---
name: "empathy"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "empathy"
version: "3.25.90+really3.12.14-2"
release: "Debian 11 (Bullseye)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/empathy"
---

# empathy(1)

GNOME multi-protocol chat and call client

## NAME

empathy - GNOME multi-protocol chat and call client

## SYNOPSIS

empathy

## DESCRIPTION

GNOME multi-protocol chat and call client Instant messaging program supporting text, voice, video, file transfers and inter-application communication over many different protocols, including: AIM, MSN, Google Talk (Jabber/XMPP), Facebook, Yahoo!, Salut, Gadu-Gadu, Groupwise, ICQ and QQ.

The main user interface consists of a contact list window and an icon in the notification area.

## OPTIONS

- **-n**, **--no-connect**

  Don't connect on startup

- **-h**, **--start-hidden**

  Don't display the contact list or any other dialogs on startup

- **-v**, **--version**

  Show version

## ENVIRONMENT

- **EMPATHY\_LOGFILE=***filename*

  If set, debug output will go to the given file rather than to stderr.

- **EMPATHY\_DEBUG=***type*

  May be set to "all" for full debug output, or various undocumented options (which may change from release to release) to filter the output.

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Laurent Bigonville ⟨bigon@debian.org⟩, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).

## SEE ALSO

[**empathy-accounts**(1)](/empathy-accounts/1.md), The Telepathy project ⟨http://telepathy.freedesktop.org/⟩, The Empathy project ⟨http://live.gnome.org/Empathy⟩.