# What does the app show when I have no seat in a workspace?

Where the Bluedeer app tells you a shared workspace is read-only for you, what you can still tap, and how to request a seat from the phone.

To work in a shared workspace, you need a paid seat in it. Without one, you can open the workspace and read it, but not work in it. What you can read, and why a seat ends, is the same on the web and the phone. See [What a member without a seat can do](https://support.bluedeer.ai/team/members-and-seats/what-a-member-without-a-seat-can-do.md). This article shows where the app tells you, and what you can tap.

## Where the app tells you

- **The workspace's label:** in the workspace switcher and at the top of the chat drawer, the workspace shows "No seat (read-only)", or "Seat unpaid (read-only)" while its seat pack isn't paid.
- **In place of the message box:** in a chat, a card stands where you would type. Members also see it on Home. It says why, with one button:
  - With no seat: "You don't have a seat", and **Request a seat**.
  - With a seat that isn't paid: "Your seat isn't paid", with the date it ends unless it's paid, and **Request a seat**.
- **On other screens:** Files, Tasks, a task's page, Integrations and the page templates show a short line at the top, with **Request a seat** beside it. The line says, for example:
  - "Read-only since" a date, then "You can open what you could see before then, as you last saw it."
  - "Read-only until your seat is paid: you can see everything here."
  - "Read-only: you don't have a seat here yet."
- **Items that changed:** when a chat, file, page, task or project changed after your seat ended, it says "Updated after your seat ended. Get a seat to see the latest." Lists, including the chat drawer and a project's chats, files and pages, mark such items **Updated**.

## Request a seat from the phone

The **Request a seat** window opens by itself the first time you open a shared workspace without a seat, once per workspace. Tap **Not now** to close it and ask later.

To open it yourself, tap **Request a seat** on any of the cards or lines above. You can also open **Manage workspace**, go to the **Members** tab, and tap **Request a seat** under **Your seat**.

1. Choose **Premium seat** or **Max seat**.
2. If you like, add a note under **NOTE (OPTIONAL)**, up to 500 characters.
3. Tap **Send**.

You get a notification when the owner or an admin answers. For how requests are answered, see [Request a seat in a shared workspace](https://support.bluedeer.ai/team/members-and-seats/request-a-seat.md).

While your request is open, the card says "Seat requested (Premium) — waiting for an owner or admin" (or Max), with two buttons:

- **Change** opens **Change your request**, where you pick another seat or edit your note, then tap **Save**.
- **Cancel** asks "Cancel your seat request?". Tap **Cancel request** to take it back, or **Keep it**.

The same request shows under **Your seat** in **Manage workspace** > **Members**, with **Cancel seat request**.

## What the app turns off

Without a paid seat, the app hides or turns off what would change the workspace:

- The message box and the suggested prompts in a new chat.
- The menu on each chat in the chat drawer.
- **Upload** and new folders in Files, and pinning files to Home or adding them to projects.
- Changing a task.
- Project settings, and pinning a project or its items to Home.
- Creating a page from a template: tapping one opens **Request a seat** instead.
- Comments on a page, which you can read but not add.

If you try something that needs a seat, the app says "You need a seat in this workspace to do this. Request a seat to keep working."

If you are an admin, you can still open **Activity**, but you can't invite people or manage members or seats until you hold a paid seat again.

## If you are the owner

The owner doesn't request a seat. In place of the message box, the card says "You don't have a seat" (or "Your seat isn't paid"), with **Choose a seat**. Tap it to open the workspace's seats, where you choose a seat for yourself or buy seats. You can also tap **Seats** in **Manage workspace** > **Members**. You keep managing seats, billing, members and settings while you have no seat.