- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: November 12, 2009
- Total Downloads: 10,449,439
- Downloads last week: 37,918
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1030 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Jessica Dolcourt on November 13, 2009
Get social over the long-established, well-rounded chat and VoIP client Yahoo Messenger and you'll find drag-and-drop capabilities and contact importing from friends other IM, e-mail, and social-networking accounts who are also on Yahoo chat. Another favorite trick is the ability to see images and videos displayed inside the chat window when you or a pal drops in a public URL.
Yahoo Messenger 10 adds some visual enhancements that call out VoIP and video chats on the conversation window. Tweaks in the buddy list showcase an updates tab that operates as a newsfeed for friends' status messages. Other visual refreshes to version 10 spruce up select icons.
Users should note that the download stub will finish installing the program online, and that the download bundles the Yahoo Toolbar. In the preinstallation window, click over to Custom Install to deselect add-ons you don't want. We could also live without the heavy-handed Yahoo branding, and it would be nice to see a link to hidden smileys in the emoticon drop-down, but these are minor niggles when weighed against the benefits of an easy-to-use, feature-rich chat client that only continues to improve.
Watch the CNET video review of Yahoo Messenger:
Publisher's description
From Yahoo :Yahoo Messenger is a free service that allows you to see when friends come online and to send them instant messages. It also can alert you to new e-mail in your Yahoo Mail or Yahoo Personals accounts, or when you have upcoming events recorded in your Yahoo Calendar. Yahoo Messenger offers firewall support, a standby mode that minimizes the program until an Internet connection is made, the ability to save and print your conversations, and a tabbed interface that provides quick access to your favorite stocks, news, and sports scores.
Other features include the ability to create a chat room automatically, stock price alerts, the ability to send messages to friends (even if they're not online when you are), a Quick Compact mode that hides the Messenger tools to maximize your viewing area, Messenger Themes, and voice chat, which allows you to talk for free to anybody else on the Internet. It also includes Launchcast Radio, Yahoo Games, and Yahoo Audibles. Using a Webcam, you can see who you're chatting with or view the Webcam of any Yahoo member who has granted you access.
What's new in this version:
- High-quality video calls: We've completely redesigned our 1:1 webcam feature (under the hood too). Now you can make a high-quality video call to a friend with synched audio, right in the IM window. Features include the ability to swap video windows, position the video windows side-by-side, mute the call or place it on hold. You can even go full-screen with your video call. To get started, click the new "Video Call" button in the IM window (your friend also needs to be on Yahoo! Messenger... see all new features
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.1 stars out of 1030 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 5 user reviewsSee all 5 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Yahoo Messenger 10.0.0.1102
Pros: Fast in sending messages, file transfer and viewing images
Cons: Nothing that I can think of
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Version: Yahoo Messenger 10.0.0.1102
Pros: does all I need and them some
Cons: none that I know of
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Version: Yahoo Messenger 10.0.0.1102
Pros: More colourful newsletter otherwise--not sure
Cons: I had to change setting for auto sign in---it was on previous version and did not transfer to new version---not a biggy
Summary: I have had no problems at this juncture-----
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Yahoo Messenger 10.0.0.1102
"Installation and maximizing issues"
Pros: Yahoo Messenger still continues to provide a good instant messaging service with family and friends.
Cons: Uncheck extra features in basic installation but it decides to install. Went to custom install to uncheck the features that I didn't want and it worked. It doesn't maxmize properly and I still have to resize it myself.
Summary: Yahoo really needs to do something about the minimizing and maximizing issues.
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2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Yahoo Messenger 10.0.0.1102
"Install Ignores the Toolbar and Home Page checkboxes"
Pros: Yahoo's messenger has always been my favorite.
Cons: I specifically UNchecked two options; one that set Yahoo as my default home page the second that asked if I want the Yahoo tool bar. Both of those options, along with some Yahoo browser helper, installed anyway.
Summary: Yahoo needs to stop hijacking the installation experience.
- See all 5 user reviews Write review
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