Threads and folders
Start, find, rename, link, and delete threads, and group a bot's threads into folders.
A thread is one conversation with a bot about one piece of work. Each thread has its own history, its own files, and its own computer in the cloud.
Rule of thumb: one task, one thread. A fresh thread keeps the bot focused, and it's faster and cheaper, because the AI re-reads the whole conversation every time you send a message.
Start a thread
Any of these works:
- In the sidebar, click the arrow next to a bot to show its threads, then click New thread.
- Right-click the bot in the sidebar and choose New thread.
- In the chat header, click All threads, then New thread.
- Click + on a folder for a new thread inside it.
- Send a message to a bot that doesn't have any threads yet.
A few seconds after your first message, Machine gives the thread a title based on what you asked. You can rename it any time.
The first message in a new thread can take a little longer, while Machine sets up the thread's computer.
Find a thread
In the sidebar
Click the arrow next to a bot to show its threads. You'll see:
- the six most recent threads,
- plus any thread that's working.
Click Show all … threads to see the rest. Threads that are working move to the top and show a spinner.
If the bot takes part in group chats, its list ends with In rooms: the group chat threads it speaks in. Click one to open that group chat thread.
In the chat header
Click All threads to see every thread for the current bot.
- Active Threads at the top lists threads in your other bots that are working right now, so you can jump across.
- Below that are this bot's threads, grouped under folder headings if it has folders. Each row shows its status (Working, Waiting, or Unread), when it started, and how many tokens it has used so far.
- Type in Search threads to filter. Enter opens the first match. Esc clears the search, and a second Esc closes the list.
- Click a thread to switch to it.
Hover a row for quick actions:
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Rename | Click the pencil, double-click the title, or right-click it. Press Enter to save or Esc to cancel. |
| Move to folder | Click the folder icon and pick a folder, or No folder. Only shows when the bot has folders. |
| Delete | Click the trash icon. |
The trash icon in All threads doesn't ask first
Deleting from All threads happens straight away, with no confirmation. It deletes the conversation and its computer, like Delete thread in the sidebar. You can't delete a thread while the bot is working in it.
By searching
- Type in the Search box at the top of the sidebar to filter by thread title. From two letters on, a Messages list also finds thread titles across all your bots, and messages in conversations the app has loaded.
- Press Ctrl+K (⌘K on Mac) to jump to a bot or group chat, or to a matching thread title or message. See Command palette.
- Click Active Threads at the top of the sidebar to see everything that's working or needs you. See The sidebar.
The thread menu
Right-click a thread in the sidebar, or hover it and click ⋯. (With the keyboard: select it and press Shift+F10 or the Menu key.)
| Item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Copy link | Copies a link that opens this thread in Machine Desktop. |
| Rename thread | Give it a clearer title. You can also double-click the title. |
| Move to folder | File it in one of the bot's folders, or No folder. |
| Delete thread | Delete it for good. |
You can't delete a thread while the bot is working in it. Stop it first.
Thread links
Copy link gives you a link to the thread. Paste it in a note, a Slack message, or an email. Opening it brings Machine Desktop to the front at that thread, for you or a teammate who can see the same bot.
Paste a thread link into the message box in Machine Desktop and it turns into
a clickable #Thread title. The bot can't read the linked thread, though: if
it needs something from there, paste the important part in.
Delete a thread
Deleting a thread can't be undone
Deleting a thread deletes its conversation and its computer, with every file on it. Download anything you want to keep first, from the bot's computer. Websites you deployed from it stay online.
- Right-click the thread and choose Delete thread.
- Read the warning.
- Confirm.
Folders
Folders group a bot's threads, for example by client, project, or month. Your folders, and which threads are in them, follow you to Machine Desktop on your other computers and to the Machine phone app. They don't appear on the Machine website.
Create a folder
- Click the folder icon on a bot's row in the sidebar, or
- right-click the bot and choose New folder.
Use folders
- New thread in a folder: click + on the folder.
- Move a thread into a folder: right-click the thread, choose Move to folder, and pick one.
- Take it out of a folder: choose Move to folder → No folder.
Change or delete a folder
Click the folder's ⋯:
- Folder settings: rename the folder, or click Choose folder icon to pick an emoji. Delete folder… is here too: it removes the folder but keeps its threads.
- Mark folder as read: clears the unread dot from the folder's threads. It's greyed out when nothing in the folder is unread.
- Move folder up / Move folder down. You can also drag folders.
Hide thread lists
If you'd rather have one ongoing conversation per bot and never think about threads, turn off Settings → Appearance → Threads. Thread lists disappear from the sidebar. Any other thread that's active still shows under its bot, and in an Other activity menu in the chat header. Nothing is deleted, and you can turn thread lists back on any time.
Common questions
Can I move a thread to a different bot? No. Start a thread with the other bot and give it what it needs: paste in the important part, or download files from the first thread and attach them.
Can I bring back a deleted thread? No. Deleting is permanent.
How many threads can a bot have? As many as you like. Old threads don't cost anything while their computers are asleep.
Why does a new thread take longer to start? Machine is setting up the thread's own computer. Later messages are quicker.