> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tracklysms.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Inbox & Two-Way Replies

> Read, triage, and reply to inbound messages from your contacts

The **Inbox** is where you manage two-way conversations with your contacts. Every reply a contact sends back is captured per list, so you can read incoming messages, filter the ones that need a human, and reply directly — all from one page.

## Opening the Inbox

Go to **SMS → Inbox** in the left navigation, then pick a list from the dropdown. The Inbox is scoped to one list at a time: you see the conversations between that list's sending number and its contacts.

## The Conversation List

The left pane lists conversation threads for the selected list, **newest activity first**. Each row shows:

* The contact's phone number
* A preview of the latest reply
* When it happened
* An **unread badge** if there are replies you haven't opened yet

The list is built from the actual message trace, so any contact who has replied appears here regardless of read state.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Search by phone" icon="magnifying-glass">
    Type a phone number to jump straight to that contact's thread.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sort newest / oldest" icon="arrow-down-wide-short">
    Toggle the sort order by most recent activity.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Paginate" icon="layer-group">
    Page through threads; choose how many to show per page.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Live updates" icon="bolt">
    An open thread refreshes automatically so new replies appear without a manual reload.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Reading & Replying

Click a thread to open the full conversation in the right pane — the outbound messages you sent and the contact's replies, in order. Type your message and send to reply on the list's number.

<Note>
  You can only reply to contacts who are still eligible. If a contact has unsubscribed, is blocked, or the list is inactive, the reply box is disabled and the reason is shown.
</Note>

When you open a thread, its replies are marked as read and the unread badge clears.

## Filtering

Two toggles sit above the conversation list. They are **additive filters** — the list always shows your conversations; these just narrow it.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Unread">
    Show only threads that have replies you haven't opened yet. Use this as a worklist: clear it as you respond.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Actionable only">
    Hide non-actionable noise so you focus on genuine human replies. This filters out:

    * **Keyword auto-responses** — `STOP`, `HELP`, `START`, and your list's custom keyword replies
    * **Reactions** — iPhone tapbacks (`Loved "…"`, `Laughed at "…"`) and emoji/sticker-only replies

    Typed messages stay visible — a contact who types "ok", "thanks", or a non-Latin-script reply is treated as a real human reply, not a reaction.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Tip>
  Combine both toggles to get the shortest possible worklist: **unread, human replies only**.
</Tip>

## Replies Everywhere Else

Inbound replies aren't only in the Inbox — they flow into the rest of the platform:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Contact conversation history" icon="clock-rotate-left" href="/guides/contacts/overview">
    Every contact's full message history (sends + replies) is visible from the contact's detail view.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reply-based audiences" icon="filter" href="/guides/audiences/segmentation-logic">
    Segment contacts by what they replied, when they last replied, and how many times — then target them in a campaign or journey.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Compliance

Replies are subject to the same rules as any outbound message. Message and data rates may apply, and all messages are sent in compliance with TCPA restrictions. A contact who replies `STOP` (or another opt-out keyword) is unsubscribed automatically and can no longer be messaged — see [Compliance & TCPA](/concepts/compliance).

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Reply-Based Segmentation" icon="filter" href="/guides/audiences/segmentation-logic">
    Build audiences from inbound replies
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contacts Overview" icon="address-book" href="/guides/contacts/overview">
    Subscription status and message history
  </Card>
</CardGroup>