Private Message Fade

Private Message Fade is a RuneLite plugin that automatically hides or fades split private messages after inactivity, while optionally showing unread-message notifications.

By default, Old School RuneScape keeps split private messages visible until something else replaces them. This plugin adds a configurable inactivity timer so split PMs can disappear automatically after a delay.

Features

• Hides split private chat after a configurable period with no PM activity
• Supports either instant hide or gradual fade-out
• Resets visibility when private messages are received or sent
• Keeps split PMs visible while the private reply input is open
• Handles existing split PM text when the plugin is enabled mid-session
• Optional unread-message notifications after split PMs have faded away
• Optional notification on the Private chat tab
• Optional RuneLite-style movable notification widget above the chatbox
• Separate Off, No count, and Count display modes for both notification styles
• Optional Private tab marks read behavior to clear unread notifications when the user switches to the Private tab
• Optional Private tab opens split chat behavior to restore split PM visibility when switching to that tab
• Optional Keep split chat open behavior to prevent fading while the Private tab is selected
• Optional ESC closes PM window behavior while typing a private reply

Notification Modes

The plugin supports two independent unread-notification displays:

• Widget notification Shows a RuneLite overlay widget above the chatbox.
• Private tab notification Shows a ! or count on the Private chat tab.

Each display mode can be set to:

• Off
• No count
• Count

This lets users enable either display, both, or neither.

Configuration

Split PM fading

• Display Duration Number of seconds to wait after the last PM activity before hiding or fading split PMs
• Enable fade effect Fades split PMs out gradually instead of hiding them instantly
• Fade Duration Length of the fade animation in seconds
• ESC closes PM window Pressing Esc while typing a private message closes that reply input only

Setting Display Duration to 0 starts fading or hiding split PMs immediately after PM activity.

Widget notification

• Widget notification Controls whether the movable RuneLite widget is off, shown without a count, or shown with a count
• Widget text Text color for the widget
• Widget bold Makes the widget text bold
• Widget text size Adjusts the widget font size
• Widget background Background color and transparency for the widget

Private tab notification

• Private tab notification Controls whether the Private tab notification is off, shown without a count, or shown with a count
• Private tab text Text color for the Private tab notification
• Private tab marks read Clears unread notifications when the Private tab is opened and suppresses notifications while that tab is active
• Private tab opens split chat Restores split PM visibility when the Private tab is selected
• Keep split chat open Prevents split PMs from fading while the Private tab is selected
• Private ! size Font size for the ! on the Private tab
• Private count size Font size for the unread count on the Private tab
• Private Offset X Horizontal offset for the Private tab notification
• Private Offset Y Vertical offset for the Private tab notification

Behavior

• Incoming private messages reset the split-PM inactivity timer
• Outgoing private messages reset the split-PM inactivity timer
• Opening the private reply input restores split PM visibility
• While the private reply input is open, split PMs remain visible
• If split PM text already exists when the plugin becomes active, the plugin can still fade that text without requiring a full RuneLite restart
• Existing split PM text shown after login is visible for the normal delay by default, then fades out
• The Private tab can independently restore split PM visibility and pause fading while selected
• Unread notifications only appear after split PMs are fully hidden

Scope

This plugin only affects the split private-message display above the chatbox and its unread indicators. It does not change normal chatbox history, PM storage, or RuneLite's native message logs.