How to Make Free AIM Icons

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) icons are pictures, also known as avatars, that accompany a person's AIM screen name. These icons are visible to other AIM users in AIM chat windows. AIM icons have to be a certain size in order for you to upload the icons to your account. You also have the choice of having either a text or picture AIM icon. There are a pair of websites one can use to create either kind of AIM icon for free.

Instructions

Picture AIM Icon

1. Go to the Frank's Icons page (see Resources below).

2. Click "Browse." Look for and choose a picture on your computer. This is the picture that will eventually become the AIM Icon.

3. Click "Upload Image." Once the image finishes uploading, it will appear in the middle of the Web page and a box will show up in the middle of the picture.

4. Drag the box around in the picture to crop a portion of that image. The area inside of the box will be your AIM icon.

5. Click "Crop Picture" to get to the next page.

6. Enter a name or description for the AIM icon in the text box beneath the AIM icon.

7. Select a category for your AIM icon from the categories listed on the website. You can also choose to make your AIM icon "private."

8. Click the "OK -- Make an Icon" button.

9. Skip the editing steps in the middle of the Web page and click the "Size" drop box on the right side of the page. Choose "50 pixels."

10. Select the "Make My Icon" tab on the right side of the page. The AIM icon will appear in place of the tab.

11. Choose the "download icon" link beneath the AIM icon, and a download box will appear. Choose "Save File" to save the AIM icon to your computer.

12. Open AIM and sign in.

13. Click "Edit" at the top of the AIM Buddy List. Choose "Settings." A window will open.

14. Choose the "Expressions" tab found on the left side of the window. Once you do, a blank AIM icon will appear in the top right portion of the window.

15. Click the "Browse" link under the blank AIM icon. Then, choose the AIM icon you created and saved onto your computer. The icon will then be set as your new AIM icon.

Text AIM Icon

1. Go to the Blibs Buddy Icon website (see Resources below).

2. Type the message you want in your AIM icon in the "Enter Your Message" box.

3. Edit the text AIM icon by clicking on the drop boxes underneath the AIM icon message box.

4. Click "Update Icon" and the AIM icon will appear at the top of the page. Make any necessary changes to the AIM icon.

5. Sign onto your AIM account. Then, go back to the Blibs Web page and click the "Set this as your buddy icon!" link beneath the AIM icon you created. A confirmation window will appear. Click "OK" and the icon you made will be set as your AIM icon.

Resources

• Frank's Icons
• Blibs Buddy Icon