> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chatref.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Human Handoff

> Step into any chat and reply as a real person – your bot pauses until you hand it back.

Sometimes a visitor needs a real person. **Human handoff** lets you step into a
chat and reply yourself, while your bot keeps handling every other chat as usual.

## How it works

Handoff is **owner-initiated** – you decide when to step in.

* Your **first human reply** in a chat pauses the bot for that one chat.
* The visitor sees a **"Support agent joined"** note, so they know a person took
  over.
* Your bot will not answer that chat again until you click **Return to AI**.

<Warning>
  While you're handling a chat, the AI stays **paused for that chat only**. Other
  chats keep getting bot replies as normal. Nothing resumes for that one chat until
  you click **Return to AI**.
</Warning>

<Info>
  The AI never escalates on its own. There is no auto-handoff and no "talk to a
  human" trigger that pauses the bot for you – stepping in is always your choice.
  This changed: older versions let the bot escalate automatically.
</Info>

## Turn it on and take over

<Steps>
  <Step title="Allow human handoff">
    Open your agent's **Settings** and turn on **Allow human handoff**. This is
    off by default and is set per agent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the chat">
    In the **Inbox**, pick the chat you want to step into so its transcript is on
    the right.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reply as a human">
    Type in the reply box and send. Your first reply pauses the bot for this chat,
    and the visitor sees the **Support agent joined** note.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Return to AI when you're done">
    Once the visitor is sorted, click **Return to AI**. Your bot resumes handling
    that chat.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  A dental clinic might step in to confirm an appointment time, then click
  **Return to AI** so the bot can answer the visitor's follow-up questions about
  parking or opening hours.
</Tip>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Conversations" icon="inbox" href="/inbox/conversations">
    Read chats, see captured contact details, and close or reopen a chat.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Tags" icon="tags" href="/inbox/tags">
    Label the chats that tend to need a human so they're easy to spot.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>