---
layout: docs
page_title: Manage custom messages
description: >-
  Use custom messages in the Vault UI to share system-wide alerts.
---

# Manage custom messages in the Vault UI

@include 'alerts/enterprise-only.mdx'

Use custom banners and modals in the Vault UI to share system-wide alerts for all Vault UI users.

<Tip title="Best practices for UI messages">

1. **Messages are sticky**. Users can only dismiss messages **temporarily**.
   The message reappears if the user refreshes their browser window or logs out
   of the current session.

1. **Messages are intrusive**. Limit the number of active messages to minimize
   the intrusion on users and reduce the chances that they will dismiss the
   message without reading it.

1. **Messages are inheritable**. Child namespaces inherit all messages created
   on the parent namespace. Take advantage of inheritance to reach the greatest
   number of users with the smallest number of messages.

1. **Delete old messages**. Vault supports a maximum of 100 messages per namespace at a
   time. Practice good message hygiene by regularly deleting expired and outdated
   messages.

</Tip>

## Before you start

- **You must have Vault Enterprise 1.16.0 or higher installed.**
- **You must have the appropriate permissions**:
  - You must have `list` permission for the `sys/config/ui/custom-messages` endpoint.
  - To **create messages**, you must have `read` permission for the `sys/config/ui/custom-messages/:id` endpoint and `create` permission for the `sys/config/ui/custom-messages` endpoint.
  - To **edit messages**, you must have `read` and `update` permission for the `sys/config/ui/custom-messages/:id` endpoint.
  - To **delete messages**, `delete` permission for the `sys/config/ui/custom-messages/:id` endpoint.

## Add a custom message

1. Navigate to the **Settings** section in the Vault UI sidebar and select **Custom
   Messages**.

1. On the **Custom messages** page, select whether you want the message
   to appear on the Vault UI login page or after a user logs in.

1. Select the **+ Create message** button in the toolbar to open the **Create message** form.

1. On the **Create message** form:

   - Select the locations where your message should appear.
   - Select the message type.
   - Provide a title and the message text. For important messages, we recommend
     keeping the text short and including a link to more information rather
     than writing a longer message that users may not take the time to read.
   - Set a start time when your message will publish. By default, messages
     publish at midnight in your local timezone.
   - Set an optional end time for the message. By default, messages do not
     expire.

1. Click **Preview** to see how your message will appear to users.

1. Click **Create message** to save your new message.

## Create messages for a specific namespace

Child [namespaces](/vault/docs/enterprise/namespaces) inherit all messages
created on the parent namespace. For example, assume you have a
cluster with the following namespace hierarchy:

<CodeBlockConfig hideClipboard>

```plaintext
─ admin
    ├── finance
    └── marketing
        ├── digital-marketing
        └── events
```

</CodeBlockConfig>

Custom messages created on the `admin` namespace apply to all child namespaces:
`finance`, `marketing`, `marketing/digital-marketing` and `marketing/events`.

To create a custom message that only targets the marketing team, log into the `marketing` namespace before creating your message.

To create a message under a specific namespace:

1. On your Vault login page, enter the namespace you want to target in
   the **Namespace** text field.
1. Select an appropriate authentication method and log in.

1. Select **Custom Messages**.

1. Select the **+ Create message** button in the toolbar to open and fill out
   the **Create message** form.
1. Click **Preview** to see how your message will appear to users.

1. Click **Create message** to save your new message.

Your new message only appears when a user logs into the targeted
namespace or one of its child namespaces. You can verify that your
message has the correct behavior by logging into an admin or parent
namespace. The message should only appear when you switch to the
targeted namespace.

![namespace picker to change namespaces](/img/ui-custom-msg.png)

## Edit a custom message

You can open the edit screen for a custom message in two places from the **Custom messages** page.

**From the additional options menu for the message**:

1. Find the custom message you want to edit.
1. Click the additional option button (three dots).
1. Select **Edit** from the dropdown menu to bring up the edit page.

**From the message details page**:

1. Find the custom message you want to edit.
1. Select the message to open the message details page.
1. Click the **Edit message** button to bring up the edit page.
   Fill in the information that you would like to edit for the custom message.

## Delete a custom message

<Warning title="Message deletion is permanent">
  Deleted messages cannot be recovered. If you delete a message by mistake, you
  will have to recreate it.
</Warning>

You can delete a custom message in two places from the **Custom messages** page.

**From the additional options menu for the message**:

1. Find the custom message you want to delete.
1. Click the additional option button (three dots).
1. Select **Delete** from the dropdown menu to bring up the delete confirmation modal.

**From the message details page**:

1. Find the custom message you want to delete.
1. Select the message to open the message details page.
1. Click the **Delete message** button to bring up the delete confirmation modal.