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 the newest version of 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.
   

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

1. Go to Yahoo! Mail.
2. Check your current status in the "Chat & Mobile Text" section in the left column below your list of folders.
3. If your status is "Available," "Busy," or "Invisible":
   • Change it to "Offline": Click the down arrow beside it and select Sign out of chat.
   • Your default status will now be "Offline" in Yahoo! Mail.

To sign back in:

1. Go back to the "Chat & Mobile Text" section, click the down arrow beside your status.
2. Select Available.

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.