Use Google Hangouts

Google Mail has a built-in Hangout gadget that you can use to send instant messages, photos, and use to make video calls. If you use the Google Chrome browser, you can also download the "Hangouts Chrome" extension, which allows you to use the Hangout feature outside of Google Mail (without having your Mail open). To get a quick overview of Google Hangouts, watch the Google Hangouts hosted by Google.

Note: You must have a Google+ account to use Hangouts. If you don't have a Google+ account and want to create one, you can do so by signing up for Google+.

Show/Hide the Hangout Gadget

To show the Hangouts gadget:

1. At the top of your Gmail chat contact list, click your profile picture. 
2. In the resulting drop-down menu, select "Try the new Hangouts."  Google will then update your Gmail chat. 

To hide the Hangouts gadget:

1. At the top of your Gmail chat contact list, click your profile picture. 
2. At the bottom of the resulting drop-down menu, click "Revert to old chat".
3. In the resulting dialogue box, click [Revert to old chat] to confirm your decision. Google will then update your Gmail Chat. 

Start a Hangout

1. To see if someone from your Gmail chat list is available, check for the green circle beside their profile picture. The green circle indicates they are available to hangout.
2. From your Gmail chat list, choose the desired available contact. If the person is not listed, click the magnify glass icon and type the contact's name in the resulting search bar (Google will pull from your contacts and the Cedarville directory).
3. Once you have clicked the desired contact, a chat box will appear in the lower-right corner of your screen. From this chat box, you can chat with the contact, send them a picture, or invite them to a video call.  

Invite Someone Outside of the CU Directory to Hangout

If you try to Hangout with someone who is not in the Cedarville directory, a box will appear in their inbox asking them to add Hangouts.

Accept/Ignore a Hangout Invitation

When someone invites you to a video call, the Hangout popup will appear at the top of your Gmail Chat list. You can choose to "Accept" or "Ignore" the invitation. The invitation will remain at the top of your Gmail Chat list until you respond. 

• If you choose to accept the Hangout, you will immediately begin the hangout with that contact. 
• If you choose to ignore the Hangout, the invitation will disappear (Google does not notify the contact that you ignored their invite).

Block Someone Within Google Hangout

1. From your Gmail Chat list, click the name of the person you would like to block.
2. In the resulting chat box that appears in the lower-right corner of your screen, click the "gear" [Options] icon located in the upper-right corner of the box.
3. From the resulting menu, click [Block (name of person you've selected)].

Note: When you block a contact within Google Hangout, you also block them in other Google products such as Google+.

Make a Video Call from the Google Chat Gadget

1. From your Gmail Chat list, click on the contact you wish to video call.
2. If you wish to add additional contacts to the video call, in the resulting chat box that appears in the lower-left corner of your screen, click the [Create a group hangout] icon.
3. Search or check the contact(s) you wish to add to the conversation.
4. When you are ready to begin the video call, click the [Video call] icon located in the upper-left corner of the box. 

Install/Uninstall the Chrome Extension for Hangouts

To install the Google Hangouts extension: 

1. Using the Chrome browser, navigate to the Google Hangouts extension in the Google Chrome webstore. 
2. Click the blue [ADD TO CHROME] button in the upper-right corner. 
3. In the resulting pop-up, click "Add app" to confirm Google Hangouts can access the items in the bulleted list above. 

To uninstall the Google Hangouts extension:

1. Open your Chrome browser.
2. From your Chrome toolbar, click the [Apps] icon.
3. Right click on the [Google Hangouts] icon.
4. Select "Remove from Chrome".

To use chat without opening your Google Mail, please do one of the following: 

• To use Hangouts chat in a browser, navigate to the Google Hangouts web page. 
• To use Hangouts chat within the Hangouts extension (if installed), from your Chrome toolbar, click the [Apps] icon > Click the [Google Hangouts] icon.

Note: If you do not sign out of your Google account, Hangouts should start each time you log in to your computer. You can click on the Hangouts icon to open the chat gadget. The extension is also machine specific, so you will need to enable the extension on every computer on which you would want to use it.