Learn how to stop receiving instant messages while in Yahoo! Mail by turning off Yahoo! Messenger in Mail.

If you don't want to have Yahoo! Messenger running from within Yahoo! Mail, you can turn it off by signing out of Yahoo! Messenger in Mail.

Note: It is not possible to completely remove or uninstall the Messenger feature from Yahoo! Mail.

To sign out of Yahoo! Messenger within Yahoo! Mail:

1. In the left column of the page, find Messenger.
2. Click the yellow lightning bolt to the right of it.
   

To sign back in:

1. In the left column of the page, find Messenger.
2. Click the gray lightning bolt to the right of it.
   

Note: Yahoo! Mail saves your Yahoo! Messenger status when you leave Yahoo! Mail. When you return to Yahoo! Mail, it resumes the same status. If your last Yahoo! Messenger status was "Offline," you will remain offline. You'll remain signed out until you reactivate it.