Set up the home screen and welcome message
Choose what visitors see first when they open the chat, from the home screen title and links to the greeting, quick replies and response time.
The home screen is the welcome view visitors see when they open the widget, before the conversation starts. The Home screen tab also sets the first message in the chat, your company name and logo, and what visitors can do in the conversation.
#Edit the home screen
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Go to Settings Chat widget Home screen .
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Make sure Show the home screen is on, then pick a Style.
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For the Standard style, write a Title and Subtitle.
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Add up to 4 Links, such as your help centre or pricing page, with Add link.
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Write your Greeting and any Quick replies under Welcome message.
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Click Save changes at the top of the page.
#Home screen options
| Setting | Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Show the home screen | On or off | Off sends visitors straight into the chat. |
| Style | Standard, Arctic | Standard shows your title and subtitle. Arctic shows Pengo’s mascot on a cyan sky, and the mascot and greeting replace the title and subtitle. |
| Title | Up to 60 characters | Standard style only. Default “Chat with us!”. |
| Subtitle | Up to 140 characters | Standard style only. Default “We usually reply quickly”. |
| Links | Up to 4 | Each needs a label (up to 40 characters) and a full https:// address. |
The home screen uses your header setting from the Style tab. With Brand colour it’s filled with your colour; with Neutral it’s plain with colour accents. See Change the widget’s look and launcher.
#Welcome message
The welcome message is the first message visitors see in the chat.
| Setting | Notes |
|---|---|
| Greeting | Up to 500 characters. Default “Hi! How can we help you today?”. |
| Quick replies | Up to 4 tappable suggestions under the greeting, each under 60 characters. Leave empty for none. |
| Show expected response time | Shows your Response time text, up to 80 characters. Default “Usually replies in a few minutes”. |
Keep the response time honest. If your team replies within the hour, say so, rather than promising minutes.
#Branding
| Setting | Notes |
|---|---|
| Company name | Up to 80 characters. |
| Logo | Shown in the chat header. Square PNG, JPEG or WebP, up to 512 KB. |
| Powered by Pengo | Attribution in the footer. Whether you can turn it off depends on your plan. See Visibility and branding. |
#Chat features
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| File uploads | Lets visitors attach files. |
| Emoji picker | Lets visitors pick emoji in the message box. |
Your greeting, title and links are shown as you write them, in every language. To change the widget’s built-in text, such as button labels, use the Language tab.
Common questions
Can I skip the home screen and open straight into the chat?
Yes. Turn off Show the home screen in the Home screen tab and save. Visitors then land in the conversation when they open the widget.
How many links and quick replies can I add?
Up to 4 home screen links and up to 4 quick replies. Each link needs a label and a full https:// address.
Will the widget translate my greeting?
No. Your own messages are shown exactly as you write them. The widget's built-in text follows the language setting.
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