---
title: "Moderator"
description: "A phone-sized surface for pushing messages to the stage."
---

# Moderator

The Moderator screen is a phone- and tablet-sized surface for the person managing the
stage: it shows what is on air and lets them push messages to the
[Viewer](viewer.md) — without giving them the controls that could stop the show.

It needs **no login**. Open it at the `/m/…` URL from the **Outputs** panel — see
[Share links](share-links.md).

This is the surface to use on a phone. The [Controller](controller.md) is a desktop
console and does not reflow for small screens.

## What a moderator can do

**See the current session** — a card reading `NOW PLAYING` or `STANDBY`, the session title and
speaker, a large countdown, and `REMAINING` / `OVERTIME` / `READY`. With nothing
selected it shows "No timer selected" and `--:--`.

**Send a message:**

1. Type into the **Type a custom message…** box.
2. Pick one of the six **Color** swatches: white, yellow, orange, red, green, or blue.
3. Tap **Send**. This saves the message — it does not put it on screen yet.
4. In the **Messages** list, tap **Show**. The button becomes **Hide**, and the message
   is marked `ON SCREEN NOW` with a green indicator.
5. Optionally tap **Flash** on the live message to make it pulse.

**Show or hide any saved message**, including ones the Controller created — useful when
the show caller has pre-loaded a set of standard messages before doors.

> **The `Flash` switch next to the Send button does nothing.** It is wired into the
> screen but is not sent when the message is created, and it resets itself after
> sending. To flash a message you must send it, tap **Show**, and then tap the
> **Flash** button on that message's own card. The per-message **Flash** button is
> disabled until the message is showing.

## What a moderator cannot do

- **No transport at all** — no start, pause, reset, next, previous, no time nudges, no
  blackout. They cannot stop or alter the running timer.
- **No rundown** — they cannot add, edit, reorder, or delete sessions.
- **Cannot delete messages.** They can hide one, but only the Controller can remove it.
- **No message templates** — the canned Live Music / Theatre / Conference sets are
  Controller-only, so agree your standard wordings in advance if the moderator will
  need them under pressure.

## Things to brief your moderator on

- **Sending is not showing.** Two taps: **Send**, then **Show**. Under pressure people
  send a message and wonder why the stage has not seen it.
- **Only one message shows at a time.** Showing a new one hides the previous one — so
  there is no need to hide the old message first.
- **If the Controller has blacked out the Viewer, nothing they show will be visible.**
  The message will read `ON SCREEN NOW` on their phone while the audience sees black.
- If a send fails they will see "Message could not be sent. Please try again." and
  their typed text is kept, so they can just tap **Send** again.

## States you will see

| On screen                        | What it means                             |
| -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| "Link not found or expired."     | The link was removed, or the URL is wrong |
| "This room could not be loaded." | Temporary data problem — reload           |
| "Loading…"                       | Still resolving the link                  |

## A note on access

Anyone with this URL can send messages to your stage, with no login and no audit of who
they are. **Remove the Moderator link after the event** — see
[Share links](share-links.md#links-do-not-expire). If you need per-person accountability,
give the person a team account and the Operator console instead.

## Related

- [Share links](share-links.md) — creating and revoking the link
- [Controller](controller.md#messages) — the full message panel, with templates and
  delete
- [Viewer](viewer.md) — where the messages land