The Live Chat Widget onboarding experience is designed to help admins get started quickly when they don’t have any chat widgets set up yet. Instead of seeing an empty page, admins are welcomed with a ready-to-preview live chat widget and a clear path to customise it. A widget is only created when the admin actively chooses to customise or interact—nothing is created automatically.

Getting Started with Live Chat

Setting up live chat for your business shouldn’t feel complicated and now, it isn’t. When you visit Admin → Live Chat → Widgets for the first time (or after removing all widgets), you’ll see a guided onboarding experience instead of an empty page. This helps you preview what live chat will look like and start customising it right away.

What You’ll See

1. A Friendly Welcome

You’re greeted with:

• A clear heading: “Create Your First Live Chat Widget”
• A message: “Your website’s first widget is ready to shine!”
• Key benefits of using the live chat widget, including:
  • Previewing a ready-made widget using Live Preview
  • Managing conversations, requests, and updates in one place
  • Customising design and behaviour to match your brand
• A primary “Customise Widget” button (with dropdown option). A widget is only created when you:
  • Click Customise Widget
  • Select an option such as Start from scratch
  • Perform any action that requires saving your setup
• A secondary “Live Preview” button to explore the widget instantly
  
  
  
  
  

2. A Real-Time Preview

On the right side, you’ll see a live widget preview showing how your chat will appear to customers.

This preview allows you to:

• See the chat interface layout
• View sample messages and quick action buttons
• Understand how customers will interact with your support team
  
  
  
  
  

The preview is interactive but it does not create a widget yet.

Nothing Happens Until You’re Ready

This experience is designed to be safe and non-intrusive. You can explore freely using Live Preview, leave anytime, and no widget will be created or saved unless you choose to. If you’re still exploring, use Live Preview, Watch Video, or Guide to learn more. The onboarding experience will remain available until you create your first widget.

Creating Your First Widget

When you’re ready:

1. Click Customise Widget
2. Choose your preferred option (for example, Start from scratch)
3. A widget is instantly created with smart default settings
4. You’re redirected to the edit page where you can personalise everything

Default Setup (So You Can Go Live Faster)

Your first widget comes pre-configured with:

• A friendly greeting message
• A functional chat button
• A clean, modern theme
• Placement optimised for website visibility (typically bottom-right)
• Availability set to always on (24/7)

This means you can launch immediately or fine-tune settings based on your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will BoldDesk create a widget when an admin opens Admin → Live Chat → Widgets?
   No. A widget is created only when the admin selects Customize Widget or takes another action that requires creation (for example, Start from scratch).

2. Can an admin return later and still see the onboarding screen?
   Yes. If there are still no widgets, the onboarding screen remains available.

3. What happens if an admin deletes all widgets later?
   The onboarding screen appears again the next time the admin opens Admin → Live Chat → Widgets.

4. Does an admin have to complete configuration immediately?
   No. The admin can use Live Preview to explore first, then create the widget later. No widget is saved during preview-only exploration.

5. Does interacting with the live preview create a widget?
   No. Live preview is interactive but does not create a widget.

6. What does BoldDesk show if at least one widget exists?
   BoldDesk shows the standard widget management view.

Related Articles

1. How to Set Up a Live Chat Widget in BoldDesk
2. How to Activate, Deactivate or Delete a Live Chat Widget