GTalk Profile

Help and Documentation

Managing your profile

Once logged in, please click the “edit your profile” link in the navigation bar at the top of this window.  Fill out the boxes you wish to share with others—the “name” field is the only required field, and you can use your real name or a nickname.  Just remember that this information, along with your location (if you choose to include it) will be shared with all users and guests.  All of the information, except your Google™ Talk ID and password, is viewable by the public once you save your profile.

To change your password, please enter your old password and new password (and confirm that new password), then save your profile.  You do not need to fill out the “change your password” section.

To change your Google™ Talk ID listed in your profile, you will need to create a new profile.

Protecting your account

Your Google™ Talk ID is not shared with other users unless you give them permission. This can be done two ways:

  • You click "accept" for a request found on your friend list. Clicking “deny” will keep your Google™ Talk ID private.
  • You add someone to your friend list by entering their Google™ Talk ID into the "add friends" box while editing your profile, or you click the link "Add to your friend list to request this information." found on their profile.  By doing either, you automatically give that user permission to see your Google™ Talk ID.

Keeping track of friends with your friend list

Use your friend list to connect with people that you have found on GTalk Profile.  When you add a friend, you immediately give that friend your Google™ Talk ID.  That friend has the choice to “accept” or “deny” your request.  If they accept, you will be added to their friend list, and they will share their Google™ Talk ID with you. You can then talk with them directly using Google™ Talk.  If they deny your request, you will not be added to their friend list, and you will not see their Google™ Talk ID.

Your friend list is shared on your profile for others to see (once your friends accept your requests)*.  Other GTalk Profile users can link to your friends from your profile, but they cannot see your friends' Google™ Talk IDs unless they have been given permission by those friends.  To get permission to see a friend’s Google™ Talk ID, you must add that friend to your friend list and they must accept your request.

Friends can be removed from your friend list by clicking “remove” next to that friend’s name.

Friends that are added to your friend list that aren't currently a user of GTalk Profile will be emailed an invitation to join.

*Currently your friends are not displayed on your profile but they will be in the near future.

Finding new friends

Find friends by using the GTalk Profile search feature, or by clicking a link on a user’s profile.  You can then add friends to your friend list to get their Google™ Talk ID so that you can talk with them using Google™ Talk.

profile photos

Each profile displays that user's Google™ Talk/Gmail photo. For privacy reasons, there are some limitations to this functionality. In order to see another's photo, you will need to be on each other's GTalk Profile and Google™ Talk friend lists. You will also need to be logged in to your Gmail account with chat enabled. At this point, browsers that don't support Gmail with chat will show a ghost photo. You can update your own photo to be displayed in either Google™ Talk or Gmail.

Please note that if someone has selected "Visible to all Gmail users" in their Gmail settings, you will be able to see their photo even if you are not on each other's Google™ Talk friend list.

browser compatibility

In order to use all of the features of GTalk Profile, you must have a browser that supports JavaScript, and JavaScript must be enabled.

The advanced features of GTalk Profile currently require one of the following web browsers:

talk clients

Need a Google™ Talk or Jabber® account?

Need a talk client? Find a Google™ Talk compatible client that's right for you.

Already have Google™ Talk? Spread the word at Spread Google Talk.
Spread Google Talk

La version française de Google™ Talk. GoGtalk est naît d'une idée de promouvoir son utilisation au sein de la communauté francophone.
GoGtalk

Want to customize Google™ Talk? Get skins, tips, tricks and hacks at Customize Talk.
Customize Talk

deletion of profile and user account

Users who wish to delete their profile and/or account should visit the delete your profile page and confirm permanent deletion of their account.

need more support?

Please refer to the contact us page for additional support.