Private Chat
Private chat allows one-on-one communication between any two participants in a BigBlueButton session. Messages are only visible to the sender and the recipient, making it ideal for side conversations, quick questions, or confidential exchanges during a meeting.
Starting a Private Chat
To initiate a private conversation with another participant, follow these steps:
- Open the participants list on the left side of the interface.
- Click on the name of the person you want to chat with.
- In the dropdown menu that appears, select Start a private chat.
- A new chat panel opens next to the participants list where you can exchange messages privately.
Sending and Receiving Messages
Sending messages in a private chat works the same way as in the public chat. Type your message in the text input field and press Enter or click the send button.
When you receive a new private message, a red badge with the number of unread messages appears on the participant icon in the sidebar. This notification helps you notice incoming messages even when the private chat panel is not open.
Private messages are only visible to you and the other person in the conversation. No other participant, including moderators, can see the content of your private chat.
Limitations
| Feature | Public Chat | Private Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Visible to | All participants | Sender and recipient only |
| Export/Save | Yes (moderators) | No |
| Can be locked | Yes | Yes |
Private chat messages cannot be exported or saved. If you need to keep a record of important information exchanged in a private chat, copy the relevant messages manually before the session ends.
Moderators can disable private chat for all participants through the lock settings. When private chat is locked, participants cannot initiate new private conversations. See the chapter on lock settings for more details.