How to set a default channel

You may have access to several private and shared channels in Front, so it could be helpful for you to set up a default channel to compose from, if you frequently use the same one. For instance, if you work primarily with specific clients that you have relationships with, you might set your default to your own private email address; or if you work on a support team, you might set your default to the team address.

The default settings you can set are:

• Default channel: This is the channel used when you compose brand new conversations (not replies).

• Reply with default channel: Turning this toggle on will set all replies to come from the default channel you've set in the previous setting for conversations in shared inboxes. If you do not turn this on, then replies will come from the original channel that the message came into. This setting does not apply to conversations in individual inboxes.

Even if you have a default channel set up, you can always manually change the From channel by clicking and toggling to another one before sending.

Step 1

Click the gear icon on the top right of Front and click into the Personal settings tab. Select Preferences.

Step 2

Navigate to the Default channel setting and click the arrow to see the dropdown menu.

If you choose No default channel for your default channel, Front will automatically choose the most relevant inbox for your messages.

Step 3

You can also turn on the Reply with default channel toggle, which will use your default channel when you reply to any messages in shared inboxes. If you leave this off, then your default channel will be used only when you compose new messages.

Note: If you are using Front channels powered by Intercom, Twilio, or Facebook responses there will still come from the shared inbox regardless of your default inbox setting (because Intercom messages have to come from Intercom, etc). 

If you don't have a default reply channel set, here's what will happen when replying in the following locations:

• Shared inbox:

  • With channels in it: Front will populate the From channel associated with that inbox (i.e. support@, sales@, etc.). If more than one channel is associated with the inbox, you will reply with the From channel that the sender wrote to.

  • Without channels in it: Front will populate whichever From channel you have access to that comes first alphabetically, including any private channels.

• Individual inbox: Front will populate the From channel that the sender wrote to.

• Teammate’s personal conversation that I was mentioned in: Front will populate whichever email you have access to that comes first alphabetically.

Note on alphabetical ranking: Period ranks higher alphabetically than the @ symbol, so anthony.g@ comes before anthony@.