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Tips for Yahoo! Messenger for the Mac

May 12, 2009 on 11:52 am | In Mac version | 35 Comments

I don’t post about Yahoo! Messenger for the Mac very often, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorite features/preferences.

Webcam display image: Use your webcam to take a display image picture. Pose for your shot, hit the “Take Snapshot” button and wait for the counter to get to 1 – then smile! To use this feature, go to the Yahoo! Messenger menu, select “Preferences” and then click the Display Image icon in the toolbar. Click on the “Image” option in the center, then click “Webcam” to take your pic.

Hide display images in your contact list: On some days, it can seem like none of my friends have a display image. There’s only so often I can look at an anonymous grey head. So if you like to keep things simple, or just don’t like your friend’s display images, you can hide them on your contact list.

Go to the Yahoo! Messenger menu, select “Preferences” and then click the Display Image icon in the toolbar. Then uncheck the “Show display images in my Messenger list” box.

Apple + n keyboard shortcut: This handy trick brings up a contact search box with auto-filtering, making it easy to find a friend in your list and start a new IM.



Let the music play (or not): Under Preferences > Voice & Calls, you’ll find a checkbox that says “Pause iTunes during calls”. This is checked by default so if you’re grooving when a call comes in, your music will automatically pause. But if you like background tunes while you chat, uncheck it.

What’s your favorite tip or trick in Yahoo! Messenger for Mac?

Sarah Bacon
Product Manager

35 Comments »

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  1. I like the idea of hiding my contacts display image. Would be nice for Windows too

    Comment by Mike G — May 12, 2009 #

  2. Thanks for the Ctrl+N tip.. Saves a ton of time now.

    Comment by Koul — May 12, 2009 #

  3. I would like for you to tell us how to get an updated and full featured version Yahoo Messenger for Mac. One that has all the same features as the Windows version. How many years has 3.0 been in beta now?

    Comment by jeremy — May 13, 2009 #

  4. we want smileys for mac in messenger

    Comment by caro — May 14, 2009 #

  5. I am encountering a problem with Yahoo Messenger, after OSX 10.5.7 update has been installed.

    I use a plantronics USB to do VOIP. After installing the Mac OSX 10.5.7 update, the person to whom I am chatting to has his voice put in fast forward mode! It sounds like as one hears a cassette/CD played in fast forward mode!!

    I tried repairing the permissions. No use. If i plug the headhone in the laptop jack its sounds as normal. But once in the USB jack, horrendous. There is no probs in listening to radio stations on the plantronics usb, so I guess there is no probs there. Also the USB works fine with yahoo messenger in Windows.

    Kindly Advise.

    Thanx.

    Comment by Korak — May 15, 2009 #

  6. I want you to fire everyone that has not mad the mac version even close to what the windows version is. They are wasting company money, most people on mac use audium , this is ad revenue being wasted

    Someone needs to bring yahoo up to standards , no reason you guys should lose out to msn or google for being lazy

    Comment by meh — May 15, 2009 #

  7. for the past two days, Messenger will not open for me. I use two Macs, and neither one will open. I just get the spinning wheel, and when i force quit, the message is “Yahoo is not responding”. I am about to give up on Yahoo…… Is there a particular problem with Yahoo and Mac? I don’t have any problem with anything else…

    Comment by dakota — May 16, 2009 #

  8. I am having the same exact problem as dakota above me. When I login to yahoo messenger, it shows the spinning wheel. It also wouldn’t let me see my IM contacts or change my status. Its very annoying. I’ve tried everything to try to get it back to normal. Its never done this before, but for the last week and a half, it hasn’t been working. Its making me very mad..

    Comment by Ariana — May 16, 2009 #

  9. My favorite feature… is one Yahoo has yet to implement in the mac version. I’ll leave it as a vague reference because there just so many ways the Mac version is lagging behind the Windows version. It’s been 3 YEARS – THREE YEARS – since 3.0 beta one was released. Come on guys. Three years is a lifetime in terms of software development (or in this case, lack there of). And you’re right Sarah, you don’t post about the Mac version much.. obviously the platform isn’t very important to your group.

    Comment by Pat — May 18, 2009 #

  10. And can we finally fix video chats through a firewall and/or NAT traversal…… a typical video call will last 2 to 5 minutes before my cam (behind the firewall) stops communicating to the server. Next try it may last 2 or 3 minutes. Next time I might be lucky and it can last for the duration of the call. I get no indication that my cam is no longer transmitting (being received at the server) – I still see my image quite happily moving… but by carefully watching my output bandwidth and seeing it drop from 7-10 kB/s to zero I can see what has happened (usually about the same time as the recipient notices). At all times I see the far end fine and at a regular throughput (depending on their connection).

    This has been common through all the 3 Betas. If I go to a non-firewalled connection then performance is much better. Right now where I am Skype works fine – why can’t you guys get it right?

    Comment by Dave — May 19, 2009 #

  11. Why the Mac’s Yahoo Messenger doesn’t have all the features??! is Mac less than windows??
    beside the full features I suggest adding a status icon for the mac’s toolbar. PLEASE UPDATE! Thank you…..

    Comment by Sanshiro Sugata — May 19, 2009 #

  12. Yahoo messenger repeatedly crashes after 10.5.7 os update.
    Any reason why yahoo neglects mac or vice versa. Hope somebody finds an alternative to yahoo if things are not rectified.

    Comment by Rick — May 20, 2009 #

  13. When i’m trying to enter to a public chatroom it always says..”To join the chatroom please complete the following verification.” and “Please enter the characters shown….. why i cannot see the…characters shown (blank)….s0 what should I do?!?Help me please….

    Comment by ariff8080 — May 20, 2009 #

  14. Yahoo Messenger keeps crashing with the Mac OS X 10.5.7 update. PLEASE find a fix. Thanks!

    Comment by Shannon — May 20, 2009 #

  15. Yeah, big issues since the recent Mac OS X 10.5.7 upgrade. I haven’t, thankfully, experienced all of the abovementioned issues, but since the OS upgrade, I only get about half a minute (if that) in a chat room before Yahoo! messenger crashes. I’ve tried repairing disk permissions to no avail. Is the Mac market really so insignificant to Yahoo?

    Comment by Patrick — May 20, 2009 #

  16. Hi everyone,

    We are aware of the issues the Mac client is having with OSX 10.5.7, notably sign-in issues and chat room crashes. We are working on them and I will post to the blog when I have more concrete information. Thanks,

    Sarah Bacon

    Comment by Administrator — May 20, 2009 #

  17. @Sarah B.: Thanks! :-)

    Comment by Patrick — May 20, 2009 #

  18. Thanks Sarah! We appreciate the feedback!

    Comment by Shannon — May 20, 2009 #

  19. I have no Problem In Using this.

    Comment by Pak Spectator — May 21, 2009 #

  20. Thanks sarah.. i came here cause i have the same problem. crashes on chatrooms

    Comment by abeg — May 21, 2009 #

  21. Our boss forbids the employees to install any software, I can’t chat with you- friend from Yahoo. WHO can help me?

    Comment by Fiona — May 21, 2009 #

  22. Hi

    How come Y! Messenger for the Mac doesn’t have all the features that are in the Windows version?

    I hope the next update for Y! Messenger for Mac will come soon.

    Thanks.

    Comment by F — May 22, 2009 #

  23. There was a “Classic” skin in the previous Windows version. Why the current version doesn’t have it? I mean that on Mac it looks like ordinary Mac application, but on Windows it looks too different. Why?

    Comment by Rauf — May 22, 2009 #

  24. why would yahell even put this out when you are well aware of the known issues? and a version that replicates windows 3 years ago? mac users should boycott everything yahoo.

    Comment by gary — May 27, 2009 #

  25. how come i can’t play games or call without having to pay as i did on my dell? am i not looking in the right place or does mac just not have these capabilities?! i feel gypped!

    Comment by reno — May 30, 2009 #

  26. I installed the YIM update with voice/mic as did a friend of mine. He’s on an Intel iMac and it works fine. I’m on a G5 Tower with iSight running OS 10.4.11 and I can’t get voice to work. Video works as well as always, and both audio & video works on iChat & AIM. So what’s the problem with YIM? Does it require an Intel Mac? If so, that really bites. Many, if not most Mac users are like me and we hang back a few years before making such a major upgrade as it will be to an Intel Mac. Any suggestions anyone? Different mic/cam? Something not set right somewhere [yes, I have audio input set to iSight on YIM preferences!] Anyone else having this problem?

    Any/all help appreciated.

    Comment by NYMaster2 — June 7, 2009 #

  27. How to show only ONLINE contacts on your messenger list in YM Mac???

    Comment by JB — June 8, 2009 #

  28. @JB: Go to the View menu when you’re in Yahoo! Messenger for Mac and uncheck “Show Offline Contacts”. Or use the keyboard shortcut Apple + j

    Sarah Bacon

    Comment by Administrator — June 8, 2009 #

  29. @ Dakota

    I ish having the excat same problem, I don’t understand why the heck it is doing this either.

    Comment by Mousey — August 13, 2009 #

  30. @Sarah Bacon

    I am a brand-new mac user, having switched from PC just a week ago. I am thoroughly enjoying my experience, but Yahoo! Messenger for Mac is ruining that experience. I’m used to a beautiful, intuitive messenger with features I love to use. This one is functional, but nowhere near the status of its Windows counterpart, something you have no doubt seen mentioned multiple times throughout this page.

    I have also noticed that in your reply above about Yahoo! working on fixing crashes and other bugs, you did not even mention the popular topic of Yahoo! Mac’s consistent and severe lagging behind Yahoo! Messenger for Windows. In my mind this means two possibilities: 1, there is no promising news for us regarding this topic, or 2, Yahoo! IS planning something huge for Yahoo! Messenger for Mac and is just trying to build the suspense or something. I don’t know if either of those are true, but I must say that you will constantly have complaints and heat and maybe even lose users if one version lags behind the other. Apple is a dominant player in the computer game, and it’s not fair to rob them of an opportunity to enjoy the full Yahoo! experience.

    Comment by Wolfe — August 28, 2009 #

  31. Audio stops working in YM Beta Version 3 build 178870 on iMAC using OS X 10.5.8. Actually have always had audio problems with all versions of YM on MAC OS X.

    Am on TDY many miles away from my family. They have Windows XP PC. We use YM to communicate daily. I miss my 8 & 9 year old and they miss me. When chatting the audio regularly falls out. Some days many, many times we have to restart our calls. Any remedy?

    Comment by Greflex — August 30, 2009 #

  32. I’m very disappointed with the YM beta 3.0 for Mac.
    I’m using Mac OS X 10.6 now, and the same old problem that YM beta 3.0 has with the previous versions of Mac still persists in the 10.6. After the 1st use, YM just crashed and automatically quitted.
    It’s even more astonishing for me to read all the feedback and comments that seem to have been going on for years now from Mac-users on the YM beta. Why are you YM programmers so lazy in updating and fixing the vicious circle of YM poor performance on Mac?
    I have been using YM on PC for ages, and just recently switched to Mac. It’s frustrating if I have to give up all my friend list on YM just because of the YM’s crash on Mac!!!

    Comment by Perit Nguyen — October 22, 2009 #

  33. The fixes for mac were last referred to in May. Come on yahoo, get on the ball!!!!

    Comment by Samantha Speiss — November 13, 2009 #

  34. There is a message that I like yahoo.

    Comment by Buy MBT — June 24, 2011 #

  35. how do I hide the offliners in my messenger? in windows you pressed ctrl+h. what is the shortcut on mac?

    Comment by goru — November 30, 2011 #

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