This document describes how to copy your local chat history from Yahoo! Messenger to create a backup, or to transfer to another computer.

Your "Profiles" folder contains your complete message history archive on your computer. You can copy it to the same location on another computer if you want to view it there. We've included instructions for Windows XP and Windows Vista users.

To locate your complete message history archive on Windows XP:

1. On your keyboard, press the key combination Windows Logo + R. This opens the "Run" command.
2. Copy and paste the text below into the Run command | then click OK:

%ProgramFiles%\Yahoo!\Messenger\

To locate your complete message history archive on Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32-bit):

1. Open the "Run" command: press Windows Logo+R on your keyboard.
2. Copy and paste the text below into the Run command | then click OK:

%LocalAppData%\VirtualStore\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\

To locate your complete message history archive on Windows Vista or Windows 7 (64-bit):

1. Open the "Run" command: press Windows Logo+R on your keyboard.
2. Copy and paste the text below into the Run command | then click OK:

%LocalAppData%\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Yahoo!\Messenger

Warning: Copying your Profiles folder to another computer overwrites any existing message history archive on that computer and it is replaced by yours. That overwritten message history archive will be permanently eliminated by this process. (Workaround: Backup that message archive first to a storage medium such as a CD ROM.)