askVela

Changelog

What we're working on and what's new. New features, improvements and fixes — explained in plain language, newest first.

Security, widget & inbox

  1. New

    Two-factor sign-in (2FA)

    Secure your account with a second factor: a passkey (Touch/Face ID or a security key) or an authenticator app (scan a QR code). Plus one-time backup codes for emergencies – set it up under Account → Security.

  2. New

    Send images & videos by copy-paste

    Paste screenshots and videos straight into the chat box with Ctrl/Cmd+V – no more detour through the file dialog.

  3. Improved

    Proactive message: choose how often

    You now decide how often a dismissed proactive greeting or offer is shown again to a returning visitor – from “only once” to “every visit” (the default). So returning visitors see your offers again.

  4. Improved

    Customer emails via your own mailbox

    Emails to customers now go exclusively through your connected email channel (Channels → Email) – better deliverability because the mail comes from your domain. If no mailbox is connected, a note in settings points it out.

  5. Fixed

    “Email sent” shows instantly

    The marker in the thread that an email went to the customer now appears live – no longer only after a reload.

  6. Fixed

    Closed chats stay closed

    A closed chat sometimes reappeared under “open” after refreshing. Closing is now saved reliably.

  7. Fixed

    Availability stays stable

    No more random “offline” on a quick tab switch, sleep or brief connection drop – your chosen status stays until you change it.

  8. Improved

    Typing preview stays put

    You see live what the visitor is typing – and that preview now stays until they clear their field or send, instead of flickering on every typing pause.

  9. Improved

    “Reply by email” with a grace period

    The “visitor offline → reply goes by email” hint no longer triggers on every brief connection hiccup, only after 2 minutes without a sign of life. If the visitor is still there, the chat stays active.

  10. Fixed

    CSV import: categories are kept

    When importing knowledge articles via CSV, the given category is now applied (and created if needed) instead of being discarded.

Settings & inbox

  1. Improved

    Tidier, clearer settings

    Settings are fully reorganized: every area now shows a live preview of your widget, a prominent search (with ⌘K / Ctrl+K) finds any option in seconds — and everything is properly optimized for mobile.

  2. New

    Knowledge split cleanly: AI vs. help center

    In the knowledge base you now clearly separate what the AI knows from what customers see in the help center: a dedicated “AI knowledge” area for internal knowledge that only feeds the bot's answers (but never appears publicly), plus hand-picked “Popular” articles. Note: the AI only uses published articles — never drafts.

  3. New

    Activity notes in the inbox

    Team actions now appear as subtle lines right in the conversation — who took over, assigned or marked a conversation as done. Visible only to your team, never to the customer.

  4. Fixed

    Live status stays put

    Setting yourself to “Away” or “Offline” in the inbox now sticks after reloading the page — no more snapping back to “Online”.

Team inbox & chat widget

  1. New

    Sound notifications

    New messages now play a subtle chime — in the team inbox even when the browser tab is in the background, and in the chat widget for the visitor too. Sound and desktop notification can be toggled separately.

  2. New

    “Seen” indicator

    As soon as a visitor has read your reply, you see it in the inbox right under the message.

  3. Improved

    Canned responses with categories

    Typing “/” now shows all matching canned responses instead of just the first six — now with categories and in the order you set yourself. The list scrolls along cleanly when navigating with arrow keys.

  4. New

    Undo send

    A short 5-second window to pull back a message you just sent.

  5. New

    Pre-chat form

    Ask for optional details before the chat — such as name, email or order number — either required or skippable.

  6. Improved

    Emails in the conversation

    Emails sent to customers automatically now appear directly in the chat history — with subject and preview on hover.

  7. Improved

    Welcome message per status

    A tailored greeting depending on whether the team is currently online, away or offline.

  8. Fixed

    Verified identity is visible

    The inbox now clearly distinguishes whether a customer's email is verified (logged in) or merely typed in — an important trust signal.

Android app & team management

  1. New

    askVela for Android — beta for testing

    The Android app (APK) is ready and currently in internal testing — including push notifications for new messages. ⚠️ Heads up: it's a beta, so bugs can still happen. If you'd like to help, download the APK and send feedback to hello@askvela.pro. The iOS app is submitted and coming shortly.

    Download Android APK (beta)
  2. New

    Team management

    Edit team members and set profile pictures right in the admin — with a protected account owner.

  3. New

    Welcome email

    New accounts automatically receive a welcome email in their language.

  4. Improved

    A real instant demo

    The live demo now shows the real analysis screen of your shop instead of a mock-up.

Full-text search & app polish

  1. New

    Full-text search in the inbox

    Search all messages and channels for keywords in an instant.

  2. Improved

    Mobile app all-round improvements

    Over 60 detail improvements for the app: safe areas around the notch, smooth scrolling, a status bar in the app's design and more.

Honest numbers

  1. Fixed

    Reliable sales & trial figures

    Revenue and trial statistics now rest on an honest, traceable basis. After a trial ends there is a two-day grace period.

ROI reporting

  1. New

    See the revenue from chat

    A new dashboard shows in black and white which revenue came from the chat — split into directly influenced and assisted, with honest confidence levels.

Proactive offers

  1. New

    Point to offers on their own

    Automatically shows visitors relevant hints or offers — as a subtle bubble or as a card right in the chat.