- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: August 22, 2005
- Total Downloads: 9,633,993
- Downloads last week: 23,690
- See full specifications
A newer version of Yahoo Messenger is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1028 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Of all the chat clients tied to a portal, Yahoo delivers the most impressive messaging experience. Its network is intelligently integrated, its chat features are smart and intuitive, and its extras are often genuinely interesting. If you're a Yahoo user, you'll have access to all the information you store in your Yahoo profile, including your calendar, address book, and customized news. Messaging is about as straightforward as it gets, and message archives are handy, though not always easy to sift through. Though the program's animated emoticons and "IMVironments" could come across as cheesy and irrelevant, they turn out to be surprisingly winning. One great example of the integrated network supporting interesting extras is the Yahoo Photos IMVironment, which lets you share photos you have stored online right in the messaging window. Alas, ads appear in the multiuser chat window, although thankfully not in the one-to-one messaging window. The latest version of YIM offers VoIP calling to other Yahoo users and allows you to leave voice messages and check call history. 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. The latest version adds PC-to-PC calling, voicemail and call history, and drag-and-drop photo sharing.
Note: The Download Now link leads to a small setup file which should be saved to your desktop. Initiate the file and follow the directions to download the rest of the program and begin the installation process. Remain connected to the Internet to complete installation.
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User reviews of Yahoo Messenger 7.0
- Average user rating: 3.1 stars out of 1028 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 115 user reviewsSee all 115 user reviews
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2 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Version: Yahoo Messenger 7.0
Pros: Still the same old stuff, I guess that's good. Small download for an IM application. Options are easily editable. All works and no errors.
Cons: This just doesn't have as many options as other IM application (I.E. MSN and AIM). You can't customize personal settings with every contact on your list. It's just the same old stuff that Yahoo has had (exception of the calling of computers) But why not just have a phone? You got internet you're most likely going to have a phone.
There are hardly any options as far as the layout. It just, once again, doesn't have the options that make the IM experience as fun as MSn does. Games, Remote Assistance, Winks, nudges, etc. The video and audio commands are way more widely selected on MSN than on Yahoo.
I would not recommend this as your MAIN IM application. I would recommend MSN or AIM, preferrably MSN as many more people have that.
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10 out of 14 people found this review helpful
Version: Yahoo Messenger 7.0
Pros: Yahoo wont easy interupt connection, and it' more stable compared with msn messenger, been used it for talk with my girlfriend for 14 hours a day, save alot of phone bill, even if u use dial up, i personally using broadband. ;)
Cons: none.
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2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Yahoo Messenger 7.0
Pros: Its more stable than MSN which sometimes i cant get to start up even.Seems more poular too nowadays.Easy to use.
Cons: Does have some "bloat" but alot of these can be controlled within the programme.
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26 out of 33 people found this review helpful
Version: Yahoo Messenger 7.0
"Yahoo Messenger V 6 is better then V 7 Voice Chat better Quality then PC-PC Call"
Pros: Pros:
#1- Voicemail Feature is nice.
The only thing new about the Yahoo Messenger 7 is it offers PC to PC calling and user can leave Voicemails for Offline Users. While the Voicemail feature is very usefull...(Go to 'Cons' section)
Cons: Cons:
#1- PC to PC calling has poor sound quality.
#2- Voice Chat feature of earlier versions is NOT available anymore in this new version 7.
#3- PC to PC call did not work for few hours. No information about server problems in Yahoo Help.
(cont)...the PC to PC calling has very low quality sound. It feels like you are talking to someone on Pluto. Sometimes the PC to PC calls never go through. The first time I tried using the PC to PC calling with an online friend, it wrongfully said the "User did not answer". In fact I was chatting with the user and the user never got any rings. I presume the PC to PC Voice Server was down. After a few hours when the PC to PC call did work, the quality was so pathetic, I immedietely realized that the Good-Old voice chat was much better. Unfortunately the new Yahoo Messenger 7 does not have an option to Voice-Chat anymore. So the only way to talk to someone with this new version was the sad PC to PC call. I tried to look for Yahoo messenger 6 setup file in the Yahoo website but none available there. Thanks to Download com I found it here. Im happy with the old version 6 and I can live without the Voicemail feature.
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11 out of 12 people found this review helpful
Version: Yahoo Messenger 7.0
Pros: Despite its presumptuous intrusiveness, it doesn't come with adware like AIM.
Cons: From "Yahoo IM users get more than they bargained for", CNet News.com, September 1, 2005:
"By accepting Yahoo's 'typical' installation of YIM with Voice, it will also download Yahoo's Search Toolbar with anti-spyware and anti-pop-up software, desktop and system tray shortcuts, as well as Yahoo Extras, which will insert Yahoo links into the Internet Explorer browser. The IM client also contains 'live words,' which will automatically show an icon when the user highlights words online and then hyperlink to Yahoo search results, definitions or translation tools. Finally, the installation will alter the users' home page and auto-search functions to point to Yahoo by default.
To avoid these changes, users must actively choose the 'custom' installation and uncheck five boxes."
...
"'This is the first instance where you actually must go and do a custom install to control them from installing other software,' Everett-Church said."
- See all 115 user reviews Write review
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