How to Use Google Talk Chat History

Google Talk allows web based instant messaging and stores conversation logs. Now, it's simple to find a past chat and reread it. You can send offline messages to your friends, and your friends can respond the next time they are online. These services are free for Gmail users.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Activate the "Save chat history in my Gmail account" option by selecting "Settings" in your Google Talk or Gmail account.
2. Find your chat history in Gmail search results or open the "Chats" folder in your Gmail account and browse for previous chats.
3. Treat individual chats like any other email message. You can print, highlight using a star, apply a label or delete each chat.
4. Choose to go "off the record" if you want your conversations with a particular person not to show up in your chat history. Select the "Options" button and choose "Go off the record" from the menu.
5. Reply to a chat in your chat history, and your friend will immediately receive your new message as an email. You can continue your conversation a day or even a week after your first chat.

Tips & Warnings

• When you search by name or other keyword in your Gmail search box, you'll see a list of chat and email entries. This means that no matter how you communicate, you'll be able to find important information that you receive.
• Google Talk's built-in AOL Instant Messaging (AIM) feature saves your conversations to your Gmail "Chats" folder.
• If your friends neglect to enable the chat history feature in their Gmail accounts, they won't receive your offline messages.