You can send a short message to any ICQ user regardless of whether the user is online at the time of sending. Your message is received even if the receiver is offline. Messages may be sent either directly to the receiver's computer, or via the ICQ servers. This depends on whether the user is online or not. 

To send a message:

  1. Click on the user you wish to contact. 
  2. The User Menu will appear: 
  3. Choose Message from the list. 
  4. Type the message. 
  5. Click on Send to send the message.OR
  6. Click on Cancel to abort the message.

While you type your message you will hear the typing machine sounds. 
To disable this option:

  Click on the Sound button next to the character count on the Send Message dialog. 
  The Disabled Sound button will indicate that the sound has been turned off. 
 

You can set the font, font color and background of your Send Message dialog (figure 1) as you wish using the following icons which appear at the top of the Send Message dialog: 

  Click and choose the font type you like best from the window that appears. 
  Click and choose the font color you prefer. 
  Click and select the background color you wish to appear on your Send Message dialog. 
 

All your messages will now appear according to the new settings and will be displayed on your friend's ICQ client when they receive your messages.