# Start a Regular or Bound Chat

> Choose the right chat type and begin a conversation with a Character.

- Canonical page: [https://www.summonworlds.com/guidebook/4-ai-chats-with-characters/](https://www.summonworlds.com/guidebook/4-ai-chats-with-characters/)
- Publisher: Summon Worlds by OpenForge LLC
- Last updated: 2026-07-22

Character chats let you roleplay, test dialogue, and develop a story. Start a Regular Chat for an independent Character or a Bound Chat when connected World details should be available.

## Start a chat

1. **Open a Character.** You can also begin from the Chats tab or choose **Chat with Summon** from a Character Menu.
2. **Tap Chat.** Read the opening Character message.
3. **Enter a message.** Tap Send.
4. **Continue the conversation.** Open Chat Settings when you need to change behavior, knowledge, voice, or animation.

> Important: Chats are for Characters. Worlds, Locations, Weapons, Armor, Items, and Spells can inform an eligible Bound Chat but do not start their own chats.

## Compare Regular and Bound Chats

### Regular Chat

A Regular Chat does not require a connected World. Use it for quick roleplay, dialogue experiments, and independent Characters.

### Bound Chat

A Bound Chat uses a Character connected to a World and Location. Smart Context can select relevant World, Location, Character, Equipment, memory, lore, and event details for the current message.

You do not need to load every connected detail manually. See [Understand Smart Context](/guidebook/understand-smart-context/) for how retrieval works.

## Troubleshooting

### Chat is unavailable

Confirm you opened a Character and that it is still accessible. For a Bound Chat, confirm the Character remains connected to the intended World and Location.

### The Character misses World information

Confirm the chat is Bound, **World** is enabled in Chat Settings, and the information exists in connected content.

## Related guides

- [Use Chat Actions and Generated Images](/guidebook/use-chat-actions-and-generated-images/)
- [Customize Chat Settings](/guidebook/5-customizing-chats/)
- [Understand Smart Context](/guidebook/understand-smart-context/)