---
read_when:
  - changing user profile fields, account settings UI, or /api/me
---

# Profiles

Each user has a display name, optional handle, and optional avatar URL.

The handle is the human-friendly short name shown as `@name` in the app. The
API accepts it with or without the leading `@`, normalizes it to lowercase, and
stores it without the `@`.

## API

```http
GET /api/me

PATCH /api/me
{
  "display_name": "Peter Steinberger",
  "handle": "@steipete",
  "avatar_url": "https://example.com/avatar.png"
}
```

`PATCH /api/me` returns `{ "user": ... }`. Handles must be unique when set and
must be 2-32 characters using letters, numbers, `_`, or `-`. Avatar URLs can be
blank or an `http`/`https` URL.

## App

The current user's profile control sits at the bottom of the channel sidebar.
Click or right-click it to open account settings and edit display name, handle,
and avatar URL.

Clicking a message avatar or author name opens a Slack-style profile pane in
the right rail. The pane shows the user's avatar, display name, handle,
presence, user ID, and a Message action for starting or jumping to a DM.

Message lists, search results, threads, DMs, and the profile control all hydrate
avatars from the user attached to each message or conversation member.