1---
2title: Channels
3description: "Persistent collaboration rooms in Zed for sharing projects, voice chat, and real-time code editing."
4---
5
6# Channels {#channels}
7
8Channels are persistent rooms for team collaboration. Each channel can contain shared projects, voice chat, and collaborative notes.
9
10Channels support:
11
12- Pairing – each collaborator keeps their own screen, mouse, and keyboard.
13- Mentoring – jump into someone else's context and help without asking them to hand over control.
14- Refactoring – multiple people can join the same large refactor in real time.
15- Ambient awareness – see what teammates are working on without status meetings.
16
17Each channel usually maps to an ongoing project or workstream.
18You can see who's in a channel because their avatars appear in the Collaboration Panel.
19
20Create a channel by clicking the `+` icon next to the `Channels` text in the Collaboration Panel.
21Create a subchannel by right-clicking an existing channel and selecting `New Subchannel`.
22
23You can keep both work and side-project channels in the Collaboration Panel.
24
25Joining a channel adds you to a shared room where you can work on projects together.
26
27_Join [our channel tree](https://zed.dev/channel/zed-283) to get an idea of how you can organize yours._
28
29## Inviting People
30
31By default, channels you create can only be accessed by you.
32You can invite collaborators by right-clicking and selecting `Manage members`.
33
34When you have subchannels nested under others, permissions are inherited.
35For instance, adding people to the top-level channel in your channel tree will automatically give them access to its subchannels.
36
37Once you have added someone, they can either join your channel by clicking on it in their Collaboration Panel, or you can share the link to the channel so that they can join directly.
38
39## Voice Chat
40
41You can mute/unmute your microphone via the microphone icon in the upper right-hand side of the window.
42
43> **Note:** When joining a channel, Zed automatically shares your microphone with other users in the call, if your OS allows it. To start muted, use the [`mute_on_join`](../reference/all-settings.md#calls) setting.
44
45## Sharing Projects
46
47After joining a channel, you can share a project over the channel via the `Share` button in the upper right-hand side of the window.
48This will allow channel members to edit the code hosted on your machine as though they had it checked out locally.
49
50When you edit someone else's project, your editor features still work: jump to definition, use AI features, and view diagnostics.
51For pairing, one person can implement while the other reads and validates nearby code.
52Because you keep your own local configuration, the session still feels like your normal setup.
53
54Collaborators can open, edit, and save files, perform searches, and interact with language servers.
55Guests have a read-only view of the project, including access to language server info.
56
57### Unsharing a Project
58
59You can remove a project from a channel by clicking on the `Unshare` button in the title bar.
60
61Collaborators that are currently in that project will be disconnected from the project and will not be able to rejoin it unless you share it again.
62
63## Channel Notes
64
65Each channel has a Markdown notes file associated with it to keep track of current status, new ideas, or to collaborate on building out the design for the feature that you're working on before diving into code.
66
67This works like a shared Markdown document backed by Zed's collaboration service.
68
69Open channel notes by clicking the document icon to the right of the channel name in the Collaboration Panel.
70
71> **Note:** You can view a channel's notes without joining the channel.
72
73## Following Collaborators
74
75To follow a collaborator, click on their avatar in the top left of the title bar.
76You can also cycle through collaborators using {#kb workspace::FollowNextCollaborator} or `workspace: follow next collaborator` in the command palette.
77
78When you join a project, you'll immediately start following the collaborator that invited you.
79
80When a pane is following a collaborator, it will:
81
82- follow their cursor and scroll position
83- follow them to other files in the same project
84- instantly swap to viewing their screenshare in that pane, if they are sharing their screen and leave the project
85
86To stop following, simply move your mouse or make an edit via your keyboard.
87
88### How Following Works
89
90Following is confined to a particular pane.
91When a pane is following a collaborator, it is outlined in their cursor color.
92
93Collaborators in the same project appear in color and include a cursor color.
94Collaborators in other projects are shown in gray.
95
96This pane-specific behavior allows you to follow someone in one pane while navigating independently in another and can be an effective layout for some collaboration styles.
97
98### Following a Terminal
99
100Following in terminals is not currently supported the same way it is in the editor.
101As a workaround, collaborators can share their screen and you can follow that instead.
102
103## Screen Sharing
104
105Share your screen with collaborators in the current channel by clicking on the `Share screen` (monitor icon) button in the top right of the title bar.
106If you have multiple displays, you can choose which one to share via the chevron to the right of the monitor icon.
107
108After you've shared your screen, others can click the `Screen` entry under your name in the Collaboration Panel to open a tab that keeps it visible.
109If they are following you, Zed will automatically switch between following your cursor in their Zed instance and your screen share, depending on whether you are focused on Zed or another application, like a web browser.
110
111> **Warning:** Collaborators can see your entire screen when sharing. Stop screen sharing when finished.
112
113## Livestreaming & Guests
114
115A channel can also be made public.
116This allows anyone to join the channel by clicking on the link.
117
118Guest users in channels can hear and see everything that is happening, and have read-only access to projects and channel notes.
119
120If you'd like to invite a guest to participate in a channel for the duration of a call, you can do so by right-clicking them in the Collaboration Panel.
121"Allowing Write Access" will allow them to edit any projects shared into the call, and to use their microphone and share their screen if they wish.
122
123## Leaving a Call
124
125You can leave a channel by clicking on the `Leave call` button in the upper right-hand side of the window.