---
title: "Using Blackboard Messenger"
canonical: "https://kb.uconn.edu/space/TL/10784506236/Using%20Blackboard%20Messenger"
format: markdown
---
This article is for Faculty, Students, and Staff and contains an overview of the user interface for Blackboard Messenger (BbIM).

## Features

The main elements at the top of the Blackboard IM window are the:

- **Menu Bar**
- **Status Bar**
- **Contacts tab **
- **Classmates tab**.

### Contacts Tab

The **Contacts** tab is where you can keep track of your friends, study groups, and anyone else that you contact often. This tab is initially empty, but you can add any Blackboard IM user as long as you know his or her Blackboard IM ID; the user does not need to be in one of your classes or even at UConn. The **Find** field allows you to search for a specific user in the list. You can also add groups to keep your contacts organized.

### Classmates Tab

The **Classmates** tab lists all of the Blackboard IM users who are in your HuskyCT classes. If the instructor of a course has a Blackboard IM account, the label (Instructor) appears next to his or her name. You do not need to add users to your Classmates tab; it is automatically populated based on HuskyCT course enrollments. You also cannot manually add or delete classmates. The **Find** field allows you to search for users in the list.

### Status Bar

The **Status Bar** shows your current availability. Since other Blackboard IM users see this status, you can use it to tell other people what you are doing and if it is a good time to contact you. Status messages are fully customizable and can be saved for future use. Click **Edit Status Messages...** to create a custom status.

> ✅ - You can install Blackboard IM on as many computers as you wish, making it easy to keep in touch with friends and classmates, even if you are not at your primary computer.
> ✅ - Classmates appear only while you are enrolled in a class. However, users remain in your Contacts tab indefinitely, so you should add classmates with whom you want to keep in touch as contacts before the semester ends.

> ℹ️ <span style="color: #000c34">For more information or assistance with HuskyCT, contact the Educational Technology Office at </span>[edtech@uconn.edu](mailto:edtech@uconn.edu)<span style="color: #000c34"> or</span>** (860) 486-5052.**

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