Facebook can not only be a great way to get in touch with old friends, but you can also chat with your Facebook contacts directly on the website. To learn how to use Facebook chat, follow the instructions in this guide.

In the Spring of 2008, Facebook launched a real-time instant messaging tool called Facebook Chat.http://www.facebook.com/sitetour/chat.php Using Facebook Chat, users can send private messages directly to one another without having to check their walls or inboxes. Unlike other instant messaging services, you don't have to install any external software to use the service. You don't even have to install a new Facebook application to use Facebook Chat; all you need is a Facebook account. From your homepage, you'll be able to communicate with multiple contacts and chat.

• In order to use Facebook Chat, you will have to be logged into your Facebook account, so:

1. Go to www.facebook.comhttp://www.facebook.com/
2. Enter your user name (or email address is that is what you use to log in) and password in the applicable boxes in the top right-hand corner

If you do not have a Facebook account yet, you can set one up by choosing the coordinating option when at the Facebook homepage. To sign up for an account, you will need to enter the following:http://www.facebook.com/

1. Name
2. Email
3. Password
4. Birthday

Once you have established an account, you can then search for friends, classmates or family and request they add you as a friend. Once they approve your request, you will be able to chat with them via Facebook Chat.

• Once you're logged into Facebook, find out which of your friends are logged into Facebook and available to chat.

1. Locate the "Online Friends" tab in the bottom left-hand corner of your Facebook page
2. Click the "Online Friends" tab—this will bring up a list of all your friends that are logged into Facebook
3. You may notice that some of the names in the list have a green dot next to them, while others have a moon symbol on them. The green dot means that person is currently online and the moon symbol means that the person was online recently, but has been inactive for at least ten minutes

• From your list of online friends, select one that you want to start chatting with. Note that those friends that have the moon icon next to their names are no longer active on the Facebook site. If you send them an instant message, they will receive it next time they log on to Facebook. Once you have decided which online friend you want to chat with:http://www.facebook.com/help/?topic=chatclient

1. Click anywhere in the box that contains their name
2. This will bring up a new chat window; near the bottom of the chat window, you will see a blinking cursor
3. Simply type the message you want to send to your recipient and then hit enter to send the message
4. Your message will appear near the top of the window and any new messages will appear below it
5. Wait for your friend to reply to your message. If you want, you can minimize the chat window using the minus sign in the top right hand corner of the chat window—a chiming sound will alert you of any new instant messages. To reopen the chat window, simply click on the box that contains your friend's name
6. Repeat step #3 above to send any new messages
7. To close a chat window, click on the "X" in the top right hand corner of the chat window

• Facebook Chat offers several options. As previously mentioned, you can minimize or close the chat windows by clicking on the minus or "X" signs in the top right corner or the chat window. You can also:

1. Open as many chat windows as you want by clicking on additional friends' names
2. Create friend lists
3. Use the "Pop out Chat" option to open Facebook Chat in a separate windows
4. Hide your presence online by selecting the "Go Offline" option if you don't feel like chatting with anyone

• For more information on changing your settings, see Mahalo's guide on How to Change Facebook Chat Settings.

• As long as you have a Facebook account, you have everything you need to send instant messages and chat in real time with all your Facebook friends.

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Check out the videos below to learn more about Facebook.

1. How to Upload a Profile Picture to Facebook
2. How to Poke Someone on Facebook
3. How to Understand Notifications on Facebook
4. How to Navigate Tabs on Facebook
5. How to Find Friends on Facebook
6. How to Make a Facebook Account
7. How to Customize Your Profile on Facebook
8. How to Edit Your Facebook Profile
9. How to Create a Photo Album on Facebook
10. How to Create a Facebook Event Page
11. How to Create a Facebook Group
12. How to Make a Facebook Fan Page
13. How to Create a Facebook Friend List
14. How to Tag Someone in a Picture on Facebook
15. How to Update Your Facebook Status
16. How to Change Facebook eMail Notifications
17. How to Create a Facebook Note
18. How to Use Facebook Chat