---
url: https://talkjs.com/docs/Features/Conversations/Typing_Indicator
---

# Typing indicator

Show users when someone is typing a message.

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Typing indicators show when one or more participants are composing a message. They help conversations feel more natural by letting users know that a reply is on the way.

## How it works

By default, TalkJS displays an animated three-dot ellipsis next to the avatar of a participant who is currently typing. When multiple participants are typing, their avatars are grouped together, with a count shown if not all participants can be displayed.

Typing status is updated automatically in real-time as participants start and stop typing.

Typing indicators are only shown for conversation [participants](/docs/Concepts/Participants/), not [guests](/docs/Concepts/Guests/). They are also never shown for [system messages](/docs/Concepts/System_Messages/).

## Enable or turn off typing indicators

You can enable or disable typing indicators for each user role in the Chat UI page of your [TalkJS dashboard](/dashboard). Select the role you want to edit, then enable or turn off the Show typing indicators setting in the Features section.

## See also

- Components SDKs: [Shared types](/docs/UI_Components/Theme/Shared_types/) include `typing`, `showTypingIndicator`
- React Native, Flutter, and Classic SDKs: [TypingIndicator](/docs/UI_Components/JavaScript/Classic/Themes/Components/TypingIndicator/) theme component
- JavaScript Data API: [TypingSubscription](/docs/Data_APIs/JavaScript/Conversations/#TypingSubscription)
- Flutter Data API: [TypingSubscription](/docs/Data_APIs/Flutter/Conversations/#TypingSubscription)
- Kotlin Data API: [TypingSubscription](/docs/Data_APIs/Kotlin/Conversations/#TypingSubscription)