Copyright: Copyright © 1997-2004, America Online, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Citation: Copyright © 1997-2004, America Online, Inc.  All rights reserved.


Overview

The AIM® service provides the easiest way to communicate with your friends.  AIM helps you:

•	Send instant messages and online greetings to your buddies.

•	Use buddy icons to liven up your instant message sessions. Select from a wide variety of cartoon characters, symbols and pictures to represent buddies.

•	Chat with groups  of friends or family members in your own private chat room.

•	Call your buddies and talk either PC to PC or PC to telephone.

•	Play games with your online buddies.

•	Get the latest news, stock quotes (delayed 15 minutes) and set alerts.

•	Send e-mail and edit your address book.

•	Transfer files or send pictures and sound files.

•	Access your free AIM.com WebMail account  anytime.

•	Set mail alerts and read mail in any of your e-mail accounts.

•	Warn users who send you annoying or offensive messages.

•	Add buddies to your Buddy List and set buddy alerts to be notified when your buddies sign on.  You can also share your Buddy List with family and friends.

•	Find your buddies by e-mail address, by name and address, or by common interest.

•	Invite a friend to sign up for the AIM service.

•	Control who communicates with you through the buddy privacy feature.  You can allow anyone to send you messages or block messages from specific people .

•	Create a personal profile.

•	Use linked accounts to appear online simultaneously with multiple screen names.

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Related Topics

Steps to Get Started

Registering

What to Do After Registering

Signing on to the AIM Service

Running the New User Wizard

Creating a Personal Profile

About the Buddy List Window

Sending an Instant Message

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

Sending a File to Your Buddy

Getting a File from Your Buddy’s Computer

Adding Premium Services


Steps to Get Started

Follow these steps to get started with the AIM® service:

1.	Download and install the AIM® software.

2.	Sign on to the AIM service.

3.	Start the New User Wizard to get started with the AIM service.

4.	Add buddies to your Buddy List.

5.	Create a personal profile.

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Related Topics

Overview

Registering

Installing the AIM Software

Running the New User Wizard

Creating a Personal Profile

About the Buddy List Window


Registering

Before you can use the AIM®  service, you need to register and select a screen name and password.

From the Sign On screen, click the Get a Screen Name button beneath the Screen Name field.

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Related Topics

What to Do After Registering

Installing the AIM Software

Displaying the Today Window


What to Do After Registering

After registering:

1.	Confirm your registration within 48 hours after you receive an e-mail confirmation request.

2.	Enter only the word OK in your response.

3.	Download a copy of the AOL® Instant Messenger™ software at www.AIM.com.

4.	Install the AIM Software, and sign on with the screen name and password you registered.

5.	Start the New User Wizard if you are using AIM for the first time and if you want a quick overview of the service.

Note:  Never reveal your password to anyone online. No one from AOL will ever ask you for your password while you are online.

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Related Topics

Installing the AIM Software

Running the New User Wizard

Displaying the Today Window


Choosing a Screen Name

Your screen name is the name by which you are known to everyone who uses the AOL® Instant Messenger™ service, America Online, CS2000, and other services.  Your screen name can be between 3 and 16 characters long, using letters, numbers, and spaces.

Once you register your screen name, you cannot change it to a new one.  You can only format your screen name to change capitalization and spacing.  If you want multiple AIM identities, you must register those screen names.

Note:  You already have an AIM® screen name if you have registered at Netcenter, My News, Compuserve 2000, AOL Hometown, or AOL.com's Personal Finance Center.  However, you still need to register the screen name to use it with the AIM service.

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Related Topics

Removing a Screen Name

Formatting a Screen Name

Using Multiple Screen Names


Removing a Screen Name

To remove a screen name from the Sign On screen:

1.	Display the Sign On screen, and select the screen name that you want to delete.

2.	Press the Delete key.

Note:  You cannot delete screen names but only remove them from the Sign On screen.

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Related Topics

Formatting a Screen Name

Using Multiple Screen Names


Using Multiple Screen Names

If you have registered multiple screen names to use with the AOL® Instant Messenger™ service, you can easily sign on with any of them.

To sign on and use a different screen name:

1.	Display the Sign On screen.

2.	Type your new screen name over the current screen name that is displayed in the Screen Name field.

3.	Click the Sign On button.

Note:  Using AIM’s link screen name feature, you can sign on, send and receive IM’s from multiple screen names at the same time.

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Related Topics

Removing a Screen Name

Formatting a Screen Name

Managing Linked Screen Names


Installing the AIM Software
Installing the AOL® Instant Messenger™ Software

After you have downloaded AIM, install the service onto your computer:

1.	Locate the AIM95 setup file that you downloaded to your system. Unless you specified a different location during the download process, the AIM setup file is in your Program Files\AIM95 directory.

2.	Double-click it to start the installation process, and follow the installation instructions on your screen.

3.	Select any install components you would like to include in your AIM setup. To choose not to install any of these third party support components, simply uncheck the box.

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Related Topics

Displaying the AIM Today Window

Creating a Personal Profile

How the Buddy List Works

Sending an Instant Message

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

Uninstalling the AIM Service


Uninstalling the AIM Software

To uninstall the AOL® Instant Messenger™ software:

1.	From the Windows® task bar, click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2.	Click the Add or Remove Programs icon.

3.	Select AIM, then click the Remove button.

4.	Click the Yes button on the confirmation screen.

5.	If prompted, click the Continue button to exit all applications.

6.	If prompted to restart your computer, click the Continue button.

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Related Topic

Installing the AIM Service


Signing On to the AIM Service
Signing On to the AIM® Service

To sign on to the AIM® service:

1.	Open the AIM® Sign on screen by any of the following methods:

•	Double-click the AIM desktop icon

•	Right-click the AIM icon in the tray located at the bottom of the right corner next to the system clock, then click Sign On

•	Use the Quick Launch menu

2.	Enter your screen name in the Screen Name field, then type your password in the Password field.

3.	Click the Sign On button, or press Enter.

AIM opens to the AIM Today window. AIM Today offers daily tips on using the AIM service. It also serves as a central place where you can meet other members and invite friends to become AIM® members.

Notes:

•	You may encounter a window asking you if you wish to set AIM as the default instant messaging program for your computer.  If you choose Yes, this will enable AIM’s instant messaging features to be available from other applications.

•	You can also choose to not see this window again if you select the Do not perform this check in the future checkbox.

•	You may also receive a System Warning message once you’ve signed on to AIM. This System Warning message will pop up on your screen if your screen name is already signed on to the AIM service at another computer. You may have an option to end the other

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Related Topics

Running the New User Wizard

Creating a Personal Profile

About the Buddy List Window

Sending an Instant Message

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

AIM as Default Instant Messaging Program


Connecting Through a Modem

If you want to connect to the AIM® service through a modem, first dial in to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).  Once you are connected to the Internet, sign on to the service.

If you experience problems connecting, run the automatic configuration program to find a host and port through which you can connect. You must have a live connection to the Internet to complete this procedure.

To resolve connection problems:

1.	Click Setup on the Sign On screen.

2.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

3.	Click Connection.

4.	Click Auto Configure.

5.	A dialog box appears, indicating that the service is going to automatically analyze and configure your system to connect to the AIM® service.

6.	Click the OK button. The Automatic Configuration program attempts to find a host and port through which you can sign on to the service.

7.	Click the OK button.


Connecting and Signing On Automatically Via a Modem

You can set up the AIM service to run automatically when you get an Internet connection.

1.	On the Sign On screen, enter your screen name and password.

2.	Click Setup.

3.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

4.	Select Save Password.

5.	Select Automatically sign on when AIM starts.

6.	Select Start AIM when Windows starts.

7.	In the Internet Connection group, click Modem.

8.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Overview

Steps to Get Started


Connecting Through a Local Area Network

If you want to connect to the AIM® service through a local area network (LAN), perhaps at work or school, you need to have a live connection to the Internet before you sign on to the service.

If you experience problems connecting, run the automatic configuration program to find a host and port through which you can connect. You must have a live connection to the Internet to complete this procedure.

If your local area network is behind a firewall, you must use a proxy server to connect to the service. Contact your network administrator to help you determine the configuration settings to enter.

To check and set connection options:

1.	Click Setup on the Sign On screen.

2.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

3.	Click Connection.

4.	Enter the settings your network administrator supplies.

5.	Click the OK button.

To configure the service to start when Windows starts and then automatically sign on when you connect to the Internet:

1.	Enter your screen name and password on the Sign On screen.

2.	Click Setup.

3.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

4.	Select Save password.

5.	Select Automatically sign on when AIM starts.

6.	Select Start AIM when Windows starts.

7.	In the Internet Connection group, click Local area network.

8.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Overview

Steps to Get Started


Running the New User Wizard

The New User Wizard provides a quick overview of AIM®.  It guides you through the basic steps of setting up your AIM, including finding buddies, adding them to your Buddy List, and creating your profile.

To run the New User Wizard:

1.	Select the Help menu from the Buddy List® window.

2.	Click New User Wizard. Follow the screen instructions which step you through the wizard, helping you get started with the AIM service.

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Related Topics

Overview

Steps to Get Started

Creating a Personal Profile

About the Buddy List Window

Sending an Instant Message

Inviting a Buddy to Chat


Displaying Your Buddy's AIM Capabilities

To determine what features your buddy’s AIM® application is capable of performing such as Talk, File Transfer, Direct IM, and others:

•	Make sure the Buddy List window is your active window.

•	Move the cursor over your buddy’s screen name.

The service displays user information such as the service your buddy is using, warning level, length of time online, and the software capabilities.

In the Capabilities field, the service lists main features that your buddy’s AIM software can perform.  If your buddy’s software doesn’t include a particular feature that you want him to use, ask your buddy to upgrade to the latest version of AIM at www.aol.com/aim.

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Related Topic

Receiving Automatic Upgrade Notifications


Inviting a Friend to Register for an AIM Account

Expand your circle of friends in your Buddy List by inviting others to become AOL® Instant Messenger™ members.  Remember, the AIM account is free!

To invite a friend to register with AIM®

1.	From the Buddy List window, click People.

2.	Click Sign On A Friend.

3.	The Sign on a Friend Today window appears.

4.	Enter your friend’s e-mail address. If you want to include a personal greeting in the invitation, type it in the text area.

5.	Click Next.

6.	When you are finished inviting your friends, click Finish.

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Related Topics

Overview

Steps to Get Started

Registering

What do Do After Registering

Displaying the Today Window


Signing Off and Exiting AIM®

Signing off the AIM® software logs you off, closes the application and leaves the AIM icon in your system tray in the lower right corner next to the clock.  Keeping the AIM icon in the system tray helps you quickly access and sign on to the service.

To sign off AIM:

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Sign Off.

Note:  Clicking the X in the upper-right window closes your application.  The service remains running in the system tray at the bottom of your screen.  This enables you to continue receiving notifications and instant messages.

Exiting the AIM® software signs you off, closes the application and removes the AIM icon from your system tray.

To exit the AIM application

1.	Click the AIM icon in the system tray at the bottom of your screen.

2.	Click Exit.

Note:  You can also exit the AIM application by pressing Alt+F4 when the Sign On screen or Buddy List window is active in the foreground. When using this method, you may be prompted to click the Yes button to continue with signing off and exiting the AIM software.


Upgrading AOL Instant Messenger

When you sign on to AIM® using an older version of the software, AIM displays a message giving you an opportunity to upgrade to the latest version.  You can upgrade your software at that time by following instructions in the dialog box, or you can upgrade later while you are running the application.

To upgrade AIM from within the application:

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Upgrade AIM.

3.	Click Upgrade Now to download the software, then install it onto your computer.

Note:  If the Upgrade AIM option is not shown on the My AIM menu, it means that you are already running the latest version of AIM (based upon your automatic upgrade setting), and do not need to upgrade your software.

To check your automatic upgrade selection to see how you can be notified of software releases, see Receiving Automatic Upgrade Notifications.

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Related Topic

Receiving Automatic Upgrade Notifications


Receiving Automatic Upgrade Notifications

You can let AIM® notify you whenever an upgraded version of the software is available.  The service usually sends notifications within a few days of the software release.  You can indicate whether you want to receive notifications for "Final Release" or "Beta and Final" software versions.

To receive automatic upgrade notifications:

1.	Select the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

3.	Under Auto Upgrade, select either Final Release or Beta and Final Releases.

4.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topic

Upgrading AIM


Displaying the AIM.com Window

The AIM.com window appears on your screen each time you sign on to the service, and you can close it at any time.  The window provides daily tips on using the service.  It also serves as a central meeting place where you can meet other members and invite other friends to become AOL® Instant Messenger™ members.

If you have closed the AIM.com window and want to display it again

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Launch AIM.com.

OR

1.	Click the AIM.com button on the Buddy List Window.

Note

•	The AIM.com window will only appear if you have installed Internet Explorer version 4.0 or greater.

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Related Topic

Signing On to the AIM Service


Premium Services

AIM Premium Services widens your AIM experience, offering you an expanded variety of online services. Some premium services available to AIM members include:

•	AIM Expressions – each Expression includes Buddy Icons, Emoticons, Alert Sounds, Background Skins and more!

•	AIM Ringtones – ringtones, screen graphics, cell phone games and fun wireless products available to AIM members for cell phones in the U.S. and Canada!

To add Premium Services

1.	From your Buddy List drawer, click Add Tools. The AIM.com window opens.

2.	From the On AIM® menu, click the desired Premium Services.

•	To add AIM Expressions, click Buddy Icons, and navigate to AIM Expressions.

•	Click Ringtones to download and add cool ringtones to your cell phone.


About the News Ticker

Get up-to-the-minute news with the News Ticker.  The News Ticker displays the top five news headlines for Top News, Business, Entertainment, and Sports topics.

AIM displays all news topics in the News Ticker window by default.  If you do not want all news topics to display, you can set AIM to display only those that interest you.  If you do not want to display any news, you can turn off the ticker entirely.

You can also

•	Display your news headlines in bold.

•	Change the speed at which the news headlines scroll across the News Ticker window.

•	Expand the News Ticker window to display a list of news headlines, instead of letting them scroll across the window.

You can move the News Ticker window to any location you want on your screen.

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Related Topics

Displaying the News Ticker

Changing the News Ticker Display Speed

Displaying Headlines in Bold

Displaying Only Selected News Topics

Expanding the News Ticker Window

Stopping the News Ticker from Displaying


Changing the News Ticker Display Speed

You can change the rate at which the News Ticker headlines scroll on your screen to slow, medium, or fast.  Medium is the default News Ticker display speed.

To change the News Ticker display speed

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

3.	Click News Ticker in the Category group.

4.	Select the ticker speed from the Display speed field.

5.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About the News Ticker

Displaying the News Ticker

Displaying Headlines in Bold

Displaying Only Selected News Topics

Expanding the News Ticker Window

Stopping the News Ticker from Displaying


Displaying the News Ticker

The AOL Instant Messenger service displays the News Ticker by default when you first sign on.  If you have closed the News Ticker window, you can easily redisplay it.

To display the News Ticker

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click News Ticker. The service displays the News Ticker window.

To display the News Ticker each time you sign on

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

3.	Click News Ticker in the Category group.

4.	Click Display Ticker at Sign on.

5.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About the News Ticker

Changing the News Ticker Display Speed

Displaying Headlines in Bold

Displaying Only Selected News Topics

Expanding the News Ticker Window

Stopping the News Ticker from Displaying


Displaying Headlines in Bold

You can display your news headlines in bold or in plain text.  The AOL Instant Messenger service displays the headlines in bold by default.

To display the headlines in bold

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

3.	Click News Ticker in the Category group.

4.	Select Display headlines in bold.

5.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About the News Ticker

Displaying the News Ticker

Changing the News Ticker Display Speed

Displaying Only Selected News Topics

Expanding the News Ticker Window

Stopping the News Ticker from Displaying


Stopping the News Ticker from Displaying When You Sign On

The AOL Instant Messenger service displays the News Ticker by default when you sign on.

To stop the ticker from displaying at sign-on

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

3.	Click News Ticker in the Category group.

4.	Deselect Display Ticker at Sign on.

5.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About the News Ticker

Displaying the News Ticker

Changing the News Ticker Display Speed

Displaying Headlines in Bold

Displaying Only Selected News Topics

Expanding the News Ticker Window


Displaying Only Selected News Topics

The News Ticker window displays the top news headlines for Top News, Business, Entertainment, and Sports by default.  You can remove any of these topics, leaving only those that interest you.

To display only selected news topics

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

3.	Click News Ticker in the Category group.

4.	Deselect the news topic in the Topics field that you do not want the service to display in the News Ticker window.

5.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About the News Ticker

Displaying the News Ticker

Changing the News Ticker Display Speed

Displaying Headlines in Bold

Expanding the News Ticker Window

Stopping the News Ticker from Displaying


Expanding the News Ticker Window

You can expand the News Ticker window to display a list of all news headlines, instead of having it scroll across the ticker window.

To expand the News Ticker window, when it is displayed on your screen, click the small News icon at the left side of the News Ticker window.  (See example below.)

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Related Topics

About the News Ticker

Displaying the News Ticker

Changing the News Ticker Display Speed

Displaying Headlines in Bold

Stopping the News Ticker from Displaying


About the Stock Ticker

The Stock Ticker lets you track up to 40 stocks and indices in the United States and other regions such as Canada, Mexico, Asia, and Europe.  You can:

•	Add stocks and indices to the Stock Ticker.

•	Display stock quotes at the bottom of your Buddy List window, showing the symbol, price, and change of each stock or index.

•	Get detailed stock information such as last price, high, low, open, and volume data in a separate window.

•	Set stock alerts for stocks and indices that you have added to the Stock Ticker.  Using the Stock Alerts feature, AIM alerts you when your stock or index has reached your price target, enabling you to take advantage of investment opportunities.

Note

•	Prices are delayed at least 15 minutes.

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Related Topics

Adding Stocks and Indices

Deleting Stocks and Indices

Displaying the Stock Ticker in the Buddy List Window

Displaying Detailed Stock Information

Changing the Stock Ticker Display Speed

Setting Stock Alerts


Adding Stocks and Indices

To add stocks or indices to the Stock Ticker

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window, and click Stock Ticker Detail Window. The Stock window appears on your screen and displays stocks and indices that you have already added to the ticker.

2.	Select the Symbol menu, and click Add New Symbols. The Add Stocks window appears on your screen.

Adding Stocks:

•	To add stocks, click the Add Stocks tab, select the exchange of the stock that you want to track, and enter the stock’s ticker symbol in the Selected Symbol(s) field.

•	You can enter up to 40 symbols.

•	If you do not know the stock’s ticker symbol and want to look it up, enter the company’s name (or parts of it) in the search field, and click Look Up.

Adding Indices:

•	To add indices, click the Add Indices tab, select a region in the Choose a region field, and select the indices you want to track.

3.	Click OK to save the changes and close the dialog box.

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Related Topics

About the Stock Ticker

Deleting Stocks and Indices

Displaying the Stock Ticker in the Buddy List Window

Displaying Detailed Stock Information

Changing the Stock Ticker Display Speed

Setting Stock Alerts


Deleting Stocks and Indices

To delete a stock or an index

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Stock Ticker Detail Window. The Stocks window appears on your screen.

3.	Select the stock or index that you want to delete.

4.	Click the minus sign (-) on the toolbar. The service removes the stock or index you have selected from the Stock Ticker.

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Related Topics

Adding Stocks and Indices

Deleting Stocks and Indices

Displaying the Stock Ticker in the Buddy List Window

Displaying Detailed Stock Information

Changing the Stock Ticker Display Speed

Setting Stock Alerts


Displaying the Stock Ticker in Buddy List Window
Displaying the Stock Ticker in the Buddy List Window

To display the Stock Ticker at the bottom of the Buddy List window

1.	Select the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Stock Ticker in the Category group. The Ticker window appears on your screen.

3.	Click the Show stock ticker in Buddy List window checkbox.

4.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About the Stock Ticker

Adding Stocks and Indices

Deleting Stocks and Indices

Displaying Detailed Stock Information

Changing the Stock Ticker Display Speed

Setting Stock Alerts


Displaying Detailed Stock Information

To display detailed stock information such as trading volume and open, last, high, and low prices

1.	From the Buddy List window, select the My AIM menu.

2.	Click Stock Ticker Detail Window. The Stock table appears on your screen.

3.	To add another stock and display detailed information about it, click the plus (+) button on the toolbar, click the Add Stocks tab, enter the exchange and stock symbol, and click OK.

Shortcut:  Clicking the small box in the lower-left corner of the Buddy List window also displays the Stock table.

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Related Topics

About the Stock Ticker

Adding Stocks and Indices

Deleting Stocks and Indices

Displaying the Stock Ticker in the Buddy List Window

Changing the Stock Ticker Display Speed

Setting Stock Alerts


Changing the Stock Ticker Display Speed

To change the speed at which the Stock Ticker scrolls across your Buddy List window to slow, medium, or fast

1.	Select the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Stock Ticker in the Category group. The Ticker window appears on your screen.

3.	Select Slow, Medium, or Fast from the Display speed field.

4.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About the Stock Ticker

Adding Stocks and Indices

Deleting Stocks and Indices

Displaying the Stock Ticker in the Buddy List Window

Displaying Detailed Stock Information

Setting Stock Alerts


Setting Stock Alerts

To set stock alerts

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Stock Ticker Detail Window. The Stock window appears on your screen.

3.	Click the Alert icon (the Bell symbol) on the toolbar. The Stock Alert List window appears on your screen.

4.	Click Add to display the Stock Alert window.

5.	Make sure a check mark appears in the Enabled check box, and select the stock from the Alerts for field.

6.	Select when you want to be notified from the Notify me when field.

7.	If your price target is above or below a certain price, enter the price in the price field.

8.	Select how you want to be notified from the Notify me by field.

9.	Click OK, and click OK again to close the Stock Alert List window, then close the Stocks window.

Notes

•	If your stock is not listed, it means that you have not added it to the Stock Ticker.  You must add all stocks to the ticker before the service can alert you when it reaches your specified price.

•	If you want a window to appear on your screen when the market reaches your price target, select Showing the alert notification window.  To hear sounds when the service alerts you, select Playing sound, and click the down arrow to select the sound that you want to hear, or click Browse.  Click Preview to hear the sound.

•	If you want to be alerted only on weekdays, click Run alerts only on weekdays on the Stock Alert List window.

•	If you want to be alerted only at specific times, click Run alerts only from, and specify a time range on the Stock Alert List window.

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Related Topics

About the Stock Ticker

Adding Stocks and Indices

Deleting Stocks and Indices

Displaying the Stock Ticker in the Buddy List Window

Displaying Detailed Stock Information

Changing the Stock Ticker Display Speed

Setting Web Alerts


About the Buddy List Window

The Buddy List window lets you keep track of all your buddies, family members, and others who are signed on to the AOL Instant Messenger service. When you sign on to AIM, your Buddy List window appears. Four groups are automatically created for you in your Buddy List window:  Buddies, Family, Co-Workers, and Offline. Add your buddies to any of these groups (except Offline) or create additional groups.

The Offline group shows friends who you have added to your Buddy List but who are not signed on. You can not add buddies to this group. However, you can set buddy alerts for your offline buddies so that the service notifies you when they sign on.

To set up your Buddy List

1.	Click the Setup button on the Buddy List window. The Setup button allows you to add your buddies' screen names to your Buddy List and create groups for them. For example, you can create groups for specific interests such as Tennis Pals, Photographers, Classmates, and so forth, then add your buddies to them.  The Setup button also lets you rearrange buddies and groups or delete them.

•	In the Buddy List Setup window

•	Each group appears as a folder.

•	The buddies in each group appear as branches from the folder. You must expand the group by clicking on the folder icon to the left of group name to see buddies in that group.

•	All buddies in the group are displayed, regardless of whether they are currently online. To find out if a buddy is online, click the Return to Buddy List button.

•	In the Buddy List window

•	The buddies you added to your Buddy List are displayed in their individual groups. Once they are signed on, you can exchange instant messages with them.

•	Groups in the Buddy List window are initially shown expanded, displaying all your buddies in each group. You can toggle the display mode between expanded and collapsed by clicking the small triangle to the left of each group name.

•	Each group has a number in parentheses to the right of the group name to indicate how many people in the group are online out of the total number of buddies in the group. For example, (3/9) means that three of the nine buddies in the group are currently online.

•	Buddy names in bold indicate the buddies who signed on most recently. Buddy names in gray and italic indicate the buddies who just signed off. You can move the cursor over your buddy’s screen name to display information such as the name of the online service that your buddy is using, warnings, and online time.

•	Specific states of each user are also displayed. If a note is displayed next to a particular screen name, then this user is in the away state. If a blue radio is displayed, this user is using a mobile device capable of interacting with the AOL Instant Messaging service.

•	Multiple Buddy Lists can be online at the same time during the same AIM session by linking screen names. If you have linked screen names, you can also choose default and session-only visible/invisible settings for each linked screen name.

•	The Setup button is where you change your Buddy List Setup, change your AIM Preferences, or Show Useful Tools on AIM.com.

•	Below the buttons is the AIM Drawer. Toggle the drawer open or closed by clicking the triangle. When the drawer us open, you can access other AIM features by clicking

•	Play AIM Games

•	Add Tools

•	Send/Store Photos

•	Go to AIM.com

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

Rearranging Your Buddies

Renaming a Buddy or Group

Finding a Buddy by E-mail Address

Finding a Buddy by Common Interest

Finding a Buddy by Name and Address

Sorting your Buddy List

Sharing your Buddy List

Setting your Away Message

Setting your Mobile Indicator


Finding a Buddy by E-mail Address

To find a buddy by e-mail address

1.	On the People menu, point to Find a Buddy, and then click By E-mail Address. The Find a Buddy by E-mail Address window appears on your screen.

2.	Type your buddy's e-mail address in the E-mail address field.

•	AIM displays all screen names for the e-mail address you specified. If multiple screen names appear, select the one you want, and click Next.

•	If you want to add the screen name to your Buddy List, click the group name and click OK. If you do not want to add the screen name to your Buddy List, click Cancel.

3.	Click Next and follow screen instructions.

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Related Topics

Finding a Buddy by Common Interest

Finding a Buddy by Name and Address


Finding a Buddy by Name and Address

To find a buddy by name and address

1.	On the People menu, point to Find a Buddy, and then click By Name and Address.

2.	Type the information about your buddy in the fields.

3.	Click Next, and follow screen instructions.

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Related Topics

Finding a Buddy by E-mail Address

Finding a Buddy by Common Interest


Finding a Buddy by Common Interest

You can search the Internet to find buddies with common interests. For example, if you are interested in photography, you can search for others who are also interested in photography and send instant messages to them.

To find a buddy with a common interest

1.	On the People menu, point to Find a Buddy, then select By Common Interest.

2.	Click Choose Interest.

3.	The service displays a list of interests from which you must select.

4.	Select an interest from the drop-down menu.

5.	Click Next to display a list of users who share your interest.

6.	Select a user from the Lookup Reply List window.

7.	To display more information about the user, click More Info.

8.	To send an instant message, click IM.

9.	Click Finish when you are done.

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Related Topics

Finding a Buddy by E-mail Address

Finding a Buddy by Name and Address


Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

You can add up to 200 buddies (friends, family members, and coworkers who are AOL, CS2000, ICQ or other registered AIM users) to your Buddy List only for your primary screen name. You can also choose to automatically add buddies with whom you exchange IMs to your buddy list. Once you select that preference, buddies you exchange IMs with will be automatically added to your Recent Buddies Group in your Buddy List.

 If you have linked screen names, you will have to sign off AIM, and then sign back on to AIM with the screen name to whose Buddy List you want to add a name.

To add a buddy to your Buddy List

1.	In the Buddy List window, click the Setup button.

2.	Click Buddy List Setup.

3.	Click the group folder to which you want to add your buddy.

4.	If you want to create a new group, see Adding a Group to Your Buddy List.

5.	Click the Add  Buddy icon:

6.	A branch appears with the default name *New Buddy*.

7.	Type the screen name of the buddy, or the ICQ number, you want to add, and press Enter.

8.	If your buddy is an AOL member, remember to enter just your buddy’s screen name, not your buddy’s full E-mail address. For example, johndoe, rather than johndoe@aol.com.

To automatically add a buddies with whom you exchange IMs to your Buddy List

1.	In the Buddy List window, click the Setup button.

2.	Click Preferences.

3.	Click Add people I exchange IMs with to my Recent Buddies Group to automatically add buddies you exchange IMs with to your buddy list.

Notes

•	If you don't know your buddy’s screen name (from either America Online or the AOL Instant Messenger service), you can find a buddy by e-mail address, by name and address, or by common interest.

•	You can invite friends who have not yet signed up to join the AOL Instant Messenger service. On the People menu, click Sign On A Friend and follow the instructions.

•	If you added an ICQ number, after you pressed Enter, you will be presented with another window to allow you to enter a Buddy Name for that ICQ number. This is a name or short phrase that will appear on your buddy list in place of the ICQ number to make it easier for you to remember that ICQ member.

•	To add a comment about the buddy you added, see Adding Buddy Comments.

•	To see what AIM features your buddy’s application supports, see Displaying Your Buddy's AIM Capabilities.

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Related Topics

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Adding Buddy Comments

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

Rearranging Your Buddies

Renaming a Buddy or Group


Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

To add a group to your Buddy List only for your primary screen name

1.	In the Buddy List window, click the Setup button.

2.	Click the Add Group icon:

3.	A folder appears with the default name *New Group*

4.	Type a new name for the group, and press Enter.

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Rearranging Your Buddies

Renaming a Buddy or Group


Rearranging Your Buddies

To rearrange your buddies in your Buddy List only for your primary screen name

1.	In the Buddy List window, select the buddy or group you want to move.

2.	Drag and drop the entry to a different location in your Buddy List.

Notes:

•	The Recent Buddies group in your Buddy List automatically adds buddies with whom you recently exchanged IMs.

•	To stop automatically adding Recent Buddies to your Buddy List, uncheck Add people I exchange IMs with to my Recent Buddies group in Setup, Preferences, Buddy List preferences.

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

Renaming a Buddy or Group


Renaming a Buddy or Group

To rename a buddy or group in your Buddy List only for your primary screen name

1.	In the Buddy List window, click the Setup button.

2.	Select the buddy or group you want to rename.

3.	The name of the buddy or group appears highlighted.

4.	Click the right-mouse button, and choose Edit Name from the popup menu.

5.	Enter the new name for the buddy or group, and press Enter.

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

Rearranging Your Buddies


Setting Visual Alerts in Your Buddy List Window

You can set visual alerts to know when your buddies sign on or off or when they become idle (such as flashing the Buddy List window or dimming a buddy’s screen name).

To set visual alerts

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Buddy List in the Category group.

3.	To make your Buddy List window blink for five seconds each time a buddy signs on or off, select the Flash Buddy List window when buddies sign on or off option.

4.	To dim the display of buddies who are idle, select the Dim buddies after they have been idle for __ minutes option and enter the number of minutes buddies must be idle. The default is 20 minutes.

5.	Click OK to save the changes.

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Related Topics

About Buddy Alerts

Changing the Font in Your Buddy List Window

Docking your Buddy List Window


Changing the Font in Your Buddy List Window

You can change the default font used to display groups and buddies in your Buddy List window.

To change fonts

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Buddy List in the Category group.

3.	Select the font name and font size you want to use to display your groups and buddies in your Buddy List window.

4.	Click OK to save the setting and close the dialog box.

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Related Topics

Setting Visual Alerts in Your Buddy List Window

Docking Your Buddy List Window


Docking Your Buddy List Window

You can position (or dock) your Buddy List window on either side of the screen. When you dock the Buddy List, the service decreases the size of your maximized applications so that your Buddy List is always in view without obstructing the view of other applications.

To dock your Buddy List

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Buddy List in the Category group.

3.	Click Buddy List window can be "docked" on left or right of screen.

4.	Click OK.

5.	Drag your Buddy List window as far as you can to the left or right of the screen.

The service snaps the Buddy List window in place. To minimize the Buddy List window while it is docked, right-click in the Buddy List window title bar to display a shortcut menu, and click Minimize.

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Related Topics

Setting Visual Alerts in Your Buddy List Window

Changing the Font in Your Buddy List Window


Locating Your Buddy List Backup File

If you have multiple Buddy Lists on different AOL brand services (AOL, AIM, CS2000, etc.), AIM merges your Buddy Lists into one. This means that you use the same Buddy List whenever you use the service --- no matter what system you are using.

When AIM merges your Buddy Lists, it creates a backup file of each individual Buddy List into a text file in case you want to retrieve any of them.

Your Buddy List backup file is located in one of the following files on your computer, depending on which version of Windows you have:

C:\windows\aim95\<screen name>\BuddyListBackup.txt

C:\windows\Application Data\aim\<screen name>\BuddyListBackup.txt

C:\Documents and Settings\<Windows username>\Application Data\aim\<screen name>

Where <screen name> represents your screen name, and <Windows username> represents the username you may have used to log onto the Windows operating system.


Adding Buddy Comments

The AOL Instant Messenger service lets you add comments to screen names that you have added to your Buddy List. The comment can be a short note to describe your buddy, using no more than 80 characters.

Adding buddy comments helps you to remember who each screen name represents. For example, if you add a comment to the "CoolWin900JackX5 "screen name, you’ll always know that the screen name represents your Uncle Bill.

To add a buddy comment

1.	On the Buddy List window, highlight your buddy’s screen name, and select the People menu.

2.	Click Store/Edit Buddy Comment to display a dialog box.

3.	Type the comment you want to add to your buddy’s screen name.

4.	Click OK.

The service removes the dialog box and adds the comment to the screen name. To see the comment, move the cursor over your buddy’s screen name.

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Related Topic

Adding a Buddy to your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List


Sorting Your Buddy List

To sort buddies within groups in your Buddy List in alphabetical order

1.	Click the Setup button on the Buddy List window.

2.	Right-click on a group name.

3.	Click Sort Group.

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

Renaming a Buddy or Group


Sharing Your Buddy List

You can send parts or all of your Buddy List to your friends, family, and others using the AOL Instant Messenger service. This can help your buddies who are new users get up to speed quickly with the service.

To send part or all of your Buddy List to someone

1.	Select People from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Send Buddy List.

3.	Type your buddy’s screen name in the Send Buddy List dialog box and click OK.

4.	Select the groups you want to send to your buddy. By default, all groups are selected, so you must deselect groups that you do not want to send.

5.	Click Send.

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

Renaming a Buddy or Group

Sorting your Buddy List

Send Buddy List Preferences


Accessing Content Panels
Accessing Content Panels within the Buddy List Window

In addition to sending instant messages to your buddies, you can access content within the confines of the Buddy List window. Such content might be chat rooms, the latest news headlines, or stock performances.

Simply click the Content Panel button (located at the top right of the actual list of buddies in the Buddy List window) to see a drop down list of available content. To view that content, just select it from this drop down list.

To return to your buddy list, select this Content Panel Button again and choose Buddy List.


About AIM Expressions

AIM Expressions allow you to customize the way your Buddy List and Instant Message windows appear on your and on your buddies’ screens. In addition, they enable you to add some individuality to your messages with a variety of smileys and sounds.

To get and install AIM Expressions:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options and click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click AIM Expressions in the Category group.

3.	Click the Get More AIM Expressions button. This launches a window that allows you to browse and select from a wide variety of AIM Expressions

4.	Click the OK button.

Notes:

•	Once you have an AIM Expression (or multiple AIM Expressions), you can choose different buddy icons, Super Buddy icons, sounds, smileys, and displays in your AIM Instant Messenger from different expressions to really customize your experience.

•	The AIM Expressions changes the look of your IM window and enables you to send this Instant Message AIM Expression to the person with whom you are IMing.

•	Your buddy will see your AIM Expressions if they are using an AIM version capable of recognizing AIM Expressions.

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Related Topics

AIM Expressions preferences


Deleting a Buddy from Your Buddy List

To delete a buddy from your Buddy List

1.	In the Buddy List window, click the Setup button.

2.	Find the buddy you want to delete, and highlight it.

3.	Click the Delete icon or hit the Delete button on your keyboard.

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List


Buddy List in Other Applications

By setting AOL Instant Messenger as the default instant messaging program on your computer, you will enable your AIM Buddy List to be viewed in other applications on your computer. One of these applications might be an email program that integrates buddies from your Buddy List. You might also be able to send AIM instant messages from other applications if AOL Instant Messenger is your default instant messaging program.

For some applications to integrate properly with AOL Instant Messenger’s features, after setting AIM to be the default instant messaging program, you might need to shut down and restart the applications to complete the integration.

To prevent AIM from starting when other applications launch, you’ll need to disable the preference that sets AIM as your default instant messaging program. You will also need to disable this preference if you have used the Set Program Access and Defaults control panel to select another application other than AIM as your default instant messaging program, and AIM is still launching when you use other integrated email applications.

To disable this preference

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

3.	Select the Make AIM my default instant messaging program option.

4.	Click Apply.

5.	Uncheck the Make AIM my default instant messaging program option.

6.	Click OK to save your change and close the dialog box.

For Windows XP, Service Pack 1 users who see their buddy list in Outlook Express address book

1.	From the Windows Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs.

2.	Click Set Program Access and Defaults.

3.	Scroll down the page until you see Choose default instant messaging program.

4.	Click AOL.

5.	Click OK to save the change and close the dialog box.

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Related Topics

Sign On/Off Preferences


Adding a Mobile Number to Your Buddy List

Besides just adding buddy names to your Buddy List, you can also add mobile phone numbers.

To add a mobile phone number to your Buddy List:

1.	In the Buddy List window, click the Setup button.

2.	Click the group folder to which you want to add the mobile phone number.

3.	If you want to create a new group, see Adding a Group to Your Buddy List.

4.	Click the Add Mobile icon:

5.	A Specify Mobile Number window will appear.

6.	In the drop down area, select the country for the phone number.

7.	Type only the phone number in the first text entry area. Do not enter a 1 or the country code before the number. For example, type 7035551212.

•	(Optional) In the bottom text entry area, type a Buddy Name for that phone number. This is a name or short phrase that will appear on your buddy list in place of the phone number to make it easier for you to remember that number.

8.	Click OK.

Note

•	Once a mobile phone number has been added to your Buddy List, it will always display as online, even when the phone has been turned off.

•	To add a comment about the phone number you added, see Adding Buddy Comments.

•	To indicate that this mobile phone number is not the desktop AOL Instant Message software, a Mobile Device Icon will appear next to the mobile phone number on your Buddy List.

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Related Topics

Adding a Buddy to Your Buddy List

Adding a Group to Your Buddy List

Adding Buddy Comments

Rearranging Your Buddies

Renaming a Buddy or Group


About Linked Accounts
About Linked Screen Names

Linked Screen Names offers AOL® Instant Messenger™ (AIM) users the ability to link together multiple screen names and appear online simultaneously with each screen name. You can send and receive IMs from each linked screen name.

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Related Topics

Linked Screen Name Preferences

Invisibility

Switching Between Buddy Lists

Away Messages for Linked Screen Names


Linking and Unlinking
Linking and Unlinking Screen Names

Linking

To link a screen name to the one with which you are currently signed on:

1.	On the My AIM menu, select Manage Linked Screen Names to open the Linked Accounts management screen.

2.	Click Link/Unlink Screen Names on the Manage Linked Screen Names window. Screen Names You’ve Linked displays. If you have not linked any screen names yet, the following will display: You have no linked screen names.

3.	Click Add a Screen Name to begin the linking process.

4.	Enter the screen name and its associated password

5.	Click Save. The Manage Linked Screen Names window displays with the screen name you just added listed under Screen Names You’ve Linked.

6.	Repeat steps 3-5 above for each additional screen name you want to link.

7.	Close the Manage Linked Screen Names window.

8.	Sign off, then sign back on to AIM to display your linked screen names. You will then [image] be able to send and receive instant messages from all the screen names you have linked.

Unlinking

To unlink the joined screen names:

1.	From the Manage Linked Screen Names window, click Unlink Selected Screen Names.

2.	Select the screen name(s) you want to unlink and click Unlink Selected Screen Names.

3.	The Manage Linked Screen Names window now displays with the unlinked screen names no longer displayed.

4.	Sign off, then sign back on to AIM. (Until you sign off, then sign back on, those screen names and their buddy lists will continue to appear in your Buddy List window.)

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Related Topics

About Linked Screen Names

Linked Screen Name Preferences

Invisibility

Switching Between Buddy Lists

Away Messages for Linked Screen Names


Linked Screen Name Preferences

Some options set in the AIM Preferences carry from your sign on or master screen name to all of your linked screen names. If you change an option in Preferences, then that setting would be saved in your other linked screen name preferences. These global preference settings include:

Privacy Preferences

Notifications Preferences

IM/Chat Preferences

Font Preferences


Invisibility

You can use the Invisible option to hide your linked screen names from others when you sign on to AIM.

1.	Click My AIM, then click Manage Linked Screen Names to display the Manage Linked Screen Names screen, listing all of the screen names you have linked.

2.	Click the Invisible At Sign On check box next to the screen name you want to hide (so that your online friends cannot see that this screen name is online.) If a linked screen name is invisible, it will not show the door open icon when signing on.

3.	Click Apply.

4.	Click Done.

5.	Sign off, then sign back on to AIM to apply this setting.

To display your linked screen names to others when you sign on to AIM

1.	Click the Invisible check box again to de-select the invisible setting and display the corresponding screen name to others.

You can also click the eye icon next to a linked screen name on your Buddy List window to change that screen name’s visibility setting. When the eye icon is open, your screen name is visible to others. When the eye icon is closed, that screen name is invisible to others. This setting applies only to your current AIM session. To save the setting for future AIM sessions, follow steps 1 – 5.

Note

•	You can only set your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on) to invisible by clicking the eye icon on the Buddy List that is next to your primary screen name. You can not save this setting.

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Related Topics

About Linked Screen Names

Linking and Unlinking Screen Names

Switching Between Buddy Lists

Away Messages for Linked Screen Names


Switching Between Buddy Lists

Your Buddy List® window displays the screen names in your Buddy List for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on.)

To change the Buddy List view to another linked screen name, click on the corresponding screen name’s tab. Or press Alt+↑ or Alt+↓ to select the screen name’s buddy list you want to view.

To add a screen name to a linked screen name’s Buddy List

1.	Sign off.

2.	Sign back on to AIM with the screen name to whose Buddy List you want to add a name.

Note

•	You can also click the Add Buddy button on any IM you receive to add that buddy to the associated buddy list, even for linked screen names.

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Related Topics

About Linked Screen Names

Invisibility

Linking and Unlinking Screen Names

Away Messages for Linked Screen Names


Sending Instant Messages

When sending instant messages using linked screen names, you can double click a screen name in your Buddy List, or you can select a screen name from the To and From drop-down fields on the Instant Message window.

To send an Instant Message

1.	Double-click the screen name on your Buddy List to whom you want to send an instant message. The selected screen name appears in the To field of the Instant Message window.

2.	The screen name of the currently displayed Buddy List appears in the From field.

3.	Type your message in the message area.

4.	Press Send.

To send an Instant Message from a linked screen name

1.	Click the drop-down arrow in the From field and select from the list of your linked screen names.

2.	Click the drop-down arrow in the TO field and select the screen name to whom you want to send an IM.

The icons on the instant message window, such as Add Buddy, Talk, Get Info, etc., act on the behalf of the screen name from which the IM originated (linked or primary). For example, if you click Add Buddy, the screen name of the person you are instant messaging will be added to the Buddy List of the screen name you are instant messaging from.

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Related Topics

About Linked Screen Names

Invisibility

Linking and Unlinking Screen Names

Switching Between Buddy Lists

Away Messages for Linked Screen Names


Away Messages
Away Messages for Linked Screen Names

You can set different, default away messages for each of your linked screen names. This means that when the signed on AIM screen name goes away, then these away messages will be used for each of your linked Screen Names, so you can have different away messages for each linked screen name.

If you have not set an away message for a screen name on the computer you are using, the Default Away Message will be used.

To set a different away message for each linked (and online) screen name:

1.	Click My AIM

2.	Click Manage Linked Screen Names. The Manage Linked Screen Names window displays, listing all of the screen names you have linked and that are online.

3.	Next to the screen name, click the down arrow for the name of the away message (such as Default Away Message) and select from the list of available messages.

4.	Click Apply.

5.	Click Done.

If you would like to add an away message for a linked (and online) screen name:

1.	Click My AIM

2.	Click Manage Linked Screen Names. The Manage Linked Screen Names window displays, listing all of the screen names you have linked and that are online.

3.	Next to the screen name, click the down arrow and select New Away Message… from the list of available messages.

4.	The Edit Away Message window will appear. Enter the Label (or name) for your new Away message.

5.	Type the text of your new Away message in the Text for Away message: area.

6.	Click Save.

Note

•	You can have IMs for any of your linked screen names sent to your mobile device by setting your default away message to Forward to Mobile. You must first set up the Mobile IM Forwarding option for any linked screen names. (To do this, see Enabling IM Forwarding.)

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Related Topics

About Linked Screen Names

Invisibility

Linking and Unlinking Screen Names

Switching Between Buddy Lists


Forward to Mobile

You can have IMs for any of your linked screen names sent to your mobile device by setting your default away message to Forward to Mobile.

To set your away message to Forward to Mobile

1.	Sign on to AIM with the screen name you want to set the away message to forward to mobile.

2.	Click My AIM

3.	Click Manage Linked Screen Names

4.	Next to the screen name, click the down arrow and select Forward to Mobile from the list of available messages.

5.	Click the Apply button.

6.	Click the Done button.

Note:  You must first set up the Mobile IM Forwarding option for any linked screen names. To do this, see Enabling IM Forwarding.

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Related Topics

About Linked Screen Names

Invisibility

Linking and Unlinking Screen Names

Switching Between Buddy Lists

Away Messages for Linked Screen Names


About Instant Messages

You can communicate instantly with your buddies (friends, family, coworkers, and others), who are signed on to AOL, CompuServe 2000 (CS2000), ICQ, or AIM.  Add your buddies to your Buddy List, send messages to them, and watch as messages pop up on your screen – instantly!  (For information on how to send a graphic or sound file, see Sending a Graphic or Sound File.)

Using the Instant Message feature, you can:

•	Share your favorite Web site with buddies, by including links in your messages.

•	Insert an Emoticon (or smiley) in an instant message.

•	Change the default appearance of your messages by adding color and changing font and size.

•	Time-stamp your messages.

•	Save your instant message sessions.

•	Tell if your buddy is using a mobile device.

•	Tell if your buddy is typing a response.

•	Start a Live Video IM.

You can also have fun with AIM by livening up your instant message sessions with Buddy Icons and AIM Expressions.

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Related Topics

Choosing Buddy Icons

Sending an Instant Message

Receiving an Instant Message

Creating a Hyperlink in an Instant Message

Inserting an Emoticon in an Instant Message

Changing Key Bindings for Messages

Changing the Default Appearance of Messages

Viewing the Timestamp in Messages

Saving Instant Messages

Sending a Graphic or Sound File

Sending Instant Greetings

Starting a Live Video IM


Sending an Instant Message

To send an instant message to your buddy

1.	On the Buddy List window, select your buddy’s screen name.  If you have linked screen names, select the correct Buddy List, then select your buddy’s screen name.

2.	Click the Send Instant Message icon:

3.	The Instant Message window opens.  The selected screen name appears in the To field of the Instant Message window.  The screen name of the currently displayed Buddy List appears in the From field.  If you have linked screen names, you can change the From Screen Name by selecting a different linked screen name from the drop down list.

4.	Type your message in the text message area, and click Send.

Tip:  You can use the toolbar as a shortcut to perform functions such as changing text or background colors, changing text size, emphasizing text (bold, italic, or underlining), or inserting links to favorite Web sites, as well as inserting photographs and sound files.  (See the Instant Message toolbar below.)

For information on how to send a graphic or sound file to your buddy, see Sending a Graphic or Sound File.

Note

•	If you are sending an Instant Message to a one-way mobile device, you may get the following auto response:

Your IM has been sent to my cell phone and, although I can read your messages, I cannot reply. Thanks for your IM!

This means that the user with whom you are Instant Messaging has enabled IM Forwarding and can receive your IMs but cannot respond due to limitations of that user’s mobile device service.

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Related Topics

About Instant Messages

Choosing Buddy Icons

Changing Key Bindings for Messages

Changing the Default Appearance of Messages

Creating a Hyperlink in an Instant Message

Saving Instant Messages

Viewing the Timestamp in Messages

Sending a Graphic or Sound File

Sending Instant Greetings

About IM Forwarding


Receiving an Instant Message

To receive an instant message from a buddy, all you have to do is wait for it to appear in the top portion of your Instant Message window.  If your buddy’s software supports the typing indicator feature, the Typing section at the bottom of the Instant Message window (beneath the typing area) indicates whether your buddy is currently typing a response.  When your buddy clicks Send on his/her Instant Message Window, the message will appear in your Instant Message window.

If you do not see the typing indicator for some buddies, those buddies are either using a version of software that does not support the typing indicator feature, or they may have disabled their preference to allow other users to see their typing status.

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Related Topics

About Instant Messages

Choosing Buddy Icons

Receiving Buddy Icons

Changing the Default Appearance of Messages

Saving Instant Messages

Viewing the Timestamp in Messages


Creating a Hyperlink in an Instant Message

To create a hyperlink in an instant message

1.	In an Instant Message window, type and select the text you want to turn into a hyperlink.

2.	Click link on the toolbar.

3.	The Edit Hyperlink window opens.

4.	Specify the URL (Internet location) of the site you want the link to point to.

5.	You can also specify an e-mail address as the URL. For example, mailto:johndoe@aol.com.

6.	Click OK to save the setting and close the dialog box.

Tips:

•	You can also click link with no text selected. If you do this, you need to enter the link text into the dialog box. The link appears at the insertion point location.

•	If you enter an URL as text (for example, http://www.aol.com or mailto:johndoe@aol.com), the text automatically converts to a hyperlink when you send the message.

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Related Topics

About Instant Messages

Choosing Buddy Icons

Changing Key Bindings for Messages

Changing the Default Appearance of Messages

Sending an Instant Message

Inserting an Emoticon in an Instant Message

Saving Instant Messages

Viewing the Timestamp in Messages


Inserting an Emoticon in an Instant Message

You can insert emoticons (or graphical smileys) in your instant messages to help express your emotions.

To insert an emoticon

1.	Open an Instant Message window.

2.	Click the Insert Smiley icon on the toolbar.

3.	Select the smiley that you want to insert.

Notes

•	You can also insert emoticons by typing the corresponding characters such as Ctrl+1 or :-) for smiling, Ctrl+3 or ;-) for winking, and so forth.  To display a list of smileys along with their definitions and keyboard shortcuts, in the text message area of the Instant Message window, right-click the mouse to display a shortcut menu, click Insert, and select Smiley.

•	To control whether emoticons appear in your Instant Message window and on your right-mouse button menu, see Turning Emoticons On or Off.

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Related Topics

About Instant Messages

Choosing Buddy Icons

Changing Key Bindings for Messages

Changing the Default Appearance of Messages

Sending an Instant Message

Saving Instant Messages

Viewing the Timestamp in Messages


Saving Instant Messages

To save instant messages to a file

1.	In an Instant Message window, choose Save from the File menu.

2.	The Save Text to File window opens.

3.	Enter a name for the file in the File name field.

4.	In the Save as type field, select Text Only if you want to save just the text of the messages.

5.	If you want to save the text and be able to follow any hyperlinks in the messages, select AOL Rich Text Format. This creates an HTML file you can view with your web browser.

6.	Click Save to save the messages that appear in the upper pane of the Instant Message window.

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Related Topics

About Instant Messages

Choosing Buddy Icons

Changing Key Bindings for Messages

Changing the Default Appearance of Messages

Sending an Instant Message

Inserting an Emoticon in an Instant Message

Viewing the Timestamp in Messages


 About Live Video IM

If you and your buddy are using the Windows XP Operating System and have a camera connected to your computer, you can use Live Video IM to connect with that buddy to view real-time video in your Instant Message window.

If your buddy doesn’t have the necessary equipment, he or she may not be able to receive your Live Video IM. For example, if you send a Live Video IM to a friend, he or she must have the latest version of AIM to view it. When you send a Live Video IM to a friend, a direct connection is established between your computer and your buddy’s computer. Occasionally this connection can’t be established. This usually happens because a firewall blocked the connection. Try having the other person send the Live Video IM if you are having this problem.

Notes:

•	It is possible to have a Live Video IM session "connected" if one of the users does not have a camera installed.  In this case, the buddy without the camera will not be seen on the opposite end of the Live Video IM session.

•	Only one Live Video IM session can be open at a time.

•	Live Video IM detects whether or not a necessary software component, RTC 1.2, is installed. If it is not, Live Video IM automatically installs RTC 1.2 the first time you try opening a Live Video IM session.

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Related Topics

What do I need to use Live Video IM?

How do I use Live Video IM?

About Instant Messages

Sending an Instant Message


 What Do I Need to Use AIM Live Video IM?

To use AIM Video IM both you, and the person you want to Video IM with, need the following:

•	Latest Version of AIM:  Download AIM at www.aim.com

•	The Windows XP Operating System or Apple iChat AV version 2.1 or later

•	64 MB RAM more

•	233 MHz or faster processor

•	A web camera

•	Internet connection

•	Optional:  microphone and speakers, if you would like to chat or play sounds during your Live Video IM session.

Note:  If you are using a microphone with a USB connection, you must use the Video/Audio Tuning Wizard, or the outgoing voice sounds will not transmit through the microphone.

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Related Topics

How do I use Live Video IM?

About Instant Messages

Sending an Instant Message

Video/Audio Tuning Wizard


How Do I Use AIM Live Video IM?

To start a Live Video IM

1.	Open an IM window with the buddy with whom you wish to establish a camera session.

2.	Click the Video button at the bottom of the IM window.

3.	A window will appear stating that you will be connecting directly to that buddy’s computer and to do so only if you trust that buddy.  Click OK if this is true.

4.	The Live Video IM panel will open on the right side of your Instant Message window, replacing the games panel if it was previously open.

When your buddy has accepted your invitation to the Live Video IM session, the connection process will begin.  Be patient as this can take some time.

When the connection has been established you will see the image from your buddy’s camera in the Live Video IM window in the My Buddy tab.  To view the image from your camera, click the My Camera tab.

To view the video as picture-in-picture

Click the following button on the Live Video IM panel.

To adjust the video quality

Click the video picture button on the Live Video IM panel, and slide the volume bar to adjust the picture quality.

To adjust the volume

Click the microphone picture button on the Live Video IM panel, and slide the volume bar to adjust the volume.

To pause the connection

Click the Hold button on the Live Video IM panel.

To exit the Live Video IM session, click the Disconnect button.

Note:  It is possible to have a Live Video IM session "connected" if one of the users does not have a camera installed.  In this case, the buddy without the camera will not be seen on the opposite end of the Live Video IM session.

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Related Topics

About Instant Messages

Sending an Instant Message

About AIM Games


About Talk

The Talk feature lets you speak directly (PC to PC) to your buddies who are signed on to the AOL Instant Messenger service. You can talk to your buddies for free!

To use the Talk feature, simply send your buddy a Talk invitation, and after he accepts, begin your conversation. When you are finished talking, just click Disconnect. It’s that easy!

You can talk in full-duplex mode, allowing both parties to speak at the same time.

Notes

•	You must have a sound card and a microphone installed in your computer.

•	Half-duplex mode (where only one voice is transmitted at a time) is not supported with newer versions of AIM.

•	Invitations to Talk from people using half-duplex mode will not work properly with people using newer versions of AIM.

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Related Topics

Inviting your Buddy to Talk Online

Displaying the Talk Start Dialog Box

Talk Tips

About AIM Phone


Inviting your Buddy to Talk Online

To invite your buddy to talk online

1.	Highlight your buddy’s screen name in the Buddy List window.

2.	Select the People menu, and click Connect to Talk.

3.	A dialog box appears on your screen, indicating that the service is dialing.

4.	Click Push to Talk after your buddy accepts your invitation.

5.	Make sure you speak into your computer microphone so that your buddy can hear you clearly.

6.	You can control the speaker volume with the on-screen control or use the volume control on your computer.

7.	Click Disconnect when you are finished talking.

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Related Topics

About Talk

Displaying the Talk Start Dialog Box

Talk Tips


Displaying the Talk Start Dialog Box

A dialog box appears on your screen each time you try to start a Talk session with a buddy, and it remains on your screen until you make a Talk connection.

To stop the start dialog box from displaying

1.	From the Buddy List window, click the My AIM menu.

2.	Click Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

3.	The AOL Instant Messenger Preferences window appears.

4.	Click Talk in the Category group.

5.	Deselect Display start dialog in the When I start a Talk session group.

6.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About Talk

Inviting your Buddy to Talk Online

Talk Tips


Talk Tips

For helpful Talk tips, click the problem that you are experiencing.

•	You cannot talk online.

•	You are having trouble hearing others.

•	Others are having trouble hearing you.

•	You are hearing echoes.


About AIM Phone

The AIM Phone feature allows you to make PC-to-telephone connections over the Internet.  Unlike AIM Talk, which lets you make only PC-to-PC connections and requires your buddy to have an AIM account, you can use AIM Phone to contact buddies on the telephone, and they do not need AIM accounts.

Using AIM Phone to contact your buddies from your PC to a telephone requires a separate registration and additional software that you must download and install on your computer. For buddies you frequently contact, AIM Phone lets you store up to three numbers (home, work, and mobile) for each of your buddies.

Refer to the help menu on AIM Phone or the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) at http://aimphone.aol.com/help.html for additional information about AIM Phone.

Note

•	While the Talk feature lets you talk for free, when you use AIM Phone, you are charged in accordance with rates given to you at the time of registration.

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Related Topics

Making a PC-to-Telephone Connection

Storing Numbers for AIM Phone


Making a PC-to-Telephone Connection

When you make a PC-to-telephone connection, be sure to use a 1 + the area code, even for a local call. Dial internationally using 011 + country code + city code + number.

To contact your buddy on the telephone using your PC

1.	Select a screen name on your Buddy List.

2.	Select the People menu on the Buddy List window.

3.	Click Contact using AIM Phone.

One of several things can happen when you select this option:

•	If you have not registered for AIM Phone, the service starts your browser and displays the AIM Phone registration page (http://aimphone.aol.com).  Register and download the software, and try to contact your buddy.

•	If you have not stored your buddy’s telephone number that you are contacting, the service displays a dialog box for you to enter the number.

•	If you have stored only one telephone number for your buddy, AIM dials that number automatically.

•	If you have stored multiple telephone numbers, the service displays a dialog box allowing you to select the number that you want to contact.

The AIM Phone window appears on your screen.

4.	Begin speaking into your PC microphone after your buddy answers the telephone.

Shortcut:  Right-click on your buddy’s screen in your Buddy List window, and select Contact using AIM Phone.

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Related Topics

About AIM Phone

Storing Numbers for AIM Phone


Storing Numbers for AIM Phone

To store up to three of your buddy’s numbers (home, work, and mobile) for use with AIM Phone

1.	Right-click on your buddy’s screen name in the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Store/Edit Buddy Numbers.

3.	Enter your buddy’s numbers in the appropriate fields.

4.	Click OK.

Note

•	Be sure to use a 1 + the area code, even for a local call. Dial internationally using 011 + country code + city code + number.

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Related Topics

About AIM Phone

Making a PC-to-Telephone Connection


About Chat

The Chat feature lets you exchange messages with several of your buddies in your own private chat rooms.  You can start your own chat room, or you can join popular chat rooms such as Health Chat, Entertainment Chat, Romance Chat, Computing Chat, and a host of others that interest you.  You can only send a chat invitation, receive a chat invitation, and join a chat room using your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

Using Chat, you can

•	Invite buddies to a chat room.

•	Create hyperlinks in a chat message.

•	Insert emoticons in a chat message.

•	Save chat messages to a file to read offline or to just keep in your files.

Note

•	Only AOL Instant Messenger users can chat in public chat rooms.

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Related Topics

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

Sending a Chat Message

Creating a Hyperlink in a Chat Message

Inserting an Emoticon in a Chat Message

Saving Chat Messages


Inviting a Buddy to Chat

To invite a buddy to chat

1.	Select the screen names of the buddies you want to invite to the chat room.

•	To select multiple screen names, hold down the Ctrl key as you select each name. You can also select an entire group of buddies.

2.	Click the Send Chat Invitation icon:

The Chat Invitation window opens.

•	If you want to send the invitation to additional buddies, type their screen names in the Screen names to invite field.

3.	Click Send to send the invitation.

•	After your buddy accepts your invitation, AIM displays the message, "username" has entered the room," in your Chat Room window.  You can start typing your chat messages in the text area after you receive the notification.

Tip:  You can invite a buddy to join a chat in progress. In the Chat Room window, select People on the menu bar and click Invite a Buddy to send an invitation.

Notes

•	Only AIM users can receive chat invitations to public chat rooms.

•	You can send chat invitations for public chat rooms to all users whose service type is Internet.

•	To see what service your buddy is using, move the cursor over your buddy’s screen name.  The service displays information about the user along with what service your buddy is using.

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Related Topics

About Chat

Sending a Chat Message

Creating a Hyperlink in a Chat Message

Inserting an Emoticon in a Chat Message

Saving Chat Messages


Sending a Chat Message

To send a chat message

1.	After you have invited a buddy to chat, with the Chat Room window open, type the message that you want to send in the text area box.

2.	Click Send. When you are finished with your chat conversation, you can save it to a file.

Notes

•	To display a user’s profile, click Get Info.

•	To stop receiving messages from someone in the chat room, select the person’s screen name in the field that lists everyone in the chat room and click Ignore. An X appears next to the selected screen name. Click Ignore again to toggle the ignore feature off.

•	You can use the toolbar to change text color or emphasize text with bold, italic, or underlining.

•	For a list of popular chat rooms, click More at the right bottom of the Chat Room window.  To remove the listing, click Less.

•	You can send chat messages with hyperlinks and emoticons (smileys).  You can also format them using different styles such as bold, italic, or underlining.   Using color or a different font can also help emphasize messages you send.

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Related Topics

About Chat

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

Creating a Hyperlink in a Chat Message

Inserting an Emoticon in a Chat Message

Saving Chat Messages


Creating a Hyperlink in a Chat Message

To create a hyperlink in a chat message

1.	In a Chat Room window, type and select the text you want to turn into a hyperlink.

2.	Click link on the toolbar. The Edit Hyperlink window opens.

3.	Specify the URL (Internet location) of the site you want the link to point to.

•	You can also specify an e-mail address as the URL. For example, mailto:johndoe@aol.com.

4.	Click OK to save the setting and close the dialog box.

Notes

•	You can also click link with no text selected. If you do this, you need to enter the link text into the dialog box. The link appears at the insertion point location.

•	If you enter an URL as text (for example, http://www.aol.com or mailto:johndoe@aol.com), the text automatically converts to a hyperlink when you send the message.

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Related Topics

About Chat

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

Sending a Chat Message

Inserting an Emoticon in a Chat Message

Saving Chat Messages


Inserting an Emoticon in a Chat Message

You can insert emoticons (or graphical smileys) in your chat messages to help express your emotions.

To insert an emoticon

1.	In the text box of the Chat Room window, right-click the mouse.

2.	Click the Insert Smiley icon.

3.	A list of smileys appears.  To see a list of smileys along with their definitions and shortcut keys, right-click in the text area, click Insert, and click Smiley.

4.	Select the smiley that you want to use.

Notes

•	You can also insert emoticons by typing the corresponding characters such as Ctrl+1 for smiling, Ctrl+3 for winking, and so forth.  The shortcut keys are defined next to each emoticon in the menu.

•	To control whether these symbols appear in your Chat Room window and on your right mouse button menu, see Turning Emoticons On or Off.

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Related Topics

About Chat

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

Sending a Chat Message

Creating a Hyperlink in a Chat Message

Saving Chat Messages


Saving Chat Messages

To save chat messages to a file

1.	With your chat messages still on your screen in the Chat Room window, select File and click Save. The Save Text to File window opens.

2.	Enter a name for the file in the File name field.

3.	In the Save as type field, select Text Only if you want to save just the text of the messages.

4.	If you want to save the text and be able to follow any hyperlinks in the messages, select AOL Rich Text Format. This will create an HTML file you can view with your web browser.

5.	Click Save to save the messages that appear in the upper pane of the Chat Room window.

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Related Topics

About Chat

Inviting a Buddy to Chat

Sending a Chat Message

Creating a Hyperlink in a Chat Message

Inserting an Emoticon in a Chat Message


About Mail Alerts

Use the Mail Alert feature to let the AIM service tell you when you have new or unread mail in any of your primary screen name e-mail accounts. When you are notified that you have new mail, display the web page of your mail program, or start your mail application so you can sign on and read your mail.

Note:  Free AIM.com Webmail is coming soon, exclusively to AIM members

If you are an AOL member and your AIM and AOL screen names are the same, AIM automatically sets up the service to check your AOL mailbox. If you use other mail services that use the POP3 standard, you can add those mailboxes to AIM.

The Mail Alert feature allows you to:

•	Add e-mail addresses and specify how often you want it to check for your mail.

•	Specify a sound to play when the service alerts you of your mail.

•	Edit or delete any e-mail addresses that you have added to AIM and no longer wish to check for your mail.

•	Display a mail alert window when you have new mail in your e-mail accounts.

•	Keep the Mail alert window on top of other opened windows.

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Related Topics

Adding E-mail Addresses

Reading Mail

Specifying Mail Alert Sounds

Editing or Deleting E-mail Addresses

Displaying the Mail Alert Window

Keeping the Mail Alert Window on Top


Adding Your E-mail Account Addresses

To add addresses for your e-mail accounts

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences.

3.	Click Mail in the Category group.

4.	Click the Add Mailbox button.

5.	Enter data about your mail account. You must enter data in each field.  For data field information, see Mail Preferences.

6.	Click Save to save your e-mail account information.

7.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

About Mail Alerts

Reading Mail

Specifying Mail Alert Sounds

Editing or Deleting E-mail Addresses

Displaying the Mail Alert Window

Keeping the Mail Alert Window on Top


Reading Mail

Before you can read your e-mail, you must add your e-mail addresses to AIM.

To read your e-mail

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Read Mail.

3.	Select the mail that you want to read.

4.	Sign on and off your mail account as you normally would.

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Related Topics

About Mail Alerts

Adding Your E-mail Account Addresses

Specifying Mail Alert Sounds

Editing or Deleting E-mail Addresses

Displaying the Mail Alert Window

Keeping the Mail Alert Window on Top


Specifying Mail Alert Sounds

To specify a sound to play along with your mail alerts

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences.

3.	Click Mail in the Category group.

4.	Click Sounds to display the Mail Notification Sounds window.

5.	Make sure a checkmark is in the Play a sound when being notified of new mail field, and click the own arrow to select a sound.

6.	To use your own sound, click Browse to locate and select your sound file.  To preview a sound, click Preview.

7.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

About Mail Alerts

Adding Your E-mail Account Addresses

Reading Mail

Editing or Deleting E-mail Addresses

Displaying the Mail Alert Window

Keeping the Mail Alert Window on Top


Editing or Deleting E-mail Addresses

To edit or delete an e-mail address that you have added to AIM

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences.

3.	Click Mail in the Category group.

4.	Select the e-mail address that you want to edit or remove.

5.	To edit the e-mail account information, click Edit, and modify the information that you want to change.  To delete the e-mail address, click Remove.

6.	Make sure you save the account information that you edited.

7.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

About Mail Alerts

Adding Your E-mail Account Addresses

Reading Mail

Specifying Mail Alert Sounds

Displaying the Mail Alert Window

Keeping the Mail Alert Window on Top


Displaying the Mail Alert Window

To display the Mail Alert window

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Mail Alert Window.

3.	The service displays the Mail window.  To expand the window to see your mail, click the left arrow inside the window.

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Related Topics

About Mail Alerts

Adding Your E-mail Account Addresses

Reading Mail

Specifying Mail Alert Sounds

Editing or Deleting E-mail Addresses

Keeping the Mail Alert Window on Top


Keeping Your Mail Window on Top

To keep the Mail alert window on top of other opened windows

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences.

3.	Click Mail in the Category group.

4.	Select Keep alert window on top.

5.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

About Mail Alerts

Adding Your E-mail Account Addresses

Reading Mail

Specifying Mail Alert Sounds

Editing or Deleting E-mail Addresses

Displaying the Mail Alert Window


Sending E-Mail

To send e-mail from your primary screen name

1.	From your Buddy List, select the names to which you want to send mail.  This selection can include a combination of buddy and group names.

2.	Select People on the Buddy List window.

3.	Click Send Mail.

4.	Log into your Mail Account in your default browser, if you are prompted to do so, or set up a mail account if you don’t have one.

5.	Follow the links to Write Mail.

OR

1.	Highlight the names to which you wish to send mail This selection can include a combination of buddy and group names.

2.	Right click on one of the highlighted names.

3.	Select the Send Mail menu.

4.	Log into your Mail Account in your default browser, if you are prompted to do so, or set up a mail account if you don’t have one.

5.	Follow the links to Write Mail.

OR

1.	Highlight the names to which you wish to send mail.  This can be a combination of buddy and group names.

2.	Click the Write button on the Buddy List Window.

3.	Log into your Mail Account in your default browser, if you are prompted to do so, or set up a mail account if you don’t have one.

4.	Follow the links to Write Mail.

Note:  You can select multiple buddies, a group, or multiple groups on your buddy list by holding the Ctrl key while clicking on the names.

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Related Topics

Editing Your Buddy's E-Mail Address


Editing Your Buddy's E-Mail Address

Your buddies’ e-mail addresses are stored in your Address Book.

To add or edit an e-mail address for a buddy on your buddy list

1.	Highlight the buddy’s name.

2.	From the Buddy List window, select People.

3.	Click Edit E-mail Address.

•	If an entry exists for the selected buddy, the fields will appear with the current information.  Change any of the information, if you wish.  If no entry is found, add the information for that buddy.

4.	Click Store.

OR

1.	Right click on the buddy in your buddy list for whom you’d like to add/edit their e-mail address.

2.	Select Store/Edit E-mail Address.

•	If an entry exists for the selected buddy, the fields will appear with the current information.  Change any of the information, if you wish.  If no entry is found, add the information for that buddy.

3.	Click Store.

Notes:

•	This Address Book is also available from the send mail web pages.

•	This affects your address book for your primary screen name.

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Related Topics

Sending E-Mail


About Buddy Alerts

AOL Instant Messenger can alert you instantly when your buddies sign on to the service or return to the service from an Idle or an Away state. To alert you, the service plays a sound or displays a small window on your screen (with or without sound) when your buddies sign on or return from an Idle or Away state, depending on how you set up the alert.

You can assign a unique sound to each buddy to easily identify who is online.  If you set the alert to display a window when your buddy signs on or returns to the service after being idle or away, you can also send an instant message to your buddy from that window.

After you set up buddy alerts, you can edit, save, or delete them at any time.

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Related Topics

Setting Buddy Alerts

Editing Buddy Alerts

Deleting Buddy Alerts

Saving Buddy Alerts


Setting Buddy Alerts

Before you can set buddy alerts, you must add your buddies' screen names to your Buddy List.

To set a buddy alert

1.	Right-click on your buddy’s screen name in your Buddy List window. You can select buddies who are already signed on, or select buddies who are not signed on, appearing in the Offline group.

2.	Select Alert me when "screen name" is available, where "screen name" represents your buddy’s screen name.

3.	In the Notify me when buddy group, select whether you want the service to notify you when your buddy comes online, returns from an Idle state, or returns from an Away state.   You can select all three options.

4.	In the Notify me by group, indicate whether you want the service to display a window, play a sound, or perform both operations when your buddy signs on.

5.	Click the OK button.

Notes:

•	The service places the Bell icon next to your buddy’s screen name, indicating you have set up an alert.  If you set the alert for a buddy who is already signed you, to see the icon, click the Setup button. Moving the cursor over your buddy’s screen name also shows what buddy alerts you have set.

•	To save the alert, click the Save this alert checkbox.  (Note that if you do not save the alert, the service only alerts you the next time your buddy signs on or returns from an Idle or Away state – not each time.)

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Related Topics

Editing Buddy Alerts

Deleting Buddy Alerts

Saving Buddy Alerts


Editing Buddy Alerts

To edit buddy alerts

1.	Right-click your buddy’s screen name in the Buddy List window.

2.	Select Change Alert. The Edit Buddy Alert window appears on your screen.

3.	Modify the buddy alert by selecting new options, changing sounds that play when you are alerted, or indicating whether you want the alert window to display when the service notifies you.

4.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Setting Buddy Alerts

Deleting Buddy Alerts

Saving Buddy Alerts


Deleting Buddy Alerts

To delete a buddy alert

1.	Right-click your buddy’s screen name in the Buddy List window.

2.	Select  Don’t alert me when "screen name" is available, where "screen name" represents your buddy’s screen name. The service removes the Bell icon from your buddy’s screen name.

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Related Topics

Setting Buddy Alerts

Editing Buddy Alerts

Saving Buddy Alerts


Saving Buddy Alerts

To save a buddy alert

1.	Make sure the Edit Buddy Alert window is opened.

2.	Click the Save this alert checkbox to place a checkmark in it.

3.	Click the OK button.

The service alerts you in accordance with the options you have selected for notifications.  When you want the service to stop alerting you, delete the alert.

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Related Topics

Setting Buddy Alerts

Editing Buddy Alerts

Deleting Buddy Alerts


About Pop-up Notifications

Pop-up Notifications are alerts that appear for a brief period of time at the bottom right of your desktop area.  These Notifications can be configured to alert you when buddies on your Buddy List sign on, sign off, go away, return from away, go idle, and return from being idle.

If you click the text of the popup for signing on, going away, returning from away, going idle and returning from idle notifications, an IM window will open, or come to the foreground if it is already open.

To close a pop-up notification before it disappears on its own, right-click on it.

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Related Topics

Configuring Pop-up Notifications

Notifications Preferences


Configuring Pop-up Notifications

You can control which type of pop-ups you see based upon the Notification Preferences you set.  To change the Notification Preferences:

1.	Select the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Notifications in the Category group.

3.	To show any pop-up notifications, click the Show pop-up notifications checkbox.

4.	Once you have enabled pop-ups, you can select which AIM event notifications for buddies on your Buddy List you will receive.

5.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

About Pop-up Notifications

Notifications Preferences


About File Transfers

The File Transfer feature allows you to share files with your online buddies.  You can:

•	Send files to your buddies.

•	Get files from your buddies' computers.

•	Control who gets your files by allowing anyone or only buddies who are listed in your Buddy List window to get your files.

•	Check files for computer viruses.

•	Specify the folder from which others can get your files.

•	Change your default download folder.

Note:  Before you begin to transfer files, you should install antivirus software on your computer to protect your computer against computer viruses that can damage files on your system.

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Related Topics

Receiving Files from your Buddies

Accepting File Transfers Automatically


Sending a File to Your Buddy

You can send a file or directory stored on any medium such as diskette, hard or zip drive, or network volume to your online buddies.

WARNING:  Your buddy can determine your Internet Protocol (IP) address when you send files.  This a potential security risk, so make sure you know and trust the person to whom you are sending a file.

To send a file or directory to your buddy:

1.	Select your buddy’s screen name on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click the People menu, and click Send File to Buddy.

Note:  If the Send File dialog box appears on your screen because you did not select your buddy’s screen name, enter it, and click the OK button.

3.	Locate the file or directory that you want to send in the File or Directory to send field.

To send a file, click File, and select the file.  (Note that when sending a file, by default, AIM searches your filelib folder first.  See Changing Your Default Shared Folder if you want to specify a different default folder to send files.

To send a directory, click Directory, and select the directory.

4.	Enter a file or directory description in the text box. This field is optional, but it can provide brief information about the content of the file for your buddy.

5.	Click the Send button.

The File Transfer Status window appears, indicating that AIM is waiting for your buddy to accept the file.  After your buddy accepts your file, the window shows the file transfer status.  You can change the pace at which the file is transferring by selecting Fast, Medium, or Slow, as well as pause the file transfer if you need to by selecting Pause.

If you don’t want the File Transfer Status window to appear each time you send a file, you can set your file transfer preference to stop it from appearing.  To cancel the file transfer, click Cancel.

Notes:

•	When you want to send a file, make sure you notify your buddy that you are sending it.  Your buddy must be signed on and cannot be in an idle state.  Once you send the file transfer request, your buddy can accept, reject, or ignore the request.  Your buddy can also impose a warning on you, which can slow the rate at which you can perform activities in AIM.

•	You can either create a folder that you want to store files that you want to send to others, or use the default directory to store your files.  This ensures that other users do not see any files on your system that you don’t want them to access.

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Related Topics

Receiving Files from your Buddies

Changing Your Default Shared Folder


Blocking All Incoming File Transfers

To block all incoming file transfers:

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences. The AOL Instant Messenger Preferences window appears on your screen.

3.	Click File Transfer in the Category group.

4.	Click No One in the Receive File Permission field.

5.	Click the OK button.

Note:  If you don’t have antivirus software installed on your system, you should block all incoming file transfers until you install protection software.  You should always make sure you know and trust the person who wants to send files to you.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Allowing Only Your Buddies to Get Your Files

Stopping Others from Getting Your Files

File Transfer Preferences


Checking Files for Viruses

Antivirus software detects and removes viruses in programs and files on disks, in compressed files, and in any file that you download from the Internet.  When you first install AIM, it tries to automatically detect your antivirus software.  If it can't find your protection software, you must install antivirus software on your system and point AIM to its location.

To let AIM automatically check files that you download:

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences.

3.	Click File Transfer in the Category group.

4.	Click Virus Checker.

5.	Make sure the Check files for virus after transfer field is selected.

If you want to use a different antivirus program than the one AIM is pointing to, click Browse to locate and enter the software in the Virus checker location field.

6.	Click the OK button to close the window.

7.	Click the OK button again.

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Related Topics

Receiving Files from your Buddies


Receiving Files from your Buddies

When a buddy tries to send you a file, the service displays the Receive File dialog box, notifying you of the file transfer.  You can accept or cancel the file transfer request or even impose a warning on the sender.

To receive the file from your buddy, click Accept on the Receive File dialog box.  To warn the user, click Warn.  To cancel the request, click Cancel.

Notes:

•	Before accepting the file, make sure you check it for virus by checking the Check file for virus after transfer option.

•	If you want to open the file after it is transferred, click Open file after transfer.

•	If you don’t want the service to display this notification, click Don’t ask me again.

•	You can also let the service accept files automatically without any notification.

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Related Topics

Checking Files for Viruses

Changing Your Default Download Folder

File Transfer Preferences


Accepting File Transfers Automatically

You can set up the AIM® service to automatically accept file transfers from everyone or accept files only from users listed in your Buddy List.

To accept file transfers automatically:

1.	Open the Buddy List Preferences by pressing the F3 key, or select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window, then click Edit Options and select Edit Preferences.

2.	Click File Transfer in the Category group to display the File Transfer preferences panel.

To automatically accept files from only users listed in your Buddy List, click Only buddies on my Buddy List in the Receive File Permission field.

To automatically accept files from everyone who sends you a file, click Everyone.

3.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Receiving Files from your Buddies

Checking Files for Viruses

Changing Your Default Download Folder

File Transfer Preferences


Getting Files from Your Buddy's Computer

Using only your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on), you can get a file (text, graphics, or software) from your buddy’s computer :

1.	Select the People menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Get File from Buddy.

3.	Enter your buddy’s screen name in the Get File dialog box, and click OK.

AIM displays a warning message box, reminding you to install antivirus software.  If you don’t want this window to appear in the future, click Don’t ask me again.

4.	Click OK.

The system displays a list of all the files that are in your buddy’s shared folder.

5.	Select the file that you want to download to your system.

To select multiple files, hold the Ctrl key down as you select the files that you want to download.  After selecting your files, the service runs your antivirus program and downloads the file to your AIM download folder by default.  You can change the default download folder if you want to use a different one for storing files.

6.	After your antivirus software finishes, exit the program (if it doesn’t close automatically) to return to AIM.

Notes:

•	If you want your buddies to get files from your system, you can store files that you want to share with others in the AIM default folder, filelib, or you can specify a different location to store files you want to share with others.

•	You don’t have to worry about users seeing other files on your system; they can only access files that are in the directory that you specify as a shared area.

•	You can also control who can get your files by allowing anyone to get your files or only buddies that are listed in your Buddy List.

•	Your buddies can only access files that are stored in the folder that you specify as a shared folder.

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Related Topics

Receiving Files from your Buddies

Checking Files for Viruses

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Allowing Only Buddies to Get Your Files

Displaying File Transfer Status

Changing Your Default Download Folder

Stopping Others From Getting Your Files

File Transfer Preferences


Stopping Others from Getting Your Files

To stop unauthorized users from getting your files

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences. The AOL Instant Messenger Preferences window appears on your screen.

3.	Click File Sharing in the Category group.

4.	Click Don’t Allow in these two groups:  For users on my Buddy List and For users not on my Buddy List.

5.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Allowing Only Buddies to Get Your Files

Displaying File Transfer Status

Changing Your Default Shared Folder

Getting Files from Your Buddy’s Computer

File Transfer Preferences


Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

By default, no one can get files from your system.

To allow everyone to get your files from your shared folder:

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences

3.	Click File Sharing in the Category group.

4.	Click Allow in these two groups:  For users on my Buddy List and For users not on my Buddy List fields.

5.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Only Buddies to Get Your Files

Blocking All Incoming File Transfers

Changing Your Default Shared Folder

Getting Files from Your Buddy’s Computer


Allowing Only Buddies to Get Your Files

To allow only the users listed in your Buddy List to get your files:

1.	Select the File menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit PreferencesClick File Sharing in the Category group.

3.	Click Allow in the For users on my Buddy List group.

4.	Click the OK button.

Note:  Make sure Don’t Allow is selected in the For users not on my Buddy List group.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Blocking All Incoming File Transfers

Receiving Files from your Buddies

Changing Your Default Shared Folder

Getting Files from Your Buddy’s Computer

File Transfer Preferences


Displaying File Transfer Status

The AOL Instant Messenger service displays the status of each of your file transfers (for example, sending or getting files) by default.

If you don’t want the file transfer status dialog box to appear on your screen:

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit PreferencesClick File Sharing in the Category group.

3.	Click Never display Status dialog when others get my files.

4.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Blocking All Incoming File Transfers

Receiving Files from your Buddies

Changing Your Default Shared Folder

Getting Files from Your Buddy’s Computer

File Transfer Preferences


Changing Your Default Download Folder

The AOL Instant Messenger service stores all files that you download from your buddy’s computer in your AIM download directory by default.

To change your default download folder:

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit PreferencesClick File Transfer in the Category group.

3.	Enter the complete path of the folder that you want to use as your default folder in the Directory to put files I receive field, or click Browse to select a directory.

4.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Blocking All Incoming File Transfers

Receiving Files from your Buddies

Changing Your Default Shared Folder

Getting Files from Your Buddy’s Computer

File Transfer Preferences


Changing Your Default Shared Folder

When your buddies try to get files from your system, the AOL Instant Messenger service locates your filelib folder in your AIM directory by default.  If you want others to get files stored on your system from a different folder, you must specify the new location.

To change your default shared folder:

1.	Select the My AIM menu from the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and select Edit Preferences.

3.	Click File Sharing in the Category group.

4.	Enter the complete path of the folder that you want to use as your default shared folder in the Directory from where others can get my files or I send files field, or click Browse to locate and select a folder.

5.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Allowing Only Buddies to Get Your Files

Blocking All Incoming File Transfers

Getting Files from Your Buddy’s Computer

Changing Your Default Download Folder

Stopping Others from Getting Your Files

File Transfer Preferences


Sending Files via Send To Menu

You can send a file or directory stored on any medium such as diskette, hard or zip drive, or network volume to your online buddies by using the Send To menu item.

WARNING:  Your buddy can determine your Internet Protocol (IP) address when you send files.  This a potential security risk, so make sure you know and trust the person to whom you are sending a file.

To send a file or directory to your buddy:

1.	Right click the file or directory from a file or directory view (for example, from the Windows Explorer).

2.	Select the Send To menu.

3.	Click AIM Buddy.

4.	Enter the screen name of the buddy to whom you’d like to send the file or directory in the Enter buddy screen name dialog.

5.	Enter a file or directory description in the text box. This field is optional, but it can provide brief information about the content of the file for your buddy.

6.	Click Send.

7.	The File Transfer Status window appears, indicating that AIM is waiting for your buddy to accept the file.  After your buddy accepts your file, the window shows the file transfer status.  You can change the pace at which the file is transferring by selecting Fast, Medium, or Slow, as well as pause the file transfer if you need to by selecting Pause.

8.	If you don’t want the File Transfer Status window to appear each time you send a file, you can set your file transfer preference to stop it from appearing.  To cancel the file transfer, click Cancel.

Notes:

•	When you want to send a file, make sure you notify your buddy that you are sending it.  Your buddy must be signed on and cannot be in an idle state.  Once you send the file transfer request, your buddy can accept, reject, or ignore the request.  Your buddy can also impose a warning on you, which can slow the rate at which you can perform activities in AIM.

•	You can either create a folder that you want to store files that you want to send to others, or use the default directory to store your files.  This ensures that other users do not see any files on your system that you don’t want them to access.

•	Because of a limitation in the Windows operating systems, the number of files that may be selected before using the Send To -> AIM Buddy feature is limited.  The number of files allowed depends on the total length of all of the selected filenames.  Using this feature after selecting too many files will result in an error message from the operating system.  Select fewer files and repeat the Send To -> AIM Buddy process.

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Related Topics

Sending a File to Your Buddy

Sharing Files via Send To Menu

File Transfer Preferences


Sharing Files via Send To Menu

You can share files or directories with your buddies by setting a shared directory and allowing others to get files from this directory.  You can add files to this directory by using the Send To menu item when viewing your files or directories in a file view (for example, Windows Explorer).

To add files to a shared directory:

1.	Right click the file or directory from a file or directory view (for example, from the Windows Explorer).

2.	Select the Send To menu.

3.	Click AIM Share.  This will copy the selected files and directories to the directory you have specified as your shared directory.

4.	Click  the OK button.

Note:  Because of a limitation in the Windows operating systems, the number of files that may be selected before using the Send To -> AIM Share feature is limited.  The number of files allowed depends on the total length of all of the selected filenames.  Using this feature after selecting too many files will result in an error message from the operating system.

•	 If you get an error message indicating this issue, select fewer files and repeat the Send To -> AIM Share process.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Get Your Files

Allowing Only Buddies to Get Your Files

Getting Files from Your Buddy’s Computer

Changing Your Default Download Folder

Stopping Others from Getting Your Files

Sending Files via Send To menu

Receiving Files from your Buddies

File Sharing Preferences


Check your desired options.


Check your desired options.


Closes this dialog and saves any changes you have made.


Closes this dialog without saving any changes you have made.


Saves your changes but does not close the dialog.


Select your preferred option.


Select your preferred option.


Select your preferred option.


Click this button to make your choice.


Click this button to make your choice.


Click this button to make your choice.


Click this button to make your choice.


Check your desired options.


Check your desired options.


Allow all users to see you in  their Buddy List windows and send you messages.


Prevent all users, except those you specify in the Allow List, from seeing you in their Buddy List windows and sending you messages.


Prevent all users from seeing you in their Buddy List windows and sending you messages.


Allow all users, except those you specify in your Block List, to see you in their Buddy List windows and send you messages.


This list box is active if you have selected Allow only the users below. To add a Screen Name, click Add Name, type in the Screen Name, and press Enter. To delete a Screen Name, select the Screen Name and click Remove.


This list box is active if you have selected Block the users below. To add a Screen Name, click Add Name, type in the Screen Name, and press Enter. To delete a Screen Name, select the Screen Name and click Remove.


Prevent all users, except those on your Buddy List, from seeing you in their Buddy List windows and sending you messages.


Add a user to the Allow List.


Remove the selected user from the Allow List.


Add a user to the Block List.


Remove the selected user from the Block List.


Allow other users to see how long you have had an AOL Instant Messenger account.


Allow other users to see whether you are idle.


Specify which users can and cannot contact you with Instant Messages.


Determine whether or not other users can view information on how long you have been idle and how long you have had an AOL Instant Messenger account.


This list box is active if you have selected Allow only the users below. To add a Screen Name, click Add Name, type in the Screen Name, and press Enter. To delete a Screen Name, select the Screen Name and click Remove.


This list box is active if you have selected Block the users below. To add a Screen Name, click Add Name, type in the Screen Name, and press Enter. To delete a Screen Name, select the Screen Name and click Remove.


Specify which information can be obtained through the Find a Buddy feature by users who know your e-mail address.


Allow users who know your e-mail address to obtain your screen name through the Find a Buddy feature.


Allow users who know your e-mail address to learn only that you have an account (but not to learn your screen name) through the Find a Buddy feature.


Allow users who know your e-mail address to learn nothing about you through the Find a Buddy feature.


Specify the pathname of an alternate web browser.


Select an alternate Web browser.


Open each additional Web document in a new window, instead of re-using an open window.


Use your default web browser when you click on Web links.


If you select this option and specify the pathname of an alternate web browser, AOL Instant Messenger will use the browser you specify.


Use the default e-mail program specified in your registry when you click on mailto links.


Use the e-mail program included with your Web browser.


If you select this option and specify the pathname of an alternate e-mail program, AOL Instant Messenger will use the e-mail program you specify.


Specify the pathname of an alternate e-mail program.


Select an alternate e-mail program.


Enter the command line arguments that your e-mail program requires to address a message. Use the argument %1 to specify where to put the e-mail address. For example, mailto:%1.


Specify which Web browser AOL Instant Messenger uses when you click on a link to a Web document, and whether additional Web documents should be opened in new windows.


Specify which e-mail program AOL Instant Messenger uses when you click on a mail link.


Select this option to conduct a Web search.


Choose a font from the list.


Choose a point size from the list.


Select this option to dim the display of your buddies after they have been idle for the specified number of minutes.


Enter your input in this field.


Select this option to flash the Buddy List window for five seconds when your buddies sign on or off.


Click this button to make your choice.


Choose an item from the list.


Click this button to make your choice.


Click this button to make your choice.


Click this button to make your choice.


Click this button to make your choice.


Check your desired options.


Click this button to make your choice.


Closes this dialog without saving any changes you have made.


Supply information about yourself that you would like others to be able to access. (For example, your name, hobbies, etc.)


Supply information about yourself that you would like others to be able to access. (For example, your name, hobbies, etc.)


If you select this option and enter a message, the message will be automatically sent to those who send you a message after your computer is idle for more than ten minutes.


Enter your idle message.


If you select this option and activate your away message, the message will be automatically sent to those who send you a message. Your away message will also appear in the Personal Profile section of the Buddy Info window when someone requests information about you.


If you select this option and activate your away message, the message will appear only in the Personal Profile section of the Buddy Info window. An automatic response will not be sent.


Select an away message for use or removal.


Add the new message you have entered to your Away messages list.


Remove the selected message from your Away messages list.


Display the selected away message.


Enter new away messages. After you have entered a new message, click the Add Message button.


Specify and enable your idle message.


Specify and control your away messages.


Save your password between sessions, so you don't have to enter it each time you sign on. Note that saving your password is less secure, since another person could easily sign on using your screen name.


Automatically connect to the AOL Instant Messenger service each time you launch the program. This option is only available if you have selected the Save password option.


Select a default font style and size for the Instant Message window.


Select a default background color for the Instant Message window.


Select this option if you want the Enter key to insert a line break. Deselect this option if you want the Enter key to send your message.


Select this option if you want the Tab key to insert a tab. Deselect this option if you want the Tab key to toggle among fields in the Instant Message window.


Select this option if you want the messages you send and receive to be marked with the time they are sent.


Customize the default font and window color used in your Instant Message window.


Automatically start AIM when Windows starts. Once started, AIM will wait until it detects an Internet connection. When it does, it will log on automatically.


Select this button if you connect to the Internet by a modem (dialup) connection.


Select this button if you connect to the Internet by a local area network connection.


Customize the default font and window color used in your Instant Message window.


Customize the appearance and behavior of your Instant Message window.


Customize your sign on preferences and specify the type of Internet connection you use.


Select this option if you do not want graphical smilies to appear in your Instant Message window.


Select this option if you want to be able to choose whether to accept messages from people not on your Buddy List.

Deselect this option if you want all messages to appear as soon as they are received.


Play a sound when one of your buddies signs on.


Choose a sound from the list.


Select a sound file to play when buddies sign on.


Hear the sound you have chosen to play when buddies sign on.


Play a sound when one of your buddies signs off.


Choose a sound from the list.


Select a sound file to play when buddies sign off.


Hear the sound you have chosen to play when buddies sign off.


Play a sound the first time you receive a message from a particular buddy, but not on subsequent messages from that buddy.


Choose a sound from the list.


Select a sound file to play the first time you receive a message from a particular buddy, but not on subsequent messages from that buddy.


Hear the sound you have chosen to play the first time you receive a message from a particular buddy, but not on subsequent messages from that buddy.


Play a sound every time you receive a message.


Choose a sound from the list.


Select a sound file to play every time you receive a message.


Hear the sound you have chosen to play every time you receive a message from a particular buddy.


Play a sound every time you send a message.


Choose a sound from the list.


Select a sound file to play every time you send a message.


Hear the sound you have chosen to play every time you send a message.


Control sounds that play when buddies sign on or off.


The settings in this box control sounds that play when you send or receive instant messages.


Specify the server address and port number to be used on the AOL Instant Messenger™ server. Under normal circumstances, you do not need to change these settings. If you should change them accidentally, you can restore the default settings by clicking the Reset button.


This field contains the default Internet address of the AOL Instant Messenger™ server. Under normal circumstances, you do not need to change this field. If you should change it accidentally, you can restore the default setting by clicking the Reset button.


This field contains the default server port number to be used on the AOL Instant Messenger™ server. Under normal circumstances, you do not need to change this setting. If you should change it accidentally, you can restore the default setting by clicking the Reset button.


If necessary, specify proxy server information for using AOL Instant Messenger through a Local Area Network firewall (for example at your workplace). Your network administrator may need to configure these settings.


Activate the proxy server controls.


Supply the name of the proxy server.


Supply the port number to be used on the proxy server.


Select this option if your proxy server uses SOCKS 4 protocol.


Select this option if your proxy server uses SOCKS 5 protocol.


Select this option if your proxy server uses HTTPS protocol.


Supply the authentication username required by the proxy.


Supply the authentication password required by the proxy.


Use the proxy server to act as a name server for hosts that are behind the firewall.


If you click this button, the AOL Instant Messenger™ software will attempt to configure itself to work in your computer's network environment. Try Auto Configure if you are having difficulty connecting with AOL Instant Messenger™ Service.


If you click this button, the AOL Instant Messenger™ software will restore the default Server Host and Port values.


Preserve your Internet connection during idle periods. (Some Internet Service Providers automatically disconnect users who have been inactive for a given period.)


Creating a Personal Profile

You can create a personal profile with information such as your e-mail address or a link to your Web page.

To create a personal profile:

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Profile. AIM displays a message, reminding you that all AIM members can see information included in your personal profile.  If you do not want to be reminded of this in the future, click the Do not tell me this again checkbox.

3.	Click the OK button.

•	If you want others to be able to find you, using your name and address, click Allow People to Search for Me, and enter your name and address in the appropriate fields.

4.	Click the Next button.

•	If you want to chat with others of specific interests, click I am available for chat.  Indicate your interest by clicking Choose Interest and selecting your interest from the list. You can specify up to five interests.

5.	Click the Next button. Type any additional information that you want others to know about you.  Information that you enter is displayed when others click More Info.

6.	Click the Finish button when you are finished creating your personal profile.

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Related Topics

Editing Your Profile

Creating A Hyperlink in Your Profile

Displaying Information About Someone Else


Editing Your Profile

You can change your profile whenever you are signed on to the AOL Instant Messenger service.  Your profile can also include up to five interests (or hobbies) by which you want others to be able to find you on the Internet.

To edit your profile:

1.	On the My AIM menu, click Edit Profile.

2.	Edit the appropriate fields that you want to update.

3.	Click the Next button.

4.	Change the interests you want by selecting Choose Interest, then selecting a different area of interest.

•	If you have not specified that you are available for chat and want to chat with your buddies, click I am available for chat.  If you don’t want to specify your interests so that other users can find you and send messages to you, leave this field unchecked.

5.	Click the Next button.

•	Edit the information that you want to change.

•	You can use the toolbar to change text and background color or font sizes; to make text bold, italic, or underlined. You can use the link button on the toolbar to create hyperlinks to your e-mail address and web sites.

6.	Click the Finish button when you are finished updating your profile.

Note:  You do not need to fill out this information in order to use the AOL Instant Messenger service.

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Related Topics

Creating a Personal Profile

Creating A Hyperlink in Your Profile

Displaying Information About Someone Else


Creating a Hyperlink in Your Profile

You can include hyperlinks in your personal profile. For example, you can link users to your personal web page.

To create a hyperlink in your personal profile:

1.	Make sure the Create a Profile – More Info window is displayed on your screen.

2.	Type and select the text you want to turn into a hyperlink.

3.	Click link on the toolbar.

4.	Specify the URL (Internet location) of the site you want the link to point to. You can also specify an e-mail address as the URL, e.g. mailto:johndoe@aol.com.

5.	Click the OK button to create the link.

6.	Click the Finish button.

Tip:  You can also click link with no text selected. If you do this, you need to enter the link text into the Edit Hyperlink dialog. The link appears at the current cursor location.

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Related Topics

Creating a Personal Profile

Editing Your Profile

Displaying Information About Someone Else


Displaying Information About Someone Else

To display another person’s personal information:

1.	Select your buddy’s screen name.

2.	Select the People menu, and click Get Buddy Info.

3.	The Buddy Info screen is displayed.

4.	Click Close when you have finished reviewing the information.

Shortcut:  Highlight your buddy’s screen name and click the Info icon at the bottom of your Buddy List window.

Notes:

•	You can view information only about other AOL Instant Messenger users. You cannot view the profiles of AOL members.

•	Personal information includes name, e-mail address, favorite quotation, or web page links.

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Related Topics

Editing Your Profile

Creating A Hyperlink in Your Profile


About Buddy Icons

Have fun with the AOL Instant Messenger service by livening up your instant message sessions with Buddy Icons. Buddy Icons appear in the lower-left corner of your Instant Message windows when you and your buddies send messages back and forth to each other.

The graphics file that you want to use for your Buddy Icon must be installed on your computer. If you don’t have images installed, you can choose them from the Internet while you are using AIM, install them, and then select them to be used as your Buddy Icons.

You can use .BMP, .GIF, .JPG, .ICO, and .XBM file formats for your graphical images. The height and width of the images you use must be within 15-64 pixels, and your image must not use more than 7,168 bytes of disk space. If you are creating your own icons in a paint program, you should use a size of 48x48 pixels.

Note:  You can download some graphical images from the Internet for free, while some manufacturers require that you purchase their images.

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Related Topics

Choosing and Sending Buddy Icons

Disabling the Buddy Icons Feature

Sending an Instant Message

Buddy Icon Preferences

About Super Buddy Icons


About Super Buddy Icons

A SuperBuddy icon is an animated buddy icon that can respond to typed commands. For example, if you use a SuperBuddy icon and you type "LOL" in an instant message, the icon will giggle.

A wide choice of Buddy and SuperBuddy icons is available from AIM Expressions. You can preview what's available by following the steps below.

1.	From the Setup, Preferences menu, click the Expressions preference.

2.	Click Set Expressions. The AIM Expressions window opens.

3.	Select SuperBuddy or other buddy category tab in the Buddy Icons window.

Note: The option of adding Super Buddy icons is only available if you are an AIM Expressions subscriber or an AOL member.

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Related Topics

Choosing and Sending Buddy Icons

Disabling the Buddy Icons Feature

Sending an Instant Message

Buddy Icon Preferences


Choosing and Sending Buddy Icons

To choose a Buddy Icon for yourself

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Buddy Icons in the Category group.

3.	Choose Browse PC to go to the location of the image file, and select the image that you want to use as your Buddy Icon.

4.	If you don’t have images installed on your computer, you can select them from sites shown in the right window.

Note:  Some vendors charge for the use of their graphical images while others let you use them for free.  Always check before downloading images.

5.	Click OK.

6.	The AIM service sends your icon to your buddy during your instant message session.

To delete your buddy icon, choose Clear.

To not change your selected Buddy Icon when you choose a new AIM Expression, check the Do not change my Buddy Icon when selecting an AIM Expression checkbox.

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Related Topics

About Buddy Icons

Disabling the Buddy Icons Feature

Sending an Instant Message

Buddy Icon Preferences


Receiving Buddy Icons

You have several options on the Buddy Icons you receive.  You can choose to receive only all officially sanctioned Buddy Icons from buddies on your Buddy List, or all Buddy Icons (official and non-official) from buddies on your Buddy List.

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Buddy Icons in the Category group.

3.	Either select Display all official icons or Display all official icons and all icons from users on Buddy List in the For Buddy Icons set by others group.

4.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About Buddy Icons

Sending an Instant Message

Buddy Icon Preferences

Disabling Receiving Buddy Icons


Disabling the Buddy Icons Feature

To disable (or reject) all Buddy Icons

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Buddy Icons in the Category group.

3.	Click Do not display their icons in the For Buddy Icons set by others group.

4.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

About Buddy Icons

Sending an Instant Message

Buddy Icon Preferences

Receiving Buddy Icons


Buddy Icons

Buddy Icons are images such as cartoon characters, symbols, pictures, and other graphical images you can use to represent yourself or buddies in your Buddy List.


About Away and Idle Messages

If you need to step away from your computer but do not want to sign off, you can let AIM use the Away message and the Idle message to let other users know you are temporarily not available.  Or, if you have set up IM Forwarding, you can choose to have your IMs sent to your mobile device when you are away from your computer.

The Away message feature lets the service automatically respond to buddies who send you messages while you are away from your desk.  You can choose a default message, such as "I’m away from my computer right now," or you can create new messages.

You can also choose to have your Instant Messages sent to a personal mobile device if you have IM Forwarding enabled.

When you are signed on to the service but have not used it in 10 minutes or more, the service changes your status to Idle and turns on your Idle message because of inactivity.  The service displays your Idle message when anyone requests information about you and automatically replies with the message to anyone who sends you a message while you are in an Idle state.

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Related Topics

Away Preferences

Defining a New Away Message

Deleting an Away Message

Defining an Idle Message

About IM Forwarding


Away Message Definition

A message you create for AIM to use when you are not at your computer.


Idle Message Definition

A message you create for AIM to use when you have not used your mouse or touched your keyboard for a specified time.


Defining a New Away Message

There are two ways that you can define (or create) and save Away messages.  You can create an Away message to be used only once while you are away from your desk, or you can define and save an Away message for future use.

To create a new Away message for one-time use:

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Away Message, then click New Message.

The Edit Away Message dialog box appears on your screen.

Enter a label for the new Away message in the Enter label field.

Type your message in the Enter new Away message text box.

You can use special characters to personalize your automatic response.  For example:  %n represents your buddy’s screen name.  If you type: %n, I’m in a meeting, the automatic response displays on your buddy’s computer as "JohnDoe10X", I’m in a meeting." Other special characters are shown on your screen along with definitions.

3.	If you want to save the message, click Save for later use.

4.	Click I’m Away.

5.	The service displays a dialog box with your Away message.  Note that you can hide windows or disable sounds while you are away by selecting the appropriate options in the dialog box.

6.	When you return, click I’m Back to remove the dialog box.

To define and save an Away message for future use:

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, and click Edit Preferences.

3.	Click Away Message in the Category group.

4.	Select the Auto respond and insert in personal profile option.

If you do not want AIM to reply automatically to messages you receive when you are away, select the Insert in personal profile only option.

Note that you can hide windows or disable sounds while you are away by selecting the appropriate options in the dialog box.

5.	Click Add Message.

The Edit Away Message dialog box appears on your screen.

6.	Enter a label for the new Away message in the Enter label field.

7.	Type your message in the Enter new Away message text box.

You can use special characters to personalize your automatic response.  For example:  %n represents your buddy’s screen name.  If you type: %n, I’m in a meeting, the automatic response displays on your buddy’s computer as "JohnDoe10X", I’m in a meeting."  Other special characters are shown on your screen along with definitions.

8.	Click Save to close the window.

9.	Click OK to save your change and close the dialog box.

AIM adds your new message to your list of Away messages.  For example, if you select the My AIM menu and click Away Message, your new message appears in the list of Away messages.  When you want to use the message, select it from the list.

Shortcuts:

•	To display the Away message menu, click the Away Message icon at the bottom of your Buddy List window.

•	To display the Away message preferences window, click the Preferences icon at the bottom of your Buddy List window, and click Away Message in the Category group.

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Related Topics

Away Preferences

Deleting an Away Message

About Away and Idle Messages


Turning an Away Message On and Off

To turn an Away message on or off:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Away Message, and then click the Away message you want to use.

The Away message appears on your screen.  If you don’t want messages that your buddies send you to display while you are away, click Hide IM windows while I’m away.  To turn off instant message sounds while you are away, click Disable sounds while I’m Away.  To disable pop-up notifications from appearing while you are away, click Disable pop-up notifications while I’m Away.

If you want to add a new Away message, refer to Defining a New Away Message.

If IM Forwarding has been configured and is enabled, you can choose to have no away message sent to users who send you an IM when you are away, and instead receive IMs on your mobile device.  To do this, choose Forward to Mobile… from the Away message list.

2.	To turn off your Away message, click I’m Back in the Away message dialog box.

Shortcut:  To display the Away message menu, click the Away Message icon at the bottom of your Buddy List window.

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Related Topics

Away Preferences

Defining a New Away Message

Deleting an Away Message

About Away and Idle Messages

About IM Forwarding


Deleting an Away Message

To delete an Away message:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Away Message in the Category group.

3.	Select the Away message you want to delete.

4.	Click Remove.

The service displays a confirmation dialog box.  Click Yes to continue deleting the Away message.

5.	Click OK to save your change and close the dialog box.

Shortcut:  To display the Away message preferences window, click the Preferences icon at the bottom of your Buddy List window, and click Away Message in the Category group.

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Related Topics

Away Preferences

Defining a New Away Message

About Away and Idle Messages


Defining an Idle Message

To define (or create) an Idle message:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Idle Message in the Category group.

3.	Select the When Idle auto respond with option.

4.	Type the message you want to send to anyone who sends you a message while your computer is idle in the text area.

5.	Click OK to save your change and close the dialog box.

If you do not use your computer for 10 minutes, AIM automatically sends your Idle message to anyone who sends you a message. To resume your service, press any key or click a mouse button.

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Related Topics

Away Preferences

Defining a New Away Message

About Away and Idle Messages


Mobile Device Icon Definition

Your buddies may be accessing the service from a mobile device such as a mobile phone or PDA.

One-way Mobile Device Icon

When this icon appears next to a screen name or mobile phone number in the Buddy List window, it indicates that AIM’s two-way Mobile IM service is not supported by their wireless service provider and the individual cannot respond to messages from their mobile device.

Two-way Mobile Device Icon

When this icon appears next to a screen name or mobile phone number in the Buddy List window, it indicates that AIM’s two-way Mobile IM service is supported by their wireless service provider and the individual should be able to respond to messages from their mobile device.


Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices

When sending IMs to buddies who are using mobile devices, it is helpful if you remember the following:

•	Buddies signed on to the AIM service on a mobile device could be anywhere - at the mall, at work, driving down the road - so they may not be able to respond immediately when you send them an IM.

•	Buddies who set up Mobile IM to have IM's forwarded to their mobile phone may or may not be able to respond to your IM depending on their wireless service provider. If their mobile phone is not on, your IM will be stored, and they will receive your message when they turn their phone.

•	Most mobile devices have smaller screens, so be brief.

•	Most mobile devices don't have a full-sized keyboard, so expect replies to be short and include abbreviations.

•	Mobile messaging is reliable, but messages may not be received if your Buddy is out of the area served by their wireless provider, if they are experiencing service issues, if their batteries are low, or if their mobile device is turned off.

•	Mobile devices usually cannot display text formatting and hyperlinks. If you send messages including these features, your Buddy will see only a standard font and won't be able to see/use any hyperlink.

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Related Topics

Setting your Mobile Device Icon Preference

Mobile Device Icon on IM Window


Setting Mobile Device Icon Preference
Setting your Mobile Device Icon Preference

The preference for this feature is enabled by default, and causes a Mobile Device Icon to be displayed adjacent to your name on other users’ Buddy Lists, and within the Instant Message Window.  The purpose of the icon is to let other users know that you are viewing and writing messages using the more limited capabilities of a mobile device.  This helps to set the expectation that your messages may take longer to type, be shorter in length, etc.

If you do not want others to see that you are messaging with them from a mobile device, de-select this preference.

To change the preference for your Mobile Device Icon:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Privacy in the Category group.

3.	Select or de-select the Allow other users to see that I am using a mobile device option.

4.	Click OK to save your change and close the dialog box.

Note:  This preference does not apply if you have enabled IM forwarding because the purpose of IM Forwarding is so users know you are capable of receiving IMs when you are away from your computer.

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Related Topics

Mobile Device Icon on IM Window

Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices

Privacy Preferences


Mobile Device Icon on IM Window

When you receive an IM from a buddy who may be accessing the service from a mobile device such as a mobile phone or PDA, you will see a Mobile Device Icon in your Instant Message window.  The purpose of the icon is to let you know that these other users are using mobile devices with limited messaging capabilities.  This helps to set the expectation that messages may take longer to type, be shorter in length, etc.

One-way Mobile Device Icon

When this icon appears in your Instant Message window, it indicates that AIM’s two-way Mobile IM service is not supported by your buddy’s wireless service provider and your buddy cannot respond to messages from their mobile device.

Two-way Mobile Device Icon

When this icon appears in your Instant Message window, it indicates that AIM’s two-way Mobile IM service is supported by your buddy’s wireless service provider and your buddy should be able to respond to messages from their mobile device.

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Related Topics

Setting your Mobile Device Icon Preference

Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices


About IM Forwarding

If you have a mobile device capable of receiving text messages, you can configure it to receive your Instant Messages when you are signed off the AIM service or are away from your desktop.

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Related Topics

Enabling IM Forwarding

Turning Off IM Forwarding

Receiving IMs via IM Forwarding

Sending IMs via IM Forwarding

Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices


Enabling IM Forwarding

To enable IM Forwarding for the first time

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

3.	Click the IM Forwarding button.

4.	Once you have signed into the web page, check the Enable IM Forwarding checkbox and enter the mobile phone number for the device which will receive your IMs.

5.	Click the Continue button.

6.	Either wait for your confirmation code to be received on your mobile phone and enter that confirmation code in the Enter your confirmation number: area, or click Confirm Later.  If you choose to confirm later, your IM Forwarding will not be enabled until you enter that confirmation number.

Once you have entered your confirmation number, IM Forwarding will be enabled and you will be notified that it is enabled by a message at the top of your Buddy List window.  Note that this message might take some time to appear after you have enabled IM Forwarding.

To turn on IM forwarding once it has been turned off:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

3.	Click the IM Forwarding button.

4.	Once you have signed into the web page, select the mobile phone number which you would like enabled for IM Forwarding.

5.	Click the Continue button.

IM Forwarding is once again enabled and you will be notified that it is enabled by a message at the top of your Buddy List window.  Note that this message might take some time to appear after you have enabled IM Forwarding.

To forward IMs to a new mobile phone number:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

3.	Click the IM Forwarding button.

4.	Once you have signed into the web page, select Forward my IMs to a new phone number.

5.	Click the Continue button.

6.	Then continue with the directions to enable IM Forwarding for the first time.

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Related Topics

About IM Forwarding

Turning Off IM Forwarding

Receiving IMs via IM Forwarding

Sending IMs via IM Forwarding

Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices


Receiving IMs via IM Forwarding

Once IM Forwarding has been enabled, you can receive Instant Messages on your configured mobile device when you have configured your desktop AIM software to do so.

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Away Message.

2.	Select Forward to Mobile…

The Away message window appears on your screen with the text "Access to Mobile IM Setup."  The Away message is on.  IMs forwarded via Mobile IM message will also appear at the top of your Buddy List window indicating that users will be able to send IMs to your mobile device.

3.	To turn off your Away message, click I’m Back in the Away message window.

Shortcut:  To display the Away message menu, click the Away Message icon at the bottom of your Buddy List window.

Notes:

•	If you don’t want messages that your buddies send you to display while you are away, click Hide IM windows while I’m away.

•	To turn off instant message sounds while you are away, click Disable sounds while I’m Away.

•	To disable pop-up notifications from appearing while you are away, click Disable pop-up notifications while I’m Away.

•	If you have not enabled IM Forwarding, and you select Forward to Mobile… from the Away Message menu, you will be prompted to either enable IM Forwarding or turn on IM Forwarding if it has previously been configured.

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Related Topics

About IM Forwarding

Enabling IM Forwarding

Turning Off IM Forwarding

Sending IMs via IM Forwarding

Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices

Turning an Away Message On and Off


IM Forwarding Definition

A configuration you can set to receive your Instant Messages on your text-capable mobile device when you are away from your desktop computer.


Turning Off IM Forwarding

To turn off IM Forwarding:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

3.	Click the IM Forwarding button.

4.	Once you have signed into the web page, select Do not forward my IMs.

5.	Click the Continue button.

OR

1.	Click the IM Forwarding is enabled message at the top of the Buddy List window.

2.	Once you have signed into the web page, select Do not forward my IMs.

3.	Click the Continue button.

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Related Topics

About IM Forwarding

Enabling IM Forwarding

Receiving IMs via IM Forwarding

Sending IMs via IM Forwarding

Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices


Sending IMs via IM Forwarding

You can send Instant Messages (IMs) to buddies who display the Mobile Device Icon next to their Screen Names on your Buddy List the same way you send Instant Messages to your other AIM buddies.  Since messages, however, are delivered via your recipients’ wireless network, AIM cannot guarantee that messages you send to a mobile phones will be received.

Click here for a few tips for communicating with your buddies who are on mobile devices.

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Related Topics

About IM Forwarding

Enabling IM Forwarding

Turning Off IM Forwarding

Receiving IMs via IM Forwarding

Hints on Sending IMs to Mobile Devices

Sending Instant Messages


About Buddy Privacy

You can control who communicates with you while you are using the AIM® service.  You can prevent any user from sending you messages or specify only those users with whom you want to communicate.

This privacy feature is useful if you want to block users who send offensive messages or if you simply don't want to receive messages for a while.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Send You Messages

Allowing Only Buddies to Send You Messages

Blocking a Specific User from Sending You Messages

Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages


Blocking Specific Users from Sending You Messages

To block a specific user from sending you messages:

1.	Right-click your buddy’s screen name in your Buddy List to display a shortcut menu.

2.	Click Block Buddy.

•	The service indicates the user’s blocked status by placing a red circle with a diagonal line next to the user’s screen name.  To see the status, click List Setup.

•	To unblock the user, right-click the screen name, and click Unblock Buddy.

Note:  You can also block users from sending you messages using the Privacy preferences window or when you receive a chat invitation or an instant message.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Send You Messages

Allowing Only Buddies to Send You Messages

Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages


Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages

To block everyone from sending you messages:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Privacy in the Category group.

3.	Select Block all users.

4.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Send You Messages

Allowing Only Buddies to Send You Messages

Blocking a Specific User from Sending You Messages


Allowing Only Buddies to Send You Messages

To allow only buddies to send you messages:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Privacy in the Category group.

3.	Select Allow only the users below.

4.	Click Add Name.

5.	Type the name of the user you want to add in the Allow List.

6.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Send You Messages

Blocking a Specific User from Sending You Messages

Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages


Allowing Everyone to Send You Messages

To allow everyone to send you messages:

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Privacy in the Category group.

3.	Select Allow all users to contact me.

4.	Click the OK button.

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Related Topics

Allowing Only Buddies to Send You Messages

Blocking a Specific User from Sending You Messages

Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages


How Warnings Work

No one patrols the Internet to make sure people remain polite or decent.  If someone sends you annoying or offensive messages while using the service, you have two ways to respond.  You can issue a warning to the person or you can block the person.

When you issue a warning to another AOL Instant Messenger user, the recipient’s warning level increases and that user’s ability to send and receive messages decreases.  With enough warnings, the user can be prevented from exchanging any messages with anyone and may even be signed off. However, warnings are not permanent; the warning level decreases over time.  If a user is warned off the service, the user can return after a "cooling off" period.

You can see someone’s warning level if you let the cursor hover over the person's screen name in your Buddy List window.

Alternatively, you can permanently block one or more people from sending you messages.  See Blocking Specific Users from Sending You Messages for more information.

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Related Topics

Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages

Warning a User


Warning a User

To warn a user who has sent you an offensive message, click Warn in the Instant Message you received.

Warn imposes a warning on the sender, restricting that person's ability to send and receive messages. With frequent warnings, the user will not be able to exchange messages with anyone.  Only after a "cooling off" period can the warned user send and receive messages again.

You can choose to impose the warning anonymously. Anonymous warnings are less severe and the user you are warning may not know who issued the warning.

Notes

•	You cannot send a warning to someone if you were the person who started the conversation, IM or chat.

•	You can issue only one warning for each message someone sends you.

•	If a user warns you, consider ending the conversation. Every additional message you send enables that user to warn you again.

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Related Topics

Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages


Changing Your Password

You can change your password whenever you are signed on to the AOL Instant Messenger service. Your password must contain between 4 and 16 characters.

To change your password

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Change Password.

The Change Password window appears.

2.	Type your current password in the appropriate field and then type and re-type a new password in the appropriate fields.

3.	Click the OK button.

Notes:

•	Anyone who knows your password has access to your account. Therefore, you should never reveal your password to anyone online. No one from America Online will ever ask you for your password while you are online.

•	Passwords are in alpha-numeric form only. Symbols and spaces cannot be used in a password.


Formatting Your Screen Name

If you want to change the capitalization or spacing in your screen name, you can reformat it while you are signed on to the service.  Any other changes constitute a new screen name, and you must register it at the AOL Instant Messenger web site.

To reformat your screen name

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Format Screen Name.

2.	Update the screen name.

Change only the capitalization or spacing.  For example, if your screen name is johndoe, you can change it to JohnDoe or John Doe.  You cannot change it to Jane Doe.

3.	Click OK.

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Related Topics

Choosing a Screen Name

Removing a Screen Name

Working with Multiple Screen Names


Updating Your E-Mail Address

If your e-mail address changes any time after registration (for example, if you change jobs or switch from one Internet Service Provider to another), you should update your e-mail address in the service.  Keeping your e-mail address updated allows others to find you by your screen name.

To update your e-mail address

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Update E-mail Address.

2.	The service displays your current e-mail address registered with your screen name.

3.	Enter your new e-mail address in the dialog box.

4.	Click OK.

Note

•	It’s important to keep your e-mail address current. Without your current e-mail address, you cannot retrieve a forgotten password.

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Related Topic

Finding a Buddy by E-mail Address


Changing Sounds that Play When You Send or Receive Messages

To change sounds that play when you send or receive messages

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

3.	Click Sounds in the IM Window group.

4.	Select the sound option(s) you want in the IM Sounds group, and click the down arrow to display a list of sounds from which you can select.

To choose one of your own sounds, click Browse to locate and select the sound that you want to hear.

5.	Click OK.

Tips:

•	To test a sound, click Preview.

•	To turn a sound off, deselect the check box for that sound.

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Related Topic

Changing Sounds that Play When Buddies Sign On or Off


Changing Sounds that Play when Buddies Sign On and Off

To change sounds that play when your buddies sign on or off

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Buddy List in the Category group.

3.	Click Sounds to display the Buddy List Sound Preferences window.

4.	Select an option in the Buddy List Sounds group, and click the down arrow to display a list of sounds.

5.	Select the sound that you want to hear.

To choose one of your own sounds, click Browse to locate and select the sound that you want to hear.

6.	Click OK.

Tips:

•	To test a sound, click Preview.

•	To turn a sound off, deselect the check box for that sound.

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Related Topic

Changing Sounds that Play When You Send or Receive Messages


Displaying or Hiding Information About Yourself

You can hide information about yourself that you do not want other members to know.  You can determine whether or not other users can see how long you have had an AOL Instant Messenger service account, how long you have been idle since signing on, and whether or not you are using a mobile device.  You can also determine whether or not members who know your e-mail address can use the Find a Buddy feature to learn your AIM screen name or whether you have an account.

To display or hide information about yourself

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Privacy in the Category group.

3.	Select the options you prefer in the Allow users to see and the Allow users who know my e-mail address to find groups.

4.	Click OK to save the settings and close the dialog box.

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Related Topic

Displaying Information About Someone Else


Changing Key Bindings for Messages

To change the behavior (or key binding) of the Enter and Tab keys in the Instant Message window

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

If you want a link break each time you press the Enter, in the IM Window group, select the Enter key inserts Return option. (Deselect this option if you want the Enter key to send your message.)

If you want the Tab key to insert a tab, in the IM Window group, select the Tab key inserts Tab option. (Deselect this option if you want the Tab key to toggle among fields in the Instant Message window.)

3.	Click OK to save the setting and close the dialog box.


Turning Emoticons On or Off

You can control whether emoticons (or graphical smileys) appear in your Chat and Instant Message windows.

To turn graphical smileys on or off

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

3.	Select Disable graphical smileys in the IM Window group if you do not want to see the emoticons in your Chat and Instant Message windows.  The emoticon submenu is also removed from the Insert menu (accessed by clicking the right mouse button in a message).

When you want to see the emoticons in your Chat and Instant Message windows, deselect the Disable option.

4.	Click OK to save the setting and close the dialog box.


Changing the Default Appearance of Messages

To customize the appearance of messages you compose by changing the default font, text color, or window color

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Font in the Category group.

To change font and size, click Font, and select the font settings you want to use, and click OK.  (Note that the Font and Size settings affect only the display of messages on your screen. They do not change the font or size of messages you send.)

To change the default font color used for messages, click Font Color, select the color you want, and click OK.

To change the default window color used for messages, click Window Color, select the color you want, and click the OK button.

3.	Click the OK button.

 Note:  If you want to change the size of text you send, use the toolbar to increase or decrease it.


Viewing the Timestamp in Messages

To view the time with all of your instant and chat messages

1.	On the File menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click IM/Chat in the Category group.

3.	Select the Always view timestamp option in the IM Window group.

4.	Click the OK button.

Note:  You can choose Timestamp from the View menu of any Chat or Instant Message window to toggle the timestamp on or off.


Why Save and Load Settings?
Save and Load Settings

Saving and loading (or importing) your AOL Instant Messenger settings allows you to:

•	Save your AOL Instant Messenger settings so you can quickly set up your account and list of online buddies on another computer. For example, you can copy your settings from a desktop computer to a notebook computer.

•	Share your AOL Instant Messenger settings with others. For example, you can copy the settings you use to connect to the AIM server through a firewall and e-mail the file to your coworkers.

Notes:

•	Not all versions of AOL Instant Messenger can load and save settings.

•	You cannot load or save settings from an AOL account.

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Related Topics

Settings You Can Save and Load

Saving Settings

Loading Settings


Saving Settings

You can save your Buddy List, current preferences, and other configuration settings to import them to another computer where you are going to install the AOL Instant Messenger software only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

To save your settings

1.	On the My AIM menu click Save Buddy List.

2.	The Save Buddy List dialog box appears on your screen.  By default, AIM saves all your current preference settings.

3.	Deselect any setting that you do not want to save, and click Save.

4.	Enter a name for the file you want to save and click Save.

___________________________

Related Topics

Why Load and Save Settings

Settings You Can Save and Load

Loading Settings


Loading Settings

You can load your Buddy List settings only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on):

1.	On the My AIM menu click Load Buddy List.

The Load Buddy List dialog box appears on your screen.

2.	Select the file containing the settings you want to load (or import) and click Open.

3.	Select the type of settings you want to load.

If you are loading Buddy List Preferences, you can choose whether or not to add the groups to your existing list.  If you want to merge the settings, click Merge with my existing Buddy List. If you choose not to merge the settings, your existing list of online buddies will be replaced by the ones you are loading.

4.	Click Load.

___________________________

Related Topics

Why Load and Save Settings

Settings You Can Save and Load

Saving Settings


Settings You Can Save and Load

There are several types of settings you can save and then load them onto another computer where you are running the AOL Instant Messenger software:

Connection Preferences

This setting corresponds to the settings in the Sign On category in the Preferences dialog: host server, port, and proxy information. In addition, this setting stores the setting of the Auto-login checkbox on the Sign On screen.

Personal Profile

This setting corresponds to the information you enter on the More Info screen of the Create a Profile wizard.

Privacy Preferences

This setting corresponds to the information on the Privacy category of the Preferences dialog box: your privacy setting, your allow list, your block list, and the settings that allow others to see your idle time or whether you are a member.

Sound Preferences

This setting corresponds to the settings in the Sounds dialogs in the different categories of the Preferences dialog box.  The Outgoing IM Sound, however, is not included in the sounds that are saved.

Text Composition and Viewing Settings

This setting corresponds to the default text properties of your Instant and Chat Message windows as you defined them in the IM/Chat/Mobile category of the Preferences dialog.

Buddy List

This setting corresponds to the buddies and groups in your Buddy List window. You can choose to export any or all of the groups. When you import buddy list preferences, you can choose to replace your groups with the ones you are importing or merge them into your existing groups. If you merge a group that has the same name as an existing group in your Buddy List window, the imported buddies are added to the existing group.

___________________________

Related Topics

Why Load and Save Settings

Saving Settings

Loading Settings


Adding Tools

There are additional tools you can use to increase your capabilities with AIM.  AIM Communication Tools provides you with easy to use AIM Business Services, including AIM Voice Conferencing, AIM Web Meetings and Mobile IM.

To add AIM Communication Tools:

1.	From the AIM Buddy List drawer, click Add Tools. AIM.com opens.

2.	Under the Help menu, click Communication Tools.

3.	To add AIM Business Services, click Yes, add easy access to AIM Business Services!*

Note:  Additional registration and fees apply to use these services.


About Choosing Preferences

You can customize many of your AIM settings by selecting preferences.

To choose your settings:

1.	Open the Preferences window by pressing the F3 key, or click Setup, then click Preferences.

2.	Select the desired preferences, and click the OK button.

___________________________

Related Topics

Buddy List Preferences

Privacy Preferences

Sign On/Off Preferences

Notifications Preferences

IM/Chat/Mobile Preferences

Font Preferences

AIM Expressions Preferences

Buddy Icons Preferences

Idle Message Preferences

Away Message Preferences

Mail Preferences

Stock Ticker Preferences

News Ticker Preferences

File Sharing Preferences

File Transfer Preferences

Direct IM Preferences

Send Buddy List Preferences

Talk Preferences

Live Video Preferences

Add-Ins Preferences

Security Preferences


Buddy List Preferences

The Buddy List option of the Preferences dialog box allows you to control the appearance of your list of online buddies only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Buddy List Font

From the drop-down menu, select a font for the Buddy List window.

•	Size

From the drop-down menu, select a size for the font in the Buddy List window.

•	Buddy List window can be "docked" on left or right of screen

Allows you to position your Buddy List on the left or right side of the screen.

•	Dim buddies after they have been idle for __ minutes

Dims your buddies’ screen names after they have been idle for the specified number of minutes.  You must specify at least 10 minutes because the AOL Instant Messenger service may not be able to report your buddies’ idle state until after 10 minutes.

•	Flash Buddy List window when buddies sign on or off

Flashes the Buddy List window for five seconds when buddies sign on or off.

•	Hide taskbar button when Buddy List window is minimized

Hides the taskbar button whenever you minimize your Buddy List window or Away window.

•	Sign off when Buddy List window is closed

Lets you sign off the service whenever you close your Buddy List window.

•	Play local sounds for longer than 2 seconds

Extend the time Buddy List sounds play.

•	Sounds

Select this option to indicate which sound (if any) plays when your buddies sign on or sign off:

−	For Buddies on my Buddy List

Select from

Do not play any sounds - This option will not play any sounds for buddies on your Buddy List when they sign on or sign off of the AOL Instant Messenger service.  The options for you to select which sounds play when your buddies sign on and sign off will be disabled.

Accept other users’ sounds when they appear on or leave my Buddy List - This option will play the sounds buddies on your Buddy List have selected for themselves.  The options for you to select which sounds play when your buddies sign on and sign off will be disabled.

Play the sounds below - This option will enable the selection of sounds you hear when buddies on your Buddy List sign on and sign off.

−	Play a sound when buddies sign on

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

−	Play a sound when buddies sign off

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.


Privacy Preferences

The Privacy Preferences dialog box allows you to control how users can see your presence and activity while you are online.  This applies only to your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).  You can, however, add users to your block list from the Instant Message window for any screen name you are using.

•	Allow all users to contact me

Select this option to allow all users to see you in their Buddy List windows and send you messages.

•	Allow only users on my Buddy List

Select this option to allow only users on your Buddy List to see you in their Buddy List windows and send you messages.

•	Allow only the users below

Select this option to allow only users you specify to see you in their Buddy List windows and send you messages.

•	Block all users

Select this option to prevent all users from seeing you in their Buddy List windows and sending you messages.

•	Block Internet users only

Select this option if you do not want to receive any instant messages from any AOL Instant Messenger, or ICQ, users.

•	Block the users below

Select this option to prevent the users you specify from seeing you in their Buddy List windows and from sending you messages.

•	Allow List

This list box is active when you select Allow only the users below. To add a screen name, click Add Name, type the screen name, and press Enter. To delete a screen name, select the screen name and click Remove.

•	Block List

This list box is active when you select Block the users below. To add a screen name, click Add Name, type the screen name, and press Enter. To delete a screen name, select the screen name and click Remove.

•	Allow users to see how long I've been idle

Select this option to enable other users to see whether you are idle when they hold the cursor over your screen name in their Buddy List window.

•	Allow users to see that I am using a mobile device

Select this option to enable a Mobile Device Icon to be displayed adjacent to your name on other users’ Buddy Lists, and within the Instant Message Window.  The purpose of the icon is to let other users know that you are viewing and writing messages using the more limited capabilities of a mobile device.  This helps in setting the expectation that your messages may take longer to type, be shorter in length, etc.  If you do not want others to see that you are messaging with them from a mobile device, uncheck this preference.

•	Allow users to see that I am typing a response

Select this option to enable other users, if their software supports the typing indictor feature, to see that you are typing a response in their Instant Message window.

•	Allow users who know my e-mail address to find my screen name

Select this option to allow users who know your e-mail address to obtain your screen name through the Find a Buddy feature.

•	Allow users who know my e-mail address to find only that I have an account

Select this option to allow users who know your e-mail address to find only that you have an account through the Find a Buddy feature.

•	Allow users who know my e-mail address to find nothing about me

Select this option to allow users who know your e-mail address to learn nothing about you through the Find a Buddy feature.


Sign On/Off Preferences

The Sign On/Off option of the Preferences dialog box allows you to control settings during the connection of AIM only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Save password

Allows the AOL Instant Messenger service to save your password, so you won’t have to type it each time you log on to the service.

•	Automatically sign on when AIM starts

Allows you to be automatically signed on whenever you launch the AOL Instant Messenger service. This option is active only if you select the Save password option on the Sign On screen.

•	Start AIM when Windows starts

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger starts automatically when Windows starts.

•	Disable automatic log in to web sites using the Screen Name Service

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger will prompt you to sign in with screen name and password every time you encounter a Screen Name Service enabled web site.  Otherwise, AOL Instant Messenger will automatically authenticate you with these web sites, and sign you in.

•	Internet Connection: Modem

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger uses your modem.

•	Internet Connection: Local area network

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger uses your local area network.

•	Auto Upgrade

Select either Final Release or Beta and Final Releases to confirm when you want to be notified of new AIM versions.

•	Show AIM.com window at sign on

Select this option to display the AIM.com window each time you sign on to the service.

•	Reconnect automatically

Select this option if you want to be automatically reconnected to AOL Instant Messenger in the event that you lose your service connection during idle periods.  (Some Internet Service Providers automatically disconnect users who have been inactive for a given period.)

•	Display reconnect dialog

Select this option if you want to confirm whether or not you want to be reconnected to the service in the event that you lose your service connection.  This does not apply when you are on a modem connection and you disconnect from the Internet.

•	Make AIM my default instant messaging program

By selecting this option, you will be setting AIM as the default instant messaging program on your computer.  This means that any application on your computer that would like to list your buddies or send an instant message will use your AOL Instant Messenger.

•	Connection

If you access the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP), you most likely will not need to make any changes to the server or proxy sections of the Connection Preferences. However, if you access the Internet through a Local Area Network firewall (for example, at your workplace), then your network administrator may need to configure the proxy section of the Connection Preferences.

−	Server Host

This field contains the default Internet address of the AOL Instant Messenger server. Under normal circumstances, you do not need to change this field. If you should change it accidentally, click Reset to restore the default address.

−	Server Port

This field contains the default server port number to be used on the AOL Instant Messenger server. Under normal circumstances, you do not need to change this field. If you should change it accidentally, click Reset to restore the default port number.

−	Auto Configure

If you click this button, the AOL Instant Messenger software attempts to configure itself to work in your computer's network environment.  Try Auto Configure if you are having difficulty connecting with the AOL Instant Messenger service.  As there may be several tests performed on your machine, you might see a progress bar displaying the particular test being run.  If AIM cannot detect the proxy settings, open your current browser, and find its proxy settings.  You can enter these settings directly into the appropriate fields on the Connection Preferences screen.

−	Reset

If you click this button, the AOL Instant Messenger software restores the default Server Host and Port values.

−	Connect using proxy

If you select this option, the AOL Instant Messenger software activates the proxy server controls.

−	Proxy Server Host

Supply the name of the proxy server.

−	Proxy Server Port

Supply the port number to be used on the proxy server.

−	Protocol

Specify whether your proxy server uses the SOCKS 4, SOCKS 5, HTTP, or HTTPS protocol.

−	Authentication Username

Supply the authentication username required by the proxy.

−	Authentication Password

Supply the authentication password required by the proxy.


IM/Chat Preferences
IM/Chat/Mobile Preferences

The IM/Chat/Mobile option of the Preferences dialog box allows you to set controls for your instant message and chat room sounds only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).  You can also control whether or not you receive chat invitations.

Set your instant messages and chat preferences with these options:

IM Window:

•	Enter key inserts Return

Select this option if you want the Enter key to insert a line break. Deselect this option if you want the Enter key to send your message.

•	Tab key inserts Tab

Select this option if you want the Tab key to insert a tab. Deselect this option if you want the Tab key to toggle between fields in the Instant Message window.

•	Always view timestamp

Select this option if you want the messages you send and receive to be marked with the time they are sent.

When you are finished entering and formatting your information, click OK to apply your changes and close the dialog box.

•	Disable graphical smileys

Select this option if you do not want emoticons (or graphical smileys) to appear in your Instant Message window. The emoticon submenu is also removed from the Insert menu (accessed by clicking the right mouse button in a message).

•	Show 'Accept Message' dialog for messages from users not in Buddy List

Select this option if you want to choose whether to accept a message from someone not on your Buddy List. Whenever such a person attempts to start a conversation by sending you a message, a dialog appears asking if you want to accept the message.

If you deselect this option, messages from everyone appear as soon as you receive them.

•	Show notifications for users on my Buddy List

Select this option if you want to know when your buddies go away, return from away, go idle, return from idle, and sign on/off in your Instant Message windows.  This occurs only in IM windows for users who are on your Buddy List.

•	Allow for the volume reduction of incoming IM sounds

Select this option if you want the volume of incoming received sounds to be reduced after the initial IM and sound are received.

Note:  This only applies if the incoming sounds are .mp3 sound files.

•	Sounds

Select this option to indicate which sound (if any) plays when you send and receive Instant Messages.

−	Incoming IM Sounds

−	For Buddies on my Buddy List

Select from

Accept other users’ sounds when they send me an IM - This option will play the sounds buddies on your Buddy List have selected for themselves when you receive an IM from them.  The options for you to select which sounds play when you receive IMs will be disabled.

Do not play any sounds - This option will not play any sounds when you receive Instant Messages.  The options for you to select which sounds play when you receive IMs will be disabled.

Play the sounds below - This option allows you to select the sounds you hear when you receive IMs from buddies on your Buddy List.

−	Play a sound when first message is received

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound from the selected Sound Theme.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

−	Play a sound when receiving a message

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound from the selected Sound Theme.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

Note:  The Browse button will be available as long as there are AIM Expression sounds already selected.

Tip:  AOL Instant Messenger software includes a directory of default sound files. This SOUNDS directory is located in the same directory in which you installed the AOL Instant Messenger software.

−	Outgoing IM Sounds

−	Play a sound on this computer when sending a message - Select this option if you want to hear the Outgoing IM sound on your local computer when you send an Instant Message.  The sound that will be played is selected below.

My Buddy hears:	My Expression Sound	Click Preview to hear the sound, or Set Expressions to select a new sound from AIM Expressions.

I hear:	My Expression Sound	Click Browse (if available) to choose a sound, or Preview to hear the sound.

Note:  The Browse… button in I hear Outgoing IM Sounds will be available only when a sound from AIM Expressions is not already selected. If you have selected a sound from AIM Expressions, the Browse… button will be grayed out.

Mobile Phone:

Forward IMs to your mobile phone by clicking the button below.

•	IM Forwarding

This will launch another window that enables you to setup IM Forwarding.  Your cell phone must support text messaging, and your wireless service provider may charge you for text messages you send and receive.

Chat Room Window:

•	Flash window when message is received

Select this option if you want the chat window to flash when someone sends you a chat message while you are working in another window.

Note: Chat and Instant Message windows will not flash if a screen reader is enabled.

•	Show announcements when users enter and leave room

If you want the service to display an announcement when users enter and leave a chat room, select the this option.

•	Block all incoming Chat Invitations

Select this option if you don’t want to receive any chat invitations.

•	List users in chat room alphabetically

Select this option if you would like to display the list of chat room participants in alphabetical order, rather than in the order in which people arrive in that chat room

•	Sounds

Select this option to indicate which sound (if any) plays when your buddies receive your messages and when you send messages:

−	Play a sound when messages are received

Select this option to play a sound when you receive chat messages in a chat room.

−	Sound Theme

Select the sound theme from which you’d like to see the list of available sounds.  More sounds can be selected by adding AIM Expressions.

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound from the selected Sound Theme.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

−	Play a sound when sending a message

Select this option to play a sound each time you send a chat message in a chat room.

−	Sound Theme

Select the sound theme from which you’d like to see the list of available sounds.  More sounds can be selected by adding AIM Expressions.

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound from the selected Sound Theme.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

Tip:  AOL Instant Messenger software includes a directory of default sound files. This SOUNDS directory is located in the same directory in which you installed the AOL Instant Messenger software.


Font Preferences

The Font Preferences allow you to control the appearance of the text you type and send in your instant messages and in your chats only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

Defaults for Composing Windows

•	Font

Click this button to select a font style and size for the Instant Message window.

•	Font Color

Click this button to select a font color.

•	Window Color

Click this button to select a background color for the Instant Message window.

Text Magnification

•	200%

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger displays the text in your Instant Message window magnified by 200 percent. Although the text is magnified in your Instant Message window, it is displayed normally, using the font selections you made, to the buddy who receives your message.

•	133%

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger displays the text in your Instant Message window magnified by 133 percent. Although the text is magnified in your Instant Message window, it is displayed normally, using the font selections you made, to the buddy who receives your message.

•	100%

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger displays the text in your Instant Message window magnified by 100 percent. Although the text is magnified in your Instant Message window, it is displayed normally, using the font selections you made, to the buddy who receives your message.  100 percent is the actual size of the text.

•	75%

If you select this option, AOL Instant Messenger displays the text in your Instant Message window magnified by 75 percent. Although the text is magnified in your Instant Message window, it is displayed normally, using the font selections you made, to the buddy who receives your message.


AIM Expressions Preferences
Expressions Preferences

Expressions allow you to customize the way your Buddy List and Instant Message windows appear on your screen and on your buddies’ screens. These settings control only your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).  They help you creatively express yourself in your messages by adding a variety of smileys and sounds.

To customize your AIM Expressions, click Setup and Preferences.

Choose My Expressions

My Buddy Icon

•	Clear Icon

Clicking this button removes your current Buddy or SuperBuddy icon selections.

•	Set Expressions

Launches a window where more AIM Expressions can be selected. Expressions are saved as a Personality. You can customize your AIM Personality to include a Buddy or a SuperBuddy icon, wallpaper, buddy sounds, and a set of smileys.

−	Buddy Icons

A buddy icon is a small picture next to your name. It also appears on your IM page. A SuperBuddy icon is an animated buddy icon that can respond to typed commands. For example, if you use a SuperBuddy icon and you type "LOL" in an instant message, the icon will giggle.

A wide choice of Buddy and SuperBuddy icons is available from AIM Expressions. You can preview what's available by clicking the Expressions preference in the AIM Setup, Preferences menus, clicking Set Expressions, and then selecting the SuperBuddy or other buddy category tab in the Buddy Icons window.

Note: The option of adding SuperBuddy icons is only available if you are an AIM Expressions subscriber or an AOL member.

−	Smileys

You can choose a set of  Smileys that will be available to you in your IM messages.

−	Wallpaper

Select or change the background picture of your IM window. Click Apply to IM to include the wallpaper in your IM window.

−	Buddy Sounds

You can preview the sound by clicking the volume icon. Select a sound and click Apply to IM if you want others, who have you on their Buddy List, to hear the Outgoing IM sound when you sign on or sign off of the AIM service, or when receiving an Instant Message from you.  The sound that will be played is selected in the Outgoing IM Sounds section.

•	Browse PC

Clicking Browse PC … select your own buddy icon graphic from your PC.

Expressions

•	Display Buddy Icons

Check this option if you want to see Buddy Icons from buddies.

−	Display all Buddy Icons allows you to view all buddy icons.

−	Display official Buddy Icons and any Buddy Icons from users on Buddy List allows you to see all icons from everyone on your buddy list.

−	Display only official Buddy Icons allows you to see approved Buddy Icons from everyone.

−	Display SuperBuddy icons allows you to see your buddy’s SuperBuddy icon.

•	Display Wallpaper, if selected, allows you to view wallpaper selection in an IM.

•	See your buddy’s AIM Expressions by checking Display my buddy’s AIM Theme.

•	IM Sounds

Select this option to customize sounds you hear when you send and receive Instant Messages.

−	Incoming IM Sounds

−	For Buddies on my Buddy List

Select from

Accept other users’ sounds when they send me an IM - This option will play the sounds buddies on your Buddy List have selected for themselves when you receive an IM from them.  The options for you to select which sounds play when you receive IMs will be disabled.

Do not play any sounds - This option prevents sounds from playing when you receive Instant Messages.  The options for you to select which sounds play when you receive IMs will be disabled.

Play the sounds below - This option allows you to choose the sounds you hear when you receive IMs from buddies on your Buddy List.

−	Only play a sound when first message is received, if checked, will only play a sound when you first receive an IM from a Buddy. Subsequent IMs in that conversation will not play a sound.

−	Play a sound when first message is received

−	Sound:

Click the down arrow to choose a sound.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

−	Play a sound when receiving a message

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

−	Outgoing IM Sounds

−	Play a sound on this computer when sending a message - Select this option if you want to hear the Outgoing IM sound on your local computer when you send an Instant Message.  The sound that will be played is selected below.

My Buddy hears:	My Expression Sound	Click Preview to hear the sound, or Set Expressions to select a new sound from AIM Expressions.

I hear:	My Expression Sound	Click Browse (if available) to choose a sound, or Preview to hear the sound.

•	Buddy List Sounds

−	For Buddies on my Buddy List

Select from

Accept other users’ sounds when they appear on or leave my Buddy List - This option will play the sounds buddies on your Buddy List have selected for themselves.  The options for you to select which sounds play when your buddies sign on and sign off will be disabled.

Do not play any sounds - This option will not play any sounds for buddies on your Buddy List when they sign on or sign off of the AOL Instant Messenger service.  The options for you to select which sounds play when your buddies sign on and sign off will be disabled.

Play the sounds below - This option allows you to select the sounds you hear when buddies on your Buddy List sign on and off.

−	Play a sound when buddies sign on

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

−	Play a sound when buddies sign off

−	Sound

Click the down arrow to choose a sound.  To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.


Buddy Icons Preferences

The Buddy Icons Preferences allow you to set preferences for whether or not you want to receive buddy icons (images such as cartoon characters, symbols, small drawings, and other graphical images) from your buddies only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).  AIM displays icons in the lower-left corner of your Instant Message window while you are having a conversation with your buddy if you accept a buddy icon from a buddy.  (For more information about buddy icons, see About Buddy Icons.)

•	Browse PC…

Select your own buddy icon graphic from your computer.

•	Clear

Select this to disassociate your buddy icon with your Screen Name.  If you had selected a graphic from your own computer as your buddy icon, this graphic will still remain on your local computer.

•	Do not change my Buddy Icon when selecting an AIM Expression

Select this option if you wish to keep your current Buddy Icon when you set new AIM Expressions.

You can change these options to control Buddy Icons set by other users:

•	Do not display their icons

Set this option if you do not want to see any Buddy Icons from other users. If you have set buddy icons for users on your buddy list, you will still be able to see the buddy icons you have set.

•	Display all official icons

Set this option to see only approved icons from all users, even those not on your buddy list. If you have set buddy icons for users on your buddy list, you will still be able to see the buddy icons you have set until the buddy changes the icon.

•	Display all official icons and icons from users on Buddy List

Set this option to see approved icons from all users, and any icon that has been set by a user on your Buddy List.


Idle Message Preferences

The Idle Message Preferences dialog box allows you to define a message that appears to others while you are not using the service (or idle) only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	When Idle respond with

If you select this option and enter a message, this message is automatically sent to those who send you a message when your computer is idle for more than ten minutes.


Away Message Preferences

The Away Message Preferences dialog box allows you to define messages that appear to others while you are away from your computer only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).  You can choose the away message displayed for your linked screen names by using the Manage Linked Screen Names window.

•	Auto respond and insert in personal profile

If you select this option and activate your Away message, this message is automatically sent to those who send you a message. Your Away message also appears in the Personal Profile section of the Buddy Info window when someone requests information about you.

•	Insert in personal profile only

If you select this option and activate your Away message, the message appears only in the Personal Profile section of the Buddy Info window when someone requests information about you.

•	Hide windows while I’m Away

If you select this option, AIM hides all instant messages that your buddies send you while you are away so that they won’t be displayed on the screen.

•	Disable sounds while I’m Away

If you select this option, AIM does not play any sound when your buddies send you instant messages while you are away.

•	Disable pop-up notifications while I’m Away

If you select this option, AIM will not show any pop-up notifications when your buddies on your Buddy List sign on, sign off, go away, return from away, go idle or return from idle while you are away.

•	Away messages

Click Add Message and type a label and a new Away message in the text fields. After you have entered a new message, click Save.


Mail Preferences

You can set your Mail alert environment with the following options for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Display alert window

Allows the service to display a small window on your screen to alert you whenever you have new or unread mail in your e-mail account(s).  To expand the window to see your mail, click the left arrow in the small Mail alert window.

•	Keep alert window on top

Allows you to keep the Mail alert window in view all the time; the window is always on top of other windows.

•	Display alert tray icon

Alerts you that you have mail by flashing the Mail icon on the system tray.  Note that with this option enabled, the icon continues to flash if there is mail in any mailbox.  If you don’t want the icon to .flash, you must read all your mail.

•	E-mail Addresses to check

Displays all e-mail addresses that you want the service to check.  These are e-mail accounts that you have already added. You can edit or delete any of them.   Note, however, that if your AOL screen name is the same as your AIM screen name, the service checks your AOL mailbox, which you cannot modify or delete.

•	Add Mailbox

Allows you to add your non-AOL e-mail addresses to the service.  The service alerts you whenever you receive mail in any of the e-mail accounts you specify.  To add e-mail addresses, you must enter information in each of the following fields:

−	Type:  Enter the mail type.  Only the POP3 mailbox standard is supported at this time.

−	E-mail Address:  Enter your e-mail account name.  You must enter the complete name of your e-mail account such as name@company.com.

−	Password:  Enter your password for the e-mail account.

−	POP3 Server Name:  Enter the POP3 e-mail server.  If you don’t know the server name, contact your e-mail service provider.

−	POP3 E-mail Program:  Enter the full pathname of your e-mail application.  Note that if you leave this field blank, the service uses your system’s default e-mail application.  If this mailbox is for a web-based mail program, type the URL of this web site in this area.

−	Check for Mail every ___ minutes:  Indicate how often you want the service to check your e-mail accounts for mail.  Specify the time in minutes.  To let the service check your mail only at the time you sign on, enter 0.  To save your e-mail account information, click Save.  To cancel, click Cancel.

•	Edit

Allows you to edit e-mail account information that you have added.

•	Remove

Allows you to delete e-mail accounts that you no longer want the service to check.

•	Sounds

Allows you to select the sound you want to hear when the service alerts you that you have new or unread mail.  Click the down arrow to select from available sounds, or click Browse to select one of your own unique sounds.  To preview a sound, click Preview.


Stock Ticker Preferences

The Stock Ticker option allows you to set your Stock Ticker preferences to change the way you display stock quotes only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Show stock ticker in Buddy List window

Allows you to display stock quotes at the bottom of your Buddy List window.

•	Show names in stock ticker

Allows you to display the full names of each stock.

•	Show symbols in stock ticker

Allows you to display only symbols in the Stock Ticker window.

•	Scroll stocks smoothly

Allows the service to scroll stock quotes smoothly, whether they are displayed in a separate ticker window or displayed at the bottom of your Buddy List window.

•	Refresh every

Allows you to control how often AIM refreshes the Stock Ticker window.  The default setting is 30 minutes.

•	Display speed

Allows you to control the rate at which the stock quotes scroll across the Stock Ticker window.  You can select Slow, Medium, or Fast.

•	Edit Stock

Allows you to add and edit stocks.

Use the Stock table menu to add stocks (up to 40 symbols, separated by commas); find ticker symbols of stocks that you don’t know; and set stock alerts so that AIM can alert you when a stock that you are tracking reaches your price target.


News Ticker Preferences

The News Ticker option allows you to set your News Ticker preferences to change the way you display news only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Display Ticker at Sign on

Allows you to control whether or not AIM automatically displays the News Ticker after you sign on.  Deselect this option if you do not want AIM to display the ticker.

•	Topics

Allows you to select the news that you want AIM to display in the News Ticker window.  By default, AIM displays news in these categories:  Top News, Business, Entertainment, and Sports.  Deselect any news category you do not want AIM to display in your News Ticker window.

•	Display Headlines in bold

Allows you to control whether AIM displays the News Ticker headlines in plain text or bold.  By default the news headlines are set to display in bold text.  If you want your news headlines in plain text, deselect this option.

•	Refresh every

Allows you to control how often AIM refreshes the News Ticker window.  The default setting is 30 minutes.

•	Display speed

Allows you to control the rate at which the news headlines scroll across the News Ticker window.  You can select Slow, Medium, or Fast.  The default is Slow.


File Sharing Preferences

Use the File Sharing Preferences to control who gets files from your system.  You can allow only certain groups or individuals to get your files.  These preferences apply only to your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Shared File Location

−	Directory from where others can get my files or I send files

Allows you to enter the full name of the directory where users can get files that are stored on your system. Users are also able to download files from any subdirectory within the specified directory.  A maximum of 4000 files will be accessible.

When you send files with the Send File command, the service also uses this directory as the default directory for you to choose the file you want to send.

•	File Access

−	Allow only users in Buddy group - Allows you to specify the group that you want to access files from your computer.

−	For users on my Buddy List:

•	Allow – Allows only users on your Buddy List to get files from your computer.

•	Display Approve Dialog – Displays a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject file transfer requests from users who are on your Buddy List.

•	Don’t Allow  - Stops everyone on your Buddy List from getting files from your computer.

−	For users not on my Buddy List:

•	Allow  - Allows users who are not on your Buddy List to get files from your computer.

•	Display Approve Dialog  - Displays a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject file transfer requests from users who are not on your Buddy List.

•	Don’t Allow – Stops users who are not on your Buddy List from getting files from your computer.

•	Never display status dialog

Set this option if you don’t want a dialog box to appear that shows your file transfer status.

•	Port number to use

If you are unable to perform file transfers with other users, ask your network administrator which port you can use for file transfers in AIM.  If this field is left blank, the service uses the default port 5190.

•	Firewall


File Transfer Preferences

The File Transfer Preferences allow you to set preferences to receive files from your buddies only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).  You can control who you want to receive files from, receive files only from buddies on your Buddy List, or block all incoming file transfers.

WARNING:  Make sure you have installed antivirus software on your system before you receive files from anyone.  Files that you download from the Internet could contain viruses that can damage your system or cause it to crash.

•	File Location

You can specify what directory to use for incoming files.

−	Directory to put files I receive:

Enter (or click Browse… to enter) the directory name where you want downloaded files to go.

•	Receive File Permission:

−	Reject from all users

Select this option if you do not want to receive any file transfer invitations.  This blocks all incoming files.

−	Display the Approve Dialog for files from all users

Set this option if you want to confirm all file transfers before you download any file to your system.  The dialog box shows who is sending the file, file name, and file description.

If you do not want the warning to display in future file transfers, click the Don’t ask me again option in the Receive From warning window.

−	Accept files from Buddies on Buddy List; display the Approve Dialog for other users

Set this option if you want to receive files automatically from buddies on your Buddy List. File transfer invitations from Buddies who are not on your Buddy List will open with the Approve Dialog box, showing who is sending the file, the file name, and the file description.

−	Accept files from all users

Set this option if you want to automatically accept files from anyone without being warned of who is sending files to you.

•	Port number to use

If you are unable to perform file transfers with other users, ask your network administrator which port you can use for file transfers in AIM.  If this field is left blank, the service uses the default port 5190.

•	Firewall

•	Virus Checker:

−	View Antivirus Warning dialog box

Set this option to let AIM remind you to check all files that you download from your buddies’ systems.

−	Check files for virus after transfer

Set this option to allow the service to check all files automatically that you download from the Internet.  Even if you know the person who is sending you files, you should check files with your antivirus software.

−	Virus checker location

Enter (or click Browse… to enter) the location of your antivirus software the service should use when it downloads or receives files from your buddies.

−	Command line parameters (for advanced users only):

%1 -  indicates the file path.  It refers to the full path name of the downloaded file (for example, "c:\download\test.exe").

%d -  indicates the directory of the downloaded file (for example, "c:\download").

%f – indicates the file name of the downloaded file (for example, "test.exe").

%L - points to the file name of a listfile, which contains a list of all the files received.  (Note:  Virus programs usually allow you to specify a text file which contains a list of files that you want to scan.)


Direct IM Preferences

The Direct IM preferences allow you to configure the default direct connection settings only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	When I open a Direct IM Connection

−	Display start dialog – Stops the Start dialog box from appearing on your screen.

−	Display status dialog – Stops the Status dialog box from appearing on your screen.

•	When I receive a Direct IM Connection request

−	For users on your Buddy List:

•	Allow – Allows only users on your Buddy List to send you Direct IMs.

•	Display Approve Dialog – Displays a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject image or sound files from buddies.

•	Don’t allow  - Allows you to specify users in your Buddy List who you don’t want to send you image or sound files.

−	For users who are not on your Buddy List:

•	Allow  - Allows you to receive image or sound files from users who are not on your Buddy List.

•	Display Approve Dialog  - Displays a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject a Direct IM connection.

•	Don’t Allow – Allows you to specify users from whom you do not want to receive Direct IMs.

•	Firewall


Send Buddy List Preferences

The Send Buddy List preferences allow you to configure the default settings used when you receive a Buddy List.  These settings only apply to your primary screen name.

When others send a Buddy List

•	For Buddies on my Buddy List

•	Display Approve Dialog - Buddies on your buddy list can send you a list of buddies, which you can add to your buddy list.  You will see a dialog appear with the name of the sender in the title bar.  Choose the groups and individual buddies you would like added to your buddy list and click Accept.  To block that user and add them to your block list, click Block.

•	Don’t Allow - If you don’t want to receive any lists of buddies from buddies on your buddy list, choose this option.  Note that by choosing this option, you will also set the preference to not allow users not on your buddy list to send you buddy lists.

•	For users not on my Buddy List:

•	Display Approve Dialog - Buddies not on your buddy list can send you a list of buddies, which you can add to your buddy list.  You will see a dialog appear with the name of the sender in the title bar.  Choose the groups and individual buddies you would like added to your buddy list and click Accept.  To block that user and add them to your block list, click Block.

•	Don’t Allow - If you don’t want to receive any lists of buddies from buddies not on your buddy list, choose this option.


Talk Preferences

You can set these Talk preferences only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	When I start a Talk session

•	Display start dialog  - Unchecking this option stops the dialog box from appearing on your screen when a Talk session begins.

•	When others want to Talk with me

•	For Buddies on my Buddy List:

−	Allow allows only users on your Buddy List send you Talk invitations.

−	Display Approve Dialog lets AIM display a dialog box, asking you to accept or reject invitations from buddies who want to talk to you.

−	Don’t allow allows you to specify which buddies on your Buddy List you don’t want to talk to.

•	For users not on my Buddy List:

−	Allow allows you to specify whether you want to talk to people who are not on your Buddy List.

−	Display Approve Dialog lets the service display a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject an invitation to talk to a buddy.

−	Don’t Allow allows you to specify people who you don’t want to talk to.

•	Firewall

•	Talk Sounds

Select this option to indicate which sound (if any) plays during your talk session:

−	Play a sound when starting or receiving Talk command

Select this option to play a sound whenever you start or receive a Talk command.

−	Sound

Using the drop-down box, choose the sound event that you’d like to hear a sound. To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.

−	Play a sound when Talk disconnected

Select this option to play a sound when your Talk connection is disconnected.

−	Sound

Using the drop-down box, choose the sound event that you’d like to hear a sound. To select your own sound, click Browse… to locate your sound file.  To hear the selected sound, click Preview.


Live Video Preferences

Customize your Live Video experience with the following options.

When I start a Live Video session

•	Display start dialog - Unchecking this option prevents the dialog box from appearing on your screen.

When others want to Live Video with me

•	For Buddies on my Buddy List:

−	Allow allows users on your Buddy List to send you Live Video invitations.

−	Display Approve Dialog lets AIM display a dialog box, asking you to accept or reject invitations from buddies who want to live video with you.

−	Don’t Allow allows you to specify with whom on your Buddy List you don’t want to live video.

•	For users not on my Buddy List

−	Allow lets you specify whether you want to live video with people who are not on your Buddy List.

−	Display Approve Dialog lets the service display a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject an invitation to live video with a buddy.

−	Don’t Allow lets you specify with whom you don’t want to live video.

___________________________

Related Topics

Video/Audio Tuning Wizard


Add-Ins Preferences

The Add-Ins preferences tab allows you to set the following preferences to use applications, or play games, with your buddies.  These preferences apply only to your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Add-Ins Manager

•	Add-Ins List

•	When others send an Add-Ins Invitation

−	For Buddies on my Buddy List

•	Display Approve Dialog – Permits AIM to display a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject invitations from buddies who want to use an add-in with you.

•	Don’t allow  - Allows you to specify that users on your Buddy List will not be allowed to use any add-ins with you.

−	For users not on my Buddy List

•	Display Approve Dialog  - Permits AIM to display a dialog box, allowing you to accept or reject invitations from buddies, not on your Buddy List, who want to use an add-in with you.

•	Don’t Allow – Allows you to specify that users not on your Buddy List will not be allowed to use any add-ins with you.


 Firewall  Preferences

You can set these Firewall preferences only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Incoming, outgoing, and AOL proxy server

Most users, including those behind corporate firewalls, should use this setting.  This indicates that if a File Transfer or Direct IM proposal is accepted by you or your buddy, you are allowing your buddy's computer to try to connect to yours.

•	Outgoing and AOL proxy server

If you use a personal firewall, or if your File Transfer or Direct IM connection attempts fail, use this setting.  This indicates that if a proposal is accepted by you or your buddy, your computer may try to connect to your buddy's but not vice-versa.

•	AOL proxy server only

Use this setting for maximum security.  This indicates that if a File Transfer or Direct IM proposal is accepted by you or your buddy, your IP address is not revealed.  Performance may be slower, and this will not work if your buddy is using older software.


Security Preferences

The Security Preferences allow you configure AIM for secure communication only for your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).  To do so, you must identify the key and certificate you want to use with AIM.  If you don’t have any certificates for use with AIM, the Certificates area will be blank.

Note

•	Communications with AIM users that are routed through an AIM Enterprise Gateway server are subject to any decryption policies of the enterprise provider.

•	Add

Select this option to add a certificate to use with AIM.

−	Add Certificate Window

Specify a password to protect your certificate (and the key pair used for generating the certificate).   Type this password in both the fields and click OK

−	AIM Window

Enter your AIM sign on password (the most recent password you used to sign onto AIM).  Click OK.

If the password you entered is correct, AIM will report that your certificate has been installed into the certificate database of your AIM software.  Click OK to dismiss this window.  The Security Preferences Certificates area will now show your AIM client certificate.

•	Advanced

Select this option to perform advanced operations on your certificates.

−	Import

The Open window appears for you to select the file that contains the certificate.  Browse through your file system and select the certificate file you want to import.  The file you import must have a .p12 or .pfx extension, for example, myCert2002.p12.   Click Open.

The Add Certificate window appears, prompting you to specify a password to protect your certificate (and the key pair that was used for generating the certificate). Type the password in both the fields and click OK.

The AIM window appears, prompting you to enter the password that protects the certificate file being imported.  Type the password (maximum 70 characters) and click OK.

If the import is successful, AIM will report that your certificate has been successfully imported into the certificate database of your AIM software.  Click OK and then click Close.  This will return you to the Security Preferences and you will see your imported certificate listed in the Certificates area.

−	Export

The Save As window appears for you to select your backup location.  Browse through your file system and select the directory (or folder) in which you want to save your certificate. In the "File name" field, enter a name for your file. Do not change the default selection in the "Save as type: " field.  This indicates that the file you will save will be in the PKCS #12 format and that it will have a .p12 file extension.  Click Save.

A Backup Password window appears, prompting you to specify a password to protect your backed up file.  Type a password, twice.  It is recommended that your password be at least eight-characters long and include non-alphabetic characters.  Remember the password you used. Click OK.

In the AIM window, you need to enter the password associated with your certificate; this is the password that protects your AIM software’s certificate database.  Click OK.

If your certificate was successfully backed up (exported), AIM will report this.  Click OK and then click Close.

You are returned to the Security Preferences. Your certificate is now backed up and protected with the password you specified.

−	Reset

There may be a need to delete the contents of your certificate database.  For example, if your current certificate is revoked and you want to obtain a new certificate, or if you forget the password associated with the certificate database, you can do so by resetting the certificate database.

WARNING: You should only reset your certificate database when instructed to do so by your Systems Administrator.

Resetting the certificate database deletes ALL the certificates that are currently stored on this computer in the AIM certificate database.  As a precaution, before resetting the certificate database, you must back up ALL the certificates using the Export button

If you obtained an AIM certificate by clicking the Add button, and if you don't have a backup of that certificate, or if you've forgotten the password you used for protecting the backed up certificate file, then you should ask your Administrator to have your certificate revoked. Once your certificate has been revoked, you will be able to re-enroll for a new certificate.

The Reset Confirmation Database window informing you of the consequences of resetting your certificate database will appear.

If you are sure you want to delete ALL of the certificates on your local machine, click Yes.  Otherwise, click No.

A Success window will appear confirming the deletion of the certificates.  Click OK to dismiss this window.

To close the AIM Advanced Security Settings window and return to the Security Preferences, click Close.


Add-Ins Manager

Use this to invite people to use an Add-In.

•	Screen names to invite (separated by commas)

These are the screen names of the people with whom you’d like to use the add-in.

•	Invitation Message

The text viewed by your buddy in your invitation to use the selected add-in.

•	Select add-in (double-click add-in to send invitation)

List of add-ins configured for use in AIM and available for your screen name.

•	Send

Sends the invitation to those screen names listed in the text area at the top of the Add-Ins Manager window.

•	Add

Permits you to add another add-in to the list in this window.  You can either select an add-in from your local computer or search the web for one.

•	Edit

•	Add-Ins List

•	Cancel

Closes this window without sending an Add-Ins invitation.


Add-Ins List

This is where you can configure your local machine’s Add-Ins for use with AIM. You can use your multi-user applications, or play your favorite games, with your online buddies right over the Internet, using the Add-Ins feature.  An Add-In can provide an easy way for you and your buddies to start multi-person applications.  It also provides a way to start and play games simultaneously.  This makes it much easier to start a multi-user application, or a multi-player game, than if each player were to start the application, or game, manually.

•	Add

Permits you to add another add-in to the list in this window.

•	Copy to Clipboard

Copies an URL (to your local computer’s clipboard) that contains all of the information you and/or your buddy’s AIM software will need to install the given plug-in and configure it to work with AIM.  You can then paste this URL into an Instant Message and send it to your buddy in order to help your buddy configure their AIM software to work with this new plug-in.

•	Edit

•	Reset/Remove

Reset - Reverts any setting changes for the add-ins that shipped with AIM back to the original settings.

Remove - Deletes the selected add-in.  You can only delete add-ins which you added.  The add-ins that ship with AIM cannot be removed.


Edit Add-Ins

•	Name

Use this field to specify the name of the application.  When you and your buddies use the application, everyone must specify the same application name.  For example, if you have an application called (or configured as) Game X, then your buddy must also have the game configured as Game X in order for AIM to launch it simultaneously for both of you.

•	Executable path

Use this field to specify the full path to the applications’ program file, (for example, C:\GAME\GAME.EXE).  You can click Browse to navigate to the program file on your hard drive.

•	Command line parameters

These are parameters that AIM uses to launch an application when you receive an invitation for the application from another user.  Parameters are usually not necessary for an application to work, but they can cause the application to launch more smoothly.  Consult your application, or game, documentation to decide which parameters, if any, you should use:

−	%i--represents your buddy’s IP address.  Some applications, or games, such as Quake 2, allow you to specify the players’ IP addresses on the command line to automatically start a multi-player game between the users, instead of requiring the players to go into the game menu to connect to each other.

−	%u--represents your IP address.  Use this parameter if the application requires that your own IP address be specified in the command line.

−	%m--represents your buddy’s computer name.  The computer name is specified in the Computer Name field in the Identification tab in the Network control panel.  MS Hearts is an example of a game, which uses this value if specified.

−	%p--represents the contents of the Start in (Working Directory) field.

−	%n--represents your screen name.  If a game lets you specify your user name, or player name, in the command line, then you can use this parameter to let the game use your screen name as your player name.

(NOTE:  MS Hearts works between users on the same local area network (LAN), like those used in some schools and workplaces.  It does not work for users with a dial-up Internet connection.  This is a limitation of MS Hearts and not a limitation of AIM.)

•	Start in (Working Directory)

Use this field to specify the directory from which AIM launches the application.  If this field is left blank, AIM automatically uses the directory that the program file is located in (as specified in the Executable path field).

•	URL to application’s home page

You can specify the uniform resource locator (URL) (or Web address) of an application’s home page.  If you specify it, this URL is shown to your buddies if you send them an invitation for the application and they do not already have the application configured in AIM.  This makes it easier for the application invitee to go quickly to the application’s Web site to get more information about the application.

•	‘App Paths’ Key in Registry

This field can be left empty when you add a new application.  If you specify a value, AIM looks in the system registry for the specified key and uses the path name information in the registry key for the application’s configuration.  If you type "test" in this field, AIM uses the path name specified in the Default value in the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\test" registry key for the Executable path field.

•	Hint to aid running program

This field can be left empty when you add a new application.  Any text entered in this field is shown in the Add-Ins Center when you send an invitation to a buddy.  It is also shown in the window that you get when you receive an application invitation from a buddy.

•	Can invite multiple buddies

If this checkbox is selected, you can simultaneously invite multiple buddies to use the application, or play the game.  If you know that the application only works for a maximum of two users, then you should leave this checkbox unselected.  This causes AIM to prevent you from inviting more than one person to use the application, or play the game, so that some users don’t get left out.

•	Launch application before sending invite

Enabling this option causes the application to be launched on your computer the moment you send the invitation to another user.  Do not enable this option if you have used the %i (your buddy’s IP address) or %m (your buddy’s computer name) parameters in the Server command line parameters field; those parameters are not received from your buddy until your invitation is accepted.

•	Hide IMs with "Playing Game Away message"

Select this option if you want AIM to automatically set the Away message feature when you start an application, or game.  The Away message that AIM uses is the one listed as "Playing Game" in the Away preference dialog box.  (Note that you cannot delete this Away message, but you can change the content of the message.)


Notifications Preferences

You can control which type of pop-up you see based upon the Notification Preferences you set.  These pop-ups only occur for users on your Buddy List and apply only to your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

•	Show pop-up notifications

Select this option to enable/disable the pop-up notifications that can appear at the bottom right of your desktop area.

−	Show pop-up notifications when my buddies…

−	Sign On

Select this option to receive pop-up notifications whenever buddies on your Buddy List sign on to the AIM service.

−	Sign Off

Select this option to receive pop-up notifications whenever buddies on your Buddy List sign off of the AIM service.

−	Go Away

Select this option to receive pop-up notifications whenever buddies on your Buddy List set themselves away.

−	Return from Away

Select this option to receive pop-up notifications whenever buddies on your Buddy List return from being away.

−	Go Idle

Select this option to receive pop-up notifications whenever buddies on your Buddy List sign become idle.

−	Return from Idle

Select this option to receive pop-up notifications whenever buddies on your Buddy List return from being idle.


If You Can't Sign On

Check for one of the following instances:

•	Is the password you entered valid? If not, check your case-sensitive password and try again.

•	Did your request to sign on get denied? If so, you have signed on too many times in a short period. Wait a few minutes and try again. Additional attempts to sign on now will extend the period you need to wait.

•	Are you currently connected to the Internet?  If not, and you have been able to connect before, check the following:

•	Is your Internet Service Provider (ISP) connection operating properly? If not, contact the company supplying your connection and be prepared to change your connection configuration.

•	Is your LAN connection operating properly? If not, contact your LAN network administrator and be prepared to change your connection configuration.

You might not be able to sign on if:

•	There is a DNS problem with your ISP or network.  Contact your ISP or system administrator, or try again later.

•	Your network is using a corporate firewall (a firewall that is between your computer and the Internet, but not on your personal computer).  In this case, contact your system administrator for information about setting up a proxy server.  After you obtain this information, you must enter it in your Connection preferences.

•	You are using personal firewall software (products include BlackIce, Deerfield, Kerio, McAfee, Norton, Privacyware, SyGate, Tiny, VisNetic) which is blocking AIM.

•	First, try temporarily disabling the firewall, and then try signing on to AIM again.  If you are able to connect, edit the firewall's configuration to allow AIM to connect with the firewall enabled.

•	If the connection to AIM fails with the firewall disabled, you may need to uninstall the firewall, as there are cases where a firewall installation becomes corrupted and prevents AIM from connecting.  After you have verified that AIM can connect with the firewall uninstalled, reinstall it.

•	If you continue to have difficulties connecting to AIM, you may need to contact the manufacturer of your firewall software.

If none of the above conditions is true, there is either a temporary problem somewhere in the network that is preventing the connection from completing or the AOL Instant Messenger server is down. In either case, you simply need to wait and try again later.

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Related Topics

Connecting Through a Local Area Network

Connecting Through a Modem

If You Are Signing on Through a Proxy Server


To Change Your Connection Configuration

1	Click Setup on the Sign On screen.

The Sign On preferences screen appears.

2	On Connection, enter the settings supplied by either the company supplying your ISP connection or your LAN network administrator.

3	Click OK to save the settings and close the dialog.


If You Can't See Anyone in Your Buddy List Window

•	Have you added any buddies to your Buddy List? If not, click the Setup button in the Buddy List window and click the Add Buddy icon:

•	Are any of your buddies signed on? If not, they won't appear in your Buddy List. On the People menu, click Sign On A Friend to invite a friend to register with the AOL Instant Messenger service.

•	Is the Block all users option selected? If so, this prevents anyone from seeing you and also prevents you from seeing anyone in your Buddy List window. To deselect the Block all users option, on the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences. Click Privacy in the Category group, and deselect the option.

•	Are all of your buddies blocking you? If so, on the People menu, click Sign On A Friend to invite another friend to register with the AOL Instant Messenger service.

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Related Topics

Allowing Everyone to Send You Messages

Allowing Only Buddies to Send You Messages

Blocking a Specific User from Sending You Messages

Blocking Everyone from Sending You Messages


If You Can't Send Instant Messages

•	Is your buddy blocking your instant message? If so, on the People menu, click Sign On A Friend to invite another friend to register with the AOL Instant Messenger service.

•	Is your buddy signed on? If not, you need to wait and try again later when your buddy is signed on.

•	Did you exceed the rate limit for sending instant messages? If so, wait until the power bar under Send turns yellow or green.


Rate Limit Definition

The rate limit is a technical constraint the AOL Instant Messenger service uses to encourage users to use the service in a reasonable manner. As your rate limit decreases, the rate at which you can send messages decreases. If the rate is low enough, you are unable to send any instant messages. Your current rate limit is displayed in the power bar under Send.

Two factors determine your rate limit:

•	The rate at which you send instant messages

•	Your warning level

If you try to send a lot of messages quickly, you decrease your rate limit. Each time you receive a warning, your warning level increases and your rate limit decreases.

You cannot reset your warning level or your rate limit. Gradually your warning level is reduced and your rate limit increases as it returns to a normal state.


If Your Web Browser Doesn't Open Properly

If your web browser doesn’t open, check to make sure you did not remove your default web browser accidentally.  If you did, you need to either register an existing browser as the default web browser with your operating system's Registry, or you need to install a new web browser.


If Your E-mail Program Doesn't Open Properly

If your e-mail program doesn’t open, check to make sure you did not remove your default e-mail program accidentally.  If you did, you need to either register an existing e-mail program as the default e-mail program with your operating system's Registry or you need to install a new e-mail program.


If You Want to Disable Automatic Launch

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

3.	Deselect the Start AIM when Windows starts option.

4.	Click OK to save this setting and close the dialog box.


If You Want to Disable Automatic Sign On

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.

2.	Click Sign On/Off in the Category group.

3.	Deselect the Automatically sign on when AIM starts option.

4.	Click OK to save this setting and close the dialog box.


If You Can't Talk Online

1.	Make sure that neither you nor your buddy is simultaneously using any audio software when trying to use the Talk feature. Using other audio software can prevent the Talk feature from working properly.  (For example, you might be unable to connect to Talk, and if you are able to connect, you might not have any Talk audio.)

2.	Don’t try to talk to two different buddies at the same time. The Talk feature currently supports one open Talk session at a time.

3.	Talk connections with AOL users are not supported if your soundcard only supports half-duplex or if the "Always Talk in Half-Duplex mode" option is selected.

Note

•	Talk connections will not work if one buddy is behind a firewall (a security measure used by offices, schools, etc.) and the other buddy is not behind the same firewall.

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Related Topics

Video/Audio Tuning Wizard


If You Are Having Trouble Hearing Others

Make sure that your system audio output levels are set high enough:

1.	While in a Talk session with a buddy, move the Volume slider under your buddy's screen name all the way to the right.

2.	Increase your system’s Master Volume and Wave Output levels, using the Windows Volume Control window.

There are several ways to display the Volume Control window:

•	Click the Windows Volume Control icon in the Connecting to… dialog box.

•	If you have the Speaker icon in your system tray (at the bottom of your screen), double-click it.

•	If you don't have the Speaker icon, there should be a Volume Control shortcut in the Start Menu.  Display the Volume Control window, by clicking Start, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, and Volume Control.  (Note that the path might be a little different on your computer.)

If you can't find the Volume Control shortcut, contact your system manufacturer for assistance.

Once you are in the Volume Control window, make sure that the Master Volume and Wave Output sliders are all the way to the top, and that the Mute checkboxes under those sliders are not checked.

3.	Try increasing the volume control on your actual speakers.

4.	Make sure you can easily hear sound in all of your other applications.  If you can hear sound in other applications, you should be able to hear it in AIM.

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Related Topics

Video/Audio Tuning Wizard


If Others are Having Trouble Hearing You

Make sure that your microphone input level is high enough.

1.	While in a Talk session with a buddy, move the Volume slider under your screen name all the way to the right.

2.	Increase your system's Microphone level, using the Windows Volume Control window.

There are several ways to get to the Volume Control window:

•	Click the Windows Volume Control icon in the Connecting to… dialog box.

•	If you have the Speaker icon in your system tray (at the bottom of your screen), double-click it.

•	If you don't have the Speaker icon, there should be a Volume Control shortcut in the Start Menu.  Display the Volume Control window, by clicking Start, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, and Volume Control.  (Note that the path might be a little different on your computer.)

If you can't find the Volume Control shortcut, contact your system manufacturer for assistance.

Once you are in the Volume Control window:

1.	Choose Properties from the Options menu.

2.	In the Adjust volume for section of the Properties window, select Recording.

3.	In the Show the following volume controls section, make sure that Mic is checked.

4.	Click OK to return to the main Volume Control window.

5.	Make sure that the Microphone slider is all the way to the top and that the Select checkbox under that slider is checked.

If other users still cannot hear you, check to see if the problem is with AIM.

1.	Start the Sound Recorder application by clicking Start, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment, and Sound Recorder. (Note that the path might be a little different on your computer.)

2.	Click Record, and start talking into your microphone. Click Stop when you are finished speaking.

3.	Click Play.  If you don't hear your voice, then there is a problem with your system configuration.  You should contact your system manufacturer for assistance. If you do hear something, and your buddies still can't hear you with AIM, then there might be a problem with AIM. In this case, complete a bug report from within the Help menu on the Buddy List window.

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Related Topics

Video/Audio Tuning Wizard


If You Are Hearing Echoes

If you are hearing echoes during a Talk session with a buddy, your buddy might be listening to you with normal speakers, instead of headphones.

When your voice comes out of your buddy's speakers, it goes back into your buddy's microphone, and you hear it a second later.  If this is occurring, ask your buddy to use headphones and turn off the normal speakers.

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Related Topics

Video/Audio Tuning Wizard


Video/Audio Tuning Wizard

Running the Video/Audio Tuning wizard helps fix problems you have with your web camera, microphone or speaker setup.

1.	From AIM Preferences, click Live Video. Click Video/Audio Tuning to start the wizard.

2.	The first screen automatically detects the web camera that’s connected to your PC. If you have more than one camera installed, you could choose which one you want to work with from the drop-down list. Click Next to continue.

3.	The next screen displays a video screen. Follow the instructions on the screen, and click Next to continue.

4.	The next screen provides tips about microphone and speaker performance. Click Next to continue.

5.	The Audio and Video Tuning Wizard detects the microphone and speakers you want to use. If you have different microphones and speakers set up for your PC, you can choose which ones you want to work with from the drop-down list.

6.	Click the box next to I am using headphones if that is the case, which sets up the audio to work properly with headphone sets. Click Next to continue.

7.	The speaker test on the next page tests the volume and performance of your speakers. You can adjust the volume by moving the volume slide bar. Click Next to continue.

8.	The microphone test screen checks the microphone for volume and performance. Once you are satisfied, click Finish to end the Video and Audio Tuning Wizard.

Note

•	If you are using a microphone with a USB connection, you must run the Video and Audio Tuning wizard or the outgoing voice sounds will not transmit through the microphone.


Firewall

A firewall is a computer system that is placed between networks to restrict traffic to and from an organization for security reasons.


If You Are Signing on Through a Proxy Server

•	If you are trying to sign on through an HTTPS proxy server and you are not able to connect, try setting the AIM server port to 443 or 563.

•	You should also check with your system administrator to make sure you have entered all of the correct proxy settings and that the proxy server is working.

•	If none of these actions solves your problem and you want to report a bug, include as much details about your proxy server as possible.


Before You Report a Bug

Before you report a software bug, check to make sure it has not already been reported and addressed.  There are several ways you can do this:

•	Select the Help menu on the Buddy List window and click Frequently Asked Questions, then locate the topic area you want.

•	Select the Help menu on the Buddy List window click Security Central, where you will find a list of security holes that have been reported in the press and the version of AIM that fixes the problem.

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Related Topic

Reporting Bugs


Reporting Bugs

To report bugs that occur while you are using the AOL Instant Messenger software

1.	Select the Help menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Report a Bug. AIM opens your browser and takes you to the Web site for reporting bugs.

3.	Enter your name and e-mail address.

4.	Enter a description of the problem that you are experiencing.

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Related Topic

Before You Report a Bug


About Direct IM

The Instant Message Direct IM feature allows you to send graphic and sound files to your buddies.  You can send any sound file, including a 10-second recording of your voice, or send any of your favorite photographs.

There is no file size limitation for any graphic or sound files that you want to share with your buddies.

Notes:

•	A quick way to send a graphic or sound file is to drag and drop the file into your opened IM window.

•	Once you start transmitting a file, you cannot interrupt it.  If you want to cancel the transmission, you must close your IM window.

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Related Topics

Sending a Graphic or Sound File

Saving a Graphic or Sound File


Sending a Graphic or Sound File
Sending a Picture or Sound File

Using AOL Instant Messenger, you can

•	Send a 10-second recording of your voice by pressing F12 or by right-clicking in the text area and clicking Insert and Record Sound.

•	Insert pictures or sounds by clicking Insert Picture on the toolbar, by pressing the F10 key, or by right-clicking in the text area and selecting Insert and Picture or Sound.

•	Drag pictures or sounds into a Direct IM session directly from Explorer.

•	Paste an image that you have copied by right-clicking in the text area field and choosing Paste Picture.

To send a picture

1.	Select your buddy’s screen name by clicking on it in the Buddy List window.

Tip:  If your Instant Message window is already open, go to Step 5.

2.	Click People.

3.	Click Open Direct IM Connection.

4.	Click Connect.

5.	Click the Insert Picture icon ( [image]) on the toolbar. YGP Picture Finder opens.

6.	Select the picture that you want to send, and click Add Picture.

Note

•	When Opening Direct IM Connection, the system may warn you of the direct connection that you are making with your buddy.  Once you are connected, your buddy can send you any image, so make sure you know the person with whom you are communicating. If you do not want the service to display this warning again, click the Don’t display this dialog again checkbox.

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Related Topics

About Direct IM

Saving a Graphic or Sound File


Saving a Graphic or Sound File

To save a graphic or sound file that your buddy has sent you

1.	With the Direct IM window open, right-click on the graphic or sound icon.

2.	Click Save.

3.	Type the name of the document that you are saving in the appropriate field.

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Related Topics

About Direct IM

Sending a Graphic or Sound File


About Add-Ins

Using only your primary screen name, you can use your multi-user applications or play your favorite games with your online buddies right over the Internet by using the Add-Ins feature. An add-in can provide an easy way for you and your buddies to start multi-person applications. It also provides a way to simultaneously start and play games. This makes it much easier to start a multi-user application or game.

Using the Add-Ins feature, you can

•	Add your frequently used applications to the Add-Ins List.

•	Add your favorite software to the Add-Ins List.

•	Invite your buddies to use applications.

•	Accept or reject application invitations from your buddies.

Notes

•	The application or game that you want to play must be installed on the computers of everyone invited to play.

•	The name of the application or game also must be the same on all computers.

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Related Topics

Adding Applications

Using Add-Ins

Inviting Buddies to Use Applications

Accepting an Application Invitation

Add-Ins Preferences


Inviting Buddies to Use Applications

You can invite your buddies to use any of your favorite multi-user applications across the Internet. If they don’t have the application installed on their computers, AIM allows them to add it.

WARNING:  Your buddies to whom you are sending the application invitation can determine your IP address.

To invite one or more buddies to use the application

1.	Select your buddy’s screen name from the Buddy List window.

2.	On the People menu, point to Add-Ins, then select Manage Add-Ins to display the AIM Add-Ins Manager dialog box.

Shortcut:  You can also go to the AIM Add-Ins Manager dialog box by right-clicking on your buddy’s screen name to display a pop-up window. Select Add-Ins, then select Manage Add-Ins.

To use the application.

1.	To invite other buddies to use the application, enter their screen names in the Screen names to invite field, separating each name with a comma.

2.	Enter an invitational message in the Invitation Message field.

•	In your invitational message, you can include the name of the application so that your buddies know to what they are being invited.

3.	Select the add-in that you want to use from the Select add-in field.

4.	Click Send. AIM sends the invitation and displays the application on your screen.

•	To use the application, or play the game, you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions for that application, or game. When you are finished, exit the application.

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Related Topics

About Add-Ins

Adding Applications

Using Add-Ins

Accepting an Application Invitation

Add-Ins Preferences


Using Add-Ins

Although the AOL Instant Messenger service gives you the ability to use applications, or play games, over the Internet with your buddies, it does not provide you with instructions for using the applications, or playing the game. For information about using a particular application, or playing a particular game, refer to the user’s manual.

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Related Topics

About Add-Ins

Adding Applications

Inviting Buddies to Use Applications

Accepting an Application Invitation

Add-Ins Preferences


Accepting an Application Invitation

When you receive an invitation from one of your buddies to use an application, or play a game, you can either accept or reject it. If the invitation is from someone who you don’t know, you can impose a warning on the user, which slows the rate at which the user can perform other AIM activities.

To accept an application invitation, click Accept on the invitation dialog box.

Notes

•	If you do not accept the invitation within 5 minutes of receiving it, AIM automatically cancels the invitation.

•	If you don’t want to accept the invitation, you can reject it by clicking Reject. You can also impose a warning on the user who sent the invitation by clicking Warn.

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Related Topics

About Add-Ins

Adding Applications

Using Add-Ins

Inviting Buddies to Use Applications

Add-Ins Preferences


Adding Applications

To add applications to the AOL Instant Messenger Add-Ins List

1.	Select the My AIM menu on the Buddy List window.

2.	Click Edit Options, then click Edit Preferences.

3.	Click Add-Ins in the Category group.

4.	Click Add-Ins List to display a list of applications.

5.	Select the application that you want to add. See the right pane of the dialog box for information about the selected application.

6.	Click Add, and locate the application by selecting one of these options:  Browse My PC, Net Find, or Download.)

•	After installing or locating the application, click Edit to edit it, changing information such as the name, executable path, and so forth.

•	If you are an advanced user and want to enter information in the other fields, see Add-Ins Preferences.

7.	Click Save if you edited any game option.

Note

•	Entering information only in the Name and Executable fields of the Edit Add-In Info dialog box is all you need to do in order to add your application and invite others to use it along with you.

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Related Topics

About Add-Ins

Using Add-Ins

Inviting Buddies to Use Applications

Add-Ins Preferences


About AIM Games

AIM Games allows you to select games to play by yourself or with your buddies right from your Buddy List or Instant Messaging windows.

Using the AIM Games feature, you can:

•	Play an Internet-based game by yourself

•	Invite your buddies to play an Internet-based game.

•	Accept or decline AIM Games invitations from your buddies.


Accepting a Games Invitation
Accepting an AIM Games Invitation

AIM Games invitations are sent through Instant Messages. If you receive a game invitation, click the Accept link to join the game. To decline the request, simply ignore the invitation.

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Related Topics

About AIM Games

Playing AIM Games by Yourself

Playing AIM Games with your Buddies


Playing AIM Games by Yourself

To start playing an AIM Game by yourself from the Buddy List window

1.	If the AIM Games chooser is not displayed on the left side of the Buddy List window, click Play AIM Games on the Buddy List drawer. The Games rail opens to the left of the Buddy List, as well as the AIM Games window.

2.	Click the game you wish to play and follow the directions provided.

•	To close the AIM Games chooser on the Buddy List window, click Close AIM Games in the Buddy List drawer. If you were displaying an AIM Expression, this will restore your AIM Expression side panel on your Buddy List window.

To start playing an AIM Game by yourself from the Instant Messaging (IM) window

1.	If the AIM Games chooser is not displayed on the right side of the IM window, click Games on the bottom of the IM window. This will add a panel to the right side of the IM window. If you had a Live Video IM open, it will prompt you to end your Live Video IM session and replace it with the Games panel.

2.	Click the game you wish to play and follow the directions provided.

•	To close the AIM Games chooser on the IM window, click Close AIM Games in the Buddy List drawer.

Note:

•	If the Play AIM Games option is not visible, you may need to first open the drawer.

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Related Topics

About AIM Games

Accepting an AIM Games Invitation

Playing AIM Games with your Buddies

Starting a Live Video IM


Playing AIM Games with Buddies

To start playing an AIM Game with your buddies from the Buddy List window

1.	If the AIM Games chooser is not displayed on the left side of the Buddy List window, click the Games button on the Buddy List window. This will either add an AIM Games chooser panel to the left side of the Buddy List Window, or, if you have an AIM Expression displayed, replace the side panel of your AIM Expression on the side of the Buddy List window with the AIM Games chooser panel.

2.	Select the name of that buddy on your Buddy List with whom you would like to play a game.

3.	Click the game in the AIM Games chooser.

4.	Follow the directions for the game to begin playing with your buddy.

•	To close the AIM Games chooser on the Buddy List window, click on the Games button again. If you were displaying an AIM Expression, this will restore your AIM Expression side panel on your Buddy List window.

To start a game from the AIM Games chooser on an Instant Messaging (IM) window

1.	If the AIM Games chooser is not displayed on the left side of the IM window, click the Games button on the bottom of the IM window. This will add a panel to the right side of the IM window, or if you had a Live Video IM open, ask you to end your Live Video IM session and replace it with the Games panel.

2.	Click a game in the IM window AIM Games chooser. If this game is a two-player game, a game invitation will be sent to the buddy with whom you are currently IMing.

3.	Follow the directions for the game to begin playing with your buddy.

•	To close the AIM Games chooser on the IM window, click on the Games button again.

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Related Topics

About AIM Games

Accepting an AIM Games Invitation

Playing AIM Games by Yourself

Starting a Live Video IM


About IM Greetings

Stay in touch with family and friends with instant IM greetings. The AOL Instant Messenger service lets you send a variety of online greetings for birthdays, holidays, graduations, anniversaries, promotions, and many other special occasions only from your primary screen name (the screen name you used to sign on).

The recipient can be signed on or off to receive the greeting. If the recipient is signed on, the service automatically opens an Instant Message window and inserts the greeting link. Your recipient receives the IM greeting after you send the instant message.

If the recipient is not signed on, you must specify an e-mail address for delivery.

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Related Topic

Sending an IM Greeting


Sending an IM Greeting

To send an online greeting in an instant message

1.	From the IM toolbar, click the Send Greetings icon.

2.	From the Greetings page, select the greeting that you want to send, or use the category list on the left to select a category from which to choose a greeting.

3.	Click Personalize, and enter information in each field.

4.	Click Send Your Greeting, and close your browser when you are finished sending greetings. The greeting link pops up in an Instant Message window.

5.	Click Send to send the greeting.

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Related Topic

About IM Greetings


About Web Alerts

Get instantly notified to breaking News, Weather, Sports, and Stocks by creating alerts for your primary screen name.  Once set up, web alerts play a sound and/or display a small window on your screen when it is triggered.

If you set the alert to display a window when it is triggered, you will be able to send the alert to a buddy.  You will also be able to view previous alerts and manage the alerts you have set.

After you set up your AOL alerts, you can edit, save, or delete them at any time.

Options in the alert window are

•	Alert Manager  Displays the area where you set and maintain your current alerts.

•	Show New and Old Alerts  Displays all alerts you receive during your current AIM online session.

•	Prev  Navigates to the previous alert when you have multiple viewable alerts.

•	Next  Displays the next alert when you have multiple viewable alerts.

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Related Topics

Setting Web Alerts

Editing Web Alerts

Viewing Web Alerts

Deleting Web Alerts


Setting Web Alerts

If this is your first time using the web alerts feature, you will need to set up your alerts.

To set an alert

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Alerts, then select Manage Web Alerts. A web page will open in your browser window.

2.	Select from the different categories of alert types, ie. News, Sports, Stock, Weather.  (The Stock lerts you set here are different than the AIM Stock Alerts you set from the Stock Ticker Detail Window, even though both of the Stock Alerts will appear within the same Alert Window.)

3.	Once you have reached the main AOL alerts welcome screen, and are logged in, select an alert type and follow the setup procedure for that alert.  Each alert category has a unique setup procedure.

Note

•	If you are not logged into the AOL Anywhere service, which hosts web alerts, you may be prompted to do so before setting up an actual alert.

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Related Topics

About Web Alerts

Editing Web Alerts

Viewing Web Alerts

Deleting Web Alerts

Setting Stock Alerts


Editing Web Alerts

After you have created one or more alerts, you will see them listed on the AOL alerts welcome screen when you signed on. You have the option to Turn On or Off, Edit, or Delete web alerts.

To turn an alert On or Off

1.	Click the desired radio button for that alert.

•	Clicking Off to the right of your listed alert will immediately suspend that alert without deleting it.

•	The alert will be turned off until it is turned back on by clicking On.

To edit an alert

1.	Click the pencil icon to the right of that alert.

2.	Make the changes to the alert settings as desired.

3.	Click Save to save the changes and close the dialog box.

Notes

•	Each alert you choose to edit will take you to the edit "alert_name" dialog box, with settings appropriate to that particular alert.

•	Changes are automatic and take effect immediately.

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Related Topics

About Web Alerts

Setting Web Alerts

Viewing Web Alerts

Deleting Web Alerts


Viewing Web Alerts

To view an alert

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Alerts, then select Read Alerts. The alert window will open.

2.	To view recent alerts, make sure Show New and Old Alerts is checked.

3.	Scroll through your recent alerts by using the Prev and Next buttons.  You can also view a specific alert without clicking through all of them by selecting the down arrow next to the number of alerts and choosing the alert you wish to read.

4.	To close this alert Window, click the X in the top right corner.

Note

•	If set to do so, the alert window will appear when you receive a new alert.  This is the same window accessed in step 1 above.

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Related Topics

About Web Alerts

Setting Web Alerts

Editing Web Alerts

Deleting Web Alerts


Deleting Web Alerts

To delete an alert

1.	On the My AIM menu, point to Alerts, then select Manage Web Alerts. A web page will open up in your browser window.

2.	Once you sign on, you will see a list of the alerts you have created on the alerts welcome screen.

3.	To the right of the alert you wish to delete, click on the trash can icon.  You are asked to confirm that you want to delete this alert.

4.	Click OK to confirm the deletion. The alerts welcome screen opens with the alert removed.

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Related Topics

About Web Alerts

Setting Web Alerts

Editing Web Alerts

Viewing Web Alerts


primary screen name

the screen name you used to sign on


The Security Preferences allow you configure AIM for secure communication.  To do so, you must identify the key and certificate you want to use with AIM.

Note: If you don’t have any certificates for use with AIM, the Certificates area will be blank.

•	Add

The Add Certificate window appears, prompting you to specify a password to protect your certificate (and the key pair used for generating the certificate).   Type this password in both the fields and click OK.

An AIM window will appear, prompting you to enter your AIM sign on password, the one you used when you registered for the AIM service.  Type your sign on password and click OK.

If the password you entered is correct, AIM will report  that your certificate has been installed in the certificate database of your AIM software.  Click OK to dismiss this window.  The Security Preferences Certificates area will now show your AIM client certificate.

•	Size

From the drop-down menu, select a size for the font in the Buddy List window.

•	Buddy List window can be "docked" on left or right of screen

1.	Click Apply, and then click OK.

Your AIM, Enterprise Edition client is now security enabled and ready for use. You should now be able to exchange signed and encrypted messages with users who have installed AIM, Enterprise Edition client and have enabled its security feature; in your AIM, Enterprise Edition client window, these users will have the padlock icon placed to the left of their screen names.

Next, back up your AIM, Enterprise Edition client certificate by following the instructions in

Your certificate is your digital identity, and the key pair that was used to generate the certificate needs to be protected like any other identity to prevent others from using it to impersonate you. Typically, you can back up the key pair and the corresponding certificate to a media, such as a floppy diskette or a CD ROM and make it write protected. Note that your organization may have a policy for backing up the key pair that was used to generate the certificate a particular media. Check with your Administrator if you are in doubt.

To back up your AIM, Enterprise Edition client's certificate (and the key pair that was used to generate the certificate), follow these steps:

2.	In the Security information window, click Advanced.

The AIM Advanced Security Settings window appears.

3.	Click Export.

The Save As window appears for you to select your backup location.

4.	Browse through your file system and select the directory (or folder) in which you want to save your certificate.

5.	In the "File name" field, enter a name for your file. Do not change the default selection in the "File of type" field; it indicates that the file you will save will be in the PKCS #12 format and that it will have a .p12 file extension.

6.	Click Save.

A window appears, prompting you to specify a password to protect your backed up file.

7.	Type a password, twice. Your password must be at least eight-characters long and must include non-alphabetic characters. Remember the password you used.

8.	Click OK.

You are prompted for the password associated with your certificate; this is the password that protects your AIM, Enterprise Edition client's certificate database.

9.	Click OK.

You should see a message indicating that your certificate has been successfully backed up.

10.	Click OK, and then click Close to close the AIM Advanced Security window.

You are returned to the Security window. Your certificate is now backed up and protected with the password you specified. Next, verify your AIM, Enterprise Edition client's security setup by following the instructions in "Step 5. Verify Your Setup".


Sending Photos

You can easily share photos with family and friends from AIM’s You’ve Got Photos service. Accessing the service is easy – just click Send/Store Photos from the AIM drawer.

To send pictures using the Buddy List drawer

1.	Click Send/Store Photos from the AIM drawer. The You’ve Got Pictures Picture Center opens.

2.	Click Share Albums.

3.	Click the My Pictures on AIM tab.

4.	Under My Albums in the left pane, click the album name which holds the pictures you want to send.

5.	Select the pictures you want to send.

6.	Click Add Pictures.

7.	After reading the My Pictures Picture Usage Agreement, click Accept to continue. A write e-mail window opens, where you can add your friend’s e-mail address and message. The picture(s) are automatically added as an attachment.

8.	Once you’ve finished your e-mail, click Send Now.

To send pictures using the IM window

1.	Click the Send Photos icon on the IM toolbar.

2.	You are prompted that you are making a direct connection with your buddy. Click Connect to continue. Your buddy receives an invitation to accept the direct connection with you. Once they accept the direct connection, YGP Picture Finder opens to the My Pictures on AIM tab.

3.	Under My Albums in the left pane, click the album name which holds the pictures you want to send.

4.	Select the pictures you want to send.

5.	Click Add Pictures.

6.	After reading the My Pictures Picture Usage Agreement, click Accept to continue. A write e-mail window opens, where you can add your friend’s e-mail address and message. The picture(s) are automatically added as an attachment.

7.	Once you’ve finished your e-mail, click Send Now.

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Related Topics

Saving Photos


Store Photos
Storing Photos

You can easily store photos on AIM’s You’ve Got Photos service. Accessing the service is easy – just click Send/Store Photos from the AIM drawer.

To save pictures using the Buddy List drawer

1.	Click Send/Store Photos from the AIM drawer. The You’ve Got Pictures Picture Center opens.

2.	Click Create Album.

3.	Type a name for your photo album.

4.	Click Add Pictures Now.

5.	Clicking either the My Computer or Pictures I’ve Received tab, select the pictures you want to save.

6.	Click Add Pictures.

7.	Choose the transfer speed you desire, and click Start Transfer.

Note

•	Selecting Fast for a transfer speed is best for online photos.

•	Selecting Normal for a transfer speed is better for photos to print.

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Related Topics

Sending Photos