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
kervoaz says:
Sep 28, 2008
great work fine on ubuntu !
thanks
Einstein says:
Oct 5, 2008
I’m on Ubuntu 8.04 and loving my Pidgin; I’ve used GAIM since its inception on both Windows and Linux. Actually, my Google Talk works fine, except I’m not entirely sure how to set up a chat room for GTalk, and at the moment the only thing I can do is have one of my contacts set it up from their end and then I still have to use Google’s Web gadget to get into the chat room. I think this can be done using the chat functions in Pidgin, but I’m not entirely sure. I need to be able to both create and join chat rooms, but I don’t know how to get at or input the correct information. Any help is greatly appreciated!
shermila says:
Oct 7, 2008
Oh..im realy happy.it realy works
Silly Reviews says:
Oct 10, 2008
I’ve been battling with pidgin all day. I hope this works. Here goes……Success!! Thank you so much. Even the help provided by google didn’t make pidgin work with gtalk. You rock! I hope I don’t have to go through the same b.s. with icq and such. Thanks again. I’ll link you from my site (Nuss45.com) where I’m writing about my adventures in finding a multi im client.
Multiple Instant Messenger says:
Oct 10, 2008
[...] googled a bit and found this site which had instructions to help me get gtalk working on pidgin. finally, Gtalk works! Now I’m going to register with icq and add that account. [...]
Peter Reaper says:
Oct 14, 2008
Using “googlemail” does the trick for users in Germany. Aparently, some other company has the rights to “gmail.com” in Germany, so google was forced to use “googlemail” in Germany.
My setting now are:
protocol: XMPP
username: HansMustermann (without the @gmail.com)
domain: googlemail.com
resourse: home
password: ******
Advanced tab:
[X] requires SSL/TLS
[X] Force old SSL
[ ] allow plaintext
Connect port: 443
Connect Server: talk.google.com
File Transfer proxies: proxy.jabber.org
Proxy Type: Use global proxysettings
Please add these instruxtions to the article at the top for “Germany users”!
PS. Pidgin still needs some UI polish (e.g., user-moved dialogs should remember the user chosen position and size; only *one* click on the taskbar icon should be needed to bring up the Buddy List, and *one* click to collapse it again)
links for 2008-10-27 « Bijay Rungta’s Weblog says:
Oct 28, 2008
[...] How to configure Pidgin to work with Google Talk >> T & T >> The Tech Bytes talk.google.com (tags: ubuntu tips pidgin software talk xmpp) [...]
Janu says:
Nov 1, 2008
with above settings .. it able to connect but for every 8 minutes.. again it is giving Read Error… account Discoonected .. and it is reconnecting automatically ..
Katie Craven says:
Nov 8, 2008
I go through this every time I install pidgin for the first time on a machine and have to add google talk. It’s never easy. Here’s what worked for me:
I was getting a connection error in Pidgin trying to configure google chat. I followed some of the instructions on here and started to get a ‘read’ error. I finally played with some settings myself and got it to work. First I made sure I could get to both 5222 and 5223 just for giggles (start>run> type in telnet talk.google.com 5222 then I tried telnet talk.google.com 5223. Both worked as the screen disappearing on me indicated. Interestingly enough telnet talk.google.com 443 did not work.
Here are the settings that finally worked for me:
General Tab:
Protocol: XMPP
Username: MyUsernameOnly
Domain: gmail.com
Resource: Home
Password: enter google talk password
No local alias or other options selected
Advanced tab:
Uncheck Require SSL/TLS
CHECK Force old port (Port 5223) SSL
CHECK Allow plaintext auth over unencrypted streams
Connect port: 443
Connect server: talk.google.com
File transfer proxies: proxy.jabber.org
Proxy type: Use Global Proxy Settings
SpaceCowboy says:
Nov 16, 2008
OK, I’ve found the issue with Not Authorized. It’s down to the Domain setting. It’s dependant on the domain name against your google mail account. Login to Google Mail, go to settings, click accounts tab, click the Google Account settings link in the Google Account Settings box. Under “personal information” on the left will be your primary google email address. What ever is the domain on that is what goes in the Domain setting in Pidgin.
On top of that you may need to do some of the other suggestions above such as use Force Old and set port to 443 etc…
It’s not Pidgin but just the multiple ways google register an account for you. This has driven me insane for an hour.
John says:
Nov 17, 2008
WOOT, had been meaning to attempt this again for a while and now have it working. Using 2.5.2 I had to follow the steps in the troubleshooting section to stop getting read errors.
Thanks for the assist
jens says:
Nov 21, 2008
be sure to use the right domain.
I tried 100 times with gmail.com. But my account has the primary domain googlemail.com. The plain main service works with both domains, but not jabber.
So make sure you use the primary google domain of your account.
BeyondBimary says:
Nov 27, 2008
Yes
Definitely Pidgin is a good tool. But when i configure Gtalk in pidgin , can i enable it to store all my Gtalk chat’s to gmail “Chats” section … If so , Please mail me the answer to 00drk00@gmail.com.
Thanks.
3rasing says:
Dec 7, 2008
Thank you so much, this wasn’t my first Pidgin installation but I just forgot how to configure gmail account
NetConstructor says:
Dec 11, 2008
Guys – Regarding use Google Apps (Google’s Hosted Domain Services) for gmail chat (gchat/google chat) follow these directions!
http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=49147
Hari says:
Dec 13, 2008
I just love PIDGIN. It’s awesome man. By the way thank you guys for the how to configure gmail in Pidgin. I was having some trouble first but no after reading through this I was able to fix it. Thanks once again.
name says:
Dec 15, 2008
Thanks for wrtiting this up. It was useful. I got it working on Debian Etch, pidgin 2.4.3 (downloaded from backports)!
Bijau chemijos » Apie santykius su Linux: viskas veikia says:
Dec 15, 2008
[...] pasidarė ne tokie išsamūs, kaip anksčiau… Dėl to problemų sprendimas randamas kitame puslapyje pačioje apačioje: reikia jungtis per kokį tai seną portą 5223 ir nustatyti “Connect port [...]
Sunny says:
Dec 21, 2008
Hi…….Friends
My music track was not show on my Gatalk .
What i have to do….Pls tell me fris….
I finished to do eveything…means window media player/options/plug-in/background…. then i was not see anythings…..
Pls, fris help…….
aurorYx » Blog Archive » Pidgin, el messenger del “todo en uno” says:
Jan 3, 2009
[...] Como configurar el IM de GTalk: http://www.manast.com/2007/05/11/how-to-configure-pidgin-to-work-with-google-talk/ [...]
Moss says:
Jan 8, 2009
I ‘m translate it to thai in my blog. Thank you for how to Troubleshooting
Nikhil says:
Jan 12, 2009
I am getting “Read Error” while connecting.
I have done the settings mentioned in one of the comments. Can anyone help me out to resolve this error:)
Thanks in advance.
Hotels says:
Jan 13, 2009
The settings proposed by Katie Craven (above) work just fine for me! Thank you Katie!
...?? says:
Jan 17, 2009
I’m really new to Pidgin, I’ve been following ALL the instructions and suggestions, yet I still can’t add my Google Talk/Gmail account, I’m using Vista 32 bit.
I keep getting the “host unknown error”; sorry if this has already been mentioned, any help?
Brent Reifers says:
Jan 24, 2009
I get this message when I try to send an IM to an offline user. Do you know if they need to be logged in?
XMPP Message Error
Message delivery to xxxxx@gmail.com failed: (Code 503) error when trying to send messages.
I can’t find anywhere that explains this error code. Can you tell me whats up?
perito says:
Jan 30, 2009
To make oneself invisible on a google talk account, paste the following into the XMPP Console (Tools > Plugins >XMPP Consol (normally at the bottom) enable it:
5
5
Repeat the above step whenever you want to refresh the buddy list..
# The last line of the code causes the server to return Email Notifications. #
perito says:
Jan 30, 2009
To make oneself invisible on a google talk account, paste the following into the XMPP Console (Tools > Plugins >XMPP Consol (normally at the bottom) enable it:
* Replace eveyr ( to *
* for some reason this website does not post there characters *
(presence)
(priority)5(/priority)
(/presence)
(presence type=”unavailable”)
(priority)5(/priority)
(/presence)
(iq type=’get’)(query xmlns=’google:mail:notify’/)(/iq)
Repeat the above step whenever you want to refresh the buddy list..
# The last line of the code causes the server to return Email Notifications. #
perito says:
Jan 30, 2009
One more time *dammit*
To make oneself invisible on a google talk account, paste the following into the XMPP Console (Tools > Plugins >XMPP Consol (normally at the bottom) enable it:
* Replace every ) to > AND ( to < *
* for some reason this website does not post there characters *
(presence)
(priority)5(/priority)
(/presence)
(presence type=”unavailable”)
(priority)5(/priority)
(/presence)
(iq type=’get’)(query xmlns=’google:mail:notify’/)(/iq)
Repeat the above step whenever you want to refresh the buddy list..
# The last line of the code causes the server to return Email Notifications. #
hammerDK » Blog Archive » Gtalk and Google Hosted Domains says:
Feb 2, 2009
[...] you eg are using Pidgin and want to enable Google Hosted, this post led me to the following settings: Force old (port 5223) SSL: Checked Allow plaintext auth over [...]
Lee says:
Feb 6, 2009
All worked well, thanks man! Other people’s setting were crap as was the google help.
James Laver says:
Feb 9, 2009
Found an undocumented little ‘feature’ that prevented me from connecting, quite accidentally – the resource must have an initial capital letter, otherwise you get ‘not authorised’ errors when you try to connect.
lizkingx says:
Feb 11, 2009
I am trying to setup Pidgin on PortableApps for gtalk, msn, and yahoo. I have tried everything above but it is still not working. Please help.
Basic setup
Protocol: XMPP
username: xxxxxxxx
Domain: googlemail.com
Resource: Home
Password: yyyyyyy
Local alias: zzzzzz
Advanced Setup
Require SSL/TLS: Un-checked
Force old (port 5223) SSL: Checked
Allow plaintext: Checked
Connect port: 443
connect Serve: talk.google.com
File Transfer proxies: proxy.jabber.org:7777
Proxy Type: Global
I have the above setting and it still does not work. Please some help.
MaxBV says:
Feb 19, 2009
It worked for me by putting 209.85.137.125 as Connect Server and having Require SSL/TLS checked.
http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/4364 has information about firewall forcing the encryption off.
Vignesh says:
Feb 23, 2009
Hey thanks a lot man. I had trouble in getting pidgin work with gtalk. Now its working
Raghav says:
Feb 24, 2009
Thanks Manas!
Amol says:
Feb 24, 2009
Thank You for the great info. Now i am able to configure gtalk on my ubuntu machine with pidgin.
Richard says:
Mar 8, 2009
Hi,
not authorized message for all buddies,,,,,
Nitesh says:
Mar 11, 2009
Hi,
i tried with the above settings but……..its says that “Not Authorized”…..
can anyone help pls…
HamzaED says:
Mar 12, 2009
[...] How to configure Pidgin to work with Google Talk >> T & T >> The Tech Bytes – [...]
adule says:
Mar 15, 2009
thanks a tons
Umar says:
Mar 21, 2009
it totally worked..thanks
Shantanu says:
Mar 22, 2009
There can be more issues with gtalk and pidgin, e.g., if you company blocks it. Here is a method to overcome this
:
http://tech.shantanugoel.com/2008/09/08/hack-pidgin-gtalk-connection-problems-get-around-the-corporate-firewall.html
jura says:
Mar 26, 2009
Hi, i installed pidgin on windows vista x64 and first time i ran it it worked just fine. Then i restarted windows and now it can connect to IRC,gtalk and MSN but i can’t see any contacts. I can connect to IRC chat. Any idea why my contacts are not showing?
Btw, i had pidgin instaled on ubuntu 8.10 and windows xp sp3 with same accounts and never had any problems.
jura says:
Mar 26, 2009
I tried reinstall and it still doesn’t show any contacts…
Rahmat says:
Apr 3, 2009
I has been tried, but can’t login.
sreekar says:
Apr 6, 2009
thanks for the info manas…
Oga says:
Apr 7, 2009
Works on Fedora 10.
Thank you very much for Tutorial.
artunulphe says:
Apr 11, 2009
Thanks for the tutorial. One little advices for those who are changing the set-up every 5 seconds and get no result in connecting: the connection can be slow to be establish, just wait a little to make sure you have the wrong set up.
cliodruze says:
Apr 18, 2009
As MaxBV said above, putting 209.85.137.125 as the Connect Server and also checking “Require SSL/TLS” worked for me (using Windows Vista Ultimate).
The above tutorial did not work, but the other suggestion did.
Using Pidgin to connect to Google Chat | A Day in the Life of Matt Cofer says:
Apr 22, 2009
[...] Source [...]