Messenger Beta Help

8/6/2019 Messenger Beta Help

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Microsoft Messenger for Mac 8 Beta

[This is pre-release documentation and is subject to changein future releases. Blank to ics are included as laceholders.


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Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to

change without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the companies, organizations, products, domain

names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events depicted in examples herein are

fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail

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recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft

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property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any

written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you anylicense to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.

2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Windows Live ID, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Alerts,

and Microsoft Messenger for Mac are trademarks of the Microsoft Group of Companies.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their

respective owners.


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Table of contentsGetting Started......................................................................................................................................................................1Get Started with Messenger for Mac....................................................................................................................1Sign in to or out of Messenger for Mac..............................................................................................................2Reset or change the password for a personal account..................................................................................3Set your status option................................................................................................................................................3Online status options..................................................................................................................................................4Turn on Accessibility options...................................................................................................................................6Keyboard shortcuts for Messenger.......................................................................................................................9Keyboard shortcuts for emoticons .....................................................................................................................10

Communicating with Contacts.....................................................................................................................................12Send and receive instant messages....................................................................................................................12Express yourself with emoticons .........................................................................................................................14Make an audio call ...................................................................................................................................................16Make a video call ......................................................................................................................................................18Send an instant message to a mobile device... ..............................................................................................19Send or receive a file ...............................................................................................................................................21Open your e-mail application from Messenger............................................................................................22

Organizing Contacts.........................................................................................................................................................23Add, delete, or block a contact from Messenger for Mac.........................................................................23Import or export contacts......................................................................................................................................25Use Bonjour to find nearby Messenger for Mac users................................................................................26Organize contacts by group or online status.................................................................................................27See who added you to his or her contact list .................................................................................................29Assign a nickname to a Messenger for Mac contact...................................................................................29

Customizing Messenger for Mac.................................................................................................................................30Customize alerts and sounds................................................................................................................................30Customize your display name and personal message................................................................................31Clear password or user accounts.........................................................................................................................31Stop Messenger from opening automatically when I start my computer ..........................................33Add or change your display picture ..................................................................................................................33Format the font in messages ................................................................................................................................35Check spelling ............................................................................................................................................................35See other users without being seen...................................................................................................................37Show what music you're listening to.................................................................................................................37Save and view a conversation history ...............................................................................................................38


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Security and Privacy .........................................................................................................................................................39Require a password to access Windows Live sites........................................................................................39

Receiving messages from unknown senders..................................................................................................40Security tips.................................................................................................................................................................41

General security tips ........................................................................................................................................41Security tips for use on a shared computer............................................................................................41

View the privacy statement...................................................................................................................................41Troubleshooting.................................................................................................................................................................42

I cant sign in to my personal account..............................................................................................................42When I plug in a webcam, iChat opens automatically...............................................................................44I can't change my display picture.......................................................................................................................44Audio or video quality is poor .............................................................................................................................45Im unable to use the audio services in my audio or video call ..............................................................46Im unable to use the video services in my video call .................................................................................47


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Getting Started

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Getting Started

Get Started with Messenger for MacYou can connect with family, friends, coworkers, and customize Messenger for Mac in the

following ways:

Connect with family, friends, or co-workers - down the hall or around theworld.

Send instant messages to any contact who is online. You can check the contact's

status option to determine at a glance who is available to chat. For information about

status options, see Online status options.

Note You need a Windows Live ID account to use Messenger for Mac. To sign up for afree Windows Live ID account, visit the Windows Live ID Web site.

Converse with a group of friends. Invite up to 15 friends to participate in the same

conversation. For more information, see Send and receive instant messages.

See and hear your contacts. Make computer-to-computer audio or video calls for

face-to-face interaction with your contacts. For more information, see Make an audio

call and Make a video call.

Send and receive instant messages to your mobile contacts. Use your computer to

exchange instant messages with many models of mobile devices. For more information,

see Send an instant message to a mobile device.

Be creative and have fun.

Choose a display picture. You can select from a variety ofdisplay pictures or create

your own. For more information, see Add or change your display picture.

Express your feelings. Add emoticons to your messages or create your own. For more

information, see the following topics: Express yourself with emoticons.

Note You can use the following file formats to create custom emoticons: JPEG, BMP,

PNG, GIF, and Animated GIF. To be used as an emoticon, a file must be 150 KB or

smaller. Animated GIFs must also be 50 x 50 pixels or smaller.

Be safer.

Block messages from specific people. Don't tolerate annoying messages. With the

click of a button, you can block a contact from sending messages to you or seeing your

status. For more information, see Set your status option.
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Getting Started

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Sign in to or out of Messenger for Mac

To use Messenger for Mac, you must have a Windows Live ID. To sign up for a free Windows LiveID account, visit the Windows Live ID Web site.

Do any of the following:

Sign in to Messenger for Mac

1. In the Messenger for Mac sign-in window, do one of the following:

To Do this

Sign in to the current account Click Sign In.

Sign in to a different account Click Sign in with a different account or

change your online status.

2. Type your e-mail address and password, if required.

Note You can sign in to only one personal account at a time. To sign in with a

different account, in the Messenger for Mac sign-in window, click Sign in with a

different account or change your online status.

Sign out of an account

After you sign out of an account, you cannot send or receive messages, and you appear offline

to other people.

On the Networkmenu, click Sign Out.

See also

Stop Messenger from opening automatically when I start my computer

Clear password or user accounts

Set your status option

I can't sign in to my personal account


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Getting Started

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Reset or change the password for a personal accountYou need to use a Windows Live ID for signing into Messenger for Mac. If you forget yourpassword, you can reset it on the Windows Live Web site. After you sign in to the Windows Live

accounts page, you can change a password.

1. Visit the Windows Live page.

2. Follow the instructions on the screen.

See also

Sign in or out of Messenger for Mac

Set your status optionBy setting your status options, also known as "presence," your contacts can see whether you're

available to chat and/or choose the best way to try to reach you.


Set your sign-in status

When you set your status at the sign-in window, Messenger for Mac remembers the status

even after you sign out and assigns the same sign-in status the next time you sign in.

1. In the Messenger for Mac sign-in window, click Sign in with a different account or

change your online status.

2. In the Status drop-down box, click the desired status.

Note To learn more about the different status options, see Online status options.

Change your status

1. Sign in to Messenger for Mac.

2. In the Contacts window, click the display picture next to your name, and then click the

description that best describes your status.
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Getting Started

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Change the time interval at which your status changes to Away

You can set the idle time that you want to elapse before Messenger changes your status toAway. Idle time is when your computer is not receiving input from the keyboard, mouse, or

voice commands.


2. On the Messenger menu, click Preferences.

3. Click General, and then under Status, enter a number after Show me as "Away" when

I'm inactive for.

Tip If you don't want Messenger to automatically change your status to Away, clear

the check box.

See also

Online status options

See other users without being seen


Online status optionsThe following table explain your options for broadcasting your availability to other contacts and

for controlling interruptions. Online status is also known as "presence."

Status Icon Description Notes

Available You are online and can

participate in

conversations.

Busy You are online but might

be unable to

communicate.

You receive messages, but you do not receive

alerts, and sounds do not play.

By default, if you are running a full-screen

application, such as a PowerPoint presentation,

your Messenger status is Busy. To change this

setting, on the Messenger menu, click

Preferences. Click General, and then clear the Setstatus to Do Not Disturb when I'm running

full-screen programs check box.


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Getting Started

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Status Icon Description Notes

Be Right

Back

You are online but might

be unable to

communicate.

You can send and receive messages.

Away You are online but might

be unable to

communicate.


In a Call You are online but might

be unable to

communicate.


Out to

Lunch

You are online but might

be unable to

communicate.


Appear

Offline

You can send messages,

but contacts cannot send

messages to you unless

you start the

conversation.

Offline You have signed out of

your account.

Note Some contacts might have an online status that is not available in Messenger for Mac.

See also


Customize alerts and sounds


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Getting Started

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Turn on Accessibility optionsMicrosoft Office applications use the universal access features of Mac OS X. Universal accessfeatures can make it easier to use your computer if it is difficult for you to see or hear or if you

have limited dexterity.

Note To learn about Macintosh services and products for people with disabilities, visit the

Apple Accessibility Web page at http://www.apple.com/accessibility.


Turn on VoiceOver

Hear most menu commands, dialog boxes, and other elements on your computer screen.

VoiceOver does not work with the contents of the main document window. For example,

VoiceOver does not read your text in a Word document.

1. On the Apple menu, click System Preferences.

2. Under System, click Universal Access.

3. On the Seeing tab, under VoiceOver, click On.

Turn on Zoom

Zoom in on the screen image to make it appear larger.



3. On the Seeing tab, under Zoom, click On.

Listen to any selected text


2. Under System, click Speech.

3. On the Text to Speech tab, select the Speak selected text when the key is pressed

check box.

4. Press the keyboard shortcut that you want to use to hear text read aloud, and then click

OK.

5. In any Office application, select some text, and then press the keyboard shortcut to hearthe text read aloud.
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Getting Started

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Use keyboard shortcuts to move within an Office application

1. Open any Office application.

2. Do any of the following:

To switch the focus to Press

Menu bar CONTROL+F2

View Switcher CONTROL+F7

Toolbar CONTROL+F10

Turn on other universal access features of Mac OS X




Tab Under Do this

Seeing Display Switch the screen to black on white or white on

black, and make other contrast improvements.

Hearing Flash Flash the screen when a warning sound occurs.

Keyboard Sticky keys Turn on sticky keys to help you press multiple keysand display pressed keys on the screen.

Office applications do not override the Mac OS X full

keyboard navigation keyboard shortcuts that you

can use to move to, select, or open items on the

screen.

Keyboard Slow keys Turn on slow keys to help you make the computer

respond correctly when you press keys.

Keyboard Key repeat

rate

Change how fast a key repeats when you press it.

Mouse Mouse keys Turn on mouse keys to control the pointer by using

the numeric keypad.


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Getting Started

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Tab Under Do this

Mouse Cursor size Make the pointer larger for increased visibility.

Mouse Full

keyboard

access

Use the keyboard instead of the mouse to move

between controls.

For a list of full keyboard navigation keyboard

shortcuts, see Mac Help.

Mouse Tracking

and

scrolling

speed

Change how fast the pointer moves across the screen

and how fast scroll wheels function.

See also

Keyboard shortcuts for Messenger


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Getting Started

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You can use the following keyboard shortcuts to do tasks efficiently in Messenger.

To do this Press

Sign in or sign out +G

Cancel sign in +.

Quit Messenger +Q

Show or hide the personal contact list +L

Show or hide the corporate contact list OPTION++L

Close the active window (contact list or message window) +W

Display or hide the toolbar in the main or message window +T

Open the Conversation History +O

Open your e-mail application +E

Add a contact SHIFT++A

View information about the selected contact +I

Save an instant message +S

Check spelling SHIFT++:

Undo +Z

Cut +X

Copy +C

Paste +V

Select everything in the message window +A

See alsoKeyboard shortcuts for emoticons

Open your e-mail application from Messenger


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Getting Started

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Keyboard shortcuts for emoticons

You can add emoticons in the conversation window by using keyboard shortcuts. For example, if

you type :), Messenger converts the characters into a smiley emoticon .

Note You can also create or import a custom emoticon. For more information see, Express

yourself with emoticons.

To send this Type this To send this Type this

:-) or :) (U) or (u)

:-D or :d (K) or (k)

:-O or :o (G) or (g)

:-P or :p (F) or (f)

;-) or ;) (W) or (w)

:-( or :( (P) or (p)

:-S or :s (~)

:-l or :l (@)

:'( (&)

:-$ or :$ (T) or (t)

(H) or (h) (I) or (I)

:-@ or:@ (8)

(A) or (a) (S)

(6) (*)

:-# (E) or (e)

8ol (O) or (o)

8-l (M) or (m)


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Getting Started

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To send this Type this To send this Type this

^o) (sn)

:-* (bah)

+o( (pl)

:^) (ll)

*-) (pi)


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Communicating with Contacts

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Send and receive instant messagesYou can send a message to contacts who have a Windows Live ID or a Yahoo! ID.


Send an instant message to one person


2. In the Contacts window, do one of the following:

To send a message to Do this

An existing contact who

is online

Double-click the contact.

Available contacts display the icon.

A person who is not in your

contact list

On the Contacts window, click Send, click Other,

type the person's e-mail address, and then click

OK.

To add this person as a contact, click Add Contact

in the conversation window.

3. In the lower part of the conversation window, type your message, and then click Send.

Notes

You can add contacts to a conversation. However, you must start the conversation with

a single contact.

Each message can be up to 400 characters long.


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Add more contacts to a conversation

After you start a conversation, you can invite additional contacts to join.

1. In the conversation window, click Invite .

2. Do one of the following:

To invite Do this

An existing contact Click the contact.

A person who is not in your

contact list

Click Other, and then type the person's

e-mail address.

Note A total of 15 people, including you, can take part in a conversation.

Receive an instant message invitation

When someone sends you an instant message, an instant message alert appears in the

bottom-right corner of your computer screen.

1. Click anywhere in the left pane of the invitation alert.

2. In the conversation window, type your response in the message area, and then press

ENTER.

See alsoSend an instant message to a mobile device

Add, delete, or block a contact from Messenger for Mac

Make a video call

Make an audio call


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Express yourself with emoticonsEmoticons are graphic images that you can use to express your emotions within an instantmessage conversation.


Add an emoticon to a message

1. In the conversation window, click .

2. Click the emoticon that you want to use, and then click Send.

Notes

To turn off emoticons, on the Messenger menu, click Preferences, and then clickAppearance.

Under Message Font Style, clear the check boxes for the emoticons that you don't

want.

You can add additional emoticons to the emoticon menu. Click , and then

click . To add an emoticon, select its check box.

Depending on a contact's messaging application and messaging service, custom

emoticons and some standard emoticons might not be visible to that contact.

You can also create your own emoticons.

Important

You can use the following file formats for custom emoticons: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, and

Animated GIF. To be used as an emoticon, a file must be 150 KB or smaller. Animated GIFs

must also be 50 x 50 pixels or smaller.


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Import a custom emoticon


2. On the Edit menu, click Emoticons.

3. At the bottom of the Emoticons screen, click .

4. Click Select File, and then locate the picture or animation on your computer.

5. Under Type a shortcut, enter a keyboard shortcut that you want to use when adding

this emoticon to your messages.

After you have created an emoticon, you can add it to a message by typing its shortcut,

or by selecting it from the emoticon menu in the message window.

Notes

Depending on a contact's messaging application and messaging service, custom

emoticons and some standard emoticons might not be visible to that contact.

The emoticon menu can display up to 59 emoticons.

To select which emoticons you want on the emoticon menu, on the Edit menu, click

Emoticons, and then select or clear the check boxes.

Edit or delete a custom emoticon

If you created an emoticon, you can delete it or edit its name and keyboard shortcut.

1. Sign in to Messenger for Mac.2. On the Edit menu, click Emoticons.

3. Click a custom emoticon, and then do one of the following:

To Do this

Delete the emoticonAt the bottom of the Emoticons screen, click .

Edit the name or keyboard

shortcut for the emoticonAt the bottom of the Emoticons screen, click .


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Note If you do not want to show custom emoticons in messages, click the display picture next

to your name, and then click Personal Settings. Under Message Font Style, clear the Showcustom emoticons in instant messages check box.

See also

Keyboard shortcuts for emoticons

Make an audio callWith apersonal account, you can use Messenger for Mac to talk with contacts in your network.

You can also conduct conference calls by inviting multiple contacts to join the conversation.

During an audio call, you can also use Messenger to send files and text messages to call

participants.

To use audio calling, both you and your contact must have a microphone and either speakers or

headphones. If your computer does not have a built-in microphone, you can purchase a Mac-

compatible microphone for your computer. To learn about how to set up these devices to work

with your computer, see Mac Help.

The following list shows a sample of the devices that you can use for an audio/video chat.

A built-in Apple iSight webcam

An external Apple iSight webcam

Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks


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To make an audio call, perform the following steps.

1. In the Contacts window, click Call , and then click a contact.

If the contact whom you want is not listed, click Other, and then type the contact's e-

mail address.

Note In the Call menu, Messenger lists only contacts who are currently online.

2. After your contact accepts the call, talk into the microphone.


To Do this

To invite other contacts to theaudio call Click Invite , and then click a contact.

Mute or unmute your

microphoneClick .

Adjust the volumeDrag the volume slider .

Add video to the callClick Video .

End the audio part of the call, but

leave the message window openClick .

Leave the conversationcompletely

Close the conversation window.

Notes

If you are in a text conversation with a contact, you can add audio and video to the

conversation. In the conversation window, click Call or Video .

When you save a conversation in Conversation History, only the text portion is

saved. Audio and video are not saved.

See also

Make a video call

Audio or video quality is poor

Im unable to use the audio services in my audio or video call


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Make a video call

With apersonal account, you can use Messenger to make video calls to contacts in your network.You can also conduct video conference calls by inviting multiple contacts to join the conversation.

During a video call, you can also use Messenger to send files and text messages.

To use video calling, you must have a webcam, a microphone, and either speakers or headphones.

If your computer does not have a built-in webcam and microphone, you can purchase a Mac-

compatible device to attach to your computer. To learn about how to set up these devices to work

with your computer, see Mac Help.

The following list shows a sample of the devices that you can use for an audio/video chat.

A built-in Apple iSight webcam

An external Apple iSight webcam

Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks

To make a video call, perform the following steps.

1. In the Contacts window, click Video , and then click a contact.

If the contact whom you want is not listed, click Other, and then type the contact's e-

mail address.

Note On the Video menu, Messenger lists only contacts who are currently online.

2. After your contact accepts the call, talk into the microphone.


To Do this

Invite other contacts to join the video callClick Invite , and then click a

contact.

Put audio and video on hold or resume a

callClick .

Mute or unmute your microphoneClick .

Change the video to full-screen mode or

back to normal sizeClick .


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To Do this

Show or hide display pictures of all

participants or self during a conversation Click Display Pictures .

Adjust the volume Drag the volume

slider .

Change to an audio-only call

Click Call .

End the video and audio parts of the call,

but leave the message window openClick .

Leave the conversation completely Close the conversation window.

Notes

If you are in a text conversation with a contact, you can add audio and video to the

conversation. In the conversation window, click Call or Video .

When you save a conversation in Conversation History, only the text portion is saved.

Audio and video are not saved.

See also

Make an audio call



Send an instant message to a mobile deviceThis feature is not available in all markets.

You can send an instant message from Messenger for Mac to a mobile device that can receive text

messages.

Important

To use this feature, you and your contact must have mobile devices that are set up with MSNMobile.


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Notes

When you send a message to a mobile device, the message that you send includesyour e-mail address and, if you've included it, your callback telephone number.

The recipient of your message cannot reply to Messenger.

See also

Send and receive instant messages

Customize alerts and sounds

Send or receive a fileYou can use Messenger for Mac to exchange files with a contact who is online.

Note Messenger cannot exchange files with contacts on the Yahoo! or AOL networks. Also,

there is no option to share files or folders in Messenger for Mac. This option is available only

with Windows Live Messenger. Messenger for Mac allows you to send one file at a time to a

contact who is online.


Send a file


To send a file from Click

The contactswindow Send File , and then select a contact.

The conversation

window Send File .

If your conversation includes multiple contacts, select the

contact whom you want to send the file to.

2. Locate the file that you want, and then click Choose.

Messenger waits for the contact to accept the file transfer, and then sends the file.

Notes You can drag a file into the conversation window to send it.

You can send a file to only one contact at a time. The contact must be online to receive

a file.


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Receive and open a file

When a contact sends you a file, you are notified in the conversation window.1. To receive the file, click Accept.

The file is saved to your computer.


To Do this

Open the folder that

contains the file

Click the file in the conversation window.

Open the file later Open the file from the folder that stores received

files. By default, this is the Desktop folder.

Change the folder that stores received files

1. On the Messenger menu, click Preferences, and then click General .

2. Under Received Files, click Change.

3. Select the folder that you want, and then click Choose.

Open your e-mail application from Messenger

If one of your contacts is unavailable for instant messaging, you can open your e-mail applicationfrom Messenger to send the contact an e-mail message.

If you sign in to Messenger with a Windows Live ID, the following procedure opens your Windows

Live Hotmail inbox.

Note To sign up for a free Windows Live ID account, visit the Windows Live ID Web site.


2. In the contact list window, click Mail .

See also

Require a password to access Windows Live sites

Online status options


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Organizing Contacts

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Delete a contact


2. Hold down CONTROL and click the contact in the contact list, and then click Delete

Contact.

Tip To also block the contact, select the I also want to block this person check box.

3. Click Delete.

Notes

If you delete a contact without also blocking the contact, that person can still see your

online status and send you messages.

To restore a deleted contact, on the Contact menu, click Privacy. Under My Allow

List or My Block List, hold down CONTROL and click the contact, and then click Addto Contacts.

Block all unknown senders from sending messages to a personal account

For apersonal account, you can block everyone who is not on the My Allow List. Blocked users

cannot send you messages or see your online status.

1. On the Contact menu, click Privacy.

2. Under Visibility and Privacy, select the Only users on my Allow List can see my

status and send me messages check box.

See alsoImport or export contacts

Assign a nickname to a personal contact

Organize contacts by group or online status


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Organizing Contacts

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Import or export contactsYou can transfer messaging contacts between different accounts by using a .ctt file.Many messaging applications can export contacts as a .ctt file. To find out how to export contacts

as a .ctt file, see the documentation for the application.

Note When you set up the account in Messenger, your existing messaging contacts appear

automatically in Windows Live accounts and some corporate accounts.


Import contacts

1. In the application that you want to export from, export the contacts as a .ctt file, and

then save the file to your Mac.2. Sign in to Messenger for Mac.

3. Click the contacts window that you want to import contacts into.

4. On the File menu, click Import Contacts from a Saved File.

5. Locate the file that you want, and then click Choose.

Export contacts


2. Click the contacts window that you want to export contacts from.

3. On the File menu, click Save Contact List.

4. Type a file name, choose a location, and then click Save.

See also



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Organizing Contacts

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Use Bonjour to find nearby Messenger for Mac usersBonjour, which is included in Mac OS X, makes it possible for computers on a network to detectone another. If you turn on Bonjour, your contact list includes other Messenger for Mac Bonjour

users on your network who are online and located near you. You can send and receive messages

with Bonjour users as you do with other contacts.

Important

If you select the Allow local Bonjour users to see me in their contact lists check box, other

people on your network can see your e-mail address and online status.


2. On the Contact menu, click Privacy.3. Under Bonjour Settings, select the Show local Bonjour users in my contact list

check box.

To make yourself visible to other users, select the Allow local Bonjour users to see me

in their contact lists check box.

Notes

After you turn on Bonjour, nearby Messenger for Mac users appear in your contact list

in the Bonjour Users group.

To add a Bonjour user as a contact, in the contact list under Bonjour Users, drag a

name to another group in your contact list.

See also




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Organize contacts by group or online statusYou can keep your contact list organized by arranging contacts into groups. Groups can containcoworkers, family, friends, or whatever classifications you want.


Create a group


2. Click the contact list to make sure that it is the active window.

3. On the Contact menu, click Add a Group.

4. Type a name for the group.

5. Drag the contacts whom you want into the group.

Note If you have no groups set up in a personal account, Messenger automatically sets up four

groups for you: Coworkers, Family, Friends, and Other Contacts.

Sort a contact list

You can sort your contacts by groups or by the online status of the contacts. Or, you can sort

contacts by groups and separate the contacts who are currently offline.



3. On the Contact menu, point to Sort Contacts by, and then click the sorting method

that you want.

Tip To sort contacts by groups but keep offline contacts separate, first sort contacts

by groups. Then, on the Contact menu, click Group Offline Contacts Together.


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Edit a group

You can edit a group name and the contacts within a group.



3. On the Contact menu, point to Sort Contacts by, and then click Groups.


To Do this

Rename a group Hold down CONTROL and click the group name.

Click Rename Group, and then type a new name.

Change which contacts

are in a group

Drag contacts between groups.

Copy a contact to

another group

Hold down OPTION as you drag the contact

between groups.

Remove a copied

contact from a group

Hold down CONTROL, click the contact, and then

click Remove Contact from Group.

Delete a group



3. On the Contact menu, point to Sort Contacts by, and then click Groups.

4. Drag the contacts from the group that you want to delete to another group.

5. Hold down CONTROL and click the group name, and then click Delete Group.

See also

Import or export contacts



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See who added you to his or her contact list1. Sign in to Messenger for Mac.

2. On the Messenger menu, click Preferences, and then click Privacy .

3. Next to Which users have added me to their contact list, click View.

See also




Assign a nickname to a Messenger for Mac contactIf you assign a nickname to a personal contact, you see the nickname in your Messenger for Mac

Contacts list.


2. In the Contacts list, hold down CONTROL and click the contact, click Add a nickname,

and then type a nickname.

Notes

To delete a nickname, hold down CONTROL, click the contact, and then click Edit

nickname. Select the nickname, press DELETE, and then press RETURN.

When you assign a nickname to a contact, that nickname is saved on the computer

that you are currently using. You cannot see the nickname if you log in to your account

on a different computer.

See also


See who added you to his or her contact list


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Customize alerts and soundsYou can customize your preferences to notify you of certain events, such as when a contact comes

online or when you receive an instant message. You can also customize what sound plays, if any,

during an alert.

Messenger alerts can also work together with Windows Live Alerts. Through Windows Live Alerts,

you can sign up to be notified of news headlines, weather forecasts, sports scores, and more.


2. Click Alerts .


To Do this

Turn alerts on or off Under Alerts, select or clear the check boxes for

each type of alert.

Change the sounds that

accompany alerts

Under Alerts, click Sounds, and then choose a

sound for each type of alert.

Sign up for or edit

Windows Live Alerts

Under Windows Live Alerts, click Windows Live

Alerts Settings.

Note The Display alerts when e-mail is received check box works only with Windows Live e-

mail accounts. If you have other types of e-mail accounts set up in Outlook for Mac, you can

customize alerts and sounds in the Notifications section of Entourage Preferences.

See also


Format the font in messages


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Customize your display name and personal messageYour display name is seen by your contacts on their computers. Your display name also identifiesyour contributions to a conversation in the conversation window.

You can also display a personal message that your contacts see in their contact lists next to your

display name. For example, you can use a personal message for status details, such as when you

plan to be back online. Or use a personal message to broadcast your current mood or express a

favorite quotation.

Change your display name

Note A contact can assign a nickname to you within his or her messaging application.

When this happens, that contact sees only the nickname that he or she assigns to you, not

the display name that you choose.


2. In the Contacts window, click your name, and then type a new name.

Change your personal message


2. In the Contacts window, under your display name, click the existing personal message,

and then type a new message.

Clear password or user accountsTo improve security, you can clear passwords and user accounts from the sign-in window. Clearing

passwords and user accounts is especially important if multiple people use the same computer.


Clear a password from the sign-in window

Important

If you have multiple accounts set up, you must clear each password separately.

1. Close any conversation windows.

2. If you are already signed in to Messenger, on the Networkmenu, click Sign Out.3. In the contacts window, click Sign in with a different account or change your online

status.


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4. On the E-mail address pop-up menu, click the account whose password you want to

clear.

5. Clear the Remember my password check box.

Note When you clear a password from Messenger, the password is not deleted from the

keychain on your computer. For information about the keychain, see Mac Help.

Clear all user accounts

You should clear user accounts if you sign in from a public computer. You might also want to clear

user accounts if you allowed someone to sign in to his or her account on your computer.

When you clear user accounts, account IDs, passwords, display pictures, and display names are

deleted. Contacts are not deleted from accounts.

1. Close any conversation windows.

2. If you are already signed in to Messenger, on the Networkmenu, click Sign Out.

3. In the contacts window, click Sign in with a different account or change your online

status.

4. Click Clear Account History, and then click Clear History.

Important

When you clear user accounts, saved conversations are not deleted from the Conversation

History. To delete conversations from the Conversation History, on the View menu, click

Conversation History. Select the conversations that you want to delete, and then click

Delete .

See also

Security tips




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Format the font in messagesYou can change the font type, size, color, and style of the messages in your conversation window.Other people in your conversation can see the formatting if the fonts are compatible with their

messaging applications.


2. Click Appearance , and then under Message Font Style, click Edit Font.

3. Select the options that you want.

Notes

To change font formatting from the conversation window, click .

When you view a conversation in the Conversation History, the saved version displays

the font formatting that was used for that conversation.

See also

Express yourself with emoticons

Save and view a conversation history

Check spelling

As you type messages, Messenger for Mac indicates misspelled words with a red dotted underline.You can check for suggested corrections or ignore the misspelled word. Or, to make Messenger

stop flagging a certain word as misspelled such as a friend's name you can add the word to

the spelling dictionary.

Messenger uses the spelling checker that is built in to Mac OS X.



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Check spelling for a single word

1. Hold down CONTROL and click the underlined word.


To Do this

Ignore the misspelled word for the rest of

the conversation

Click Ignore Spelling.

Add a word to the spelling dictionary Click Learn Spelling.

Choose from suggested spelling corrections Click the spelling that you want.

Note To indicate misspelled words with a red dotted underline, open a conversationwindow, and then on the Edit menu, point to Spelling. Make sure that there is a check

mark next to Check Spelling as You Type.

Check spelling for a message

Before you click Send, you can check spelling for all the words in the conversation window.

1. On the Edit menu, point to Spelling, and then click Show Spelling and Grammar.

2. For each word highlighted in the Spelling window, do one of the following:

To Do this

Ignore the misspelling Click Ignore.

Add a word to the spelling dictionary Click Learn.

Use one of the suggested corrections Click the spelling that you want, and

then click Change.

Don't check spelling as you type

If you do not want to indicate misspelled words with a red dotted underline as you type, you

can turn off the spelling checker.

On the Edit menu, point to Spelling, and then clear the check mark next to Check

Spelling as You Type.

See also




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You can use the Appear Offline status to see which of your contacts are online but not reveal thatyou are online yourself.


Change your status if you are already signed in

In the Contacts window, click the display picture next to your name, and then click

Appear Offline.

Change your status before you sign in

1. In the Contacts window, click Sign in with a different account or change your

online status.

2. On the Status pop-up menu, click Appear Offline.

3. Enter your sign-in information, and then click Sign In.

Note If you send an instant message while your status is Appear Offline, you still appear

offline to your message recipient.

See also


Security tips

Show what music you're listening toYou can show your messaging contacts what you're listening to in iTunes. Your contacts see your

currently playing iTunes track in their contact lists next to your display name.


2. In the Contacts, click your display picture, and then click Turn on "What I'm

Listening To".

Note If you show your music to your contacts, the song title and artist's name appear instead

of a personal message.

See also

Add or change your display picture


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Save and view a conversation historyYou can save and view a text conversation in the Conversation History. In the Conversation History,text conversations are organized by contact name and then by date. All conversations that you

save with a contact on a particular date are saved in a single log.

When you save a conversation in Conversation History, only the text portion is saved. Audio and

video are not saved. If you use the Project Center in Entourage, you can also save a single

conversation as a note in a project.


Set preferences for saving all conversations

Messenger can save conversations automatically, never save conversations, or ask whether tosave each conversation.

Important

Before you set preferences for saving, you must complete at least one conversation with that

account. Otherwise, Messenger does not save your preferences.


2. On the Messenger menu, click Preferences, and then click History .

3. Select the options that you want.

To limit how long conversations are saved, click an option on the Delete allconversations pop-up menu.

View a saved conversation


2. On the View menu, click Conversation History.

3. In the navigation pane, click All Archived Personal Messages or All Archived

Corporate Messages, and then click a contact.

4. On the right side, click the date of the conversation.


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Security and Privacy

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Tips

To search through the Conversation History, click the folder in the left pane that youwant to search in. Type a word or phrase in the Search box. Conversations that contain

the search term appear in the upper-right pane.

To delete a conversation from the Conversation History, select the conversation, and

then click Delete .

See also

Security tips



Require a password to access Windows Live sitesMessenger can provide quick access to some Windows Live Web sites, such as your Windows Live

Hotmail inbox and Windows Live Alerts. When you access these sites through Messenger,

Messenger uses your Windows Live ID and password to log you in to the Windows Live Web site.

To improve security, you can have Messenger ask for your password whenever you access a

Windows Live site from Messenger. This is important if you share the computer with other people.


2. On the Contact menu, click Privacy, and then click the Personal tab.

3. Select the check box under Windows Live ID Privacy.

See also


Reset or change the password for a personal account

Security tips


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Receiving messages from unknown sendersA message that is sent to you by someone who is not on your contact list or the My Allow Listmight be junk mail. The following table explains your options when you receive a message from an

unknown sender.

Caution

Never disclose your password, credit card number, social security number, or other personal

information in an instant message conversation. To help prevent infection by malicious

software, never accept or open any file or link in an instant message until you verify its

authenticity with the sender.

Option Security implications

Accept If you recognize the e-mail address of the person trying to contact you, you can

accept the message. After you accept a message, the conversation window opens,

and you can add the person as a contact by clicking the Add Contact link.

If you accept a message by mistake and then decide that the message is junk,

click Blockin the conversation window. This blocks that person from seeing your

online status or contacting you again.

Decline If the e-mail address is unfamiliar, you can decline the message. This closes the

conversation window. The sender does not receive notification that the message

was declined.

Preferences You can change your preferences so that Messenger blocks all messages from

unknown senders. Or, you can turn off warnings from Messenger when you

receive a message from an unknown sender. For more information see, Add,

delete, or block a contact from Messenger for Mac

Note Declining a message from an unknown sender does not block the sender. To block a

sender, you must add the sender as a contact, and then block the contact.

See also


Security tips


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41

Security tipsGeneral security tips

Never disclose your password or credit card number in an instant message

conversation.

To help prevent infection by malicious software, never accept or open any file or link in

an instant message until you verify its authenticity with the sender.

If you accept a message by mistake and then decide that the message is junk, click

Blockin the conversation window. This blocks that person from seeing your online

status or contacting you again.

Beware of messages from unknown senders. In the Privacy Preferences, you can chooseto be alerted when you receive a message from an unknown sender. Or, you can

automatically block all messages from users who are not on the My Allow List.

Note To learn more about blocking a contact in Messenger, see Add, delete, or block a

contact from Messenger for Mac

Security tips for use on a shared computer Do not select the Remember my password check box on the sign-in screen.

After you sign out, click Sign in with a different account or change your online

status, and then click Clear Account History.

Do not save your conversations in the Conversation History. The Conversation History isnot deleted when you clear the account history.

See also



Save and view a conversation history

View the privacy statementThe privacy statement for Microsoft Messenger for Mac is available only online.

After your computer is connected to the Internet, link to Privacy Statement for

Microsoft Messenger for Mac 8 Beta to access the privacy statement.
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=107294http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182395http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182395http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=107294http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=107294http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=107294http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=107294http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182395http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182395


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Troubleshooting

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Troubleshooting

I cant sign in to my personal accountCause: You don't have Windows Live ID credentials.

Solution: Sign up for a Windows Live ID.

To use the personal service in Messenger for Mac, you must have a Windows Live ID. You can

sign up for a Windows Live ID on the Windows Live Web site.

1. To sign up for a Windows Live ID, visit the Windows Live ID sign-up page

(accountservices.passport.net).

2. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Cause: The e-mail address and password were not typed correctly.

Solution: Retype your e-mail address and password.

Passwords are case-sensitive.

If you forget the password for your Windows Live ID, you can reset it on the Windows Live

Account Summary page (account.live.com).

Cause: A firewall is preventing Messenger for Mac from signing in.

Solution: Set up Messenger to use a proxy server.

If you connect to the Internet from a local network (such as at work), you might have to

enable proxy settings. These settings connect you to Web servers outside your organization's

firewall. Your network administrator can give you the proxy settings that you have to use.

1. Make sure that you are signed out of Messenger.


3. Click Accounts, and then click the Personal tab.

4. Under My Network Settings, click Manually configure settings, and then select the I

use a proxy server check box.

5. On the Type pop-up menu, click the type of proxy server that you are connecting to.

6. In the Server box, type the address of the proxy server, without the "http://" prefix.

7. Enter additional settings, such as a port number in the Port box.

If your organization uses SOCKS Version 5.0 as the proxy type, enter a user name and

password in the User name and Password boxes.
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=108508http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=108508http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=108508http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=106929http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=108508http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=108508


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43

Solution: Adjust the settings for the firewall that is built into Mac OS X.

If the firewall is turned on, add Messenger as an allowed application.



For this operating

system Do this

Mac OS X v10.4

(Tiger)

Under Internet & Network, click Sharing, and then click the

Firewall tab.

Mac OS X v10.5

(Leopard)

Under Personal, click Security, and then click the Firewall

tab.

3. Add Messenger as an allowed application.

For more information, see Mac Help.

Solution: Set up your household router to allow Messenger.

If you use a household router to connect to the Internet, the router might have a built-in

firewall that prevents you from using Messenger.

See the router documentation for more information about how to add Messenger to

the firewall's allow list.

Cause: There is incorrect information saved in the preferences file.

Solution: Delete the Messenger preferences file, and then reenter sign-in information.

1. In the Finder, open /Users/username/Library/Preferences/, and then drag the following

files to the Trash: com.microsoft.Messenger.plist and com.microsoft.Messenger.rtc.plist.

2. In /Users/username/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/, drag the following file to the Trash:

Microsoft Messenger User Cache.plist.

3. Open Messenger.

The Messenger Setup Assistant opens.

4. Follow the steps in the Setup Assistant to reenter sign-in information.

See also

Reset or change the password for a personal account


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Troubleshooting

45

Audio or video quality is poorCause: The signal is weak on your wireless network.

Solution: Move closer to the wireless access point.

The wireless connection might improve if you are closer to the wireless access point.

Solution: Find a different wireless access point to use.

The performance of a wireless connection can decline if many wireless devices are connected

to an access point. Interference can also come from other devices, such as mobile phones,

cordless phones, or a microwave oven. Audio and video quality might improve if you connect

to a wireless access point that is less busy or is receiving less interference.

Solution: Switch to a wired connection.

There is usually less interference on a wired network connection than on a wireless connection.

Cause: Hardware is configured incorrectly.

Solution: Make sure that the router or modem has the latest firmware available.

For more information, visit the Web site for your router or modem manufacturer. A firmware

update might offer network speed improvements.

Solution: Check your connections.

Check the network cables between your computer and router and between the router and

modem. Make sure that they are plugged in and show no signs of damage.

Cause: The network is experiencing heavy traffic.

Solution: Try the audio or video call when the network is less busy.

Audio and video quality should improve when there is less traffic on the network.

Solution: Delay or stop other computers from performing heavy downloads or uploads.

If other computers on the network are performing heavy downloads or uploads, this can cause

congestion on the network. Audio and video call quality might improve if the uploading or

downloading tasks can be delayed until after your call is completed.

See alsoIm unable to use the video services in my video call



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Troubleshooting

46

Im unable to use the audio services in my audio or videocallCause: The microphone is not connected correctly to the computer.


For each computer participating in the conversation, check the connection between

the microphone and the computer.

If the microphone is integrated with the webcam, make sure that the webcam is connected

correctly.

Cause: Sound is muted or turned down low in the conversation window.

Solution: Check the settings in the conversation window.

1. In the conversation window, make sure that Mute is not selected.

2. In the conversation window, make sure that the volume slider is not set too low.

Cause: Sound is muted or turned down low in the Mac OS settings.

Solution: Check settings in System Preferences.


2. Under Hardware, click Sound.

3. On the Input tab, make sure that the correct device for sound input is selected.

To see whether the microphone is working, speak into the microphone. You should see

movement on the Input level display. Adjust the Input volume if it is necessary.

4. On the Output tab, make sure that the correct device for sound output is selected. Also

make sure that the volume levels are not too low and that the Mute check box is

cleared.

Note For more information, see Mac Help.

See also

Make an audio call

Make a video call



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Troubleshooting

Im unable to use the video services in my video callCause: Your computer is not recognizing your webcam.


For each computer participating in the conversation, check the connection between the

webcam and the computer.

Many webcams have an "on" light that illuminates while the webcam is being used.

Solution: Test the webcam with another application.

1. Open a second application that uses the webcam, such as Photo Booth or iChat.

If the second application is displaying images from the webcam, the connection

between the computer and webcam is working. If the second application does notrecognize your webcam, see the documentation that was included with your webcam.

2. After you successfully test your webcam with a second application, close the second

application.

Messenger cannot access the webcam if it is being used by another application.

Cause: Another application is using the webcam.

Solution: Quit other applications that are using the webcam.

If another application that uses a webcam is open, the webcam is not available to Messenger.

Quit this application, and then start the video call again. Common applications that use

webcams include iChat, Photo Booth, Skype, and Parallels.Cause: The webcam is not focusing correctly.

Solution: Adjust the webcam settings.

Some webcams must be focused manually to achieve optimal picture quality. For more

information, check your webcams documentation.

Cause: You're using a dial-up connection.

Solution: Use a broadband connection.

Audio and video calls require that you have a broadband connection to the Internet or your

network.

See also



Documents

Messenger Beta Help