---
title: "Live Chat Guide"
sidebar_label: "Live Chat Guide"
description: "How to use Gobii live chat: messaging, files, switching agents, collaboration, and chat-level controls."
---

Live Chat is the main workspace for running agent work in real time.

## Open live chat

1. In Console, open **[Agents](https://gobii.ai/console/agents/)**.
2. Select the agent.
3. Open **Chat**.

## Chat layout at a glance

- **Sidebar (left)**: Agent list and agent switching.
- **Timeline (center)**: Messages, tool activity, and results.
- **Composer (bottom)**: Where you type messages and attach files.

## Send a message

1. Type your request in the composer.
2. Add files if needed.
3. Send the message.

The timeline will show progress and results as the agent works.

## Send files to the agent

You can attach files directly in chat when sending a message.

Typical flow:

1. Add one or more files in the composer.
2. Include a short instruction (for example, what to extract or generate).
3. Send.

Your chat attachments appear in the conversation and can be referenced by the agent during that request.

For reusable files, use the dedicated **Agent Files** page (`https://gobii.ai/console/agents/<agent_id>/files/`).

## Switch between agents

Use the chat sidebar to switch agents quickly.

1. Open the sidebar agent list.
2. Select another agent.
3. Wait for the chat to load the selected agent context.

If you do not see an expected agent, confirm you are in the correct personal/organization context.

## Collaborate with teammates

Collaboration lets multiple people work with the same agent.

- **Collaborators** can usually view and send messages.
- Users with management permission can send collaborator invites from chat.

If collaboration controls are missing, this usually means the current user does not have collaborator-management permission for that agent.

## Change settings while in chat

From chat, you can jump to the agent settings experience to change:

- Agent behavior (name, charter, active state, limits, intelligence)
- Access controls (allowlist, collaborators, channels)
- Integrations (MCP servers, webhooks, peer links)

For current product guidance, see [Chat And Timeline](/using-gobii/chat-and-timeline) and [Tools And Apps](/using-gobii/tools-and-apps).

## Common visibility/permission behavior

- Some controls are hidden for collaborator-only access.
- Billing-related prompts and actions depend on plan and role.
- Organization context affects what an agent list and controls show.

## Tips for better results

- Be explicit about output format (table, bullet list, JSON, summary).
- Attach files with clear filenames.
- Ask one primary task per message for clearer execution.
