Quick Start: Use instant messaging and presence
This Quick Start describes the basics for communicating by using Microsoft® Lync™ 2010 communications software. It explains how to use Lync 2010 to easily interact and collaborate with the people at your workplace.
- Sign in and get started
- Personalize your contact information
- Change your picture settings
- Build your Contacts list
- Get in touch by IM
Sign in and get started
If you’re already logged on to your organization’s network, sign in by starting Lync.
- On the Windows® taskbar, click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Lync, and then click Microsoft Lync 2010. When the Lync main window opens, if you see your name and your presence status, you’re signed in.
- Click the availability menu under your name, and then either click your presence status, or click Reset Status to let Lync set it automatically, based on your activity and Microsoft® Outlook® Calendar.
The following table describes each of the presence status indicators.
| Presence Status | Description |
|---|---|
 Available |
You are online and available to contact. |
 Busy |
You are in a Lync call, or, according to your Outlook Calendar, you are in a meeting, and you don’t want to be interrupted. |
 Do not disturb |
You don’t want to be disturbed and will see conversation notifications only if they are sent by someone in your Workgroup. |
 Be Right Back |
You are stepping away from the computer for a few moments. |
| Away |
Your computer has been idle for a period of time (15 minutes by default). |
| Off Work |
You are not working and are not available to contact. |
 Offline |
You are not signed in. You’ll appear Offline to individuals whom you have blocked from seeing your presence. |
 Unknown |
Your presence is not known. Your presence might appear unknown to others who are not using Lync as their instant messaging (IM) program. |
Personalize your contact information
You can personalize your location, phone numbers, and presence information. For example, you can add your mobile phone number and make it available only to close contacts.
- To set a location to let people know where you are today, click the arrow next to Set Your Location or your current location, and then, in the location menu, click Show Others My Location.
- To add a phone number to your contact card, click the Options button
,
and then click Phones. - Click the button for the phone number that you want to add (such as Work Phone or Mobile Phone).
- In the Edit Phone Number dialog box, type the number, and then click OK.
- Select the Include in my contact card check box, and then click OK.
- To change privacy relationships for the people you want to see your personal phone numbers, right-click the contact’s name in your Contacts list, click Change Privacy Relationship, and then click Friends and Family.
Change your picture settings
You can decide whether you want to see your contacts' pictures. You can also change your own picture or choose not to show one.
Hide your contacts’ pictures
- In the Lync main window, click the Options button .
- In the Lync - Options dialog box, click Personal.
- Under Display photo, clear the Show photos of contacts check box to hide other people’s pictures, and then click OK.
Hide or change your picture
- In the Lync main window, click the Options button .
- In the Lync - Options dialog box, click My Picture.
- Do one of the following:
- To hide your picture, click Do not show my picture.
- To change your picture, click Show a picture from a web address, type the address of a photo site (such as Windows Live® Skydrive or Facebook) including the file name, and then click the Connect to Picture button.
Note The file must be less than 30 KB in size. If the photo that you want is larger than 30 KB, see Prepare a photo for Lync 2010.
Build your Contacts list
Add people to your Contacts list if you'll be contacting them often or if you just want to keep track of them.
- In the Lync main window, type the person’s name or email address in the search field.
- In the search results, right-click the person.
- (Optional) If you’ll be contacting the person often, click Pin to Frequent Contacts.
- Add them to a group by clicking Add to Contacts List, and then clicking the group name, or, if you haven’t created groups yet, click Add to New Group, and give the group a name. You can add more contacts to this group later.
Get in touch by IM
There are several ways to start an IM conversation with people or groups in your Contacts list. From your Contacts list or from search results, do any of the following:
- Double-click the contact.
- Point to a person’s picture. When the contact card opens, click the IM button.
- Point to a group in your Contacts list, and, when the group contact card appears, click the IM button to send a message to the whole group.
To invite additional people into an IM conversation:
- In the Lync main window, drag a contact name from the Contacts list, and drop it onto the conversation window. To add contacts outside of your organization (whom you can’t IM) to the conversation by e-mail, in the conversation window, click the People Options menu, and then click Invite by Email.
- To join, just click a link in the e-mail (outside users can join the conversation regardless of whether they have Lync installed).