> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.doubletick.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.doubletick.io/chat-management/start-and-manage-chats/how-to-assign-chats.md).
# How to assign chats
Learn how to assign customer chats to agents on DoubleTick, manually, in bulk, or automatically, and how to unassign them when needed.
#### What's covered
* [Manually assign a chat](#manually-assign-a-chat)
* [Auto-assignment on first reply](#auto-assignment-on-first-reply)
* [Bulk assign chats](#bulk-assign-chats)
* [Unassign chats](#unassign-chats)
* [Bulk unassign chats](#bulk-unassign-chats)
**Manually assign a chat:** \
To assign an individual conversation, open the desired chat from your inbox, navigate to the Assign to dropdown menu at the top right of the chat window, and select the agent you want to manage the conversation.
**Auto-assignment on first reply:**\
DoubleTick simplifies incoming message distribution through automatic routing. If a customer chat is currently unassigned, the system automatically assigns it to whichever agent sends the first response to that customer.
**Bulk Assign Chats:**\
To assign multiple conversations at once, click the Vertical Three Dots (⋮) menu for more options on the chat feed and click Select chats. Choose the specific chats you want to update, or select all chats in one go using the top option. After selecting the desired conversations, click the Vertical Three Dots (⋮) menu again, choose Assign chats, select your designated agent from the list, and confirm your choice.
**Unassign a Single Chat**:\
If you need to remove an agent from a specific conversation, open the chat, click the Assign to dropdown menu at the top, and select Unassign chat.
**Bulk Unassign Chats:**\
To remove agent assignments from multiple conversations at once, click the Vertical Three Dots (⋮) menu on the chat feed and click Select chats. Select the specific chats or use the option to select all chats in one go. Click the Vertical Three Dots (⋮) menu once more, select Unassign chats, and confirm the action in the prompt.
#### API Integration
If you want to manage chat assignments programmatically, refer to the DoubleTick API documentation:\
To assign a team member automatically via API, check out the [Assign Team Member to Chat API Documentation](https://docs.doubletick.io/reference/assign-team-member-to-chat).\
To remove a team member via API, refer to the [Unassign Team Member from Chat API Documentation](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://docs.doubletick.io/reference/unassign-team-member-from-chat).
#### Key takeaways
* You can assign chats one at a time from the **Assign to** dropdown, or in bulk using the tick-mark selection mode.
* An unassigned chat is auto-assigned to whichever agent replies to it first.
* Assignment can also be automated through the [assign endpoint](https://doubletick.readme.io/reference/assign-team-member-to-chat) via API.
* Unassigning follows the same pattern as assigning — one at a time or in bulk.
#### FAQs
**What happens if two agents reply to an unassigned chat at the same time?**\
The chat is auto-assigned to whichever agent replies first.
**Can I assign multiple chats to the same agent at once?**\
Yes. Use the tick-mark selection mode to select multiple chats, then use **Assign to** from the three-dot menu.
**Can I see which chats are unassigned?**\
Yes. Use the **Unassigned** filter in the [inbox left panel](/chat-management/start-and-manage-chats/how-to-navigate-the-inbox.md) to view them.
**Is there an API way to assign chats?**\
Yes, see the [assign team member to chat endpoint](https://doubletick.readme.io/reference/assign-team-member-to-chat) in the DoubleTick API reference.
**Does unassigning a chat delete any conversation history?**\
No. Unassigning only removes the agent link — the full conversation history stays intact.
#### **Suggested articles**
[Navigating the inbox: left panel overview](/chat-management/start-and-manage-chats/how-to-navigate-the-inbox.md)\
[How to manage conversations](/chat-management/start-and-manage-chats/how-to-mark-chats-as-read-or-done.md)\
[How to block and unblock customers](/chat-management/start-and-manage-chats/how-to-block-or-unblock-customers.md)\
[How to start a new chat with a customer](/chat-management/start-and-manage-chats/how-to-start-a-chat-with-a-customer.md)\
[How to delete a chat in DoubleTick](/chat-management/start-and-manage-chats/how-to-clear-or-delete-chats.md)
---
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