat Page 💡 **Please note:** the Chat page is available on the **Starter** plan and above, and it also needs a verification by the Tidio Support Team. Until then, the panel shows: **Additional verification is required before Chat page can be enabled. Contact support to complete verification.** You can locate the **Chat page** feature in the **Settings \> Live Chat \> Chat page** section on the left side of your Tidio panel. ![The Settings sidebar with "Chat page" selected under "Live Chat".]() Inside you will find a URL that opens the chat in a new tab of your browser. This feature comes in handy if you'd like to design a custom button on your site and link the chat page to it. You can also include it in your emails and social media pages. See [The Channels Section]() for more. ![The Chat page appearance editor with a shareable "Chat page URL", an "Open Chat page" button, and a live preview on the right.]() ## Further reading - [Getting started: your first steps in Tidio]() - [Live chat conversations]() - [Managing agents]() - [The Visitors List]() - [The Settings section]() - [The Inbox - a powerful interface for managing your conversations]()