Chat Help

How can I start chatting?

In order to chat you need to have an account with www.englishforums.com. Please read our Frequently asked questions if you don't know how to register. You MUST have a verified email to be able to enter the chat, otherwise you'll see "Authentication Failed" message. To go to the chat module, click on the "Chat" menu at the top of the page. If you are already logged in, you will automatically be logged into the chat when you clink on that menu. If you are not logged in, you will be asked to login. Write in your englishforums username and password and click on the Login button.

Please make sure that you have read the guidelines to make the chat an enjoyable place for all.

Once you're logged in, you will see a list of available rooms with the number of people currently in each room. Click on the room name or the "Enter" button to access a room. A tab will open on the left of the chat module. You can enter all of the available rooms, a tab for each one will be opened. In order to chat in a particular room you must select the tab of that room. The number in orange (in this case 5) shows there have been 5 messages written in that room since you last clicked on that tab:

Rooms List & General Settings tab

This is the top tab with the house icon (see the screenshot above). It has a number of useful functionalities.
• To let the other members of the chat know whether you're available for chatting, you can set your status to either "Online" or "Away". This option is directly below your name. Your status is automatically set to "Away" if you are inactive for 2 minutes. It will change back to "Online" as soon as you become active again.
• Click on "My avatar" menu next to your name, and select your avatar and the colour of your name.
• In the bottom left corner, there is the "Select Skin" menu allowing you to change the appearance of the chat module. You cannot change the language.

Users & Friends tab

This is the tab with the people icon. It gives you an access to Online Users, My Friends, and Blocked Users lists (see the three tabs across the top).

Our three most important guidelines to follow while you're in the chat. Read full guidelines

• The Online Users tab lists people that are online and logged in to the chat module at the moment. These people may not have entered any rooms yet. If you select a user, you will see more information and more options such as inviting for a private chat (if you are a Trusted User of the site) and adding someone to block list. If you block someone you will not see anything that person writes in the chat. Please note that the "Add to Friend List" option is not currently available. Please read this post for more information: How can I add friends.
• The My Friends tab shows friends you have on EnglishForums.com. You can see both online and offline friends here.
• The "Blocked Users" list shows users that you have decided to block. You can remove the block at any time. Blocking a user means that you will not see anything that they type in the chat. They will still see what you write in the chat.

Settings tab

This is the tab with a wheel. Here you can access some of the settings and customise the chat. There are three tabs across the top: General, Fonts & Styles, and A/V Settings.
• The General tab allows you to select the skin, (you cannot change the language), choose who can and can't invite you to a private chat ("Allow Invitations From"), and customise the sound settings. You can decide which sounds you want to hear and set the volume.
• The Fonts & Styles tab allows you to change the font used in the chat. You can also decide whether you want or don't want to see your avatar and the time stamp in the chat. The changes you make can be seen in the preview area on the right. You can only change the font shown IN the chat room. You cannot change the font shown in the text input box (where you type your messages).
• The A/V Settings allows you to configure your audio settings. Click on the "Enable A/V" button to switch your audio on (this may not be necessary if you have already enabled your audio). Ignore the "Select Camera" menu since video is NOT available. Select your microphone by clicking the 'down' arrow (this is necessary only if the system has not automatically detected it, or if you have more than one microphone). Clicking on the "Advanced" button will open a pop-up window with additional audio settings.

Room interface

Once you enter a room, you will see the conversation and the users who are currently in the room. Write your message in the typing box below the conversation. Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard or click on the "Send" button to have your message appear in the room. Have a look at the options above the typing box. There are several buttons allowing you to add emoticons to your message, change your chat avatar, change the colour of your name, select a chat background, and more.

How do I voice chat?

Voice chat controls

In the bottom right corner of the room interface, there is the "Enable A/V" button (click on "My Webcam" if you don't see it) that will switch your microphone on so you can start an audio chat. After your microphone is enabled, mouse over the "My Webcam" box and you'll see a line with some controls on it. You can mute your microphone, or pause your transmission by clicking on the appropriate icon. The wheel in the right corner will take you to Audio settings.
Once you have the icons as shown in the picture above your microphone will be open, and transmitting. You get an idea of the volume level by the blue line at the bottom of the box. Try to avoid having it full blue, as this will be uncomfortable for your listeners. You can adjust the volume in the Audio settings.

The microphone icon means the user has enabled their microphone and you can voice chat with them

Once you have enabled your microphone an icon will appear in the online users box so others can see that you are using a microphone.

How do I listen to others?

To listen to others, you must first find someone who is using their microphone as well. Once you see a user with the microphone icon next to his or her name, click on that microphone icon next to the name of the person. The icon will turn yellow when you select it. You will now hear that person when they speak. You can listen to more than one person at a time, although it might be a little confusing!

Who is listening to me?

You can easily see who is listening to you. Simply click on the "Who's Watching Me" at the top of the box. Additionally, an eye icon will appear next to anyone who is listening to you.

What if I don't want someone to listen to me?

You can stop people listening to you by left-clicking on their name in the user list. You will get a list of options. By selecting "Prohibit Viewing Me" you can stop any user from listening to you. You will see an eye icon with a red cross to show that you have prohibited that user. You can undo prohibition at any time by left-clicking on the user's name and selecting the "Allow Viewing Me" option.

Is voice chat time limited?

Yes. Audio times are currently limited to one hour a day for regular users and two hours a day for Trusted Users.

If you haven't found an answer to your question, feel free to leave a post in our Help Forum.