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Lync Basic 2013 helps you stay connected to the people who are important to you via instant messaging (IM), email, audio and video calls, persistent chat rooms, and online meetings and presentations.

Let’s go through some basic Lync Basic tasks to get you started.

Find and add a contact

In Lync, contacts are the online identities of the people you interact with most often. They’re a key part of the Lync experience. One of the first things you’ll want to do as you begin to use Lync is start to build a list of contacts.

  1. In the Lync main window, in the search box, type the name, email address, or phone number of the person you want to add.

    Search bar

  2. When the Contacts list appears, point to the picture (or picture display area) of the person, and click More Options.

    Quick Lync bar - More Options

  3. Point to Add to Contact List, and select a group for your new contact to belong to.

    Add to contacts

Send an instant message

To start an IM conversation:

  1. Locate the person you want to send an instant message to, either through search or your Contacts list, and then do any of the following:

  2. Double-click anywhere on their contact listing.

  3. Right-click their listing, and click Send an IM.

  4. Point to their picture in your Contacts list, and click the IM button on the Quick Lync bar.

    Quick Lync bar

  5. Type your message in the text field at the bottom of the window, and press Enter.

    IM conversation window

Check your audio device

Before you use Lync to make a call or join an online meeting, set up your audio device and check the quality. You can use your computer’s mic and speakers or plug in a headset.

  1. Click Select Your Primary Device in the lower-left corner of Lync.

    Select your primary device

  2. Click Audio Device Settings.

  3. Click the menu under Select the device you want to use for audio calls.

  4. If you have more than one audio device, pick the one you prefer.

  5. Under Customize your device, drag the slider to adjust the speakers and microphone.

Tip:  Click the green arrow, under the Speaker menu, to hear a sample tone. Use the blue indicator, under the Microphone menu, while you speak into your receiver or headset to choose the appropriate level.


Set your audio quality
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Make a call

  1. Pause on the contact listing for the person you want to call.

    Quick Lync bar

  2. Click the Phone icon to call the contact.

–or–

Click the arrow next to the Phone icon, and select another number.

Call someone by using the dial pad

  1. In the Lync main window, click the Phone tab.

    Lync dialpad

  2. Click the numbers on the dial pad, or type the number in the search box.

  3. Click Call.

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Answer a call

When someone calls you, an alert pops up on your screen.

Incoming call alert

Do one of the following:

  • To answer the call, click anywhere on the photo area.

  • To reject the call, click Ignore.

  • For other actions, click Options, and then do one of the following:

    • To reply an instant message instead of with audio or video, click Reply by IM.

    • To reject the call and avoid other calls, click Do not Disturb.

    • If you get a video call, but want to answer with audio only, click Answer With Audio Only.

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Share your desktop or a program

Lync lets you share information on your computer in a couple of ways. You can use:

  • Desktop sharing to switch between programs or work on files from different programs.

  • Program sharing to present specific programs or files when you don’t want people to see anything else on your desktop.

  • In a Lync Meeting, pause on the presentation (monitor) button, and then click the Present tab.

    Share your content

  • On the Present tab, do one of the following:

    • Double-click Desktop to share the content on your desktop.

    • Click Program, and select the specific program(s) or file(s) you want to share.

      Tip:  If the program you’re trying to share doesn’t appear, see Don’t see the program you want to share?

      Note:  Note (OneNote) sharing is not available in Lync Basic.

      Your Lync status changes to Presenting, and you won’t receive instant messages or calls.

  • Use the sharing toolbar at the top of the screen to stop sharing or give control to participants.

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