Chat room actions menu

The 'actions' menu in a chat room duplicates all of the toolbar icon functions.  This allows more advanced users to hide the toolbar using the 'settings' menu, and still have access to all of the functions that it provides.

note:  there are also various options available if you right click on a nickname in the participant list

see right click options

instant message a pal
opens an 'instant message' window with a user that you have selected from the chat room participant list

invite online pals to this room
opens the 'invite a pal to join this room' dialog

select the user or users you would like to invite to the chat room from the 'invite list' window

press the 'invite' button on the 'invite list' window

raise hand
will place an icon representing a 'raised' hand' to the left of your name to indicate that you would like to speak

click the icon again to 'lower your hand'

view webcam
launches a video viewer window

select a name from the 'pull-down' menu in the video viewer window

if you are a paid user you will see moving video of the user you have selected

if you are not a paid user you will see a still picture of the user you have selected with an upgrade link superimposed over the image

note:  increase or decrease the size of the viewer window by clicking on the larger and smaller 'square' buttons under the pull down menu
select a different user by using the pull-down menu
select more options by using the down arrow button to the left of the menu

start my webcam
launches a video driver select dialog box

select your driver for your camera and press the 'ok' button

a 'self view' preview window will open and you will see your own video image

see 'video setup' if you have problems


send a file
sends a file to a user that you have selected from the chat room participant list

show video viewer
reconfigures the group chat room window to show the video viewer area within the chat room window.

the video viewer area can be resized using the 'size' button on the bottom left of the chat room group window

the video viewer area displays videos from the chat room video library, or users web cams at the direction of the admins of the room

use the hide / show button near the bottom right to hide or show the video viewer

use the 'camera' button near the bottom right to select large, medium or small layouts for the chat room window

you can also launch the video viewer in a separate window or hide it altogether from here

you may also launch the video control console if you are an admin of the group


upload a video
opens a window that lets you browse for a video file to upload to the video library for the chat room

enter the location of the file on your hard drive or use the browse button to locate it

enter a description of the video

press the send file button to upload the file

note:  uploading copyrighted material is forbidden and may result in termination of your paltalk account - uploaded videos take time to be converted to on our servers - the larger the file the longer it will take to convert the file - please keep your files under 100 meg - most video formats are acceptable


play a video
opens the video control console window.  use this control console to control the video viewer area for all participants in the room.  when you choose a video or users web cam to be displayed from this console window, all users within the group chat room will see the video or the selected users web cam.  it's almost like having your own TV station or talk show.  play videos, then switch between users as they comment on what they have just seen

- no video
  no video is displayed to the group chat room window

- members webcam
  any participant in the group who is publishing video can be selected and presented to the group in the video viewer area

- video library
  allows you to play any video that you have previously uploaded to the chat room video library - you can also click on the menu to select a 'global' library of videos that have been uploaded or selected by paltalk

select a previously uploaded video from the list and press the 'play' button - the video will play for everyone in the group

- preview mode
  when checked a video played from the library will only be displayed to you and not to the entire group

in addition to these controls you can upload a new video, delete a video that is selected in the list, or refresh the list of videos to verify when newly uploaded videos are complete.

talk mode
see 'talk mode' for more information

- voice activated
voice activated mode means you do not need to press any keys to speak.  Just speak in a normal tone when it is your turn to speak (headset recommended)

note:  this option is only available in multi-channel rooms

- push to talk
push to talk mode is the normal option that everyone is used to.  Press and hold the 'ctrl' key on the keyboard while speaking, release it when you are finished

note:  you can set a 'hot key' to use instead of the 'ctrl' key

- lock mic on
when selected locks the microphone 'open' so you can speak without pressing any keys on your keyboard

when deselected returns to 'push to talk' mode

you can tap the 'ctrl key' or your selected 'global hot key' to release the microphone once it is 'locked'

see chat room menus
see chat room right click options