diff --git a/src/home.pug b/src/home.pug
index 09a00c7..3277b89 100644
--- a/src/home.pug
+++ b/src/home.pug
@@ -53,3 +53,4 @@ html
           .c-chat__inner#c-chat
         .c-chat-input
           textarea(placeholder="Send a message..." autocomplete="off").c-chat-input__textarea#c-chat-textarea
+          .c-typing#c-typing
diff --git a/src/js/functions.js b/src/js/functions.js
index da60793..db43a16 100644
--- a/src/js/functions.js
+++ b/src/js/functions.js
@@ -10,4 +10,28 @@ function resolveMxc(url, size, method) {
 	}
 }
 
-module.exports = {resolveMxc}
+function extractLocalpart(mxid) {
+	// try to extract the localpart from the mxid
+	let match = mxid.match(/^@([^:]+):/)
+	if (match) {
+		return match[1]
+	}
+	// localpart extraction failed, use the whole mxid
+	return mxid
+}
+
+function extractDisplayName(stateEvent) {
+	const mxid = stateEvent.state_key
+	// see if a display name is set
+	if (stateEvent.content.displayname) {
+		return stateEvent.content.displayname
+	}
+	// fall back to the mxid
+	return extractLocalpart(mxid)
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+	resolveMxc,
+	extractLocalpart,
+	extractDisplayName
+}
diff --git a/src/js/main.js b/src/js/main.js
index a15bc7f..fa5dc06 100644
--- a/src/js/main.js
+++ b/src/js/main.js
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ const groups = require("./groups.js")
 const chat_input = require("./chat-input.js")
 const room_picker = require("./room-picker.js")
 const sync = require("./sync/sync.js")
-const chat  = require("./chat.js")
+const chat = require("./chat.js")
+require("./typing.js")
 
 if (!localStorage.getItem("access_token")) {
 	location.assign("./login/")
diff --git a/src/js/room-picker.js b/src/js/room-picker.js
index b04bcc6..3046612 100644
--- a/src/js/room-picker.js
+++ b/src/js/room-picker.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const {SubscribeMapList} = require("./store/subscribe_map_list.js")
 const {SubscribeValue} = require("./store/subscribe_value.js")
 const {Timeline} = require("./timeline.js")
 const lsm = require("./lsm.js")
-const {resolveMxc} = require("./functions.js")
+const {resolveMxc, extractLocalpart, extractDisplayName} = require("./functions.js")
 
 class ActiveGroupMarker extends ElemJS {
 	constructor() {
@@ -93,6 +93,15 @@ class Room extends ElemJS {
 		}
 	}
 
+	getMemberName(mxid) {
+		if (this.members.has(mxid)) {
+			const state = this.members.get(mxid).value()
+			return extractDisplayName(state)
+		} else {
+			return extractLocalpart(mxid)
+		}
+	}
+
 	getName() {
 		// if the room has a name
 		let name = this.data.state.events.find(e => e.type === "m.room.name")
@@ -107,22 +116,7 @@ class Room extends ElemJS {
 		// if the room has no alias, use the names of its members ("heroes")
 		const users = this.data.summary["m.heroes"]
 		if (users && users.length) {
-			const usernames = users.map(u => {
-				// if the member is in the room, use their display name
-				if (this.members.has(u)) {
-					const displayname = this.members.get(u).value().content.displayname
-					if (displayname) {
-						return displayname
-					}
-				}
-				// we don't have the member, so extract the localpart from the mxid
-				const match = u.match(/^@([^:]+):/)
-				if (match) {
-					return match[1]
-				}
-				// localpart extraction failed, use the whole mxid
-				return u
-			})
+			const usernames = users.map(mxid => this.getMemberName(mxid))
 			return usernames.join(", ")
 		}
 		// the room is empty
diff --git a/src/js/store/subscribable.js b/src/js/store/subscribable.js
index e87bab2..56bf971 100644
--- a/src/js/store/subscribable.js
+++ b/src/js/store/subscribable.js
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ class Subscribable {
 		} else {
 			throw new Error(`Cannot subscribe to non-existent event ${event}, available events are: ${Object.keys(this.events).join(", ")}`)
 		}
+		// return a function we can call to easily unsubscribe
+		return () => this.unsubscribe(event, callback)
 	}
 
 	unsubscribe(event, callback) {
diff --git a/src/js/sync/sync.js b/src/js/sync/sync.js
index c17b0e9..945e5cc 100644
--- a/src/js/sync/sync.js
+++ b/src/js/sync/sync.js
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ function manageSync(root) {
 			if (data.timeline.events.length) newEvents = true
 			timeline.updateStateEvents(data.state.events)
 			timeline.updateEvents(data.timeline.events)
+			timeline.updateEphemeral(data.ephemeral.events)
 		})
 
 		// set up groups
diff --git a/src/js/timeline.js b/src/js/timeline.js
index 3204a5c..2743404 100644
--- a/src/js/timeline.js
+++ b/src/js/timeline.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const {ElemJS, ejs} = require("./basic.js")
 const {Subscribable} = require("./store/subscribable.js")
+const {SubscribeValue} = require("./store/subscribe_value.js")
 const {store} = require("./store/store.js")
 const {Anchor} = require("./anchor.js")
 const {Sender} = require("./sender.js")
@@ -39,7 +40,6 @@ function eventSearch(list, event, min = 0, max = NO_MAX) {
 	else return eventSearch(list, event, mid + 1, max)
 }
 
-
 class EventGroup extends ElemJS {
 	constructor(reactive, list) {
 		super("div")
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ class EventGroup extends ElemJS {
 	}
 }
 
-
 /** Displays a spinner and creates an event to notify timeline to load more messages */
 class LoadMore extends ElemJS {
 	constructor(id) {
@@ -197,6 +196,7 @@ class Timeline extends Subscribable {
 		this.latest = 0
 		this.pending = new Set()
 		this.pendingEdits = []
+		this.typing = new SubscribeValue().set([])
 		this.from = null
 	}
 
@@ -275,6 +275,14 @@ class Timeline extends Subscribable {
 		this.broadcast("afterChange")
 	}
 
+	updateEphemeral(events) {
+		for (const eventData of events) {
+			if (eventData.type === "m.typing") {
+				this.typing.set(eventData.content.user_ids)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	removeEvent(id) {
 		if (!this.map.has(id)) throw new Error(`Tried to delete event ID ${id} which does not exist`)
 		this.map.get(id).removeEvent()
diff --git a/src/js/typing.js b/src/js/typing.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46990d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/typing.js
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+const {ElemJS, ejs, q} = require("./basic")
+const {store} = require("./store/store")
+
+/**
+ * Maximum number of typing users to display all names for.
+ * More will be shown as "X users are typing".
+ */
+const maxUsers = 4
+
+function getMemberName(mxid) {
+	return store.activeRoom.value().getMemberName(mxid)
+}
+
+class Typing extends ElemJS {
+	constructor() {
+		super(q("#c-typing"))
+
+		this.typingUnsubscribe = null
+
+		this.message = ejs("span")
+		this.child(this.message)
+
+		store.activeRoom.subscribe("changeSelf", this.changeRoom.bind(this))
+	}
+
+	changeRoom() {
+		if (this.typingUnsubscribe) {
+			this.typingUnsubscribe()
+		}
+		if (!store.activeRoom.exists()) return
+		const room = store.activeRoom.value()
+		this.typingUnsubscribe = room.timeline.typing.subscribe("changeSelf", this.render.bind(this))
+		this.render()
+	}
+
+	render() {
+		if (!store.activeRoom.exists()) return
+		const room = store.activeRoom.value()
+		const users = room.timeline.typing.value()
+		if (users.length === 0) {
+			this.removeClass("c-typing--typing")
+		} else {
+			let message = ""
+			if (users.length === 1) {
+				message = `${getMemberName(users[0])} is typing...`
+			} else if (users.length <= maxUsers) {
+				// feel free to rewrite this loop if you know a better way
+				for (let i = 0; i < users.length; i++) {
+					if (i < users.length-1) {
+						message += `${getMemberName(users[i])}, `
+					} else {
+						message += `and ${getMemberName(users[i])} are typing...`
+					}
+				}
+			} else {
+				message = `${users.length} people are typing...`
+			}
+			this.class("c-typing--typing")
+			this.message.text(message)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+new Typing()
diff --git a/src/sass/components/chat-input.sass b/src/sass/components/chat-input.sass
index 892fee6..bb82dde 100644
--- a/src/sass/components/chat-input.sass
+++ b/src/sass/components/chat-input.sass
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@
   -webkit-appearance: $value
 
 .c-chat-input
+  position: relative
   width: 100%
   border-top: 2px solid c.$divider
   background-color: c.$dark
 
   &__textarea
+    position: relative
+    z-index: 1
     width: calc(100% - 40px)
     height: 16px + (16px * 1.45)
     box-sizing: border-box
diff --git a/src/sass/components/typing.sass b/src/sass/components/typing.sass
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dad8d90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sass/components/typing.sass
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+@use "../colors" as c
+
+.c-typing
+  height: 39px
+  background: c.$divider
+  position: absolute
+  right: 0
+  left: 0
+  top: 0
+  z-index: 0
+  margin: 20px
+  border-radius: 8px
+  padding: 0px 12px
+  font-size: 14px
+  line-height: 19px
+  transform: translateY(0px)
+  transition: transform 0.15s ease
+  color: #fff
+
+  &--typing
+    transform: translateY(-21px)
diff --git a/src/sass/main.sass b/src/sass/main.sass
index 24cd6ca..9d7251f 100644
--- a/src/sass/main.sass
+++ b/src/sass/main.sass
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 @use "./components/messages"
 @use "./components/chat"
 @use "./components/chat-input"
+@use "./components/typing"
 @use "./components/anchor"
 @use "./components/highlighted-code"
 @use "./loading"