Everyone can send public and private chat messages in BigBlueButton.
Note: Moderators can prevent writing public and private messages. In this case, viewers are marked as locked in the people list and the text field for public chat is disabled. Private messages can still be sent to moderators.
Via the chat, text messages can be sent to all users at any time without interrupting the current speech.
When you enter a BigBlueButton room, the Public Chat is already displayed folded out. Otherwise you first have to show the Users List via the button "User list toggle" (4) in the upper left corner of the main area. Then you can select the Public Chat there via the item of the same name (1) at the very top. The chat area appears as a second column where you can enter your message in the text field at the bottom and confirm sending by pressing Enter or the arrow button to the right of it (5). To hide the chat window click the "Public Chat" button (2) with the arrow icon at the top left of the window.
Via the chat options, which you can reach via the button with the three dots (3) in the top right corner of the chat window, you have the option to copy the contents of the chat or save them as a text file. Moderators can additionally clear all contents of the public chat, whereupon the note "The public chat history was cleared by a moderator" is displayed in the chat for all users. Clearing cannot be undone.
To send a text message to an individual user, click on their name in the users list and select "Start a private chat".
The private chat window then opens for the person you are chatting with and for you. Sending messages then works in the same way as in public chat.
Private chats appear as an entry (1) in the messages section below the public chat in the user area. This button can be used to open the respective chat window. There is a button (2) at the top left to collapse the window and a button with an X symbol (3) at the top right to close the chat. When you close the chat, the entry in the user area also disappears, but the messages are retained.
If the corresponding chat window is not expanded, a red dot at the "User list toggle" button in the upper left corner of the main area shows new public and private messages.
Optionally, you can also be notified by audio and pop-up message, the configuration is in the room settings.
In the message area, the number of new messages also appears with a red background on chats that are not open. This notice also appears if you previously scrolled up in the chat, causing new messages to appear out of view. In the chat window, the "More messages below" button, which automatically takes you to the latest message, will then also be visible.