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Customizing Messenger to Work for You

Setting Messenger PreferencesChanging the LanguageChanging Messenger’s Window ColorsControlling Alerts and Sounds

Setting Messenger Preferences

Yahoo! Messenger comes to you ready to use. We’ve set it up so that all you have to do is sign in and start communicating. But, you aren’t part of a cookie-cutter world, and we know that. So, we give you the tools to customize Messenger in a way that works best for you. Below are just a few of the things you can do:

  • Personalize your instant messages by changing the font style and color and by using emoticons and Audibles. The Expressing Yourself in More Ways Than One video tutorial shows you how.

  • Create and share a display image. Learn how in the Showing Your Personality With Display Images tutorial.

  • Protect yourself from unwanted communications. See the Protecting Your Privacy tutorial for more information.

  • Set your preferences in the Messenger Preferences window. Here you can tell Messenger how to behave when you close the Messenger window, what to do with instant messages sent by your contacts and unknown contacts, who to ignore, and much more. This task shows you how to work with the Preferences window

 

Here’s How

  1. Open the Messenger Preferences window from the main window by clicking Messenger, then selecting Preferences from the menu or from the conversation window by clicking Conversation, then selecting Preferences.

    Your Messenger Preferences window

  2. Select a category from the list on the left side of the window.

    Select a category on the left.

  3. Set your preferences for that category on the right side of the window.

    Set your preferences on the right.

  4. Click the OK button.

    Yahoo! Messenger uses your new settings.

 

What’s Next

Take a moment to look at the different categories. You may find a few that you’d like to modify. We think Alerts & Sounds is an important category, so we’ve added a specific task on that subject.

 

Help Topics

 
 

Words to Know

  • Audible: an animated character inserted in an instant message that says something out loud to your contact after you send your message, such as "Welcome" or "Dude!"
  • Contact: a person with whom you interact; someone to whom you might want to send an email, instant message, or text message.
  • Display image: a picture or avatar that represents you in some way and that you share with your contacts during IM conversations.
  • Emoticon: a small character that shows someone how you feel during an IM conversation, such as happy, sad, or laughing.