How to send a message:

• Click the email icon or navigate to the messaging page
• Use the Compose section
• Select a recipient from the dropdown
• Enter a subject and your message
• Click Send Message

Smart Recipient Selector: The recipient dropdown is grouped by your relationship:

• Mutual Follows — You follow each other
• You Follow — People you follow
• Following You — People who follow you

The recipient receives an email notification with a direct link to reply.

When a recipient opens your conversation:

• Messages are marked Read ✓✓ with date and time
• View counter increments for each message read
• Only previously unread messages increment views

In Sent view you'll see:

• Sent — Delivered, not yet opened
• Read 22 Jun, 17:30 · 3 views — Opened with details

The email icon appears on every page:

• Red badge with number — Unread message count (includes "1")
• Wobbling animation — Icon shakes when you have unread messages
• Hover to pause — Wobble pauses when you hover

The badge updates automatically when you:

• Open a conversation (messages marked as read)
• Close the messaging popup (AJAX refresh)
• Receive new messages from other users

Blocked users: Messages from users you've blocked are excluded from your unread count.

Access your privacy settings on your profile page under "Privacy Settings":

Follow Requests:

• Anyone can follow — Users follow you instantly
• Approval required — Users must request; you approve or decline

Who Can Message You:

• Anyone — All users can send you messages
• Followers Only — Only users in your follow network
• Mutual Only — Only users you both follow each other

Show in Directory: Hide your profile from user lists.

Show Online Status: Control who sees when you're online.

Blocked Users: Enter user IDs to block. Blocked users cannot follow or message you.

When you set follow requests to Approval Required:

• Users who want to follow you click Follow on your profile
• They see "Request Pending" instead of the Follow button
• You receive a notification in your Follow Requests page
• You can Approve or Decline each request

To manage requests:

• Go to upload_profile_follow_requests.php
• Or click the link from your profile page

Approved requests become followers instantly. Declined requests are removed.

Inbox: Shows latest message per conversation. Click to open full thread.

Sent: All messages you've sent with read receipts.

All Messages (Admin): View every message in the system.

Delete: Check boxes, click Delete Selected, confirm.

Reply: Click to open conversation and reply.

Read Aloud: Click for text-to-speech.

Profile: Click any avatar to view that user's full profile.

• Click avatars — View full profiles in an overlay
• Conversation view — Click any message or use ?id=[user_id]
• Keyboard shortcuts — Press Escape to close any popup
• Mobile friendly — Works on all devices; use menu
• Email notifications — Recipients get an email with a reply link
• View tracking — Gauge engagement by views per message
• Block wisely — Block unwanted users from following or messaging you
• Mutual follows — Build trusted connections for unrestricted messaging
• Privacy first — Set your comfort level; change anytime on your profile