Email, Messaging, & Video Calls > Email How to Start a Chat Session in Gmail Use Google Hangouts to send instant messages right from your Gmail screen By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 11, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Gmail Yahoo! Mail Gmail is a great email client, but if you want more immediate communication, Google Hangouts lets you get in touch with others instantly via chat, voice, or video. It's easy to access Google Hangouts right from Gmail. Here's how it works. Hangouts also has standalone mobile apps for iOS and Android, so you can chat with contacts without opening Gmail. Or, start a Hangouts chat via a web browser. Start a Hangouts Chat in Gmail Follow these steps to initiate a Google Hangouts chat session. Find Hangouts in the lower-left section of your Gmail inbox screen. You'll see any current Hangouts contacts listed below your name. To add a contact, select the plus sign (+). Use the search bar to look for someone. Choose a contact who's already using Hangouts, or send an invitation to chat with someone who's not currently using it. To send a chat, hover your cursor over a contact and select Chat (quote bubble icon). A new chatbox appears in the bottom-right corner of Gmail. Type your message into the text field and press Enter on your keyboard to send it. Your message appears in the window. When your contact responds, their messages appear in the window as well, similar to a text conversation. Use the controls to pop the window out (arrow), start a video call (video camera), or create a group Hangout (person with plus-sign). When finished, close the window by selecting X. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up! Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit