BoldDesk allows you to control how customers open the Help (Live Chat) widget on your website. Using Advanced Customization, you can hide the default launcher button and open the widget only when a customer clicks a custom button or link (for example, Contact Us or Get Support).

This article explains how to:

• Launch the Help widget on a button click
• Hide the default launcher button using supported widget APIs

Use Cases

Use this approach when you want to:

• Open the Help widget only from a custom button or link
• Hide the floating launcher for a cleaner UI
• Control when customers initiate chat
• Match the widget behavior with custom website design

How the Help Widget Launch Works in BoldDesk

In BoldDesk:

• The Help widget is embedded on your site using the provided widget script
• By default, a launcher button may be displayed
• Using Advanced Customization, you can:
  • Hide the launcher
  • Programmatically open the widget on user interaction

This approach gives you precise control over the widget’s visibility.

Hide the Default Launcher Button (Advanced Customization)

To prevent the Help widget from appearing automatically on page load, hide the launcher button.

<script>
  window.BolddeskWidgetConfig = {
    widget: {
      hideLauncher: true
    }
  }
</script>

Alternative supported method (API)

You can also hide the launcher using the widget API:

• BolddeskWidget(“hide”, “launcher”)

Hiding the launcher is required when you want the widget to open only from a custom button or link.

Launch the Help Widget on Button Click

After hiding the launcher, you can open the Help widget when a customer clicks a button.

1: Add a Custom Button

Use a button (or link) that calls a JavaScript function on click.

<button type="button" onclick="openWidgetPopup()"> Contact Us</button> 

2: Bind the Button Click to Open the Widget

Call the supported widget API to open the Help widget as a popup.

<script>
           function openWidgetPopup() {
                BolddeskWidget("open", "popup");
           }
</script>

<script>
             window.BolddeskWidgetConfig = {
                   created: (args) => {
                       // When the widget is rendered, the created event will be triggered.
                  }
            }
</script> 

What This Does

• The widget remains hidden until the button is clicked
• Clicking the button opens the Help widget as a popup
• No additional launcher is shown

Optional: Use the created event to detect what was rendered

If you are rendering multiple widgets or web forms on the same page, use the created event to inspect which one was rendered.

<script>
  window.BolddeskWidgetConfig = {
    created: (args) => {
      // When the widget is rendered, the created event will be triggered.
      // Use args to identify what was created.
    }
  }
</script> 

created event argument properties

{
      type: widget | form,
      id: Widget Id | Web form Id,
      name: Widget Name | Webform Name
}

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I launch the Help widget without showing the launcher?
   Yes. Hide the launcher and open the widget using a custom button.

2. Does this work for multiple brands?
   Yes. Widget configuration and behavior are applied per Brand.

3. Can I use this for other widget types?
   This approach applies only to the Help (Live Chat) widget.

Related Articles

1. Embedding Help Widget on External Site
2. How to Customize the Appearance of the BoldDesk Live Chat Widget