This protocol defines a way for a JID to advertise that it does not accept incoming chat messages. For example, automated services which broadcast messages.
Such an indication allows clients to adapt their user interface accordingly (for example, hiding message input controls), instead of allowing the user to send a message and receive errors. This can improve the user experience and avoid confusion.
One example use case for this protocol, would be a server which sends welcome messages or other announcements (maintenance, etc.) to its users from its own JID (e.g. 'example.com').
To show that users should not reply to messages sent from this JID, the server advertises urn:xmpp:noreply:0 in the Service Discovery (XEP-0030) [1] features of that JID (i.e. 'example.com') to indicate this to the clients.
In most cases it is expected that the recipient will learn of the feature using Entity Capabilities (XEP-0115) [2] rather than performing service discovery just to learn of the no-reply feature. In the case of a server’s JID, the entity capabilities are typically communicated to the client in the initial stream features.
Any entity which does not accept chat messages should advertise the service discovery feature:
urn:xmpp:noreply:0In the case that a full JID advertises the no-reply feature, and there are other resources of the same JID which do not advertise the feature, a client SHOULD NOT prevent the user from sending messages (e.g. to other resources or to the bare JID).
Advertising the no-reply feature indicates that a JID does not accept messages. If a JID does accept messages, even if it sometimes sends automated messages, it MUST NOT advertise this feature.
If a JID advertises the feature and receives an incoming message anyway (e.g. from a sender that does not support this XEP) then it SHOULD respond with an error, per the usual processing rules of RFC 6120 [3].
The no-reply feature pertains only to chat messages, such as those typically originated from humans. A JID which advertises this feature MAY accept other kinds of messages (for example, a news bot which advertises this feature would still be expected to receive pubsub notifications even though they are conveyed as messages).
There are no known special accessibility considerations for this protocol.
It is expected that it may improve accessibility by simplifying interfaces where possible.
There are no known security considerations for this protocol, beyond those existing in normal service discovery flows.
There are no known privacy considerations for this protocol.
This protocol does not require any interaction with IANA.
This document registers the following service discovery feature:
urn:xmpp:noreply:0It was debated whether to include the no-reply indication on a per JID, presence or message basis. As most chat clients show an interface featuring an input control per remote JID, and due to the potential optimization afforded by XEP-0115, it was decided to use service discovery.
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The Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is defined in the XMPP Core (RFC 6120) and XMPP IM (RFC 6121) specifications contributed by the XMPP Standards Foundation to the Internet Standards Process, which is managed by the Internet Engineering Task Force in accordance with RFC 2026. Any protocol defined in this document has been developed outside the Internet Standards Process and is to be understood as an extension to XMPP rather than as an evolution, development, or modification of XMPP itself.
The primary venue for discussion of XMPP Extension Protocols is the <standards@xmpp.org> discussion list.
Discussion on other xmpp.org discussion lists might also be appropriate; see <https://xmpp.org/community/> for a complete list.
Errata can be sent to <editor@xmpp.org>.
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.
1. XEP-0030: Service Discovery <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0030.html>.
2. XEP-0115: Entity Capabilities <https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0115.html>.
3. RFC 6120: Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP): Core <http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6120>.
Note: Older versions of this specification might be available at https://xmpp.org/extensions/attic/
Initial submission.
@report{wild2025no-reply,
title = {No-reply JIDs},
author = {Wild, Matthew},
type = {XEP},
number = {0506},
version = {0.1.0},
institution = {XMPP Standards Foundation},
url = {https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0506.html},
date = {2025-10-08/2025-10-20},
}END