Skip to search.

Breaking News Visit Yahoo! News for the latest.

×Close this window

Working With the Contact List

What Is...Controlling What the List DisplaysWhat Do Those Symbols Mean?Changing the List’s Font and Text ColorUsing Contact Cards

What Do Those Symbols Mean?

Your Messenger List and the Address Book group use symbols and sometimes text to provide information about your contacts.

Below are a few of the more common symbols you might see in your Messenger List.

AvailableAvailable—the contact is signed in and ready to chat.
Offline or PendingOffline—the contact isn’t signed into Messenger or another compatible instant messenger application.
IdleIdle—the contact is signed in, and hasn’t used Messenger for a while.
BusyBusy—the contact is signed in, and not available to chat.
PendingPending—Messenger is waiting for your contact to agree to let you add his or her name to your Messenger List.
 

What’s Next

You can change your status so that others see your availability. See the Sharing Your Status ?video tutorial for more information.

 
 
 

Words to Know

  • Contact: a person with whom you interact; someone to whom you might want to send an email, instant message, or text message.
  • Messenger List: the main part of the Contact List in Yahoo! Messenger. The Messenger List includes the contacts with whom you communicate most often.