diff --git a/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.html b/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.html
index 8897e3c3b0..0227ea6241 100644
--- a/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.html
+++ b/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
         :type="getSource(member) ? 'image' : 'random'"
         :source="getSource(member)"
         :size="groupClass == 'multi' ? (i === 2 ? 10 : i == 1 ? 20 : 30) : groupIconSize"
-        :seed="member.id"
+        :seed="member.did"
       />
     </div>
   </div>
diff --git a/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.vue b/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.vue
index 4664a00461..c854ffa048 100644
--- a/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.vue
+++ b/components/ui/GroupIcon/GroupIcon.vue
@@ -2,15 +2,12 @@
 
 <script lang="ts">
 import Vue, { PropType } from 'vue'
-import {
-  GroupConfig,
-  GroupMemberDetails,
-} from '~/libraries/Iridium/groups/types'
+import { User } from '~/libraries/Iridium/users/types'
 
 export default Vue.extend({
   props: {
-    group: {
-      type: Object as PropType<GroupConfig>,
+    members: {
+      type: Array as PropType<User[]>,
       required: true,
     },
     size: {
@@ -19,9 +16,6 @@ export default Vue.extend({
     },
   },
   computed: {
-    members(): GroupMemberDetails[] {
-      return Object.values(this.group.members)
-    },
     /**
      * @method groupClass
      * @description Returns classname as string based on group members
@@ -46,13 +40,11 @@ export default Vue.extend({
     /**
      * @method getSource
      * @description Returns user profile image source hash, stored in IPFS, if they have one
-     * @param member <GroupMember> the User object/info for a member
-     * @example :source="getSource(member)"
+     * @param did
+     * @example :source="getSource(did)"
      */
-    getSource(member: GroupMemberDetails) {
-      return member.photoHash
-        ? this.$Config.ipfs.gateway + member.photoHash
-        : ''
+    getSource(user: User) {
+      return user?.photoHash && this.$Config.ipfs.gateway + user.photoHash
     },
   },
 })
diff --git a/components/views/chat/message/Message.html b/components/views/chat/message/Message.html
index b8929a8753..92e24c6e69 100644
--- a/components/views/chat/message/Message.html
+++ b/components/views/chat/message/Message.html
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
     <template v-if="showHeader">
       <div class="avatar">
         <UiCircle
-          :type="author.src ? 'image' :'random'"
-          :seed="author.id"
-          :source="author.src"
+          :type="avatarSrc ? 'image' : 'random'"
+          :seed="author.did"
+          :source="avatarSrc"
         />
       </div>
       <div class="header">
diff --git a/components/views/chat/message/Message.vue b/components/views/chat/message/Message.vue
index 489f71995d..ab941ada16 100644
--- a/components/views/chat/message/Message.vue
+++ b/components/views/chat/message/Message.vue
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   Conversation,
   ConversationMessage,
 } from '~/libraries/Iridium/chat/types'
-import { User } from '~/libraries/Iridium/types'
+import { User } from '~/libraries/Iridium/users/types'
 import iridium from '~/libraries/Iridium/IridiumManager'
 
 export default Vue.extend({
@@ -60,19 +60,13 @@ export default Vue.extend({
       return this.$route.params.id
     },
     author(): User {
-      // TODO: access User from iridium via did
-      return {
-        id: this.message.from,
-        name: 'test',
-      } as User
-      // if (this.message.did === iridium.profile.state.
-      // if (this.conversation.type === 'direct') {
-      //   const friendDid = this.conversation.participants.find(
-      //     (f) => f !== iridium.connector?.id,
-      //   )
-      //   return this.friends.find((f) => f.did === friendDid)
-      // }
-      // return this.groups[this.conversation.id]
+      return iridium.users.getUser(this.message.from)
+    },
+    avatarSrc(): string | undefined {
+      return (
+        this.author.photoHash &&
+        this.$Config.ipfs.gateway + this.author.photoHash
+      )
     },
     isReplyingTo(): boolean {
       return (
diff --git a/components/views/chat/message/reactions/Reactions.vue b/components/views/chat/message/reactions/Reactions.vue
index 31489c5774..e9ab7e78d7 100644
--- a/components/views/chat/message/reactions/Reactions.vue
+++ b/components/views/chat/message/reactions/Reactions.vue
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ export default Vue.extend({
           didsForEmoji[emoji].push(did)
         })
       })
-      const reactions = Object.entries(didsForEmoji).map(([emoji, names]) => ({
+      const reactions = Object.entries(didsForEmoji).map(([emoji, dids]) => ({
         emoji,
-        names,
+        names: dids.map((did) => iridium.users.getUser(did)?.name),
       }))
       return reactions
     },
diff --git a/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.html b/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.html
index c9c13c72a7..521fdc708b 100644
--- a/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.html
+++ b/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.html
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 >
   <template>
     <UiUserState v-if="conversation.type === 'direct'" :user="user" />
-    <UiGroupIcon v-else :participants="participants" />
+    <UiGroupIcon v-else :members="participants" />
   </template>
   <div class="user-info">
     <TypographyText
diff --git a/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.vue b/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.vue
index a4b6a9723c..79fb1bef59 100644
--- a/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.vue
+++ b/components/views/navigation/sidebar/list/item/Item.vue
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export default Vue.extend({
     user(): User | null {
       return iridium.users.getUser(this.conversation.participants[0])
     },
-    participants(): (User | null)[] {
+    participants(): User[] {
       return this.conversation.participants.map((did) => {
         return iridium.users.getUser(did)
       })
diff --git a/components/views/navigation/sidebar/quick/Quick.vue b/components/views/navigation/sidebar/quick/Quick.vue
index 185e70e110..6298b5543a 100644
--- a/components/views/navigation/sidebar/quick/Quick.vue
+++ b/components/views/navigation/sidebar/quick/Quick.vue
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { TranslateResult } from 'vue-i18n'
 import iridium from '~/libraries/Iridium/IridiumManager'
 import { Friend } from '~/libraries/Iridium/friends/types'
 import { RootState } from '~/types/store/store'
+import { Conversation } from '~/libraries/Iridium/chat/types'
 
 export default Vue.extend({
   data() {
@@ -53,25 +54,16 @@ export default Vue.extend({
       }
       this.isLoading = true
       try {
-        if (!this.accounts.details) {
-          throw new Error('no account')
+        if (!iridium.connector) {
+          return
         }
-        const id = await iridium.groups.createGroup({
+        const participants = [
+          iridium.connector.id,
+          ...this.friends.map((friend) => friend.did),
+        ]
+        const id = await iridium.chat.createGroupConversation({
           name: this.name,
-          members: {
-            [this.accounts.active]: {
-              id: this.accounts.active,
-              name: this.accounts.details.name,
-              photoHash: this.accounts.details.profilePicture,
-            },
-            ...this.friends.reduce(
-              (prev, f) => ({
-                ...prev,
-                [f.did]: { id: f.did, name: f.name, photoHash: f.photoHash },
-              }),
-              {},
-            ),
-          },
+          participants,
         })
         this.$emit('toggle')
         this.$router.push(`/chat/${id}`)
diff --git a/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.html b/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.html
index d04089be9c..37d4168a96 100644
--- a/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.html
+++ b/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.html
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <div class="circle-container">
     <template v-if="details">
       <UiUserState v-if="!isGroup" class="circle" :user="details" />
-      <UiGroupIcon v-else :group="details" />
+      <UiGroupIcon v-else :members="members" />
     </template>
   </div>
   <div class="user-info">
diff --git a/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.vue b/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.vue
index 2b66c6064d..6301e9311d 100644
--- a/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.vue
+++ b/components/views/navigation/toolbar/Toolbar.vue
@@ -39,11 +39,6 @@ export default Vue.extend({
       default: false,
     },
   },
-  setup() {
-    const { isActiveCall } = useWebRTC()
-
-    return { isActiveCall }
-  },
   data() {
     return {
       searchRecommend,
@@ -53,6 +48,7 @@ export default Vue.extend({
       groups: iridium.groups.state,
       isGroupInviteVisible: false,
       webrtc: iridium.webRTC.state,
+      isActiveCall: undefined as any,
     }
   },
   computed: {
@@ -64,50 +60,42 @@ export default Vue.extend({
       modals: (state) => (state as RootState).ui.modals,
     }),
     ModalWindows: () => ModalWindows,
-    conversationId(): Conversation['id'] | undefined {
+    conversationId(): string {
       return this.$route.params.id
     },
-    conversation(): Conversation | undefined {
-      if (!this.conversationId) {
-        return undefined
-      }
+    conversation(): Conversation {
       return iridium.chat.state.conversations[this.conversationId]
     },
     isGroup(): boolean {
-      return this.conversation?.type === 'group'
+      return this.conversation.participants.length > 2
     },
-    details(): User | Group | undefined {
-      if (!this.conversation) {
-        return undefined
-      }
+    details(): User | Conversation {
       if (this.isGroup) {
-        return this.groups[this.conversation.id]
+        return iridium.chat.state.conversations[this.conversationId]
       }
       const friendDid = this.conversation.participants.find(
         (f) => f !== iridium.connector?.id,
-      )
-      if (!friendDid) {
-        return
-      }
+      ) as string
       return this.users[friendDid]
     },
-    groupMembers(): GroupMemberDetails[] {
-      const members = (this.details as Group).members ?? []
-      return Object.values(members)
+    members(): User[] {
+      return this.conversation.participants.map((did) => {
+        return iridium.users.getUser(did)
+      })
     },
     subtitleText(): string {
       if (!this.details) {
         return ''
       }
       if (this.isGroup) {
-        return this.groupMembers.map((m) => m.name).join(', ')
+        return this.members.map((m) => m.name).join(', ')
       }
       return (this.details as User).status || 'offline'
     },
     enableRTC(): boolean {
       // todo- hook up to usermanager
       if (this.isGroup) {
-        const memberIds = this.groupMembers.map((m) => m.id)
+        const memberIds = this.members.map((m) => m.did)
         return Object.values(this.users).some(
           (friend: Friend) =>
             memberIds.includes(friend.did) && friend.status === 'online',
@@ -128,11 +116,14 @@ export default Vue.extend({
         : (this.$t('controls.not_connected') as string)
     },
   },
+  mounted() {
+    this.isActiveCall = useWebRTC()
+  },
   methods: {
     groupInvite() {
       this.$store.commit('ui/toggleModal', {
         name: 'groupInvite',
-        state: { isOpen: true, group: this.details as Group },
+        state: { isOpen: true, group: this.details as Conversation },
       })
     },
     toggleAlerts() {
diff --git a/libraries/Iridium/chat/ChatManager.ts b/libraries/Iridium/chat/ChatManager.ts
index 148594987f..4bc7adaf92 100644
--- a/libraries/Iridium/chat/ChatManager.ts
+++ b/libraries/Iridium/chat/ChatManager.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   IridiumPubsubMessage,
   IridiumSetOptions,
   encoding,
+  IridiumPeerIdentifier,
 } from '@satellite-im/iridium'
 import type { IridiumDecodedPayload } from '@satellite-im/iridium/src/core/encoding'
 import type { AddOptions, AddResult } from 'ipfs-core-types/root'
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import type {
   SyncSubscriptionResponse,
 } from '@satellite-im/iridium/src/sync/agent'
 import type { EmitterCallback } from '@satellite-im/iridium'
+import { v4 } from 'uuid'
 import {
   Conversation,
   ConversationMessage,
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ import {
   MessageReactionPayload,
   ConversationMessagePayload,
   MessageAttachment,
+  IridiumConversationEvent,
 } from '~/libraries/Iridium/chat/types'
 import { Friend } from '~/libraries/Iridium/friends/types'
 import { IridiumManager } from '~/libraries/Iridium/IridiumManager'
@@ -76,32 +79,37 @@ export default class ChatManager extends Emitter<ConversationMessage> {
   async init() {
     this.state = ((await this.get()) as State) ?? initialState
     const conversations = Object.values(this.state.conversations)
+    const iridium = this.iridium.connector
+    if (!iridium) {
+      throw new Error('cannot initialize chat manager, no iridium connector')
+    }
     // listen for sync node subscription responses
-    this.iridium.connector?.p2p.on<
+    iridium.p2p.on<
       IridiumPubsubMessage<IridiumDecodedPayload<SyncSubscriptionResponse>>
     >('node/message/sync/subscribe', this.onSyncSubscriptionResponse.bind(this))
 
-    this.iridium.connector?.p2p.on<
+    iridium.p2p.on<
       IridiumPubsubMessage<IridiumDecodedPayload<SyncFetchResponse>>
     >('node/message/sync/fetch', this.onSyncFetchResponse.bind(this))
 
-    this.iridium.connector?.p2p.on('ready', async () => {
-      if (!this.iridium.connector?.p2p.primaryNodeID) {
+    iridium.subscribe<IridiumConversationEvent>('/chat/announce', {
+      handler: this.onConversationAnnounce.bind(this),
+    })
+
+    iridium.p2p.on('ready', async () => {
+      if (!iridium.p2p.primaryNodeID) {
         throw new Error('not connected to primary node')
       }
 
       logger.info(
         'iridium/chatmanager/init',
         'p2p ready, initializing chat...',
-        { node: this.iridium.connector?.p2p.primaryNodeID },
+        { node: iridium.p2p.primaryNodeID },
       )
       // sync fetch
-      await this.iridium.connector?.p2p.send(
-        this.iridium.connector?.p2p.primaryNodeID,
-        {
-          type: 'sync/fetch',
-        },
-      )
+      await iridium.p2p.send(iridium.p2p.primaryNodeID, {
+        type: 'sync/fetch',
+      })
 
       for (const conversation of conversations) {
         if (this.subscriptions[conversation.id] !== undefined) continue
@@ -113,20 +121,46 @@ export default class ChatManager extends Emitter<ConversationMessage> {
           `requesting sync subscription to ${topic}`,
         )
         // ask the sync node to subscribe to this topic
-        await this.iridium.connector?.p2p.send(
-          this.iridium.connector?.p2p.primaryNodeID,
-          {
-            type: 'sync/subscribe',
-            topic,
-            offlineSync: true,
-          },
-        )
+        await iridium.p2p.send(iridium.p2p.primaryNodeID, {
+          type: 'sync/subscribe',
+          topic,
+          offlineSync: true,
+        })
       }
       this.ready = true
       this.emit('ready', {})
     })
   }
 
+  private async onConversationAnnounce(
+    message: IridiumMessage<IridiumConversationEvent>,
+  ) {
+    const payload = message.payload.body
+
+    const participants = payload.participants?.map((did) => did.toString())
+    if (!participants) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    await Promise.all(
+      participants.map((did) => {
+        if (!this.iridium.users.getUser(did)) {
+          return this.iridium.users.searchPeer(did)
+        }
+        return null
+      }),
+    )
+
+    if (payload.type === 'create') {
+      await this.createConversation({
+        id: payload.id,
+        type: 'group',
+        name: payload.name,
+        participants,
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * @param message - pubsub message from the sync node
    * @description - handle a sync subscription response from the sync node
@@ -312,6 +346,15 @@ export default class ChatManager extends Emitter<ConversationMessage> {
     return Object.keys(this.state.conversations).includes(id)
   }
 
+  async hasDirectConversation(did: string) {
+    if (!this.iridium.connector) {
+      return
+    }
+    const participants = [this.iridium.connector?.id, did]
+    const id = await encoding.hash(participants.sort())
+    return this.hasConversation(id)
+  }
+
   /**
    * @param {string} friendDid
    * @description fetch direct conversation id based on friend did.
@@ -323,18 +366,31 @@ export default class ChatManager extends Emitter<ConversationMessage> {
     )?.id
   }
 
+  async generateConversationId(
+    type: Conversation['type'],
+    participants: Conversation['participants'],
+  ): Promise<string> {
+    if (type === 'group') {
+      return v4()
+    }
+    return await encoding.hash(participants.sort())
+  }
+
   async createConversation({
     id,
     type,
     name,
     participants,
   }: {
-    id: Conversation['id']
+    id?: Conversation['id']
     type: Conversation['type']
     name: Conversation['name']
     participants: Conversation['participants']
-  }) {
-    if (this.hasConversation(id)) {
+  }): Promise<Conversation['id']> {
+    if (!id) {
+      id = await this.generateConversationId(type, participants)
+    }
+    if (id && type === 'direct' && this.hasConversation(id)) {
       throw new Error(ChatError.CONVERSATION_EXISTS)
     }
 
@@ -366,6 +422,37 @@ export default class ChatManager extends Emitter<ConversationMessage> {
         },
       )
     }
+
+    return id
+  }
+
+  async createGroupConversation({
+    name,
+    participants,
+  }: {
+    name: Conversation['name']
+    participants: Conversation['participants']
+  }): Promise<Conversation['id']> {
+    const id = await this.createConversation({
+      type: 'group',
+      name,
+      participants,
+    })
+
+    const event: IridiumConversationEvent = {
+      id,
+      type: 'create',
+      name,
+      participants,
+    }
+
+    await this.iridium.connector?.publish('/chat/announce', event, {
+      encrypt: {
+        recipients: participants,
+      },
+    })
+
+    return id
   }
 
   async deleteConversation(id: Conversation['id']) {
diff --git a/libraries/Iridium/chat/types.ts b/libraries/Iridium/chat/types.ts
index 7d6e9bc824..9f7e14058f 100644
--- a/libraries/Iridium/chat/types.ts
+++ b/libraries/Iridium/chat/types.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { IridiumPeerIdentifier } from '~/../iridium/dist'
 import { FILE_TYPE } from '~/libraries/Files/types/file'
 
 export type MessageGlyph = {
@@ -69,3 +70,12 @@ export const ChatError = {
   MESSAGE_NOT_FOUND: 'errors.chat.message_not_found',
   MESSAGE_NOT_SENT: 'errors.chat.message_not_sent',
 }
+
+export type ConversationEventType = 'create' | 'add_member' | 'remove_member'
+
+export type IridiumConversationEvent = {
+  id: string
+  type: ConversationEventType
+  name?: string
+  participants?: IridiumPeerIdentifier[]
+}
diff --git a/libraries/Iridium/friends/FriendsManager.ts b/libraries/Iridium/friends/FriendsManager.ts
index 02031bbc74..c057698518 100644
--- a/libraries/Iridium/friends/FriendsManager.ts
+++ b/libraries/Iridium/friends/FriendsManager.ts
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ export default class FriendsManager extends Emitter<IridiumFriendPubsub> {
 
     // Announce to the remote user
     if (did !== this.iridium.connector?.id) {
-      const profile = await this.iridium.profile?.get()
+      const profile = this.iridium.profile.state
       if (!profile) {
         logger.error(this.loggerTag, 'network error')
         throw new Error(FriendsError.NETWORK_ERROR)
@@ -394,18 +394,15 @@ export default class FriendsManager extends Emitter<IridiumFriendPubsub> {
     }
 
     const user = this.iridium.users.getUser(did.toString())
-    const id = await encoding.hash(
-      [did.toString(), this.iridium.connector?.id].sort(),
-    )
     if (!user) {
       throw new Error(`can't find user: ${did}`)
     }
-    if (id && !this.iridium.chat.hasConversation(id)) {
+    const participants = [did.toString(), this.iridium.connector.id]
+    if (!(await this.iridium.chat.hasDirectConversation(did.toString()))) {
       await this.iridium.chat.createConversation({
-        id,
         name: user.name,
         type: 'direct',
-        participants: [did.toString(), this.iridium.connector.id],
+        participants,
       })
     }
 
@@ -419,7 +416,7 @@ export default class FriendsManager extends Emitter<IridiumFriendPubsub> {
 
     // Announce to the remote user
     if (didUtils.didString(did) !== this.iridium.connector?.id) {
-      const profile = await this.iridium.profile?.get()
+      const profile = this.iridium.profile.state
       if (!profile) {
         logger.error(this.loggerTag, 'network error')
         throw new Error(FriendsError.NETWORK_ERROR)
diff --git a/libraries/Iridium/profile/ProfileManager.ts b/libraries/Iridium/profile/ProfileManager.ts
index 7add307dd0..38360c42ec 100644
--- a/libraries/Iridium/profile/ProfileManager.ts
+++ b/libraries/Iridium/profile/ProfileManager.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import { Emitter } from '@satellite-im/iridium'
 import { IridiumManager } from '../IridiumManager'
-import { Profile } from './types'
+import { User } from '../Users/types'
 
 export default class IridiumProfile extends Emitter {
   public readonly iridium: IridiumManager
-  public state?: Profile
+  public state?: User
 
   constructor(iridium: IridiumManager) {
     super()
@@ -23,12 +23,17 @@ export default class IridiumProfile extends Emitter {
 
   private async fetch() {
     this.state = await this.iridium.connector?.get('/profile')
+    this.setUser()
     // TODO: verify schema of profile data, recover from invalid data
   }
 
   onStateChanged(state: { path: string; value: any }) {
     if (state.path.startsWith('/profile')) {
-      this.state = state.value?.profile || {}
+      if (!state.value?.profile) {
+        return
+      }
+      this.state = state.value?.profile
+      this.setUser()
       this.emit('changed', state)
     }
   }
@@ -40,4 +45,11 @@ export default class IridiumProfile extends Emitter {
   set(path: string = '', payload: any, options: any = {}) {
     return this.iridium.connector?.set(`/profile${path}`, payload, options)
   }
+
+  setUser() {
+    const id = this.iridium.connector?.id
+    if (this.state && id) {
+      this.iridium.users.setUser(id, this.state)
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/store/accounts/actions.ts b/store/accounts/actions.ts
index 0ccb6546e7..eac5a8974b 100644
--- a/store/accounts/actions.ts
+++ b/store/accounts/actions.ts
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ export default {
       logger.error('accounts/actions/loadAccount', 'user not registered')
       throw new Error(AccountsError.USER_NOT_REGISTERED)
     }
+    iridium.profile.setUser()
     commit('setActiveAccount', iridium.connector?.id)
 
     logger.debug(