The message box and attachments
The message box is where a chat starts. From left to right it has the + attach button, the tools button (wrench), the Deep Research toggle (telescope), then on the right the model picker, call, microphone and Send.
Typing and sending
Section titled “Typing and sending”- Enter sends. Shift+Enter adds a new line.
- Inside a code block or list, Enter adds a line instead of sending.
- Prefer Enter to start a new line? In Settings → Interface, set Enter Key Behavior to Ctrl+Enter to Send. Then Enter adds a line and Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter on a Mac) sends.
- On a phone or tablet, Return adds a new line. Tap Send to send.
- Paste an image or a file and it’s attached straight away.
- Paste more than about 1,000 characters of text and CoChat turns it into a text-file attachment so it doesn’t clutter the chat. Hold Shift while pasting to keep it inline.
While a reply is streaming
Section titled “While a reply is streaming”Stop. The Send button becomes a square. Click it (or press Esc with the message box focused) to stop the reply.
Steer. You don’t have to wait. Type a message and send it while the assistant is still working — it’s queued and reaches the assistant at its next step, rather than starting a second reply. A chip above the message box shows what’s queued, with an × to withdraw it. In the reply you’ll see it marked Steered mid-reply.
Attachments can’t be added to a reply that’s in progress — wait for it to finish, or stop it, then send.
Attach things (+)
Section titled “Attach things (+)”| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Upload Files | Attach any file type. Documents are read and indexed in the background so the assistant can answer from them. |
| Capture | Take a screenshot on desktop, or open the camera on a phone. |
| Reference Chats | Attach one of your other chats as context. |
| Reference Artifacts | Attach something the assistant built earlier — a document, a board, a dataset. |
| Attach Link | Attach a web page or a YouTube video by URL. |
| Share Chat | Invite people to this chat or get a link (see Sharing). |
You can also drag files onto the message box.
Each attachment appears as a chip. Click it to preview, or × to remove. Photos are resized before upload, and HEIC photos from iPhones are converted automatically.
There are limits on how many files you can attach at once and how large each can be; the message box tells you if you hit one. Free plans have a monthly upload allowance — see Plans & limits.
Tools and integrations (wrench)
Section titled “Tools and integrations (wrench)”Choose which tools the assistant can use in this chat:
- Native — Image (generate images) and Browser Control. Tools with a lock are always on and can’t be turned off.
- Integrations — the services you’ve connected, switched on or off per chat.
- Environments — your paired local machines, if you’ve set any up.
- Connect Integration at the bottom opens the integrations directory without leaving the chat.
Your choices stick across chats until you change them.
Web search isn’t a switch. The assistant searches the web whenever a question calls for it. See Web search & Deep Research.
Deep Research (telescope)
Section titled “Deep Research (telescope)”Turn this on for a question that deserves a thorough, multi-source investigation instead of a quick answer. The assistant plans, searches widely, reads sources and writes up a report with citations. It takes minutes rather than seconds.
Deep Research is available on paid plans.
- Microphone — dictate a message. Click, speak, and the transcript lands in the message box. The mic appears only while the box is empty.
- Call — start a hands-free voice conversation. See Voice mode.
Commands and mentions
Section titled “Commands and mentions”- Type / at the very start of the box to open a menu of your saved prompts, knowledge bases, chats, notes, models and people.
- Type @ to mention a person. When you send, anyone you mentioned is invited to the chat with edit access.
- Type # to pick a model for this message. It appears as a pill in your text.
Notices above the message box
Section titled “Notices above the message box”Occasionally a strip appears above the box: for example when no model is available yet (with a Retry button), when you’ve run out of credit (Sending is paused, with a link to billing and a Switch to a free model button), or when you’re near your upload allowance.