# message-format

Source: https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/catalog/options/message-format/

> Set the format string for the prompt and message area.

option tmux3.7c

Set the format string for the prompt and message area.

* Scope

  session

* Type

  Text

* Default

  `#[#{?#{command_prompt},#{E:message-command-style},#{E:message-style}}]#{message}`

* Set

  [`set-option`](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/manual/set-option/) `message-format value`

* Read

  [`show-options`](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/manual/show-options/) `message-format`

## Description[#](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/catalog/options/message-format/#description)

Set the format string for the prompt and message area. The special placeholder ‘`#{message}`’ expands to the interactive prompt or message text and ‘`#{command_prompt}`’ is set to 1 when the prompt is in command mode (vi). Style directives like `fill`, `align`, and `width` may be used in the format string. The default uses a conditional to select between [`message-style`](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/catalog/options/message-style/) and [`message-command-style`](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/catalog/options/message-command-style/).

## Releases[#](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/catalog/options/message-format/#releases)

* [tmux 3.7c](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/3.7c/catalog/options/message-format/) : present
* tmux 3.2a : not present

## Source[#](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/catalog/options/message-format/#source)

* Defined in

  [`options-table.c:736`](https://github.com/tmux/tmux/blob/e476c1230b958df0cb12977517d24b3dc931375b/options-table.c#L736)

* C source reference

  [`options_table`](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/reference/c-variable-options_table/)

* CLI Manual

  [Original manual entry](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/manual/full/#options-message-format)

## Used by[#](https://libtmux.org/en/tmux/latest/catalog/options/message-format/#used-by)

Library documentation that names this option.

* Rust

  [`options.generated.MESSAGE_FORMAT`](https://libtmux.org/en/rs/latest/reference/options-generated-message_format/)

* Go

  [`tmux.GlobalSessionScope.SetMessageFormat`](https://libtmux.org/en/go/latest/reference/tmux-globalsessionscope-setmessageformat/), [`tmux.Session.SetMessageFormat`](https://libtmux.org/en/go/latest/reference/tmux-session-setmessageformat/), [`tmux.SessionOptionValues.MessageFormat`](https://libtmux.org/en/go/latest/reference/tmux-sessionoptionvalues-messageformat/)