Set up your contacts
Your contact list is the heart of Windows Messenger. Your contact list shows you who's online, who's away, and who's too busy to chat right then. Your first step in sending and receiving instant messages is to add people to your contact list.
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Add contacts
When you sign in to Windows Messenger for the first time, your contact list will be empty.
To add contacts to your list:
1. | Start Windows Messenger by double-clicking the Windows Messenger icon in the notification area in lower-right corner of your screen. |
2. | Type your Microsoft Passport Network e-mail address and password, and then click OK. |
3. | Click the Add a Contact link in the bottom of the Windows Messenger window. 
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4. | In the Add a Contact window, choose whether you want to add a contact by entering the person's e-mail address or sign-in name, or by searching for the person based on information you provide. Select the relevant option, and click Next. 
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Depending on which option you selected, follow one of these steps:
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If you selected the first option, type the person's e-mail address or sign-in name, and click Next.
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If you selected the second option, enter the person's information in the text boxes provided, and then click Next.
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Note: The person you are adding must be using the .NET Messenger Service in order to use Windows Messenger. This means the contact's e-mail address will end in "hotmail.com," "msn.com," or "passport.com."
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6. | Once Windows Messenger notifies you that the contact was added to your list, click Finish to return to the Windows Messenger window. 
When you first add contacts to Windows Messenger, they are added to your contact list pending their approval and will appear as Offline. (A red icon appears to the left of contacts who are offline; a blue icon indicates that contacts are available.) A notification is sent to the contacts at the e-mail addresses you provide, asking their permission to be added.
When contacts select the Allow option and click OK, they become active in your Windows Messenger contact list. Now you can begin sending and receiving messages.
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Block contacts
By default, Windows Messenger allows anyone to attempt to contact you. All they need is your e-mail address and your approval to add you to their contact lists. That's fine if you're the type of person who talks to people in the grocery store, on airplanes, and on the street. Sometimes, however, instant messages can be intrusions or unwelcome hassles, especially if they interrupt your workday.
With the Privacy options in Windows Messenger, you can designate who has permission to contact you and who doesn't.
To set your Privacy settings in Windows Messenger:
1. | Click Tools, and then click Options. |
2. | Click the Privacy tab. 
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3. | To add a contact to the Block list, click the contact name in the Allow list, and then click Block. The contact is added to the Block list and that person will no longer be able to send you instant messages or view your online status. |
4. | Make sure the Alert me when other people add me to their contact lists check box is selected. Checking this box ensures that the permission notification is sent when others add you to their contact lists. |
5. | Click OK to save your settings and return to the Windows Messenger window. |
Tip: You don't have to dig deep into dialog boxes to block and unblock contacts. Any of these shortcuts will work:
| • | If you're in the middle of a chat session, you can click the Block button to end the conversation immediately. The person at the other end of the connection doesn't know he or she has been blocked-it just looks as though you went offline. |
| • | If you notice that one of your contacts has come online and you decide that you really don't want to hear from him or her right then, right-click the name in the contact list, and click Block. When you're ready to chat, right-click the name again, and click Unblock. |
