How to Enter a Chat in Yahoo! Messenger

Yahoo! Messenger is a popular instant messaging, chat and conference program. Both Windows and Mac operators can use it, and some users of other messaging symptoms can also interface with users of Yahoo! Messenger. Entering a chat is one of the most basic yet essential skills you'll need for this program.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Enter the full Yahoo! ID of the person you wish to contact in the search bar above your messenger list--the main window that opens when you first start Yahoo! Messenger.

2. Select "Instant Message" from the drop down menu.

3. Type your message into the window that opens. Once you press enter, the text appears in the chat window; it has been instantly sent to the other party.

Tips & Warnings

• Mac users or different versions may have a slightly different interface. If there's no search bar in your messenger list--the main Yahoo! Messenger window--you can open the "File" pulldown menu, select "New Conversation" and enter the Yahoo! ID of the person you'd like to chat with there.

• You can quickly open a chat with members of your Yahoo! Messenger contact list. No need to go through the search bar; just double-click that person's name in your list. This opens a chat window, even if the person is listed as offline. Remember that users can choose to be "Invisible"--that is, listed offline even though they're actually there.

• Be careful what you say. Some messaging programs let you capture and save what both parties have typed. Even if the program doesn't support it, users can still manually save what was typed if they so choose.