diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-cat.json b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-cat.json
index a41d1b4f..75fcf968 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-cat.json
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-cat.json
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
   "placeholder.username": "cat name",
   "placeholder.captcha.code": "captcha code",
   "placeholder.message.input": "meow...",
-  "desc.messages.encryption.active": "meows are end-to-end encrypted :3",
+  "desc.messages.loading": "loading meows...",
   "desc.no.dms": "no direct meowchats :c",
   "action.dm.opening": "opening meowchat...",
   "dm.open.failed": "failed to open meowchat :c",
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-us.json b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-us.json
index 31c45501..104354bb 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-us.json
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/blah/en-us.json
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
   "placeholder.username": "username",
   "placeholder.captcha.code": "captcha code",
   "placeholder.message.input": "Message...",
-  "desc.messages.encryption.active": "Messages are end-to-end encrypted",
+  "desc.messages.loading": "Fetching messages...",
   "desc.no.dms": "No direct messages",
   "action.dm.opening": "Opening DM...",
   "dm.open.failed": "Failed to open DM",
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js
index 084d54cb..868fe841 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/main.js
@@ -1645,6 +1645,7 @@ async function gotoHome() {
     switchRoomContent("title.splash", splashScreen, false);
     switchRoomsBar("title.home", homeRoomBar);
     setActiveRoombarItem(null);
+    setupWebSocket();
     await refreshDms(210);
 }
 
@@ -1852,7 +1853,7 @@ async function openDm(dmId, username, targetId) {
         
         let msgContainer = document.getElementById("chat-messages");
         if (msgContainer) {
-            msgContainer.innerHTML = `<div style="text-align: center; opacity: 0.5; padding: 1rem;"><blah>desc.messages.encryption.active</blah></div>`;
+            msgContainer.innerHTML = `<div style="text-align: center; opacity: 0.5; padding: 1rem;"><blah>desc.messages.loading</blah></div>`;
             let blahTags = msgContainer.getElementsByTagName("blah");
             for (let i = 0; i < blahTags.length; i++) {
                 blahTags[i].innerHTML = processBlah(blahTags[i].innerHTML);
@@ -1861,6 +1862,15 @@ async function openDm(dmId, username, targetId) {
         
         await loadDmMessages(dmId);
         
+        if (dmMessagePollInterval) clearInterval(dmMessagePollInterval);
+        dmMessagePollInterval = setInterval(() => {
+            if (currentDmId === dmId) {
+                loadDmMessages(dmId);
+            } else {
+                clearInterval(dmMessagePollInterval);
+            }
+        }, 15000);
+        
         setActiveRoombarItem(`dm-btn-${dmId}`);
         clearAction("dmopen");
     } catch (e) {
@@ -1906,7 +1916,8 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
         
         if (msg.key && msg.key !== "") {
             try {
-                content = await decryptAesGcmFromBase64(content, currentDmKey);
+                let dmKeyBytes = await sha256Bytes(base64ToUint8(currentDmKey));
+                content = await decryptAesGcmFromBase64(content, dmKeyBytes);
             } catch(e) {
                 content = `<span style="color:var(--error-color)"><blah>error:messages.decrypt.failed</blah></span>`;
             }
@@ -1957,4 +1968,79 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
     
     container.innerHTML = html;
     container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
+}
+
+async function sendMessage() {
+    if (!currentDmId || !currentDmKey) return;
+    
+    let input = document.getElementById("chat-input");
+    let content = input.value.trim();
+    if (!content) return;
+    
+    try {
+        let dmKeyBytes = await sha256Bytes(base64ToUint8(currentDmKey));
+        let encryptedContent = await encryptAesGcmToBase64(content, dmKeyBytes);
+        
+        let msgPayload = {
+            string1: currentDmId,
+            string2: encryptedContent,
+            string3: ""
+        };
+        
+        input.value = "";
+        
+        let res = await fetchEncrypted("dm/message/send", JSON.stringify(msgPayload));
+        if (res && res.startsWith("error:")) {
+            showBlahNotification(res);
+        } else {
+            await loadDmMessages(currentDmId);
+        }
+    } catch (e) {
+        console.error(e);
+        showBlahNotification("error:message.send.failed");
+    }
+}
+
+function handleChatInputKey(event) {
+    if (event.key === "Enter" && !event.shiftKey) {
+        const isMobile = /Android|webOS|iPhone|iPad|iPod|BlackBerry|IEMobile|Opera Mini/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
+        if (!isMobile) {
+            event.preventDefault();
+            sendMessage();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+let dmMessagePollInterval = null;
+let appWebSocket = null;
+
+function setupWebSocket() {
+    if (appWebSocket && appWebSocket.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) return;
+    
+    let wsUrl = url.replace(/^http/, "ws") + "/ws";
+    appWebSocket = new WebSocket(wsUrl);
+    
+    appWebSocket.onopen = async () => {
+        try {
+            let nonce = await getNonce(id, passwordHash);
+            let secretEnc = await encryptWithNonce(passwordHash, passwordHash, nonce);
+            appWebSocket.send(JSON.stringify({ string1: id, string2: secretEnc }));
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.error("WS auth failed", e);
+        }
+    };
+    
+    appWebSocket.onmessage = (event) => {
+        let data = event.data;
+        if (data.startsWith("dm_message:")) {
+            let msgDmId = data.substring("dm_message:".length);
+            if (currentDmId === msgDmId) {
+                loadDmMessages(msgDmId);
+            }
+        }
+    };
+    
+    appWebSocket.onclose = () => {
+        setTimeout(setupWebSocket, 5000);
+    };
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js
index 2dc7189f..bdd58c06 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/screens.js
@@ -132,10 +132,9 @@ var invitesEntry = `
 var chatScreen = `
 <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; height: 100%; width: 100%;">
     <div id="chat-messages" style="flex-grow: 1; overflow-y: auto; padding: 1rem; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0.5rem;">
-        <!-- messages go here -->
     </div>
     <div style="padding: 1rem; border-top: var(--border-width) solid var(--light-border-color); display: flex; gap: 0.5rem;">
-        <input type="text" id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}">
+        <textarea id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0; resize: none; min-height: 2.5rem; max-height: 8rem; padding: 0.5rem;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}" onkeydown="handleChatInputKey(event)"></textarea>
         <button class="submit-button" onclick="sendMessage()" style="margin: 0; padding: 0; aspect-ratio: 1;">
                 <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="-0.9 -0.5 15.6 16" fill="none" width="1.5rem">
                     <path stroke="var(--main-bg-color)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="m3.75 7.5 -1.875 5.625 11.25 -5.625L1.875 1.875l1.875 5.625zm0 0h3.75" stroke-width="1.1"></path>
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css
index f39af177..e35b6183 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css
+++ b/android/app/src/main/assets/public/style.css
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ loading {
     user-select: none !important;
     -webkit-user-drag: none !important;
 }
-button, input {
+button, input, textarea {
     border-radius: 0.8rem;
     background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
     margin: var(--button-margin);
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ button, input {
     touch-action: manipulation;
     -webkit-touch-callout: none;
 }
-input {
+input, textarea {
     padding-left: calc(var(--button-margin) * 2);
     -webkit-touch-callout: default;
     user-select: text !important;
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ space{
         border-radius: 0.8rem;
         transform: translateY(calc( ( var(--icon-button-height) + (var(--button-margin) * 2) ) / 2 - 0.6rem));
     }
-    button:hover, input:hover {
+    button:hover, input:hover, textarea:hover {
         background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
     }
     .submit-button:hover {
@@ -694,14 +694,14 @@ space{
         filter: brightness(0.93);
     }
 }
-button:active, button.is-pressed, input:active, input.is-pressed {
+button:active, button.is-pressed, input:active, input.is-pressed, textarea:active, textarea.is-pressed {
     background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
     transform: var(--press-scale);
 }
 .invite-actions button:active {
     filter: brightness(0.85);
 }
-button.active, input.active {
+button.active, input.active, textarea.active {
     background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
 }
 .submit-button:active, .submit-button.is-pressed {
diff --git a/webroot/main.js b/webroot/main.js
index 9a3c8b7d..868fe841 100644
--- a/webroot/main.js
+++ b/webroot/main.js
@@ -1645,6 +1645,7 @@ async function gotoHome() {
     switchRoomContent("title.splash", splashScreen, false);
     switchRoomsBar("title.home", homeRoomBar);
     setActiveRoombarItem(null);
+    setupWebSocket();
     await refreshDms(210);
 }
 
@@ -1861,6 +1862,15 @@ async function openDm(dmId, username, targetId) {
         
         await loadDmMessages(dmId);
         
+        if (dmMessagePollInterval) clearInterval(dmMessagePollInterval);
+        dmMessagePollInterval = setInterval(() => {
+            if (currentDmId === dmId) {
+                loadDmMessages(dmId);
+            } else {
+                clearInterval(dmMessagePollInterval);
+            }
+        }, 15000);
+        
         setActiveRoombarItem(`dm-btn-${dmId}`);
         clearAction("dmopen");
     } catch (e) {
@@ -1906,7 +1916,8 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
         
         if (msg.key && msg.key !== "") {
             try {
-                content = await decryptAesGcmFromBase64(content, currentDmKey);
+                let dmKeyBytes = await sha256Bytes(base64ToUint8(currentDmKey));
+                content = await decryptAesGcmFromBase64(content, dmKeyBytes);
             } catch(e) {
                 content = `<span style="color:var(--error-color)"><blah>error:messages.decrypt.failed</blah></span>`;
             }
@@ -1957,4 +1968,79 @@ async function renderMessages(messages) {
     
     container.innerHTML = html;
     container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
+}
+
+async function sendMessage() {
+    if (!currentDmId || !currentDmKey) return;
+    
+    let input = document.getElementById("chat-input");
+    let content = input.value.trim();
+    if (!content) return;
+    
+    try {
+        let dmKeyBytes = await sha256Bytes(base64ToUint8(currentDmKey));
+        let encryptedContent = await encryptAesGcmToBase64(content, dmKeyBytes);
+        
+        let msgPayload = {
+            string1: currentDmId,
+            string2: encryptedContent,
+            string3: ""
+        };
+        
+        input.value = "";
+        
+        let res = await fetchEncrypted("dm/message/send", JSON.stringify(msgPayload));
+        if (res && res.startsWith("error:")) {
+            showBlahNotification(res);
+        } else {
+            await loadDmMessages(currentDmId);
+        }
+    } catch (e) {
+        console.error(e);
+        showBlahNotification("error:message.send.failed");
+    }
+}
+
+function handleChatInputKey(event) {
+    if (event.key === "Enter" && !event.shiftKey) {
+        const isMobile = /Android|webOS|iPhone|iPad|iPod|BlackBerry|IEMobile|Opera Mini/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
+        if (!isMobile) {
+            event.preventDefault();
+            sendMessage();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+let dmMessagePollInterval = null;
+let appWebSocket = null;
+
+function setupWebSocket() {
+    if (appWebSocket && appWebSocket.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) return;
+    
+    let wsUrl = url.replace(/^http/, "ws") + "/ws";
+    appWebSocket = new WebSocket(wsUrl);
+    
+    appWebSocket.onopen = async () => {
+        try {
+            let nonce = await getNonce(id, passwordHash);
+            let secretEnc = await encryptWithNonce(passwordHash, passwordHash, nonce);
+            appWebSocket.send(JSON.stringify({ string1: id, string2: secretEnc }));
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.error("WS auth failed", e);
+        }
+    };
+    
+    appWebSocket.onmessage = (event) => {
+        let data = event.data;
+        if (data.startsWith("dm_message:")) {
+            let msgDmId = data.substring("dm_message:".length);
+            if (currentDmId === msgDmId) {
+                loadDmMessages(msgDmId);
+            }
+        }
+    };
+    
+    appWebSocket.onclose = () => {
+        setTimeout(setupWebSocket, 5000);
+    };
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webroot/screens.js b/webroot/screens.js
index 9ce9e91c..bdd58c06 100644
--- a/webroot/screens.js
+++ b/webroot/screens.js
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ var chatScreen = `
     <div id="chat-messages" style="flex-grow: 1; overflow-y: auto; padding: 1rem; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0.5rem;">
     </div>
     <div style="padding: 1rem; border-top: var(--border-width) solid var(--light-border-color); display: flex; gap: 0.5rem;">
-        <input type="text" id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}">
+        <textarea id="chat-input" class="forminput" style="flex-grow: 1; margin: 0; resize: none; min-height: 2.5rem; max-height: 8rem; padding: 0.5rem;" placeholder="{blah(placeholder.message.input)}" onkeydown="handleChatInputKey(event)"></textarea>
         <button class="submit-button" onclick="sendMessage()" style="margin: 0; padding: 0; aspect-ratio: 1;">
                 <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="-0.9 -0.5 15.6 16" fill="none" width="1.5rem">
                     <path stroke="var(--main-bg-color)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="m3.75 7.5 -1.875 5.625 11.25 -5.625L1.875 1.875l1.875 5.625zm0 0h3.75" stroke-width="1.1"></path>
diff --git a/webroot/style.css b/webroot/style.css
index f39af177..e35b6183 100644
--- a/webroot/style.css
+++ b/webroot/style.css
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ loading {
     user-select: none !important;
     -webkit-user-drag: none !important;
 }
-button, input {
+button, input, textarea {
     border-radius: 0.8rem;
     background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
     margin: var(--button-margin);
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ button, input {
     touch-action: manipulation;
     -webkit-touch-callout: none;
 }
-input {
+input, textarea {
     padding-left: calc(var(--button-margin) * 2);
     -webkit-touch-callout: default;
     user-select: text !important;
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ space{
         border-radius: 0.8rem;
         transform: translateY(calc( ( var(--icon-button-height) + (var(--button-margin) * 2) ) / 2 - 0.6rem));
     }
-    button:hover, input:hover {
+    button:hover, input:hover, textarea:hover {
         background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
     }
     .submit-button:hover {
@@ -694,14 +694,14 @@ space{
         filter: brightness(0.93);
     }
 }
-button:active, button.is-pressed, input:active, input.is-pressed {
+button:active, button.is-pressed, input:active, input.is-pressed, textarea:active, textarea.is-pressed {
     background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
     transform: var(--press-scale);
 }
 .invite-actions button:active {
     filter: brightness(0.85);
 }
-button.active, input.active {
+button.active, input.active, textarea.active {
     background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
 }
 .submit-button:active, .submit-button.is-pressed {