Chatting by using Windows Messenger - Part 3: Adding contacts

This article is Part 3 of the Chatting by using Windows Messenger guide. This article describes how to add contacts.

To view the other topics of the Chatting by using Windows Messenger guide, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are listed in the "References" section.

The Chatting by using Windows Messenger guide includes the following topics:

Part 3: Adding contacts

When you start Microsoft Windows Messenger for the first time, the contact list is empty. You must gradually build the contact list by adding online buddies.

How to add a new contact

1. Start Windows Messenger, and then click Add a Contact.
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2. Click the By e-mail address or sign-in name option, and then click Next.
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3. Type a contact's full e-mail address, and then click Next.
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4. If you want to add multiple contacts, you must divide the contacts into groups. Select the group that you want to add. If you have not created any groups, you cannot continue. Click Next to add more contacts, and then click Finish.
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   The new contact now appears in the Windows Messenger window.
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How to create a group

1. Click Next, and then click Add Group.
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2. A new group is created instantly. Specify a name for the new group, and then press Enter.
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3. You can now use a mouse to drag contacts to the group, one by one.
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How to change a display name

You may not want to have all e-mail addresses displayed in the Contacts window. You or your contacts can change this behavior by changing the display name. To do this, follow these steps:

1. In the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Personal tab.
3. Enter your name as you want it to be displayed to contacts, and then click OK.
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4. Your new display name will appear from now on.
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When one of your contacts is online

If you have added new contacts, you can only communicate with them when they are signed in to Windows Messenger. You are notified immediately when a contact signs in. Your online buddies will also be notified that you have added them to your list. Click the Allow this person to see when you are online and contact you option, click the Add this person to my contact list option, and then click OK.

For more information about this topic, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: This article is a translation from German. Any subsequent changes or additions to the original German article may not be reflected in this translation. The information that is contained in this article is based on the German-language versions of this product. The accuracy of this information relative to other language versions of this product is not tested in the framework of this translation. Microsoft makes this information available without warranty of its accuracy or functionality and without warranty of the completeness or accuracy of the translation.