Message and collaborate

Message a Bot

Open a Bot from the sidebar and type a message. You can:

• Paste text, links, and images

• Attach local files

• Dictate into the composer

• Start a voice chat

• Play a voice memo a Bot sent

• Reference a saved skill with /

• Mention a Bot, group, routine, or connector with @

• Reply to a specific message

• React to a message

• Send another instruction while work is in progress

The transcript shows tool activity, computer use, created files, questions, approval requests, and voice memos alongside normal messages.

Dictate a message

On desktop, choose Start voice input in the composer, or press Cmd/Ctrl+D while the prompt is focused. Speak, then stop; the app types what you said into the composer so you can edit it before you send.

On iPhone and Android, use Start dictation in the composer. See Grok Bot for Mobile.

Play a voice memo

A Bot can reply with a voice memo in the conversation. Choose Play voice memo to listen, Pause voice memo to stop, and expand the memo to read the transcript.

Start a voice chat

Choose Start voice chat when the composer is empty to talk with the Bot live. While you are on the line, the app shows Voice chat. On desktop the sidebar can show Voice chat in progress. When the call ends, the conversation can include a Voice chat card.

Review a draft before it is sent

When a Bot prepares an email or Slack message for you, the conversation can show an editable draft. Review the recipients and body, then choose Send email or Send message, or Discard. On iPhone and Android the same cards use Send Email or Send Message, and Discard.

Redirect work in progress

Send a new message when priorities change. A direct message from you takes priority over background work and can redirect the current turn.

Send a direct “Stop now” message when work should end immediately. This does not undo actions the Bot already completed.

Start a group chat

Use a group when several Bots need one shared outcome and visible handoffs.

1. Choose New in the sidebar.

2. In New chat, select two to six Bots.

3. Open the group, then edit its generated name if needed.

4. Describe the shared outcome and who owns the next step.

On iPhone or Android, use + → New Group Chat. Group membership can be edited later.

Direct a message

• Write normally to let the participating Bots decide who should respond.

• Type @ and select a Bot when one teammate owns the request.

• Mention multiple Bots when the request genuinely needs each of them.

• Use @everyone sparingly for a group-wide update.

Bots can post into the group and pass work among themselves. A useful kickoff looks like:

@Researcher gather the source material and link every claim. @Writer turn the findings into a launch draft. @Reviewer check the draft against the sources and list only blocking issues. Do not publish anything.

Your messages in a group can include attachments. Bot-to-group handoff messages are currently text-only, so a Bot should send an image directly to another Bot when that teammate must inspect it.

Let Bots hand work off

A Bot can send an asynchronous message to another Bot. The receiving Bot wakes, handles the request, and can reply later. You can see the handoff in the conversation.

This is useful when:

• One Bot owns a source system and another owns the deliverable

• A specialist should review a draft

• A blocker belongs to another role

• A long-running job should continue without you coordinating every step

Ask for a single owner at each stage. Too many parallel handoffs can create duplicate work and noisy updates.

Use threads and reactions

Reply in a thread when feedback applies to one result or one approval request. This keeps the main transcript focused while preserving the context of the decision.

Use reactions for lightweight acknowledgement. Use a written reply when the Bot needs a changed instruction; a reaction alone should not carry a safety-critical decision.

Find prior work

Use the search or command palette to:

• Switch between Bots and groups

• Find prior messages

• Find files, links, and routines

• Open settings and common actions

• Jump back to the matching place in a conversation

Search availability can vary during rollout. If cross-conversation results are not available, open the relevant Bot and use its conversation history.

Press Cmd/Ctrl+K for the search palette, or Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F to search Bots. The full desktop list is in Keyboard shortcuts.

Keyboard shortcuts

These shortcuts work in the Grok Bot desktop app. Use Cmd on macOS and Ctrl on Windows and Linux unless a line says otherwise.

• Jump to / search palette: Cmd/Ctrl+K

• Search Bots: Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+F

• New Bot / new chat: Cmd/Ctrl+N

• Find in this chat: Cmd/Ctrl+F

• Compact sidebar: Cmd/Ctrl+B

• Focus prompt: Cmd/Ctrl+I or Cmd/Ctrl+L

• Sidebar Bot 1–9: Cmd/Ctrl+1 through Cmd/Ctrl+9

• Previous / next Bot: Alt+↑ / Alt+↓

• Back / forward in visit history: Cmd/Ctrl+[ / Cmd/Ctrl+]

• Cycle Bots: Control+Tab / Control+Shift+Tab (always Control, including on macOS)

• Marketplace: Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+M or Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+W

• Toggle Bot settings: Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+,

• Conversation details: Cmd+Shift+I or Cmd+Alt+B on macOS; Ctrl+Alt+B on Windows and Linux

• Send: Enter in the composer, or Cmd/Ctrl+Enter from anywhere

• New line: Shift+Enter

• Dictate into the composer: Cmd/Ctrl+D while the prompt is focused

• Start voice chat: choose Start voice chat in the composer; there is no keybinding

• Open Settings: Cmd/Ctrl+,

• Zoom in, out, or reset: Cmd/Ctrl+= / Cmd/Ctrl+- / Cmd/Ctrl+0

• Fullscreen: F11; on macOS also Control+Cmd+F

Keep conversations effective

• Lead with the result you need, not a detailed imitation of every click.

• Link the source of truth.

• State what the Bot may change and what requires approval.

• Ask for evidence—links, screenshots, or a short action log.

• Correct lasting preferences explicitly.

• Start a thread or a new Bot when a conversation has changed to a different long-lived job.

See Files and results for attachments, Skills and routines for repeatable work, and Approvals, security, and privacy before authorizing external actions.