Technology

Instant Messaging with Cisco Jabber

Last modified 8/8/2024

Cisco Jabber allows you to engage in instant messaging (IM) chats with other Cisco Jabber users at Illinois State University.

Before You Begin

Before you can initiate a chat with someone, you should start by Adding Contacts to Cisco Jabber to Cisco Jabber. Just because you have added someone as a contact does not mean you will be able to chat with that person. To chat with someone, the person must be a Cisco Jabber user, and they must be online.

You can determine if a person is available for chat based on their status as displayed in Cisco Jabber. A green icon means the person is online and available, an orange icon means the person is online but away, a red icon means the person is online but does not want to be disturbed, and a gray icon means the person is offline or does not use Cisco Jabber.

Chat through Cisco Jabber

To initiate a chat through Cisco Jabber, do the following:

  1. Launch Cisco Jabber and log in.
  2. Locate the person with whom you would like to chat by scrolling through your contact list. If you have not yet added the person as a contact to Cisco Jabber, do so before continuing.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Double-click on a contact to open the chat window.
    • Right-click on a contact and click Chat to open the chat window.
  4. Enter your message in the chat box at the bottom of the window and press Enter.

When chatting, your message is immediately sent and the person is alerted to your message. You can chat back and forth in this way.

Advanced Chat Options

Cisco Jabber offers a number of advanced chat options as described below.

  • Send Screen Capture: You can send a snapshot of your screen to the person with whom you are chatting by clicking the Send Screen Capture icon (which looks like a pair of scissors). When you click this icon, you will see a screen capture selection tool appear. Click and drag to select a portion of your screen. The area you selected is added to your chat window as a picture. You can then send this picture to the person with whom you are chatting.
  • Send File: You can send files with the person to whom you are chatting by clicking the Send File icon (which looks like a paperclip). When you click this icon, a window appears which allows you to browse the files on your computer. Select the file you want to send and click Open. Cisco Jabber will notify the person with whom you are chatting, and that person must accept the file before it is sent.
  • Emoticons: You can use emoticons during your chat session if you wish. You can either type the emoticon characters, such as :) which are then converted into Cisco Jabber’s emoticon images, or you can click the Insert Emoticon icon (which looks like a smiley face) and then select the desired emoticon from a palette.
  • Edit Font: You can change your font, text color, font size, and use other rich text options while chatting if you wish. Basic rich text options, such as italics and bold, can be used through standard keyboard shortcuts (i.e. Ctrl+B for bold, Ctrl+I for italitics, etc.). You can also select these options and make other changes to your font by clicking the Edit Font icon (which looks like the letter T).
  • Add Participants: You can add other Cisco Jabber users as participants thereby creating a group chat if you wish. Click the three more dots in the upper right then select the Add Participants icon (which looks like a person with a plus sign). Then type the person’s name or ULID and add them to the chat. The chat window is immediately converted into a group chat, but Cisco Jabber waits for the new participant to accept the chat before adding that person to the chat window.
  • Sounds: By default, Cisco Jabber will play a sound to alert you when you receive a new incoming chat. You can change this setting, through the main Cisco Jabber window.
    1. Click File →  Options… →  Sounds/Alerts on the left.
    2. To turn off sounds, remove the check mark from the box labeled Play sounds when:.
    3. Click OK.

How to Get Help

Technical assistance is available through the Illinois State University Technology Support Center at:


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