Chapter 7
Chatting with Messages and FaceTime
OS X includes Messages for instant messaging and FaceTime for video chat with Mac, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users.
Send and Receive Files with Messages
Make and Receive FaceTime Calls
Set Up Messages
The Messages app enables you to chat with your contacts via instant messaging. Using Messages, you can connect via Apple’s iMessage service to contacts on Macs and iOS devices or to contacts on other online messaging services, such as Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, and AOL.
The first time you run Messages, you set it up with your Apple ID, which identifies you uniquely on the iMessage service. You can also add other messaging accounts as needed by using the Add Account command or the Accounts pane in Messages Preferences.
Set Up Messages
Set Up Messages withYour Apple ID
Click Messages (
) on the Dock.
Type your Apple ID.
A You can click Create an Apple ID to create an Apple ID if you do not have one.
Type your password.
Click Sign In.
The Messages window opens.
Add Another Messaging Account
Click Messages.
The Messages menu opens.
Click Add Account.
The Choose a Messages Account to Add dialog opens.
Click a message account option (
changes to 
). Your choices are Google, Yahoo!, AOL, and Other messages account.
Click Continue.
Note: If you selected the Other messages account option, click the Account Type pop-up menu (
) and click the account type: AIM, Google Talk, Jabber, or Yahoo!.
A dialog for entering the account information appears. This example uses Google.
Type your name as you want it to appear.
Type the e-mail address for the messaging account.
Type your password.
Click Set Up.
A dialog appears enabling you to select what services to use with the messaging account.
Click an option, such as Mail, Contacts, Calendar, or Notes (
changes to 
).
Click Done.
Messages sets up the account, and you can start using it.
TIPS
What is iMessage?
iMessage is Apple’s instant-messaging service. To use iMessage, you need only an Apple ID, such as your iCloud account ID. With iMessage, you can send instant messages to any iPhone user or anyone who uses an Apple ID on a Mac, iPad, or iPod touch.
How can I use Messages with people on my local network?
You can use Bonjour, an Apple communications technology, to communicate with other Mac users and iOS device users on your local network. To set up Bonjour, click Messages, and then click Preferences. In the Preferences window, click Accounts, click Bonjour, and then click Enable Bonjour instant messaging ( changes to ).
Chat with a Buddy
Messages enables you to chat with your contacts, or buddies, via instant messaging. The easiest way to start using Messages is by sending text messages. Depending on the messaging services and the computers or devices your buddies are using, you may be able to chat via audio or video as well.
To start chatting, you send your buddy an invitation. If your buddy accepts the invitation, the reply appears in the Messages window. You can conduct multiple chats simultaneously, switching from chat to chat as needed.
Chat with a Buddy
In Messages, click Compose New Message (
).
A New Message entry appears in the left pane.
Click Add Contact (
).
The Contacts panel opens.
Click the buddy with whom you want to chat.
A The buddy’s name appears in the To area.
B A green dot (
) indicates that the buddy is available for chat.
Type the text you want to send, and then press 
.
C Your message appears in a bubble on the right side of the right pane.
Note: You can change the way messages appear by clicking View, highlighting Messages, and then clicking Show as Balloons, Show as Boxes, or Show as Compact.
D A reply from your buddy appears on the left side of the right pane.
Type a reply to your buddy’s reply.
Click Special Characters (
).
The Special Characters panel opens.
Click the category of special characters you want: Recents and Favorites (
), People (
), Nature (
), Objects (
), Places (
), or Symbols (
).
Click the special character.
Press .
Messages sends the message, including the special character.
TIP
How do I change my status in Messages?
When you log in, Messages automatically sets your status to Available so that your contacts can see you are available for chat. If you do not want to receive any messages for a while, you can set your status to Offline by clicking Messages on the menu bar, clicking My Status, and then clicking Offline. Alternatively, press 
+
+
. When you are ready to go back online, click Messages, click My Status, and then click Available. Alternatively, press ++
.
Send and Receive Files with Messages
As well as chat, Messages enables you to send files easily to your buddies and receive files they send to you. During a chat, you can send a file either by using the Send File command or by dragging a file from a Finder window into Messages.
When a buddy sends you a file, you can decide whether to receive it. Messages automatically stores the files you receive in the Downloads folder in your user account, but you can change the destination to another folder if you so choose.
Send and Receive Files with Messages
Send a File
Start a text chat with the buddy to whom you want to send a file, or accept a chat invitation from that buddy.
Click Buddies.
The Buddies menu opens.
Click Send File.
Click the file you want to send.
Click Send.
A A button for the file appears in the text box.
Type any message needed.
Press .
Messages sends the message, including a button for transferring the file.
If your buddy accepts the file, Messages transfers it.
B When your buddy sends you a file, it appears as a button in the Chat window.
Click the file’s button to download the file.
TIP
Can I change the folder in which Messages puts files I download?
Yes, you can change the folder from its default location, the Downloads folder in your user account. To change the folder, click Messages, and then click Preferences. The Preferences window opens. Click General in the upper left corner. The General preferences pane opens. Click the Save Received Files To pop-up menu (), and then click Other. A dialog opens. Click the folder you want to put your downloaded files in, and then click Select. Click Close (
) to close the Preferences window.
Set Up FaceTime
Apple’s FaceTime technology enables you to make audio and video calls easily across the Internet. FaceTime works with all recent Macs and with the last several generations of the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and iPad mini.
Your iMac includes a built-in video camera and microphone, so it is ready to use FaceTime right out of the box. Before you can make calls, you need to set up FaceTime with your Apple ID.
Set Up FaceTime
Click FaceTime (
) on the Dock.
Note: If the FaceTime icon does not appear on the Dock, click Launchpad (
) on the Dock, and then click FaceTime on the Launchpad screen.
The FaceTime window opens.
Type your Apple ID.
Note: If you need to create a new Apple ID, click Create New Account.
Type your password.
Click Sign In.
FaceTime signs you in.
Click the e-mail address or addresses at which you want people to contact you via FaceTime.
A check mark appears (
) next to each address you select.
Click Next.
Your contacts list appears.
A Click Favorites to display your list of FaceTime favorites.
B Click Recents to display a list of recent calls you have made, received, and missed.
C Click Contacts to display your contacts from the Contacts app.
You are now ready to make FaceTime calls.
When you finish using FaceTime, click FaceTime.
The FaceTime menu opens.
Click Quit FaceTime.
FaceTime closes.
Note: You can also close FaceTime by pressing + 
.
TIP
How do I change the e-mail address FaceTime is using for me?
To change the e-mail address, click FaceTime on the menu bar, and then click Preferences. The Preferences pane appears on the right side of the FaceTime window. Click Add Another Email, type the e-mail address you want to use, and press . Then click the e-mail address you want to remove. On the Email screen that appears, click Remove Email, and then click Remove Email Address in the confirmation dialog. Click Done.
Make and Receive FaceTime Calls
When you have set up FaceTime with your Apple ID, you can make and receive FaceTime calls from your iMac. You can call any iPhone user or any user of a Mac or other iOS device who has enabled FaceTime.
To make a call, you open FaceTime, click the contact, and then select the e-mail address or phone number to use for contacting him. To receive a call, you simply answer when FaceTime alerts you to the incoming call.
Make and Receive FaceTime Calls
Make a FaceTime Call
Click FaceTime () on the Dock.
Note: If no FaceTime icon appears on the Dock, click Launchpad (), and then click FaceTime ().
Click Contacts.
Click the contact you want to call.
Note: You can also place a call from the Favorites list or the Recents list.
Click the e-mail address or phone number to call.
FaceTime places the call.
When your contact answers, begin chatting.
When you are ready to finish the call, move the mouse to display the pop-up control bar, and then click End.
Receive a FaceTime Call
When you receive a FaceTime call, a FaceTime window appears.
Click Accept.
Note: In the Contacts app, you can assign a specific ringtone and a specific text tone to a contact. These tones can help you identify which contact is calling or messaging you.
A You can move the mouse to display the pop-up control bar and then click Full Screen (
) to enlarge the FaceTime window to full screen.
Chat.
B You can click Mute (
) to mute the audio.
C You can click Rotate (
) to rotate the view.
When you are ready to finish the call, click End on the pop-up control bar.