Table of Contents
Which OS versions is Flamingo compatible with?
OS X 10.8 or higher.
Which instant messaging services does Flamingo support?
Flamingo supports Google Hangouts (formerly Google Talk), Facebook, and all other XMPP services. A list of public, free to use XMPP servers can be found here. You can also set up your own private server.
Can you add support for iMessage or AIM?
At the moment, no. iMessage is a proprietary Apple service that third party clients can not access, and AIM uses an undocumented, proprietary protocol that we are reluctant to support because existing implementations could break from changes in the future.
What kinds of media are shown inline in chats?
Here is the list of services that Flamingo currently shows inline inside chats:
  • Image links — any image format that OS X supports, including animated GIFs!
  • CloudApp — images, videos, and files
  • Droplr — images, videos, and files
  • Instagram — photos only
  • YouTube — video thumbnails
  • Twitter — tweets, including Twitter picture uploads
This list is subject to change in future updates.
Can I reply to messages from notifications?
Yes! (OS X 10.9+ only). Hover over the right side of the notification for a second and click the Reply button.
How do I chat with more than one person at the same time?
With one chat already open, double click another conversation to open it side by side in the same window. Chats can also be detached into their own windows by dragging on the detach handle on the bottom left corner of the chat view.
Does Flamingo support synchronizing chat history or downloading offline messages?
Due to limitations imposed by the Google and Facebook APIs, we are unable to provide synchronization of message history sent by other chat clients (e.g. Hangouts or Facebook for iOS/Web). The same limitations apply to downloading messages received while Flamingo was offline. This problem is out of our control and we are dependent on the services themselves to provide a solution, which they haven't done thus far.
Are group chats supported?
Flamingo currently does not support group chats. This is a service side limitation with both the Google Hangouts and Facebook APIs.
Where can I change my status?
You can't and don't need to. Flamingo automatically updates your status between Available, Idle, Away, and Offline by monitoring the idle time of your computer. And status messages? Come on, it's 2013.
Why is my account failing to connect?

There are several reasons why your account could be failing to connect:

  • Firewall is blocking connections to the server
  • Server is not properly configured
  • Flamingo does not support the server configuration
  • Server is offline

An easy way to check whether it's a problem with Flamingo or the firewall/server configuration is to test whether you are able to connect to the server using a different client, like Messages or Adium. If you can successfully connect using one of these clients but not from Flamingo under the same conditions, then please contact us and include a debug log.

If you find that you can not connect using any client, the next step would be to check whether the required ports aren't being blocked by a firewall running on your computer or router. Flamingo uses TCP port 5222 for XMPP client to server connections. Some older servers that use a deprecated implementation of XMPP connection over SSL use port 5223 (TCP). Flamingo currently does not support this legacy authentication mechanism.

If this didn't help and you are sure that the server is online and functional, please contact us and include a debug log as mentioned above.

Can I receive files from friends using other instant messaging clients?
Files can be received from the majority of popular instant messaging clients, including Adium, Messages, Pidgin, or any other client that support SI File Transfer.
Can I receive stickers, photos, and file attachments sent via Facebook clients on web and mobile?
Due to limitations in Facebook's Chat API, stickers and photos can not be displayed by Flamingo in chats.
What options are provided for sending files?

Flamingo supports 3 methods of sending files: Direct Connection, CloudApp, and Droplr.

The fastest and most convenient option is Direct Connection, which sends files over a connection between 2 computers. This method is used by other popular messaging clients like Adium, Messages, and Pigdin. However, this option only works with client applications that support it, and some services (e.g. Facebook) don't support it.

For this reason, CloudApp and Droplr are provided as backup options for convenient file transfer regardless of the client. These accounts can be set up in Preferences > File Transfer. Direct Connection can also be turned off if you prefer to use these services exclusively instead.

Direct Connection transfers are failing. Why?
Direct Connection requires a router or NAT that supports either UPnP or NAT-PMP. If sending files via Direct Connection fails, make sure that:
  • Your router is using the latest available firmware version.
  • UPnP/NAT-PMP is enabled in the router settings.
  • A firewall (either locally on your computer or running on the network layer) isn't blocking incoming connections to Flamingo.
Can I buy Flamingo somewhere other than the Mac App Store?
We currently have no plans to distribute Flamingo outside of the Mac App Store.
How do I enable debug logging?
To enable debug logging, run the following command in Terminal and restart the app:

defaults write com.nonatomic.Flamingo StreamLoggingEnabled -bool true

The log files can now be found in ~/Library/Containers/com.nonatomic.Flamingo/Data/Library/Logs/Flamingo

WARNING: Log files can contain personal information. Please be aware of this fact before sending them to us for debugging purposes.

How do I configure SSL settings?

We do not expose these settings in the app because they should not be tampered with unless you know exactly what you are doing.

Allow self-signed certificates

To enable self-signed certificates to test with your own XMPP server, run the following command in Terminal:

defaults write com.nonatomic.Flamingo AllowSelfSignedCertificates -bool true

Allow host name mismatch

To allow a mismatch between the host name and the issued certificate's host name, run the following command in Terminal:

defaults write com.nonatomic.Flamingo AllowHostNameMismatch -bool true