diff --git a/app/admin/support/[id]/page.tsx b/app/admin/support/[id]/page.tsx
index 103d1b4e..6589d745 100644
--- a/app/admin/support/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/app/admin/support/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ import {
   User,
   Calendar,
   MessageSquare,
-  Save
+  Save,
+  Send
 } from 'lucide-react'
 import { toast } from 'sonner'
 import Link from 'next/link'
@@ -47,6 +48,8 @@ export default function TicketDetailPage() {
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true)
   const [updating, setUpdating] = useState(false)
   const [notes, setNotes] = useState('')
+  const [reply, setReply] = useState('')
+  const [sendingReply, setSendingReply] = useState(false)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     fetchTicket()
@@ -94,6 +97,59 @@ export default function TicketDetailPage() {
     }
   }
 
+  const sendReply = async () => {
+    if (!reply.trim()) {
+      toast.error('Please enter a reply message')
+      return
+    }
+
+    setSendingReply(true)
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`/api/admin/support/tickets/${ticketId}/reply`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ message: reply }),
+      })
+
+      if (response.ok) {
+        toast.success('Reply sent successfully!')
+        setReply('')
+        
+        // Update status to "in_progress" if it's "open"
+        if (ticket?.status === 'open') {
+          try {
+            const statusResponse = await fetch(`/api/admin/support/tickets/${ticketId}`, {
+              method: 'PATCH',
+              headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+              body: JSON.stringify({ status: 'in_progress' }),
+            })
+
+            if (statusResponse.ok) {
+              toast.success('Status updated to In Progress')
+            } else {
+              console.error('Failed to update status')
+              toast.error('Reply sent, but failed to update status')
+            }
+          } catch (statusError) {
+            console.error('Error updating status:', statusError)
+            toast.error('Reply sent, but failed to update status')
+          }
+        }
+        
+        // Refresh ticket data
+        await fetchTicket()
+      } else {
+        const error = await response.json()
+        toast.error(error.error || 'Failed to send reply')
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error sending reply:', error)
+      toast.error('Failed to send reply')
+    } finally {
+      setSendingReply(false)
+    }
+  }
+
   const getStatusColor = (status: string) => {
     switch (status) {
       case 'open': return 'bg-red-500/10 text-red-400 border-red-500/20'
@@ -179,6 +235,56 @@ export default function TicketDetailPage() {
             </CardContent>
           </Card>
 
+          {/* Reply to User */}
+          <Card className="border-blue-500/20 bg-blue-500/5">
+            <CardHeader>
+              <CardTitle className="flex items-center gap-2">
+                <Send className="h-5 w-5 text-blue-500" />
+                Reply to User
+              </CardTitle>
+              <CardDescription>
+                Send a response directly to {ticket.user?.email || 'the user'}
+              </CardDescription>
+            </CardHeader>
+            <CardContent className="space-y-4">
+              <Textarea
+                placeholder="Type your response here... This will be sent via email to the user."
+                value={reply}
+                onChange={(e) => setReply(e.target.value)}
+                rows={6}
+                className="resize-none"
+                disabled={sendingReply}
+              />
+              <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  {reply.length}/2000 characters
+                </p>
+                <div className="flex gap-2">
+                  <Button 
+                    variant="outline"
+                    onClick={() => setReply('')}
+                    disabled={!reply.trim() || sendingReply}
+                  >
+                    Clear
+                  </Button>
+                  <Button 
+                    onClick={sendReply}
+                    disabled={!reply.trim() || sendingReply || reply.length > 2000}
+                    className="bg-gradient-to-r from-blue-500 to-purple-600 hover:from-blue-600 hover:to-purple-700"
+                  >
+                    <Send className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+                    {sendingReply ? 'Sending...' : 'Send Reply'}
+                  </Button>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+              {ticket.status === 'open' && (
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground bg-yellow-500/10 border border-yellow-500/20 rounded p-2">
+                  💡 Tip: Sending a reply will automatically change the status to &quot;In Progress&quot;
+                </p>
+              )}
+            </CardContent>
+          </Card>
+
           {/* Internal Notes */}
           <Card>
             <CardHeader>
@@ -187,7 +293,7 @@ export default function TicketDetailPage() {
                 Internal Notes
               </CardTitle>
               <CardDescription>
-                Add notes visible only to admins
+                Add notes visible only to admins (not sent to user)
               </CardDescription>
             </CardHeader>
             <CardContent className="space-y-4">
diff --git a/app/api/admin/support/tickets/[id]/reply/route.ts b/app/api/admin/support/tickets/[id]/reply/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e371e7bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/api/admin/support/tickets/[id]/reply/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
+import { createClient } from '@/lib/supabase/server'
+import { sendEmail } from '@/lib/email/support-emails'
+
+export async function POST(
+  request: NextRequest,
+  { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }
+) {
+  const { id } = await params
+  
+  console.log('📧 Reply API called for ticket:', id)
+  
+  try {
+    const supabase = await createClient()
+    
+    // Check if user is admin
+    const { data: { user }, error: authError } = await supabase.auth.getUser()
+    
+    if (authError || !user) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Unauthorized' }, { status: 401 })
+    }
+
+    const { data: profile } = await supabase
+      .from('profiles')
+      .select('is_admin, first_name, last_name')
+      .eq('id', user.id)
+      .single()
+
+    if (!profile?.is_admin) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Forbidden' }, { status: 403 })
+    }
+
+    const { message } = await request.json()
+
+    if (!message || !message.trim()) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Message is required' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+
+    if (message.length > 2000) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Message too long (max 2000 characters)' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+
+    // Get ticket
+    const { data: ticket, error: ticketError } = await supabase
+      .from('support_tickets')
+      .select('*')
+      .eq('id', id)
+      .single()
+
+    if (ticketError) {
+      console.error('Error fetching ticket:', ticketError)
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Ticket not found', details: ticketError.message }, { status: 404 })
+    }
+
+    if (!ticket) {
+      console.error('Ticket not found in database:', id)
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Ticket not found' }, { status: 404 })
+    }
+
+    // Get user information
+    const { data: userProfile } = await supabase
+      .from('profiles')
+      .select('email, first_name, last_name')
+      .eq('id', ticket.user_id)
+      .single()
+
+    if (!userProfile?.email) {
+      console.error('User email not found for ticket:', id)
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'User email not found' }, { status: 400 })
+    }
+
+    console.log('✅ Ticket found:', { id: ticket.id, userEmail: userProfile.email })
+
+    // Prepare email
+    const userName = userProfile.first_name || userProfile.email.split('@')[0] || 'User'
+    const adminName = `${profile.first_name || ''} ${profile.last_name || ''}`.trim() || 'Support Team'
+    
+    const emailHtml = getAdminReplyEmail({
+      userName,
+      adminName,
+      ticketId: ticket.id,
+      ticketSubject: ticket.subject,
+      replyMessage: message
+    })
+
+    // Send email to user
+    console.log('📧 Sending reply email to:', userProfile.email)
+    
+    const emailResult = await sendEmail({
+      to: userProfile.email,
+      subject: `Re: [Ticket #${ticket.id.substring(0, 8)}] ${ticket.subject}`,
+      html: emailHtml
+    })
+
+    if (!emailResult.success) {
+      console.error('❌ Failed to send reply email:', emailResult.error)
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Failed to send email', details: emailResult.error }, { status: 500 })
+    }
+
+    console.log('✅ Reply email sent successfully')
+
+    // TODO: Save reply to database (for reply history)
+    // This would go in a support_ticket_replies table
+
+    return NextResponse.json({ 
+      success: true, 
+      message: 'Reply sent successfully' 
+    })
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Error in reply API:', error)
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Internal server error' }, { status: 500 })
+  }
+}
+
+// Email template for admin reply
+function getAdminReplyEmail(params: {
+  userName: string
+  adminName: string
+  ticketId: string
+  ticketSubject: string
+  replyMessage: string
+}) {
+  const content = `
+    <h2 style="margin: 0 0 20px 0; color: #111827; font-size: 20px;">
+      Response to your support ticket
+    </h2>
+    
+    <p style="margin: 0 0 15px 0; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">
+      Hi ${params.userName},
+    </p>
+    
+    <p style="margin: 0 0 15px 0; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">
+      ${params.adminName} from our support team has responded to your ticket:
+    </p>
+    
+    <div style="background-color: #f9fafb; border-left: 4px solid #3b82f6; padding: 15px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 4px;">
+      <p style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #6b7280; font-size: 12px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">
+        Ticket ID: ${params.ticketId}
+      </p>
+      <p style="margin: 0 0 5px 0; color: #111827; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600;">
+        ${params.ticketSubject}
+      </p>
+    </div>
+    
+    <div style="background-color: #eff6ff; border: 1px solid #dbeafe; padding: 20px; margin: 20px 0; border-radius: 8px;">
+      <p style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #1e40af; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600;">
+        ${params.adminName} replied:
+      </p>
+      <p style="margin: 0; color: #1f2937; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; white-space: pre-wrap;">
+        ${params.replyMessage}
+      </p>
+    </div>
+    
+    <p style="margin: 20px 0 15px 0; color: #374151; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">
+      If you have any follow-up questions, please reply to this email or create a new ticket.
+    </p>
+    
+    <a href="https://codeunia.com/protected/help" style="display: inline-block; background: linear-gradient(135deg, #3b82f6 0%, #8b5cf6 100%); color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; padding: 12px 24px; border-radius: 6px; font-weight: 600; margin-top: 10px;">
+      View Help Center
+    </a>
+  `
+  
+  return getEmailTemplate(content)
+}
+
+// Base email template
+function getEmailTemplate(content: string) {
+  return `
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html>
+<head>
+  <meta charset="utf-8">
+  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
+  <title>Codeunia Support</title>
+</head>
+<body style="margin: 0; padding: 0; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; background-color: #f5f5f5;">
+  <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: #f5f5f5; padding: 20px;">
+    <tr>
+      <td align="center">
+        <table width="600" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);">
+          <!-- Header -->
+          <tr>
+            <td style="background: linear-gradient(135deg, #3b82f6 0%, #8b5cf6 100%); padding: 30px; text-align: center;">
+              <h1 style="margin: 0; color: #ffffff; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Codeunia Support</h1>
+            </td>
+          </tr>
+          
+          <!-- Content -->
+          <tr>
+            <td style="padding: 40px 30px;">
+              ${content}
+            </td>
+          </tr>
+          
+          <!-- Footer -->
+          <tr>
+            <td style="background-color: #f9fafb; padding: 20px 30px; text-align: center; border-top: 1px solid #e5e7eb;">
+              <p style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #6b7280; font-size: 14px;">
+                Need help? Reply to this email or visit our <a href="https://codeunia.com/protected/help" style="color: #3b82f6; text-decoration: none;">Help Center</a>
+              </p>
+              <p style="margin: 0; color: #9ca3af; font-size: 12px;">
+                © ${new Date().getFullYear()} Codeunia. All rights reserved.
+              </p>
+            </td>
+          </tr>
+        </table>
+      </td>
+    </tr>
+  </table>
+</body>
+</html>
+`
+}
diff --git a/app/api/admin/support/tickets/[id]/route.ts b/app/api/admin/support/tickets/[id]/route.ts
index fc870151..24d23624 100644
--- a/app/api/admin/support/tickets/[id]/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/admin/support/tickets/[id]/route.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server'
 import { createClient } from '@/lib/supabase/server'
-import { getStatusUpdateEmail, sendEmail } from '@/lib/email/support-emails'
 
+// GET single ticket
 export async function GET(
   request: NextRequest,
   { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }
 ) {
   const { id } = await params
+  
   try {
     const supabase = await createClient()
     
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ export async function GET(
       return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Forbidden' }, { status: 403 })
     }
 
-    // Fetch ticket
+    // Get ticket
     const { data: ticket, error } = await supabase
       .from('support_tickets')
       .select('*')
@@ -39,13 +40,14 @@ export async function GET(
       return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Ticket not found' }, { status: 404 })
     }
 
-    // Fetch user information
+    // Get user profile
     const { data: userProfile } = await supabase
       .from('profiles')
       .select('id, email, first_name, last_name, avatar_url')
       .eq('id', ticket.user_id)
       .single()
 
+    // Combine ticket with user data
     const ticketWithUser = {
       ...ticket,
       user: userProfile || null
@@ -53,16 +55,18 @@ export async function GET(
 
     return NextResponse.json({ ticket: ticketWithUser })
   } catch (error) {
-    console.error('Error in ticket detail API:', error)
+    console.error('Error in GET ticket:', error)
     return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Internal server error' }, { status: 500 })
   }
 }
 
+// PATCH update ticket status
 export async function PATCH(
   request: NextRequest,
   { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }
 ) {
   const { id } = await params
+  
   try {
     const supabase = await createClient()
     
@@ -85,27 +89,22 @@ export async function PATCH(
 
     const { status } = await request.json()
 
-    if (!['open', 'in_progress', 'resolved', 'closed'].includes(status)) {
-      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Invalid status' }, { status: 400 })
+    if (!status) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Status is required' }, { status: 400 })
     }
 
-    // Get current ticket to check old status
-    const { data: currentTicket } = await supabase
-      .from('support_tickets')
-      .select('*, user:profiles!user_id(email, first_name, last_name)')
-      .eq('id', id)
-      .single()
-
-    if (!currentTicket) {
-      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Ticket not found' }, { status: 404 })
+    const validStatuses = ['open', 'in_progress', 'resolved', 'closed']
+    if (!validStatuses.includes(status)) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Invalid status' }, { status: 400 })
     }
 
-    const oldStatus = currentTicket.status
-
     // Update ticket status
     const { data: ticket, error } = await supabase
       .from('support_tickets')
-      .update({ status })
+      .update({ 
+        status,
+        updated_at: new Date().toISOString()
+      })
       .eq('id', id)
       .select()
       .single()
@@ -115,29 +114,9 @@ export async function PATCH(
       return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Failed to update ticket' }, { status: 500 })
     }
 
-    // Send status update email to user (only if status actually changed)
-    if (oldStatus !== status && currentTicket.user) {
-      const userName = currentTicket.user.first_name || currentTicket.user.email?.split('@')[0] || 'User'
-      const userEmail = currentTicket.user.email || ''
-      
-      const statusEmail = getStatusUpdateEmail({
-        userName,
-        ticketId: ticket.id,
-        subject: ticket.subject,
-        oldStatus,
-        newStatus: status
-      })
-      
-      await sendEmail({
-        to: userEmail,
-        subject: statusEmail.subject,
-        html: statusEmail.html
-      })
-    }
-
-    return NextResponse.json({ ticket })
+    return NextResponse.json({ ticket, success: true })
   } catch (error) {
-    console.error('Error in ticket update API:', error)
+    console.error('Error in PATCH ticket:', error)
     return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Internal server error' }, { status: 500 })
   }
 }