Yahoo! Messenger Tutorials

Introducing Yahoo! Messenger

What Is... Installing Messenger and Signing In Connecting With Your Friends Showing Your Online Status Getting Started

What is Yahoo! Messenger?

Yahoo! Messenger is an all-in-one communication tool, and anyone, anywhere in the world, with a computer and Internet connection can use it.

Hold the cursor over the red dot. To learn more about an area of the Messenger window, hold the cursor over a red dot.

The Messenger window Type some information and search the web. View advertisements. Search for contacts. Add a contact, read your Yahoo! email, listen to your voice messages, and more. Change your status so your contacts know when you’re available. View your list of friends and family who also use Messenger. Install Plug-ins to access music, games, weather, and more. If you’ve signed up for Yahoo! Voice features, view a summary of your account. If not, click here to learn more. Click these menus to use many of Messenger’s features.

 With Yahoo! Messenger, you can:
  • Instant message friends in real time.
  • Call and talk with your friends. You can call a friend’s computer, mobile phone, and even the old-fashioned home phone.
  • Share your favorite photos.
  • See when your friends are online and let them see you.
  • Save friends’ contact details in your online address book. Your Messenger address book synchronizes with your Yahoo! Address Book. When you update one, you automatically update the other.
  • See and be seen with webcam.*
  • Install plug-ins to listen to music through LAUNCHcast Radio, check your mail, and access Yahoo! 360°.
  • Play games with your friends.
  • Send emails back and forth.
  • Add color and graphics to your conversations and change the look of the application.

* The webcam isn’t supplied.

You can also instant message with Windows Live™ Messenger friends! Simply add them to your Messenger List and start conversing!

Tip: Not all Yahoo! Messenger features are available when you converse with Windows Live™ Messenger users. You can’t share your avatar or display image, send files, share photos, play games, send IMVs, or use voice communications.
 

What’s Next

If you haven’t already, install Yahoo! Messenger and start communicating with your friends online. Hey, shouldn’t you let all of your friends know about Yahoo! Messenger?

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Words to Know

  • Avatar: a character that you can use when interacting with friends online. By changing hairstyles, clothes, accessories, and backgrounds, you can create your own unique persona.
  • IMVironment (IMV): a themed environment that you can select when instant messaging your friends. Potentially, both you and your friends see the IMV during your conversation.
  • Instant messaging: the ability to exchange messages in real time with other people over the Internet.
  • LAUNCHcast Radio: a streaming music service that allows you to create your own customized station tailored to your tastes and provides an extensive collection of other music stations that offer a wide variety of genres and themes to choose from.
  • Plug-in: a software program that adds a specific feature or to another program.
  • Synchronize: to cause items in multiple locations to match exactly.
  • Webcam: a video camera typically attached to a computer.
  • Windows Live™ Messenger: Microsoft® Windows’ free instant messaging application.