A step-by-step guide to installing and configuring Tawk.to so you can add live chat support to your website.
💬 Live chat • ⚡ Quick install • 🧠 Beginner friendly
In this guide we are going to show you how to install, set up and configure the tawk.to live chat widget so you can start chatting with visitors on your website in real time.
We recommend using a PC or laptop during setup, as configuration is easier on a larger screen.
tawk.to is one of the most popular free live chat tools available, offering powerful features for customer support and engagement.
tawk.to is a free live chat and messaging platform that lets you communicate directly with visitors while they are browsing your website.
It also includes features such as visitor tracking, ticketing, a knowledge base, and automated messaging tools to help improve customer support and engagement.
Unlike many competitors, tawk.to is completely free to use, which makes it a popular choice for small businesses and startups.
To get started, visit the tawk.to website and click the “Sign Up Free” button.
During registration you will need to provide:
Once registered, you can log in at https://dashboard.tawk.to and access your main control panel.
After logging in, you need to create a new property (your website profile) inside the dashboard.
This will generate a unique JavaScript code snippet.
You must copy this code and paste it into the <head> section of your website.
Tip: If you are using WordPress, you don’t need to manually add code — a plugin is easier.
If your website runs on WordPress, installation is very simple.
The plugin automatically inserts the chat widget into your website, so no manual coding is required.
Once installed, you can customise how the chat widget behaves and appears.
Triggers allow you to automatically display messages after a set time or based on user actions.
For example, you can show a welcome message after 30 seconds or trigger offers on specific pages.
You can customise colours, position, branding, and display behaviour to match your website design.
This helps create a more professional and consistent user experience.
Pre-chat forms allow you to collect visitor information such as name, email, and enquiry type before the chat begins.
This is useful for improving support efficiency and routing enquiries to the correct team member.
You can invite team members to help manage live chats.
Roles can be assigned as Admin or Agent depending on the level of access required.
Departments help organise support teams (e.g. Sales, Support, Billing).
This ensures chats are automatically routed to the correct team.
You can block abusive users by adding their IP address to the ban list.
This prevents them from accessing your live chat while still allowing normal website access.
Some useful advanced features include:
tawk.to is a powerful and completely free live chat solution that can significantly improve customer engagement on your website.
Whether you install it manually or via WordPress, setup is quick and straightforward.
If you are building a website, pairing tawk.to with reliable hosting and WordPress can help you deliver a professional customer experience from day one.