Yahoo Messenger

CNET Editors' review

Yahoo Messenger has been a staple of audio and text chats for a long, long time, and video chats are now handled without problem. The latest version of Yahoo Messenger adds enhancements to contacts and friends lists, as well as support for newsfeeds and visual tweaks. Yahoo Messenger installs easily but does require a free account.

Yahoo Messenger has long been used for text chats, for which it was a favorite app. The addition of audio and video chats put Yahoo Messenger up against a lot of other similar products, but it has remained a popular app on Windows. Each iteration has added new features and capabilities, and added things like radio streams, games, and more configuration options. Yahoo Messenger integrates with other Yahoo services like email.

We've used Yahoo Messenger for a decade and it's still a favorite messenger tool for many. With the new release tweaking some things and enhancing others, it gets better every time. While the video quality sometimes seems to drop more than we like, and there's an increasing number of ads for other Yahoo products, we still find Yahoo Messenger is a go-to app.

Yahoo Messenger 9.0:

Publisher's Description

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All User Reviews
  • All versions:

    3.2 stars

    out of 1,381 votes

    • 5 star: 420
    • 4 star: 291
    • 3 star: 213
    • 2 star: 102
    • 1 star: 355
  • Current version:

    2.8 stars

    out of 12 votes

    • 5 star: 3
    • 4 star: 1
    • 3 star: 3
    • 2 star: 1
    • 1 star: 4
  • My rating:

    0 stars

    Write review

Results 1-10 of 12

  • 3.0 stars

    "What about Windows 8?"

    March 9, 2013  |   By stonehkm

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    Used for years, mainly to notify me that I have yahoo mail. Worked great on XP, Vista, Windows 7. With so many other applications out there, Facebook etc, it's usefulness as a messaging tool diminished.

    Cons

    I have upgraded to Windows 8 Pro and messenger continually freezes up my PC. It has been checked thoroughly and Yahoo Messenger is the culprit. We need a 2013 release pronto.

    Summary

    I use only for mail alerts and to see when friends are on line.
    Useless with Windows 8 since once or twice a day my PC freezes. I have uninstalled it and now no more freezes. I cannot find a version that says compatible with Windows 8 so will leave it alone until then. If you have Windows 7, it is great!

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Really Really good"

    February 27, 2013  |   By RayLNelson

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    All in one
    Integration with FB and others
    pop up notes of all kinds

    Cons

    To many ads
    not as good in groups

    Summary

    Glad it's not going away

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  • 1.0 stars

    "Don't download I'll tell you why."

    February 26, 2013  |   By zeekboxy

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    I uninstalled this software after I found what it did.

    Cons

    no option to not install "coupon companion" or the "yahoo toolbar" it just does it. or if there was an option to avoid them it didn't work.
    coupon companion seems to be easy enough to uninstall thus far but the tool bar never seems to entirely leave. I disabled it using the addon function in fire fox then I uninstalled it using revo-uninstaller but the option to have the tool bar in fire fox under options still remains.

    Summary

    In summery I don't know if the messenger works and who cares look shady nature yahoo.

    Updated on Feb 26, 2013

    this is most certainly a virus trap. shame on yahoo. lets boycott them completely.

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  • 1.0 stars

    "Do Not even try to install this"

    January 23, 2013  |   By angery2

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    Seemed like a good thing at the time

    Cons

    I got a virus when downloading it from CNET, the Messenger never downloaded, it did nothing but put a virus on my computer.

    Summary

    Please be careful trying to download it

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  • 5.0 stars

    "http://techymantra.com/"

    January 20, 2013  |   By king_guru

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    http://techymantra.com/

    Cons

    http://techymantra.com/

    Summary

    http://techymantra.com/

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  • 2.0 stars

    "MANY HOURS & 5 DAYS OF "FAILED TO PROPERLY INSTALL"!"

    December 17, 2012  |   By jpdtking

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    ???????????????
    CAN'T LOAD TO TRY! FINALLY LOADED!

    Cons

    PROGRAM LOADED: FREEZES, STOPS, WILL NOT SEND EMAIL, LOCKS UP, RESTARTING! ASKS YOU TO SIGN IN REPEATEDLY! TIME AFTER TIME - SIGN IN- GET BROWSER- TRY TO E-MAIL-CLICK SEND THE EMAIL OR SEND TO DRAFT & FREEZES UP & MSGS,-'DRAFT FAILED TO SEND TO:'-"DRAFT'S" OR EMAIL FAILED TO SEND! TRY TO USE, GET THE "TIME HAS EXPIRED! RE-SIGN IN B.S. SIGN IN EVERY 5 MIN! BEFORE GETTING IT TO WORK WITH PREFERENCES-SET FOR "SIGN IN EVERY TWO WEEKS" VERSION 11.5.0 IS TRASH!
    CLICK IN BOX- AND GET NOT USABLE! CONNECTION NOT AVAILABLE OR TEN EXCUSES! WAIT FOR THE IN BOX! 'BROWSER TO COME UP AFTER CLICKING ON TASK BAR, MAIN BROWSER SIDE & TOOL BAR SETTINGS, MAIL IN TOOL BAR FAVORITES! ETC.
    'SEND TO BOX' MESSAGE SAYING "DEFAULT MAIL PROGRAM NOT INSTALLED" DUMB A$$ PROGRAM... YOUR SETTINGS!
    NOT USABLE TO SEND PAGE!
    HELP "NOT AVAILABLE TO SET IN WINDOWS VERSION{7}SEVEN"?
    WHY HAVE A "SENT TO: BUTTON" ON THE TOOL BAR IF IT DOES NOT WORK OR SETTABLE & USABLE EXCEPT IN INSTANT MSG. MODE AND NOT FOR EMAIL ALSO?

    Summary

    FIRE FOX --- WHOOPS YAHOO'S BUTT!

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  • 1.0 stars

    "It would not install"

    December 9, 2012  |   By fernysalaz

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    I always have like yahoo messenger but this version would not install n my windows 8 laptop

    Cons

    It can not be install, the installation requires to be direct or to have less publicity, I really don't know is just not installing.

    Summary

    it doesn't work, needs to be fix

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  • 1.0 stars

    "YM has really slacked off over the past few yrs."

    October 24, 2012  |   By mcraig306

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    Ummm .... I can't really think of anything good to say about YM other than it's free.There,that's my big whopping list of pros.

    Cons

    70-80% of the time there seems to be 1 issue or another.Be it crashing or just plain ol freezing up to where you can't type anything.The Yahoo! people have really dropped the ball & w/each new version the problems become more & more evident.There once was a day (about 8 yrs ago or so) that YM was the best free chat service imo but now,it's nothing more than a run of the mill so-so service.I've even go so far as to email Yahoo! w/a list of problems but they just don't seem to care nor have they addressed solving any of the problems.

    Summary

    I can no longer honestly tell my friends to download any of the YM versions b/c I know they don't work very well & It really doesn't look like Yahoo! cares to fix the existing problems to make their chat service any better.It seems that they have settled for being average & that is truly sad.

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  • 3.0 stars

    "Not bad needs minor fix"

    September 3, 2012  |   By w_o_flint

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    Quick download, Tabbed chats

    Cons

    Server errors not allowing one to save new contacts

    Summary

    all in all its not bad. they need to fix there server issue and all will be better. I still prefer version 10

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  • 3.0 stars

    "Yahoo Messenger"

    August 1, 2012  |   By indiegal

    Version: Yahoo Messenger 11.5.0.228

    Pros

    Just another messenger.

    Cons

    Always ALWAYS .. when I video chat it says: running slow. Yahoo Mail? Stinks. To Many advertisements and WHO really is going to pay Yahoo to have NO advertisements when you got G Mail and Live Mail and neither have advertisements.

    Summary

    This is to coincidental. I was Just getting ready to uninstall the yahoo messenger and this "review" came into my email. I don't use it. Only for 1 friend that has it and wont' give it up. I, myself, use Skype paid version ($8.52 every 3 months to talk to any landline, mobile, you name it .. in the US and Canada. No one can beat that price) Then I use the Windows Live Messenger and Not had ONE problem with video chat or otherwise. As for Yahoo Messenger? Bye Bye. Uninstalling now.

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Results 1-10 of 12

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Yahoo Messenger