You can find this option near the top of the chat box on the left side of your screen. This will sign you into G-chat, the Gmail chatting service. You can only chat with other people who are currently on Gmail if you sign into Gmail chat. Any person that you've exchanged emails with will automatically appear in your chat box.
 Your status will let people know if you're available to chat or if you're away. To change your status, simply click on the icon that looks like a person's head and shoulders on the top left of the chat box. Here are the options you can select:


Available. This is the default option, which states that you're online and ready to chat.
Busy. This tells people that you're online, but that you may be too busy to chat.
Invisible. If you'd like to be on G-chat without people knowing that you're online while still being able to message whomever you'd like, select this option.
Custom message. Select this option if you'd like to write a customized message for your friends to see when you sign on.
 Just click on the person's name and a little chat box will pop up on the bottom right of your screen. Type in whatever you'd like to say and press "Enter" and your contact will see the words. Here's what else you can do while you're chatting:


Click on the video camera on the top right of the screen to video chat with the person.






Click on the line on the top right to minimize the box, and the arrow next to the box to make it larger. Click on the "x" on the top right of the box to exit the chat.






Click on "More" below the "x" on the top right of the chat box to either take the chat off the record, so that it won't be archived, or to block the person you're chatting with.
 If you don't want to wait to send an email to a contact in order for him or her to appear in your chat box, just click on the icon on the top left of the chat box and select "Add contact." Then, type in the email of the person you'd like to invite, and click on "Invite contact."

, To add or change your profile picture, just click on the person icon to the top left of your chat box and select "Change picture." Then, click on "Choose file" to search for the picture you'd like to use for your profile picture., To do this, simply click on the same gray icon with a person's face (or your profile picture) on the top left of your chat box, and select "Chat settings." Then, you will be brought to a new screen where you'll be able to turn your chat on or off, adjust your phone and video chat settings, and choose whether or not you'd like your chat experience to include emoticons and sounds.
 Gmail will archive all of your chats automatically. If you'd like to access them to rehash a conversation you recently had, just click on the "More" button above your chat box to open up more option. Select "Chat" and you'll be brought to your archived chats. You can search for a person's name or key word in the search box to find the chat, or even delete the chats.
 To sign out of chat on Gmail, simply click on the same button you used to sign into chat and select the "Sign out" option. You can also just close your Gmail window if you're done chatting and using Gmail -- though this will still keep you logged into your email account.
Click on "Sign into chat.",
Change your status.
Chat with one of your contacts.
Add a contact to your chat box.
Change your profile picture.
Adjust your chat settings.
Search through your archived chats.
Sign out of your chat.
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