View your active Messages as well as Message Requests on the Messages tab, the second icon on the bottom navigation bar.
To Start a Direct or Group Message (with people on your Friends List)
Start private conversations with your Niantic Friends through Direct Messages (DMs) or Group Messages with up to 10 other people.
Tap on the Messages icon on the bottom of your screen.
Tap the blue compose icon on the bottom right.
Select who you want to message, up to 10 of your Niantic Friends.
Tap Create to start your message.
Sending and Receiving Message Requests
If you receive a message from someone who is not on your friends list, you will receive a message request notification. Likewise, sending a message to someone who is not on your friends list will send them a message request.
By default, users who are not on your friends list can message you, but you can disable this by going to your profile, tapping the settings icon on the top right, tapping “Message Requests” to disable incoming message requests.
To send a message request to someone that is not on your friends list, go to their Profile and tap “Message”.
Note: If you attempt to send a message to a non-friend that has disabled message requests, your message will not go through.
Message requests must be approved by the recipient. To review a request, go to the Messages tab and click on “Message Requests”
Tapping on a message request shows the message with options to Accept, Decline, and Block or Report.
Message Settings
Within Direct and Group Messages, you can tap on the “i” icon on the top right to view profiles, mute or block users, report users, and close the conversation.