Watch a video on inviting someone to chat.
Before you can chat with someone in Gmail, you'll need to invite them by following the instructions below. Your friend will see the invitation above their Contacts list in Gmail asking if they'd like to be able to chat with you. Until they accept, you'll see 'Invited' next to their name in your Contacts list.
Once they've accepted your invitation, you'll see a status button to the left of their name in your Chat list, which indicates whether they're available (green), busy (red), idle (yellow), or offline (gray). At that point, just click on their name to send them a chat message.
To invite a Gmail user:
- In the 'Search, add, or invite' box at the top of the Chat area, type your friend's username. If they're already in your Contacts, Gmail will pre-populate their username.
- Click Invite to chat.
- In the window that appears, click Send Invites. A yellow notification banner lets you know your invitation has been sent successfully.
Alternatively, you can click Add Contact at the bottom of the Chat area, enter your friend's username, and then click Send Invites. If you invite someone who doesn't use Gmail or Google Talk, we'll send an email asking them to sign up for one of these products.
To invite an AIM user who isn't already on your Buddy List:
- Sign in to AIM.
- Click Add Contact.
- Click Or, add AIM buddies.
- Click Send Invites.*
*Please note: unlike Chat invitations to Gmail contacts, your invited AIM contacts won't see your request until you send a chat to them.
Note to Google Apps users: The ability to chat with people outside the Google Talk network isn't currently included in Google Apps.