In [Status Communities](./how-to-use-communities-your-quick-start-guide.md), you have access to dedicated spaces called channels. Channels bring the right people and information together for any project or topic. A channel conversation focuses on specific topics, and you can [join](./join-a-channel.md) and [leave](./leave-a-channel.md) the conversation anytime.
As a community owner, you can use channels to break down a large community into smaller, more focused sub-groups. With Status, you can [configure channel permissions](./configure-channel-permissions.md) based on token ownership. For example, you can make a public channel private or view-only by only allowing holders of specific tokens to join or post.
Community owners can group related channels into [categories](./create-a-channel.md). This is especially useful for communities with a lot of channels.
The list of available channels in a community. [Private channels](./configure-channel-permissions.md) have a :mobile-locked-lock: lock icon next to the channel name.
All members in a [Status Community](./how-to-use-communities-your-quick-start-guide.md) can browse and join public channels. For private channels, you must [meet the token requirements](./understand-token-requirements-in-channels.md) to join the channel. To maintain access to private channels, hold the required tokens at all times.
Private channels have a :mobile-locked-lock: lock icon next to the channel name. To access these channels, you need to [meet the token requirements](./understand-token-requirements-in-channels.md). To maintain access, keep holding the required tokens.
You can see the channel name and permissions here. Private channels have a :mobile-locked-lock: lock icon. From this area, you can select :mobile-more-options: **More options** to view more details about the channel, such as channel members, permissions or notifications.
From here, you can send messages to channel members with [text](../messaging-and-web3-browser/send-and-read-messages.md), [images](../messaging-and-web3-browser/share-images-in-status.md) or emojis, as well as [audio messages](../messaging-and-web3-browser/send-an-audio-message.md).
The #general channel is created by default when you [create a community](./create-a-status-community.md). You can use this channel for various purposes, including sharing news, discussing community policies and events or making announcements.
- [Set up permissions](./configure-channel-permissions.md) to restrict who can post in #general. This removes noise from the channel and keeps it on topic.
- Use the #general channel to [pin messages](../messaging-and-web3-browser/pin-a-message.md) describing FAQs, community rules or other information relevant to your community.
