Send a Private Messages, Emojis, and Files

About This Tutorial

Online Studio comes with a chat feature. You can either send messages:

Privately so that only the person you are messaging will see it.
Publicly so that everyone in the room can see it.

You can also include emojis in your message to make things fun or express a feeling. And you can attach a file that can be downloaded.

To use the chat feature, you:

Include an emoji by clicking on the Smile button.
Type your text in the Message Box.
Attach a file by clicking on the Paper Clip button.
Send your message or an emoji by clicking on the Paper Airplane button, or by hitting Enter on your keyboard.

When you send a public message the background of the message is black:

When you send a message privately the background of the message is red:

This tutorial will show you how to send a private chat that only the person you send it to can see.

Send Private Messages, Emojis, and Files

Let's say that you offer an online question and answer class once a week. Since various students will attend with various needs, you will sometimes want to send a message or file privately.

Go to the camera window of the person you want to send the private chat to, in this case J.S. Bach. Click on the three dots (...) button.
Click on Send private message.

This will open up the Chat window. Notice that a red message box will appear to let you know that you are about to send a private message and to whom.

In this example, J.S. Bach is struggling to understand the Circle of 5ths and doesn't want his classmates to know. So, you talk with him through a private chat, send an emoji, and a file as well.
In the Message Box type: "Bach, here is more information about the Circle of 5ths. Let me know if you need further help."
Click on the Paper Airplane button to send.

Here is what Bach will see on his end.
Next, you want to send an emoji. Click on the Smile button.

This will open up a list of emojis.
Click on the Smile emoji to choose it.

Notice how the emoji is spelled out in the Message Box.
Click on the Paper Airplane button to send the emoji.

Here is what Bach will see on his end.
Last but not least, you want to send an image file to Bach. Click on the Paper Clip button.

This will open up your file manager.
Click on the file you want, to highlight it. Then click on the Open button.

The file will upload and automatically be put into the chat for you.

This is what Bach will see on his end.
Bach can download the image file by click on the download link.

Note: Currently there is not a way to view the file from the chat. You can only download it.
Bach wants to send a thank you message. To keep it a private message, he needs to click on the White Arrow.

A red message box will show up that lets Bach know that his reply will be private.
Bach types in his thank you message into the Message Box. Then clicks on the Paper Airplane button to send.

Here is what Mrs. J. will see on her end.