How to Communicate with Other People Using Your Computer
Email, video calls, messaging apps and social media — everything you need to stay closely connected with family and friends from the comfort of your own home
Your computer is a remarkable tool for staying connected with the people who matter most to you — family, friends, and community. This guide covers every way you can communicate, all of which are either free or very inexpensive.
📬 The Four Ways to Stay in Touch
Free
Like writing a letter — but it arrives in seconds and costs nothing. Great for longer messages, sharing photos, and attaching documents.
🎥 Video Calls
Free
See and hear each other in real time, just like being in the same room. Perfect for catching up with family who live far away.
💬 Messaging Apps
Free
Quick short messages — like SMS but free, and you can also send photos, videos and voice messages.
👥 Social Media
Free
Share your news and photos with friends and family. See what everyone else is up to. Join groups of people with shared interests.
📧 Email — The Basics
Email is like a letter that travels instantly — you type your message, press send, and it arrives in the other person’s inbox within seconds. It’s completely free, works on any device, and you can attach photos to share.
If you don’t already have an email address, the most popular free options are:
- Gmail (from Google) — go to gmail.com and click “Create account”
- Outlook (from Microsoft) — go to outlook.com and click “Create account”
📧 Parts of an Email
| To: | The email address of the person you’re writing to (e.g. mary.smith@gmail.com). You must get this exactly right. |
| Subject: | A short description of what the email is about. Helps the reader know what to expect before they open it. |
| Body: | Your actual message. Type here just as you would write a letter — as long or short as you like. |
| Attach: | Click the paperclip icon to add a photo or document to your email. The other person can then save it. |
| Send: | Click the Send button (usually an arrow or paper plane icon) when you’re ready. Don’t worry — you can check it before sending. |
Compose your email as normal, then click the paperclip () or Insert button, choose your photo from your computer, and click Attach. The photo travels with the email and the recipient can save it.
Email was not designed to carry large files. As a general rule, avoid sending attachments larger than 15 MB — many email providers will actually block or bounce the message if it’s too big, and it can fill up the recipient’s inbox quickly.
If you need to share a large number of photos, a video, or a big document, consider using a free file-sharing service instead. Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive let you share a link to the file rather than attaching it directly — the recipient clicks the link and downloads it at their convenience, with no size limits.
🎥 Video Calls — See Each Other’s Faces
Video calls let you see and speak to someone in real time — just like they’re sitting across from you. All you need is a computer with a camera and microphone (most laptops have these built in), and a free app.
The Most Popular Video Call Apps
| App | Best for | Cost | Works on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom | Group calls, webinars, family gatherings | Free | Windows, Mac, phone, tablet |
| FaceTime | Calling other Apple users | Free | Apple devices only (iPhone, iPad, Mac) |
| Calling anyone worldwide | Free | Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android | |
| Skype | One-on-one or group calls | Free | Usually pre-installed on Windows |
Making Your First Zoom Call — Step by Step
- Ask a family member or friend to send you a Zoom invitation by email.
- Click the link in the email. Zoom will open — or ask you to install it for free (click Install and follow the steps).
- A screen will appear — click “Join with Video” so the other person can see you.
- Click “Join with Computer Audio” so you can hear each other.
- You’re in the call! The buttons at the bottom control your microphone (mute/unmute) and camera.
- When you’re finished, click the red Leave button.
You can’t break anything by trying. If the call doesn’t connect perfectly the first time, just hang up and try again. Everyone has technical hiccups occasionally — it’s perfectly normal.
💬 Messaging Apps
Messaging apps are like text messages (SMS) but they work over the internet — so they’re free, even if the person is on the other side of the world. You can send text, photos, videos and voice recordings.
- WhatsApp — the most popular worldwide. Free messages and calls to anyone with the app. Download from whatsapp.com.
- Facebook Messenger — works with your Facebook account. Great if your family is already on Facebook.
- iMessage — built into all Apple devices. Automatically free when messaging other iPhone or iPad users.
👥 Social Media
Social media lets you share your news, photos and thoughts with friends and family — and see what they’re up to. The most popular options are:
- Facebook — the most widely used, especially among seniors and their families. Great for staying in touch, joining local groups, and sharing photos. Go to facebook.com to create a free account.
- Instagram — mainly photos and short videos. Brilliant for following grandchildren’s lives and seeing their adventures.
- YouTube — not strictly social media, but brilliant for watching videos on any topic: cooking, gardening, news, travel, history, music and much more. All free.
- Only accept requests from people you know. On Facebook or messaging apps, if you don’t recognise someone, ignore or decline their request.
- Never share passwords or banking details. No legitimate app, company, or friend will ever need your password or bank account numbers.
- Think before you share photos. Photos you post publicly can be seen by strangers. Check your privacy settings.
- If something feels wrong, trust your gut. If someone online is making you feel uncomfortable or pressured, stop communicating and talk to someone you trust.
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