Post Updated on 17-Apr-2010. The earlier instructions were not needed on the new Pidgin anymore. Pidgin has now added a new Google Talk protocol which can be used to configure your Google Talk id.
Pidgin (earlier Gaim) is a multiple protocol Instant Messenger client which can be used to chat using MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Google Talk and many other protocols.
How to configure Pidgin to work with Google Talk (Use Pidgin to chat with your GTalk friends)
- Download & Install the latest version of Pidgin. On Kubuntu / Ubuntu you can just type
aptitude install pidgin
in terminal to install Pidgin.
- Open Pidgin and go to Accounts –> Manage Accounts –> Add window of Pidgin.
- From the drop-down box choose Google Talk as the Protocol.
- For the Screen name enter your Google Id (Gmail Id) just the user name without the @gmail.com in it.
- In the Password field enter your Google ID password.
That’s it. Now you can start chatting with your GTalk buddies using Pidgin while keeping in touch with users of other IM users also. No need to install GTalk software. 
Let us know if you have any problems configuring it.
279 comments
Ken says:
May 14, 2007
Is this Linux you’re using Pidgin on? If so, what theme is that that looks like OS X?
Manas says:
May 14, 2007
Hi Ken !
Na, I was using Windows when taking this screenshot…
Chemi’s Blog » Configure Google Talk to work with Pidgin says:
May 14, 2007
[...] Pidgin supports a protocol called XMPP and GTalk is also based on it.So it is quite easy to make Pidgin to work with GTalk.here is the way that Manas details how to chat using the Google Talk protocol with Pidgin. [...]
Jon says:
May 14, 2007
Thanks Manas. I just installed Pidgin after having used Gaim for several years but I didn’t know I could configure my GTalk account here as well. Hooray for consolidation!
Jon
Manas says:
May 14, 2007
Hi Jon !
Glad to have helped you out.. Pidgin rocks.
» How To: Set up Google Talk with GAIM, er, Pidgin says:
May 14, 2007
[...] the link to add Google Talk to the list of protocols you chat on with Pidgin. —Gina Trapani How to configure Pidgin to work with Google Talk [...]
Adam says:
May 14, 2007
I believe you also need to specify talk.google.com as the connect server in the advanced tab, or at least you used to have to do that.
-A
anon says:
May 14, 2007
I keep getting a read error
Manas says:
May 14, 2007
Hi Adam … Hmm, Pidgin does not require you to do this anymore..
Manas says:
May 14, 2007
@ anon – What kind of read error ?
Mike says:
May 15, 2007
I tried to follow your instruction but it’s not working. I wonder why? Can anyone give me idea how to resolve this issue? Thanks.
Techzi » Blog Archive » How To: Set up Google Talk with Gaim, er, Pidgin says:
May 15, 2007
[...] the link to add Google Talk to the list of protocols you chat on with Pidgin. —Gina Trapani How to configure Pidgin to work with Google Talk [...]
Diesel says:
May 15, 2007
I am getting errors too.
First I tried to just “Save” the settings and I get an error saying it can’t connect to my account. Then I tried to “Register” and it said “Couldn’t connect to host”. I also trie the above mentioned talk.google.com in the Advanced tab and that didn’t seem to do anything at all.
Is it possible that this could be a Firewall issue and that I might ened to edit more on the advanced tab?
Suggestions?
Fredrik says:
May 15, 2007
I get the same error as Diesel. Is that Firewall related?
How To: Set up Google Talk with Gaim, er, Pidgin » D-L Technology BLOG says:
May 15, 2007
[...] the link to add Google Talk to the list of protocols you chat on with Pidgin. —Gina Trapani How to configure Pidgin to work with Google Talk [...]
Troels says:
May 15, 2007
Connect error here too. Strange and sad because I would really like to use GTalk over Pidgin.
jjj says:
May 15, 2007
try going to the advanced tab, checking “allow plaintext auth over unencrypted streams”, putting 5222 as your connect port, and talk.google.com as your connect server. for proxy type, i used “use environmental settings”.
this setup solved those errors for me.
Pierce Presley says:
May 15, 2007
Make sure you’re using Pidgin 2.0.0, not the beta. I couldn’t get GTalk to work with the beta, but when I enabled the update notification plugin, and went to http://www.pidgin.im to download the release version, magically it worked. I backed out of everything and did a clean account add, no screwing with the advanced tab, FYI.
Troels says:
May 15, 2007
hmm… Still no good I am afraid. Guess I still have to use the normal GTalk client.
Manas says:
May 15, 2007
For whom the steps mentioned are not working, try the Troubleshooting tips at the end of the post and & as Pierce suggested update to the final Pidgin 2.
Troels says:
May 16, 2007
Nope… still no good and I tried all kinds of combinations now.
I guess the company I work for has too strict firewall rules (MSN won’t connect either). It is just strange since my normal GTalk client has no problems.
anon says:
May 16, 2007
It works fine with Gaim/Pidgin.
Don’t suppose you know how to get Skype Chat on Pidgin as well do you?
Manas says:
May 16, 2007
@ Troels – You may be right. There must be firewall restrictions.
@ anon – Glad to know it works. I have no idea if Skype chat is possible. If I find something I will tell.
codecraig says:
May 16, 2007
didn’t work for me either
nežinau.lt » ?raš? archyvas » Id?ja geguž?s 17-ajai: GoogleTalk pokalbiai su Pidgin says:
May 17, 2007
[...] pa?iose ?vairiausiose sistemose: Messenger, ICQ, GoogleTalk ir kitose. Š? kart? pasinaudodami ManasT patarimais, sukonfig?ruosime pokalbius su GoogleTalk [...]
Rachanont » How to configure Pidgin for Google Talk says:
May 19, 2007
[...] ????????? ManasT.com [...]
Evan says:
May 20, 2007
I get the message “not authorized” when I try to connect. I’ve tried the tips listed at the bottom, and I am using v2.0.0. Does anybody have any idea why?
Fox-MC says:
May 21, 2007
Failed to work for me too. Just like Troels, I tried all the options and nothing worked. Is it because I am using it on linux. Just check with our network adimin, nothing to do with the firewall. No other option available for linux user? Don’t like email one……. need something like this plsease…. just for more information this is the error I get when I use the method given above and the troubleshooting comment.
Server requires TLS/SSL for login. No TLS/SSL support found
Fierita says:
May 22, 2007
Can’t get it to connect to gtalk here over XP. MSN account works… Tried everything with no luck..
Just trying to use this to replace msn + gtalk for just one program.
ChipInNC says:
May 22, 2007
Same results… Not Authorized…. Win XP, Pidgeo 2.0.0, However, installed google Talk on same system with same user ID / Password and _it_ connects fine.
Any ideas?
Manas says:
May 23, 2007
Did you all try to use the “Advanced Options” while configuring the accounts ?
Poonam says:
May 24, 2007
Even after setting up the advanced setting i am not able to connect to the gmail account by pidgin.It gives me an error not able to connect to the host.
Drokliss says:
May 27, 2007
I was having the same problems, but once I clicked the “Enabled” checkbox in the add/edit connections box, it turned on fine.
Manas says:
May 27, 2007
Thanks for the tip Drokliss… I will update the post with this.
georg says:
May 28, 2007
Thanks a lot for this. I had the connect error, and tried everything (almost). The tip to check “Allow plaintext auth over unencrypted streams” finally solved it!
Manas says:
May 28, 2007
Glad to know it works for you.
Charlie says:
May 31, 2007
I think I have figured out the issue here… at least it worked for me…
I was able to use Yahoo, MSN, GTalk all on my work computer, but could not get Pidgin to work with GTalk. By scanning the ports, I was able to figure out that the GTalk app uses port 443… so.. I changed the advanced tab to these settings.
Force old (port 5223) SSL: Checked
Allow plaintext auth over unencrypted streams: Un-Checked
Connect Port: 443
Connect Server: talk.google.com
Proxy type: Use Global Proxy Settings
Manas says:
May 31, 2007
Thanks for the tips Charlie… Updated the post..
Fierita says:
May 31, 2007
Thanks a lot!! works like a charm now! thanks charlie!
Manas says:
May 31, 2007
Glad to know Charlie’s tips work. Hope it works for others too.
leslie says:
Jun 1, 2007
it worked, but i can’t add people. i am talking to one person within gmail, but when i add them in pidgin under the gtalk account – it says they are offline.
Manas says:
Jun 1, 2007
Hmm… I don’t have this problem… Anywayz I have linked my Orkut account to GTalk. So I rarely need to add people manually.
John says:
Jun 5, 2007
Yay!!! Charlie’s tip worked great for me – no other tips I found anywhere else did. Thanks so much!
Manas says:
Jun 5, 2007
Glad to know Charlie’s tips work.
David says:
Jun 6, 2007
Thanks Charlie, I did an Ethereal trace and noticed that what Pidgin was doing to connect to Google Talk was completely different to what the official client was doing but didn’t know what to do about it. Your instructions fixed my problem too! In case anyone cares, I’m using Pidgin 2.0.1 on Windows and am connecting through a Squid proxy.
vishnuvardhan says:
Jun 7, 2007
recently i have created orkut account and linked it with google talk. today i have downloaded pidgin 2.0.0. when i have gone thorough all the steps given by you i am unable to connect to google talk. i don’t have gmail email ID. my login id for orkut is something@example.com. i have created another username for google talk, just say “kjsanlnlsan”. can u please in detail instructions for configuring pidgin.
Manas says:
Jun 7, 2007
You need to create get the corresponding GTalk user name for using GTalk. I have no info on this. Sorry.
Will tell you if I find anything.
Gary says:
Jun 10, 2007
I have tried ALL of the above, matter of fact, I don’t belive there is a combo I haven’t tried on the “Advanced” tab. I gat AIM and MSN, but no GT…..Can anyone offer any suggestions? TIA
Manas says:
Jun 10, 2007
Gary I really suggest you should try the Advanced tab options. That solved the problem for a lot of people.
Gary says:
Jun 11, 2007
That’s what I did, I have tried every combination of tab settings, I did the port change to 443, I unchecked this…checked that, changed from “global” to “environmental”. I have tried ALL, I REPEAT, ALL of the above! Any other suggestions.