Download and install Google's Hangouts plugin to enable video chat capabilities for your Google account. Once you've installed Hangouts, you have access to a new chat interface in Gmail. Sign up for a Google+ account to enable simultaneous video chats with up to nine people. Without a Google+ account, you can hold a video chat with one person at a time in Gmail.
Install Hangouts and Start the Video Chat
Step 1
Visit the Google Hangouts website and click the Download Plugin button to download the Hangouts plugin for your Web browser.
Step 2
Open the downloaded file and follow the prompts to install the plugin. When the process completes, close all open Web browser windows, wait for your browser to close completely and then open it again.
Step 3
Log in to your Gmail account and click the Sign Into Chat link in the chat window on the left of the screen if you're not logged into chat automatically.
Step 4
Click your chat status icon and select Try the New Hangouts on the pop-up menu to enable Hangouts. Wait for Gmail to refresh itself.
Step 5
Select the contact with whom you want to hold a video chat.
Tip
You can also launch immediately into video chat with a contact by hovering over the person's name and clicking the Video Chat icon that appears on the person's pop-up contact card.
Step 6
Click the Video Call button to start a video chat with the selected contact.
Tip
In order to have a one-on-one video chat, your chat partner also needs to be running the Hangouts plugin. If he is unwilling to install the plugin, you can still hold a one-way conversation in which he sees your video feed but you can't see him.
Add Contacts and Customize Your Chat Settings
Once you're logged into Hangouts, use the Find Someone tool to locate contacts who are also using Hangouts. Click the Hangouts Contacts icon at the bottom of the window and then search for people using the provided field.
There are also a series of settings you can customize to change how Hangouts works. Click your name at the top of the Hangouts window to display the settings pop-up menu. Here you can set your chat status message, adjust visibility, change notification settings and configure audio options.
You can also use this menu to read archived Hangouts sessions, review invites, hidden and blocked contacts, and customize invitation settings. Press the Sign Out of Hangouts button to sign out of the platform. Click the Revert to Old Chat link at the very bottom of the menu to switch back to the old version of chat. You can return to Hangouts again at any time.
Install Hangouts and Start the Video Chat
Step 1
Visit the Google Hangouts website and click the Download Plugin button to download the Hangouts plugin for your Web browser.
Step 2
Open the downloaded file and follow the prompts to install the plugin. When the process completes, close all open Web browser windows, wait for your browser to close completely and then open it again.
Step 3
Log in to your Gmail account and click the Sign Into Chat link in the chat window on the left of the screen if you're not logged into chat automatically.
Step 4
Click your chat status icon and select Try the New Hangouts on the pop-up menu to enable Hangouts. Wait for Gmail to refresh itself.
Step 5
Select the contact with whom you want to hold a video chat.
Tip
You can also launch immediately into video chat with a contact by hovering over the person's name and clicking the Video Chat icon that appears on the person's pop-up contact card.
Step 6
Click the Video Call button to start a video chat with the selected contact.
Tip
In order to have a one-on-one video chat, your chat partner also needs to be running the Hangouts plugin. If he is unwilling to install the plugin, you can still hold a one-way conversation in which he sees your video feed but you can't see him.
Add Contacts and Customize Your Chat Settings
Once you're logged into Hangouts, use the Find Someone tool to locate contacts who are also using Hangouts. Click the Hangouts Contacts icon at the bottom of the window and then search for people using the provided field.
There are also a series of settings you can customize to change how Hangouts works. Click your name at the top of the Hangouts window to display the settings pop-up menu. Here you can set your chat status message, adjust visibility, change notification settings and configure audio options.
You can also use this menu to read archived Hangouts sessions, review invites, hidden and blocked contacts, and customize invitation settings. Press the Sign Out of Hangouts button to sign out of the platform. Click the Revert to Old Chat link at the very bottom of the menu to switch back to the old version of chat. You can return to Hangouts again at any time.


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Faizan
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