Talk to people online

Why talk to people online

Most of us talk to the same handful of people every day. Talking to strangers online opens a door that daily life rarely does: a person with a completely different background, opinion or sense of humour, right now, with no small talk obligation holding you back.

You can ask questions you would never ask a colleague, hear perspectives you have never considered, or simply kill an idle evening with someone equally bored and curious.

Who you will meet

Anyone — that is the point. The person on the other end is randomly matched from the live queue, so you might get a student, an artist, a night-shift nurse or a retiree. If you want more control, set an interest (gaming, music, languages, movies and more) and matching will prefer people who picked the same one.

Most connections happen in under two seconds, and you can skip to a new person as often as you like. Wondering when the queue is liveliest? The best times to chat online guide breaks down the timezone math.

How to get started

1. Press Start on the chat page — no account, no email.
2. Type first. Text chat is the easiest way in; there is no camera pressure.
3. Switch to video when you feel like it, or keep it text-only.
4. End anytime. Next and Stop are always one tap away.

New to the format? The guide to talking to random people online explains what to expect and how to make conversations flow.

Good conversation, simply put

• Ask open questions. "Where are you joining from?" beats "hi" almost every time.
• Share a little. Conversations are two-way; a small personal detail invites one back.
• Stay respectful. You can end any chat with one tap, so there is never a reason to be rude.
• Protect your privacy. Keep your address, phone number and passwords to yourself, and follow the safety center guidelines.

Keep exploring:
• Meet new people
• Talk to strangers
• Talk to random people
• Stranger chat
• Chat by interest

Frequently asked questions

• Who will I talk to online?
  Random strangers from around the world. If you set an interest, matching prefers people who share it.
• Is it free to talk to people online?
  Yes. Chatting is free with no daily limit on how many people you can meet.
• Can I stop or skip a conversation anytime?
  Yes. Press Next or Stop at any moment and you are matched with someone new — or done, if that is what you want.