You can keep using Messages in the site menu, and you can also put a Messages-only app on your Home Screen — like AIM, ICQ, or Facebook Messenger sitting next to your other apps. It is still this website (not an App Store / Play Store download). The icon must open Messages only, with its own speech-bubble icon and the name Penpal Messages. Sign in there with the same email and password as the website. Chats are shared. Signing in or out of Messages does not sign you in or out of the rest of the site.
iPhone / iPad (Safari) — important
- If an old Penpal icon still opens the full website (Home, Swaps, Alerts), press and hold it → Remove App / Delete Bookmark. iPhone will keep using that old icon until you delete it.
- Open Safari (the compass), not the old icon.
- Go to penpal.gaminghq.biz/messages/app — wait until you see Messages, not the full site header.
- Tap Share (square with an arrow) → Add to Home Screen.
- The name must say Penpal Messages. If it says Penpal Community, you are on the wrong page — go back to /messages/app and try again.
- Tap Add, then open the NEW green speech-bubble icon. Sign in with the same email and password. That window stays on Messages.
Android (Chrome) or Windows (Chrome / Edge)
- Open Messages in Chrome or Edge.
- If you see Install Messages on the page, tap it.
- Or use the browser menu → Install app / Apps → Install this site as an app.
- On Windows, that puts Messages in your app list like other programs. On Android, it sits next to your other apps.
Two installs are OK
- The whole community app (Home, Swaps, Alerts) still installs from the Home page — see Add the site to your phone.
- The Messages app is extra: its icon is a green speech bubble named Penpal Messages. It opens straight to your inbox and stays on Messages. Tap People to see members you can message without opening the full site. You can have both apps, or only one.
- Website in the Messages bar opens the full site in Safari. Sign out in Messages only ends the Messages sign-in.
- A new note plays a short two-tone “uh-oh” chime (our own sound, in the spirit of old messengers). Turn it off with Sound on the Messages list.
Lock-screen alerts are optional and use the same Profile → Emails & phone switch. On iPhone, add Messages (or the whole site) to the Home Screen first, then turn alerts on from that icon.