Send and Receive Instant Messages Using Windows Messenger

Instant Messaging

Related Links • Using Windows Messenger version 4.0 • Find out which version you have • Inside Windows Messenger: Learn more about the servers and services behind Windows Messenger Learn More To Change Font In the Conversation window, click Edit, click Change Font, and then choose your font. Each person in a conversation can choose a unique font color. Block Contacts When you are involved in an instant message with someone you want to block, click Block in the bar below the sent message. (If other people are in the conversation, click Block, and then click the name of the person you want to block.) Options You can start instant messaging in several ways: - Double-click the name of a contact Online; - Or right-click on a contact's name and then click Send an Instant Message; - Or click on the Actions menu, click Send an Instant Message, and then click a contact's name; - Or click Send an Instant Message, in the list under I want to..., and then click a contact's name.

Instant messaging gives you the best advantages of e-mail with more immediacy and the added bonus of knowing when your contacts are available online. In Windows Messenger, you can start with instant messaging, then add voice and video.

To send an instant message with Windows Messenger

1.	Start Windows Messenger. (Double-click the Windows Messenger icon located in the status area on the right-hand side of your taskbar.)
2.	Click on the link to sign-in and then enter your .NET Passport e-mail address and password. Click OK.
3.	On your contacts list, double-click the name of the person you want to contact. (Alternatively, on the I want to... list, click Send an Instant Message; or, click the Actions menu, and click Send an Instant Message.)
4.	Your Conversation window will open as shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 1. The Conversation window: Send an instant message.
5.	Type your message in the lower part of the window. To start a new paragraph in your message, hold down SHIFT and press ENTER. To turn on the ability to type emoticons, click Show Emoticons on the Edit menu. Each message can be up to 400 characters long.
6.	Click Send or press ENTER to send your message. Your message will appear in the top window.
7.	Your contact will receive a pop-up box as shown in Figure 2 below in the lower right corner of his screen, and an audible alert indicates a message from you. Clicking on the pop-up box will open his Conversation window. Figure 2. A pop-up box indicates a new instant message.

In the status bar at the bottom of the Conversation window, you can see when your contact is typing, as well as the date and time of the last message you received.

You can add emoticons, the smiley faces and other graphic symbols, to your messages as shown in Figure 3 below.

To add emoticons

•	Click the Emoticon button, and then click on the symbol you want to send. Figure 3. Add emoticons to your instant messages.

You cannot initiate an instant message conversation with more than one person; you can only add people to a conversation once the message window is open. A total of five can take part in a conversation, including you.

To add people to a conversation

To send an instant message to someone not on your contacts list

The person to whom you send the instant message must have Windows Messenger installed. If an instant message cannot be delivered, make sure your contact can accept outside messages.

To determine if you accept outside messages

You can do most of your instant messaging tasks from the icon in the taskbar (near the clock). Click the icon to see a menu and then select whether to send an instant message, sign in or sign out, change your status, or exit Windows Messenger. This is the only way to shut down Windows Messenger. Closing the main window does not close the program; it closes the window, but the program keeps on running in the taskbar. If you want to open the main window in Windows Messenger, just double-click the icon in the taskbar.

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