Instant Messaging (IM) allows you to “chat” with other Skype users using your keyboard. In many cases, IM may be useful for communicating with other users instead of, or in addition to voice communication. For example, if you are discussing a website you visited recently, it may be easier to copy and paste the website address into the IM window instead of saying this with your voice.

IM is started in exactly the same way as a voice conversation. Simply right-click a HGC-Skype Name and select “Send message” to start an IM “chat” session at any time. When you are in an active IM session with another Skype user, a new window will open with the IM session active. Simply type the message and press enter to “chat.” If you are not currently in a voice conversation with this user, you can also click the “Call” button in the chat window to call this user.