If you’ve ever played a League of Legends match and wanted to type a quick ‘gg’ to the enemy laner who outplayed you, or laugh off a gank that went horribly wrong for both teams, you’ve probably run into the problem of all chat not working by default. Riot changed the default communication settings a few years back to cut down on in-game harassment, which means most new players (and even many returning veterans) don’t know how to enable all chat in League of Legends right away. It’s a simple process, but there are a few hidden hoops you have to jump through both in the client and during matches to get it working properly. We’ll walk you through every step, plus share best practices to avoid getting reported for toxic behavior when using all chat.
How to Enable All Chat in League of Legends: Client and In-Game Steps
The process takes less than two minutes total, and you only have to do most of it once per account. You’ll need to adjust settings both in the main client and inside a match to make sure it works every time, but the steps are very straightforward. Follow this exact order to avoid running into issues later:
One important thing to note is that you only have to adjust the client settings once per account, unless you log in on a new device or a patch resets your preferences. The in-match toggle, however, sometimes resets if you switch between game modes, so double check it if you’re trying to send a message to the enemy team and it won’t go through. If you’re only trying to enable all chat for a single match and don’t want to adjust your permanent settings, you can skip the client steps and just toggle it directly in the match chat settings, but it will turn off again once the match ends.
Common Reasons All Chat Won’t Work Even After Enabling
If you’ve followed all the steps to enable all chat in League of Legends and it still won’t work, there are a few easy fixes to try first before contacting support. Patch updates often reset custom settings – Riot pushes big patches every two weeks, and it’s not uncommon for communication settings to revert to default after a major update. So if your all chat stops working out of nowhere, the first thing to check is your client settings again.
Another common issue is account restrictions. If you’ve been penalized for toxic behavior in the past, Riot may temporarily or permanently disable your access to all chat as part of your punishment. You’ll get a notification in your client if that’s the case, so check your penalty history if you can’t get it working no matter what you try. Penalties for chat abuse usually last between 7 days and 3 months for first and second offenses, but repeated violations can lead to a permanent chat ban.
Some regions also have different rules for all chat. A few regions disabled it entirely for ranked play a while back to cut down on harassment, so if you’re playing on a server outside of your usual region, that could be the issue. You don’t have to do anything fancy here, just look up the current communication rules for your specific server if you suspect that’s the problem.
Pros and Cons of Using All Chat During Matches
All chat isn’t for everyone, and it’s totally fine to keep it disabled if you prefer to focus on your game without extra distractions. It has clear benefits, but it also has some big downsides depending on your playstyle and how easily you get tilted.
On the pro side, it’s a great way to build community. I’ve had dozens of matches where I joked around with the enemy team the whole game, added a few people as friends after, and even queued up with them later. It’s also a nice way to acknowledge good plays: typing a quick ‘nice flash’ to the enemy mid laner who dodged your combo feels way better than just raging about it. In casual modes like ARAM or Nexus Blitz, all chat usually makes the whole match feel more fun and less competitive.
On the con side, the obvious issue is exposure to toxic behavior. Not everyone uses all chat for good, and you’ll run into people who type insults, spam slurs, or try to tilt you by making fun of your mistakes. Enabling all chat can hurt your focus if you’re easily tilted, so if you’re playing ranked to climb, you might want to keep it disabled unless you’re really good at ignoring negative comments. Another con is that you can easily get reported if you type the wrong thing. Even a joke that you think is harmless might come off as toxic to the other team, so you have to be careful with what you send. Riot’s automated chat filter picks up on a lot of common slurs and insults, but even vague negative comments can get you a penalty if enough people report you.
Best Practices for Using All Chat Responsibly
If you decide to keep all chat enabled, following a few simple rules will help you avoid penalties and keep matches fun for everyone involved. You don’t have to be overly formal, but being mindful of what you type goes a long way.
First, stick to positive or neutral banter only. No making fun of someone’s rank, champion choice, or mistakes, even if you think it’s funny. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend you just met, don’t type it in all chat. Never use all chat to flame your own team – that’s one of the fastest ways to get reported by both sides, and it makes the match way less fun for everyone involved.
If someone on the enemy team is being toxic in all chat, don’t engage. Just mute them individually instead of typing back, because matching their energy will only get you in trouble too. Muting individual players takes two clicks, and you won’t have to see any of their messages for the rest of the match.
Another good rule is to keep all chat messages short and relevant to the match. No spamming random memes or off-topic comments every 10 seconds, because that’s annoying for everyone on both teams who has to see it. And remember that all chat is visible to every player in the lobby, including your own team, so don’t type anything that would make your teammates think you’re throwing or collaborating with the enemy.
At the end of the day, all chat is a fun optional feature that can make your League of Legends matches feel way more social, as long as you use it correctly. Now that you know how to enable all chat in League of Legends, you can decide for yourself if it’s worth turning on for your playstyle. If you’re playing casual modes with friends and just want to have a good time, it’s a great addition to your matches. If you’re grinding ranked and want to stay focused, you’re not missing out on much by keeping it turned off. Either way, make sure you’re following the community rules whenever you use any in-game chat features, so you can avoid penalties and keep the game fun for everyone.