Yahoo Messenger

Yahoo! Pager launched on March 9, 1998, an instant messaging (IM) client integrated with Yahoo! services including Yahoo! Chat (more explained in its section below). It included basic messaging support, a buddy list with status message support, the ability to block other users, alerts when a buddies came online, and notifications when a new Yahoo! Mail message arrived.{{Cite web |date=April 19, 2000 |title=Yahoo! |url=http://docs.yahoo.com/docs/pr/release158.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000419063654/http://docs.yahoo.com/docs/pr/release158.html |archive-date=April 19, 2000}} In 2000, the name changed to Yahoo! Messenger.{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2006 |title=Yahoo Visual Timeline 1996–2006 |url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/yahoo-visual-timeline-1996-2006/3306/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011755/https://www.searchenginejournal.com/yahoo-visual-timeline-1996-2006/3306/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Search Engine Journal}}

Version 5.0, released November 2001, introduced IMVironments, an initiative that allowed users to play music and Flash Video clips inside the IM window.{{Cite news |date=October 22, 2001 |title=Yahoo enhances instant messages |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1613221.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125192456/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1613221.stm |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |via=news.bbc.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Messenger 5.0 Review |url=https://www.zdnet.com/product/yahoo-messenger-5-0/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811014824/https://www.zdnet.com/product/yahoo-messenger-5-0/ |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=ZDNet}} Yahoo! partnered with rock band Garbage that provided their single "Androgyny" available to share by users.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ABIEAAAAMBAJ&q=Garbage+Androgyny&pg=PA65 |title=IMS: The New Promo Fad, issue November 10th, 2001 |date=November 10, 2001 |access-date=January 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028212002/https://books.google.com/books?id=ABIEAAAAMBAJ&q=Garbage+Androgyny&pg=PA65 |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |url-status=live}} Other partnerships also made IMVironments for the movie Monsters, Inc., the video game Super Smash Bros. Melee, and the character Hello Kitty, among others.

In August 2002 with the release of version 5.5, the resolution for video calling was increased to a possible 320x240 and 20 frames per second (up from 160x120 and 1 frame per second).{{Cite web |date=August 16, 2002 |title=Yahoo's latest Messenger boosts webcam quality |url=https://www.geek.com/news/yahoos-latest-messenger-boosts-webcam-quality-547824/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070553/https://www.geek.com/news/yahoos-latest-messenger-boosts-webcam-quality-547824/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019}} From October 2002, Yahoo! offered for corporate subscribers a more secure and better (SSL) encrypted IM client, called Yahoo! Messenger Enterprise Edition. It was released with a $30 yearly subscription package in 2003.{{Cite web |last=Pruitt |first=Scarlet |date=October 7, 2002 |title=Yahoo Messenger applies for corporate jobs |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2342673/yahoo-messenger-applies-for-corporate-jobs.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206232321/https://www.networkworld.com/article/2342673/yahoo-messenger-applies-for-corporate-jobs.html |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Network World}}{{Cite web |title=The IM Invasion Instant-messaging providers are targeting corporations in a big way. Does using IM make sense? – May 26, 2003 |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2003/05/26/343100/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212081641/https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2003/05/26/343100/index.htm |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=money.cnn.com}}

Yahoo! Messenger version 6.0 was released in May 2004. It added games, music, photos, and Yahoo! Search, alongside a "stealth" mode.{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2004 |title=Yahoo Releases Yahoo Messenger 6.0 |url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/yahoo-releases-yahoo-messenger-60/604/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011455/https://www.searchenginejournal.com/yahoo-releases-yahoo-messenger-60/604/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Search Engine Journal}} It also debuted Yahoo! Avatars.{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2004 |title=All-New Yahoo! Messenger Offers Exclusive Features, Deeper Integration With Games, Music and Search; Only Service to Offer Customized Radio, Avatars, Audibles |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040426005462/en/All-New-Yahoo%21-Messenger-Offers-Exclusive-Features-Deeper |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212014420/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040426005462/en/All-New-Yahoo%21-Messenger-Offers-Exclusive-Features-Deeper |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=www.businesswire.com}} With the release of version 7.0 in August 2005, the client was now renamed to Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. It had several new features such as VoIP, voicemail, drag-and-drop file and photo sharing, Yahoo! 360° and LAUNCHcast integration, and others.{{Cite web |last=Wenzel |first=Elsa |title=Yahoo Messenger with Voice |url=https://www.cnet.com/reviews/yahoo-messenger-with-voice-preview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070538/https://www.cnet.com/reviews/yahoo-messenger-with-voice-preview/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=CNET}}{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2005 |title=Download of the Day, Part II: Yahoo! Messenger with Voice |url=https://lifehacker.com/download-of-the-day-part-ii-yahoo-messenger-with-voi-122799 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011756/https://lifehacker.com/download-of-the-day-part-ii-yahoo-messenger-with-voi-122799 |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Lifehacker}} It was seen as a challenger against Skype.{{Cite web |date=March 22, 2006 |title=Yahoo Messenger with Voice launches in US |url=https://www.engadget.com/2006/03/22/yahoo-messenger-with-voice-launches-in-us/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011854/https://www.engadget.com/2006/03/22/yahoo-messenger-with-voice-launches-in-us/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Engadget}}

On October 12, 2005, Yahoo! and Microsoft formed an alliance in which Yahoo! Messenger and MSN Messenger (later known as Windows Live Messenger) will be interconnected, allowing users of both communities to communicate and share emoticons and buddy lists with each other.{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Ken |date=October 12, 2005 |title=Official details on Microsoft-Yahoo alliance |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2005/10/1502/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011458/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2005/10/1502/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Ars Technica}}{{Cite web |last=Gohring |first=Nancy |date=July 3, 2006 |title=Yahoo-MSN IM interoperability behind schedule |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2305028/yahoo-msn-im-interoperability-behind-schedule.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206232323/https://www.networkworld.com/article/2305028/yahoo-msn-im-interoperability-behind-schedule.html |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Network World}} The service was enabled on Yahoo! Messenger with Voice 8.0 in July 2006.{{Cite web |last=Reimer |first=Jeremy |date=September 27, 2006 |title=Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Messenger get together |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2006/09/7846/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011120/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2006/09/7846/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Ars Technica}} As of version 8.1, the name switched back to just Yahoo! Messenger.

Beginning in 2006, Yahoo made known its intention to provide a web interface for Yahoo! Messenger, culminating in the Gmail-like web archival and indexing of chat conversations through Yahoo! Mail. However, while Yahoo! Mail integrated much of the rudimentary features of Messenger beginning in 2007, Yahoo did not succeed initially in integrating archival of chat conversations into Mail. Instead, a separate Adobe Flex-based web messenger{{cite web |year=2007 |title=Yahoo! Messenger for the Web |url=http://webmessenger.yahoo.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070505082715/http://webmessenger.yahoo.com/ |archive-date=May 5, 2007 |access-date=July 8, 2010 |publisher=Yahoo! Corporation |format=Adobe Flex |location=Sunnyvale, California}} was released in 2007 with archival of conversations which take place inside the web messenger itself.{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2007 |title=Yahoo Web Messenger – online chat anywhere, anytime! – Kong Technology |url=https://www.kongtechnology.com/2007/05/11/yahoo-web-messenger-online-chat-anywhere-anytime/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206232326/https://www.kongtechnology.com/2007/05/11/yahoo-web-messenger-online-chat-anywhere-anytime/ |archive-date=February 6, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}

File:Yahoo Messenger Vista screenshot.jpg

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2007, Yahoo! Messenger for Vista was introduced, which is a version designed and optimized for Windows Vista. It exploited the new design elements of Vista's Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and introduced a new user interface and features.{{Cite web |title=Yahoo To Preview Messenger For Windows Vista |url=https://www.neowin.net/news/yahoo-to-preview-messenger-for-windows-vista |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011555/https://www.neowin.net/news/yahoo-to-preview-messenger-for-windows-vista |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Neowin}} The application was in a preview beta until finally released for download on December 6, 2007.{{Cite news |last=Oiaga |first=Marius |title=Forget about Windows Live Messenger – Download Yahoo Messenger for Windows Vista |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/Forget-about-Windows-Live-Messenger-Download-Yahoo-Messenger-for-Windows-Vista-73006.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011410/https://news.softpedia.com/news/Forget-about-Windows-Live-Messenger-Download-Yahoo-Messenger-for-Windows-Vista-73006.shtml |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=softpedia}} As of October 24, 2008, Yahoo! Messenger for Vista is no longer available.{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2008 |title=Yahoo! Messenger Blog » Yahoo! Messenger for Vista version is no longer available |url=http://www.ymessengerblog.com/blog/2008/10/24/yahoo-messenger-for-vista-version-is-no-longer-available/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025081340/http://www.ymessengerblog.com/blog/2008/10/24/yahoo-messenger-for-vista-version-is-no-longer-available/ |archive-date=October 25, 2008}}

In May 2007, Yahoo! Messenger for the Web was launched, a browser-based client of the IM service.{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Messenger for the Web launches |url=http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/,%20http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/news/yahoo-messenger-for-the-web-launches.asp |website=VoIP & Gadgets Blog}}{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Messenger for Web is Available Now |url=https://www.technospot.net/blogs/yahoo-messenger-for-web-is-availble-now/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011516/https://www.technospot.net/blogs/yahoo-messenger-for-web-is-availble-now/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}

Yahoo! Messenger version 9 was released in September 2008. It allows the viewing of YouTube videos within the chat window, and integrates with other Yahoo! services such as Flickr.{{Cite web |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |title=Yahoo gets more social with new Messenger 9 beta |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/yahoo-gets-more-social-with-new-messenger-9-beta/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212012735/https://www.cnet.com/news/yahoo-gets-more-social-with-new-messenger-9-beta/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=CNET}}{{Cite web |date=October 30, 2007 |title=Yahoo Messenger 9 Beta Adds Forwarding, Picture Sharing |url=https://lifehacker.com/yahoo-messenger-9-beta-adds-forwarding-picture-sharing-316630 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011524/https://lifehacker.com/yahoo-messenger-9-beta-adds-forwarding-picture-sharing-316630 |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=Lifehacker}}{{Cite web |title=Yahoo Messenger 9 Beta Includes Flickr/YouTube Integration |url=http://cybernetnews.com/yahoo-messenger-9-beta-includes-flickryoutube-integration/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011431/http://cybernetnews.com/yahoo-messenger-9-beta-includes-flickryoutube-integration/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=cybernetnews.com}} This version also saw the release of Pingbox, which embeds on a blog or website and allows visitors to send IM texts anonymously without needing Yahoo! Messenger software or to sign in.{{Cite web |date=September 24, 2008 |title=Yahoo! Messenger Blog » Bye bye Beta – Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 launches |url=http://www.ymessengerblog.com/blog/2008/09/23/bye-bye-beta-%E2%80%93-yahoo-messenger-90-launches/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924095815/http://www.ymessengerblog.com/blog/2008/09/23/bye-bye-beta-%E2%80%93-yahoo-messenger-90-launches/ |archive-date=September 24, 2008}} Version 10, released November 2009, incorporates many bug fixes and features high-quality video calling.{{Cite web |last=Kainth |first=Davinder Singh |date=August 25, 2009 |title=Download Yahoo Messenger 10 Beta for full screen video chatting |url=http://www.tothepc.com/archives/yahoo-messenger-10-beta-hq-full-screen-video-chat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070622/http://www.tothepc.com/archives/yahoo-messenger-10-beta-hq-full-screen-video-chat/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}

The last major Windows client release, version 11 in 2011, featured integration with Facebook, Twitter and Zynga, allowing chat with Facebook friends and playing Zynga games within. It also archives past messages on an online server which is accessible through the client.{{Cite news |last=Parfeni |first=Lucian |title=Download Yahoo Messenger 11 Beta with Games, Facebook and Simultaneous Sign-ins |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/Download-Yahoo-Messenger-11-Beta-with-Games-Facebook-and-Simultaneous-Sign-ins-166972.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070550/https://news.softpedia.com/news/Download-Yahoo-Messenger-11-Beta-with-Games-Facebook-and-Simultaneous-Sign-ins-166972.shtml |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=softpedia}} Version 11.5 (released November 2011) added tabbed IMs.{{Cite web |title=Spam Check |url=http://bpchildren.org/~yahoo-messenger/old-version/368254/11.5.0.152/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028211959/http://bpchildren.org/~yahoo-messenger/old-version/368254/11.5.0.152/ |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=February 10, 2019 |website=bpchildren.org}}

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File:New_Yahoo_Messenger_screenshot.png

In December 2015, an all-new, rewritten Yahoo! Messenger was launched, only on mobile and through a browser.{{Cite web |date=December 3, 2015 |title=Yahoo attempts to take on Facebook with reimagined Messenger |url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/12/03/yahoo-messenger/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212001128/https://www.engadget.com/2015/12/03/yahoo-messenger/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 11, 2019 |website=Engadget}}{{Cite web |date=December 3, 2015 |title=Yahoo Messenger Is Now A Mobile Messenger Like The 18 You're Already Using |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/12/03/yahoo-messenger-is-now-a-mobile-messenger-like-the-18-youre-already-using/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028212004/https://geo.moatads.com/n.js?e=35&qn=%604%7BZEYwoqI%24%5BK%2BdLLU)%2CMm~tB%23a.%5BMhS%3A15.sn_003etW6~P6Jn)s)wC%24GL3jX%7BQqDOJ%3Eoy)G3p%2FhFjrR8whh%2B%7D%407%25w_2C%3FP%3ElK%3DbH%2FH%40%26%2Bc%5B5IUOG(%2CWV%7BGrV~1HmDkP8D4rUDtmxT%3Bwv%40V374BKm55%3D%261fp%5BoU5tWhX%3C%3Ce%24%26~1%3Axkr%5BUe31k5X%5BG%5E%5B)%2C2iVSX%3C_Y%7B!7IQ3HbmUZzCFm%5Du!x2l.uBlTVU%2F.%3Dh%3FtDJq%409BG&th=4007238046&tf=nMzjG---CSa7H-fUfHv-j7VIQD-xFQTS-nMzjG-&vi=111111&rc=0%2C1%2C0%2C3%2CChrome%20PDF%20Plugin*Chrome%20PDF%20Viewer*Native%20Client%2C1%2C4%2C0%2Cprobably%2Cprobably&os=&qp=10000&is=BBBBB2BBEYBvGl2BBCBBtUTBBRmsqbKW8BsrBu0rCFE48CRBeeBS2hWTMBBQeQBBn2soYggyUig0CBlWZ0uBBCCCCCCOgRBBiOfnE6Bkg7OxBb8MxOtJYHCBdm5kBhBBC9Y8oBXckXBR76iUUsJBCBBBBBBBBBWBSqj3BBBZeGV2BBBCMciUBBBjgEBBBBBB94UMgTdJMtEcpMBBBQBBBniOccBBBBBB47kNwxBbBBBBBBBBBhcjG6BBJM2L4Bk8BwCBQmIoRBBCzBz1BBCTClBBrbGBC4ehueB57NG9aJeRzBqEKiuwBBBB&iv=8&qt=0&gz=0&hh=0&hn=0&tw=%25qIbJm5R%5BG&qc=10&qd=10&qf=1100&qe=784&qh=1100&qg=900&qm=0&qa=1600&qb=1000&qi=1600&qj=1000&to=000&po=1-0020002000002120&vy=ot%24b%5Bh%40%22oD%7BMx5%3C1%3B(8.%7CLK2_v%5Eq%2BGs1%7B%2CyB%3AU!%2FoD%7BMx5%3C1%3B(Oy%2CUy%3CD&ql=%3B%5BpwxnRd%7Dt%3Aal9EU%22y%2F.D%5B5%2F%5BGI%3Fi6%5EB61%2F%3DSqcMr1%7B%2CTu9LJJ(a.P%2B)s1(uA&qo=0&qr=0&i=ADTECHBRANDS1&hp=1&wf=0&vb=-1&cm=1&kq=1&hq=0&hs=0&hu=0&hr=0&ht=1&dnt=0&bq=0&f=0&j=&t=1635456003845&de=808642269465&m=0&ar=da8ed23e15-clean&iw=7e8212f&q=2&cb=0&ym=0&cu=1635456003845&ll=24&lm=0&ln=1&r=0&em=0&en=0&d=11103363%3A11103827%3A26813645%3A-&zMoatBannerInfo=496334711&zGSRC=1&gu=https%3A%2F%2Ftechcrunch.com%2F2015%2F12%2F03%2Fyahoo-messenger-is-now-a-mobile-messenger-like-the-18-youre-already-using%2F&id=1&ii=4&zMoatS1=5113&zMoatS2=125930&zMoatS3=0&zMoatS4=3739766&zMoatAlias=93484975&zMoatMagicNum=undefined&gw=adtechbrands092348fjlsmdhlwsl239fh3df&fd=1&ac=1&it=500&ti=0&ih=1&pe=1%3A1028%3A1028%3A0%3A1870&fs=182630&na=1377645791&cs=0&callback=DOMlessLLDcallback_60306956 |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=October 28, 2021}} A desktop version of the "new" Messenger was later released,{{Cite web |title=Computing - The UK's leading source for the analysis of business technology |url=https://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/download-review/2466234/new-yahoo-messenger-for-windows |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212013409/https://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/download-review/2466234/new-yahoo-messenger-for-windows |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 11, 2019}} shortly before the "legacy" Messenger shut down on August 5, 2016{{Cite web |date=June 11, 2016 |title=Say goodbye to the old Yahoo Messenger on August 5th |url=https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/10/goodbye-old-yahoo-messenger/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210051335/https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/10/goodbye-old-yahoo-messenger/ |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |access-date=February 11, 2019 |website=Engadget}}{{cite web |last=Akolawala |first=Tasneem |date=June 13, 2016 |title=Old Yahoo Messenger App to Shut Down on August 5 |url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/old-yahoo-messenger-app-to-shut-down-on-august-5-848476 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613223213/http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/old-yahoo-messenger-app-to-shut-down-on-august-5-848476 |archive-date=June 13, 2016 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |publisher=NDTV}} and the clients no longer working by August 31, 2016.{{cite news |last1=Gloystein |first1=Hennings |date=August 5, 2016 |title=Oil traders prepare fond farewells to Yahoo Messenger |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-oil-traders-yahoo-idUKKCN10J0SO |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220084825/https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-oil-traders-yahoo-idUKKCN10J0SO |archive-date=February 20, 2020 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |publisher=Reuters}}

Unable to find success like in the older days, Yahoo! eventually announced that the new Yahoo! Messenger service will shut down on July 18, 2018.{{Cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |date=2018-06-08 |title=Yahoo Messenger is shutting down on July 17, redirects users to group messaging app Squirrel |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/08/yahoo-messenger-is-shutting-down-on-july-17-redirects-users-to-group-messaging-app-squirrel/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

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Mobile versions of Yahoo! Messenger were launched originally for Palm OS and Windows CE devices.{{cite web |date=April 5, 2002 |title=Download Yahoo! Messenger Now |url=http://messenger.yahoo.com/messenger/download/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020405191828/http://messenger.yahoo.com/messenger/download/index.html |archive-date=April 5, 2002 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |website=Yahoo! Messenger}} In a deal signed March 2000, Yahoo! Messenger would come bundled on Palm handheld computers.{{cite web |date=March 21, 2000 |title=Yahoo! And Palm Team To Deliver Web Services To Palm Handheld Computers |url=http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=173769 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060910101936/http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=173769 |archive-date=September 10, 2006 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |publisher=Yahoo!}} It was also available for Verizon Wireless customers, through a deal with Yahoo! announced in March 2001,{{cite web |date=March 20, 2001 |title=Yahoo! Everywhere And Verizon Wireless Team To Offer Yahoo! Messenger For Verizon Wireless Mobile Web Subscribers |url=https://www.altaba.com/news-releases/news-release-details/yahoo-everywhere-and-verizon-wireless-team-offer-yahoo-messenger |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428045517/https://www.altaba.com/news-releases/news-release-details/yahoo-everywhere-and-verizon-wireless-team-offer-yahoo-messenger |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |access-date=August 2, 2019 |publisher=Altaba}} and through Sprint's MiniBrowser.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} A version for the T-Mobile Sidekick II was released in 2004.{{cite web |last=Aquino |first=Grace |date=October 5, 2014 |title=Sidekick's Worthy Update |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/117960/article.html |access-date=September 2, 2019 |website=PC World}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} This was to be followed by versions for Symbian (via Yahoo! Go),{{cite web |last=Blandford |first=Rafe |date=January 6, 2006 |title=Yahoo! Go! – Mobile Data Syncing Solution Announced |url=http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/Yahoo_Go-Mobile_Data_Syncing_Solution_Announced.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011614/http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/Yahoo_Go-Mobile_Data_Syncing_Solution_Announced.php |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=September 2, 2019 |website=allaboutsymbian.com}} BlackBerry,{{Cite news |last=Popa |first=Bogdan |title=New Version of Yahoo Messenger Available. Free Download Here! |url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Version-Of-Yahoo-Messenger-Available-Free-Download-Here-64418.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011350/https://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Version-Of-Yahoo-Messenger-Available-Free-Download-Here-64418.shtml |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 11, 2019 |website=softpedia}} and then for iPhone in April 2009.{{Cite web |last=Dolcourt |first=Jessica |title=Yahoo Messenger gets its own iPhone app |url=https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/yahoo-messenger-gets-its-own-iphone-app/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629055532/https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/yahoo-messenger-gets-its-own-iphone-app/ |archive-date=June 29, 2018 |access-date=February 6, 2020 |website=Download.com}} A version called Yahoo! Messenger for SMS also existed, which allowed IM via SMS.{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2004 |title=Yahoo! Mobile |url=http://mobile.yahoo.com/messenger |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040603194717/http://mobile.yahoo.com/messenger |archive-date=June 3, 2004}} As of January 2014, the iOS version supported voice calls, with video calling on some devices.{{cite web |title=iTunes: Yahoo Messenger – Apple |url=https://itunes.apple.com/GB/app/id309219097?mt=8&affId=1758689 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017055828/https://itunes.apple.com/GB/app/id309219097?mt=8&affId=1758689 |archive-date=October 17, 2015 |access-date=January 1, 2014 |website=iTunes}} The Android version supported "voice & video calls (beta)".{{cite web |title=Yahoo Messenger – Android |url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.im&rdid=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.im&rdot=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106030336/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.im&rdid=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.im&rdot=1 |archive-date=January 6, 2014 |access-date=January 1, 2014}}

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Yahoo! Together was a freeware and cross-platform messaging service, developed by Yahoo!{{cite web |title=Yahoo Together will be discontinued – Yahoo Help – SLN29200 |url=https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN29200.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111225134/https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN29200.html |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |access-date=May 5, 2019 |website=Yahoo Help}} for the Android and iOS mobile platforms.{{cite web |title=Together – Yahoo Mobile |url=https://mobile.yahoo.com/together?guccounter=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201065407/https://mobile.yahoo.com/together?guccounter=1 |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |access-date=May 5, 2019 |website=mobile.yahoo.com}} The software was introduced in beta on May 8, 2018, as Yahoo! Squirrel to replace Yahoo! Messenger and Verizon Media's AOL Instant Messenger.{{cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |date=May 8, 2018 |title=Yahoo is testing Squirrel, an invite-only group messaging app |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/08/yahoo-is-testing-squirrel-an-invite-only-group-messaging-app/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028212011/https://geo.moatads.com/n.js?e=35&qn=%604%7BZEYwoqI%24%5BK%2BdLLU)%2CMm~tR%23b.%5BMhS%3A15.sn_003etW6~P6Jn)s)wC%24GL3jX%7BQqDOJ%3Eoy)G3p%2FhFjrR8whh%2B%7D%407%25w_2C%3FP%3ElK%3DbH%2FH%40%26%2Bc%5B5IUOG(%2CWV%7BGrV~1HmDkP8D4rUDtmxT%3Bwv%40V374BKm55%3D%261fp%5BoU5tWhX%3C%3Ce%24%26~1%3Axkr%5BUe31k5X%5BG%5E%5B)%2C2iVSX%3C_Y%7B!7IQ3HbmUZzCFm%5Du!x2l.uBlTVU%2F.%3Dh%3FtDJq%409BG&th=4007238046&tf=nMzjG---CSa7H-fUfHv-j7VIQD-xFQTS-nMzjG-&vi=111111&rc=0%2C1%2C0%2C3%2CChrome%20PDF%20Plugin*Chrome%20PDF%20Viewer*Native%20Client%2C1%2C4%2C0%2Cprobably%2Cprobably&os=&qp=10000&is=BBBBB2BBEYBvGl2BBCBBtUTBBRmsqbKW8BsrBu0rCFE48CRBeeBS2hWTMBBQeQBBn2soYggyUig0CBlWZ0uBBCCCCCCOgRBBiOfnE6Bkg7OxBb8MxOtJYHCBdm5kBhBBC9Y8oBXckXBR76iUUsJBCBBBBBBBBBWBSqj3BBBZeGV2BBBCMciUBBBjgEBBBBBB94UMgTdJMtEcpMBBBQBBBniOccBBBBBB47kNwxBbBBBBBBBBBhcjG6BBJM2L4Bk8BwCBQmIoRBBCzBz1BBCTClBBrbGBC4ehueB57NG9aJeRzBqEKiuwBBBB&iv=8&qt=0&gz=0&hh=0&hn=0&tw=%3BGs1.(%22SbR&qc=10&qd=10&qf=1055&qe=6049&qh=1100&qg=900&qm=0&qa=1600&qb=1000&qi=1600&qj=1000&to=000&po=1-0020002000002120&vy=ot%24b%5Bh%40%22oD%7BMx5%3C1%3B(8.%7CLK2_v%5Eq%2BGs1%7B%2CyB%3AU!%2FoD%7BMx5%3C1%3B(Oy%2CUy%3CD&ql=%3B%5BpwxnRd%7Dt%3Aal9EU%22y%2F.D%5B5%2F%5BGI%3Fi6%5EB61%2F%3DSqcMr1%7B%2CTu9LJJ(a.P%2B)s1(uA&qo=0&qr=0&i=ADTECHBRANDS1&hp=1&wf=0&vb=-1&cm=1&kq=1&hq=0&hs=0&hu=0&hr=0&ht=1&dnt=0&bq=0&f=0&j=&t=1635456009759&de=830775526654&m=0&ar=da8ed23e15-clean&iw=7e8212f&q=2&cb=0&ym=0&cu=1635456009759&ll=16&lm=0&ln=1&r=0&em=0&en=0&d=11103363%3A11103827%3A26813648%3A-&zMoatBannerInfo=496334712&zGSRC=1&gu=https%3A%2F%2Ftechcrunch.com%2F2018%2F05%2F08%2Fyahoo-is-testing-squirrel-an-invite-only-group-messaging-app%2F&id=1&ii=4&zMoatS1=5113&zMoatS2=125930&zMoatS3=0&zMoatS4=3739766&zMoatAlias=93484975&zMoatMagicNum=undefined&gw=adtechbrands092348fjlsmdhlwsl239fh3df&fd=1&ac=1&it=500&ti=0&ih=1&pe=1%3A2167%3A2167%3A0%3A4310&fs=182630&na=1005211100&cs=0&callback=DOMlessLLDcallback_70133969 |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=May 5, 2019 |website=TechCrunch}}{{cite web |last=Hager |first=Ryne |date=May 8, 2018 |title=Yahoo just released a group chat app called Squirrel |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/05/07/yahoo-just-released-group-chat-app-called-squirrel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505163412/https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/05/07/yahoo-just-released-group-chat-app-called-squirrel/ |archive-date=May 5, 2019 |access-date=May 5, 2019 |website=Android Police}} In October 2018, it was renamed to its present name.{{cite web |last=Lovejoy |first=Ben |date=October 4, 2018 |title=Squirrel relaunched as Yahoo Together, a Slack-like chat app for family and friends |url=https://9to5mac.com/2018/10/04/yahoo-together/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505163416/https://9to5mac.com/2018/10/04/yahoo-together/ |archive-date=May 5, 2019 |access-date=May 5, 2019 |website=9to5Mac}} Yahoo! Together was targeted to families and the consumer market rather than enterprise.{{cite web |last=Thornton |first=Bob |date=October 4, 2018 |title=Yahoo Together – Group Chat 1.5 |url=https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/download/social-networking/yahoo-together-group-chat-15-3331631/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011117/https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/download/social-networking/yahoo-together-group-chat-15-3331631/ |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=March 18, 2019 |website=Tech Advisor}} The app was compared to Slack.{{cite web |last=Bedford |first=Tom |date=October 5, 2018 |title=Yahoo Together is the new Slack-like business messaging app you'll never use |url=https://www.alphr.com/go/1010007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028212000/https://www.alphr.com/realworld/68204/go-faster-server/ |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=May 5, 2019 |website=Alphr}} Less than a year after its public beta release, Yahoo! Together went offline on April 4, 2019.

File:Yahoochat.png

Yahoo! Messenger allowed private group conversations. Yahoo! Chat was a free online chat room service provided exclusively for Yahoo! users. Yahoo! Chat was first launched on January 7, 1997. Yahoo! Chat was a separate vertical on Yahoo!. On March 9, 1998, the first public version of Yahoo! Pager was released, with Yahoo! Chat among its features. It allowed users to create public chat rooms, send private messages, and use emoticons.

In its original form, Yahoo! Chat was a user-to-user text chat service used by millions worldwide. Soon after launch, Yahoo! Chat partnered with NBC and NewsCorp to produce moderated Chat Events. Yahoo! Chat events eventually developed broadcast partnerships with 100+ entities and hosted 350+ events-a-month. Yahoo's Live Chat with the music group Hanson on July 21, 1998, was the Internet's largest live event to date. The blockbusters kept on with events including 3 Beatles (Paul, George, Ringo), a live event from Columbine during the tragedy (in partnership with Time Online), live chats from outer space with John Glenn and many others. Sadly, in one of Yahoo's poorer decisions, Yahoo! Chat Events were discontinued in 2001, right at the start of the social media era.

In June 2005, with no advance warning, Yahoo disabled users' ability to create their own chat rooms. The move came after KPRC-TV in Houston, Texas, reported that many of the user-created rooms were geared toward pedophilia. The story prompted several advertisers, including Pepsi and Georgia-Pacific, to pull their ads from Yahoo.{{cite web |last=Stith |first=John |date=June 24, 2005 |title=Yahoo Yanks Pedophile Chat After Ads Get Yanked |url=http://www.webpronews.com/yahoo-yanks-pedophile-chat-after-ads-get-yanked-2005-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402200804/http://www.webpronews.com/yahoo-yanks-pedophile-chat-after-ads-get-yanked-2005-06 |archive-date=April 2, 2012 |publisher=Webpronews.com}}

On November 30, 2012, Yahoo announced that among other changes that the public chat rooms would be discontinued as of December 14, 2012.{{cite web |title=Yahoo Messenger public chat rooms discontinuing on Dec. 14th |url=http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?page=content&y=PROD_MSNG&locale=en_US&id=SLN8407 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205012501/http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?page=content&y=PROD_MSNG&locale=en_US&id=SLN8407 |archive-date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=December 1, 2012}}{{cite web |title=Change is in the Air: Updates to Yahoo Messenger Features |url=http://www.ymessengerblog.com/blog/2012/11/30/updates-to-yahoo-messenger-features/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204065145/http://www.ymessengerblog.com/blog/2012/11/30/updates-to-yahoo-messenger-features |archive-date=December 4, 2012 |access-date=December 1, 2012}} quoting "This will enable us to refocus our efforts on modernizing our core Yahoo products experiences and of course, create new ones

Yahoo has since closed down the chat.yahoo.com site (first having it redirect visitors to a section of the Yahoo! Messenger page, but as of June 2019 not even resolving that host name anymore) because the great majority of chat users accessed it through Messenger. The company worked for a while on a way to allow users to create their own rooms while providing safeguards against abuse{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}. A greyed-out option to "create a room" was available until the release of version 11.

There were various games and applications available that can be accessed via the conversation window by clicking the games icon and challenging your current contact. It requires Java to function. As of April 18, 2014, games were removed from Yahoo! Messenger.{{cite web |date=November 20, 2014 |title=State of the Yahoo! Multiplayer Parlor Games |url=https://games.yahoo.com/news/state-of-the-yahoo--multiplayer-parlor-games-232214943.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407105339/https://games.yahoo.com/news/state-of-the-yahoo--multiplayer-parlor-games-232214943.html |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |work=Yahoo Games}}

Doodle was a feature within Yahoo! Messenger. It’s unknown when it was released, but some believe it was alongside Yahoo! Messenger’s initial release. Doodle let users draw while messaging. People loved Doodle, because it allowed conversations to have more expression than the regular text and emoticons messages. It supported more than two participants, allowing group chats to draw together. Yahoo! Messenger was a pioneer of online messaging, which made Doodle and its collaborative features, popular and loved globally.

In version 8.0, Yahoo! Messenger featured the ability for users to create plug-ins, which are then hosted and showcased on the Yahoo chat room. Yahoo! Messenger users could listen to free and paid Internet radio services, using the defunct Yahoo! Music Radio plug-in from within the messenger window. The plug-in also player functionality, such as play, pause, skip and rate this song.

The Yahoo! Messenger Protocol (YMSG) was the client's underlying network protocol. It provided a language and series of conventions for software communicating with Yahoo!'s Instant Messaging service. In essence, YMSG performed the same role for Yahoo!'s IM as HTTP does for the World Wide Web. Unlike HTTP, however, YMSG was a proprietary protocol, a closed standard aligned only with the Yahoo! messaging service. Rival messaging services have their own protocols, some based on open standards, others proprietary, each effectively fulfilling the same role with different mechanics.{{cite web |last1=Cui |first1=Weidong |last2=Kannan |first2=Jayanthkumar |last3=Wang |first3=Helen |date=2007 |title=Discoverer: Automatic Protocol Reverse Engineering from Network Traces |url=https://www.usenix.org/legacy/event/sec07/tech/full_papers/cui/cui.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813192428/https://www.usenix.org/legacy/event/sec07/tech/full_papers/cui/cui.pdf |archive-date=August 13, 2017 |access-date=August 1, 2020 |publisher=USENIX Association |via=Google Scholar}}{{cite web |last1=Jennings III |first1=Raymond |last2=Nahum |first2=Erich |last3=Olshefski |first3=David |last4=Saha |first4=Debanjan |last5=Shae |first5=Zon-Yin |last6=Waters |first6=Chris |date=2006 |title=A Study of Internet Instant Messaging and Chat Protocols |url=http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~nahum/papers/ieee-network-instant-messaging.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826222139/http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~nahum/papers/ieee-network-instant-messaging.pdf |archive-date=August 26, 2018 |access-date=August 1, 2020 |publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |via=Google Scholar}}

One of the fundamental tenets of instant messaging is the notion that users can see when someone is connected to the network—known in the industry as 'presence'. The YMSG protocol used the mechanics of a standard internet connection to achieve presence—the same connection it used to send and receive data. In order for each user to remain 'visible' to other users on the service, and thereby signaling their availability, their Yahoo! IM client software maintained a functional, open, network connection linking the client to Yahoo!'s IM servers.

Yahoo! Messenger's installation process automatically installed an extra uniform resource identifier (URI) scheme handler for the Yahoo! Messenger Protocol into some web browsers, so that URIs beginning ymsgr could open a new Yahoo! Messenger window with specified parameters. This is similar in function to the mailto URI scheme, which creates a new e-mail message using the system's default mail program. For instance, a web page might include a link like the following in its HTML source to open a window for sending a message to the YIM user exampleuser:

<a href="ymsgr:sendim?exampleuser">Send Message</a>

To specify a message body, the m parameter was used, so that the link location might look like this:

ymsgr:sendim?exampleuser&m=This+is+my+message

Other commands were:

• ymsgr:sendim?yahooid
• ymsgr:addfriend?yahooid
• ymsgr:sendfile?yahooid
• ymsgr:call?yahooid
• ymsgr:callPhone?phonenumber
• ymsgr:im – opened the "Send an IM" window
• ymsgr:customstatus?A+custom+status – changed the status message
• ymsgr:getimv?imvname – loaded an IMVironment (example: ymsgr:getimv?doodle, ymsgr:getimv?yfighter)

On October 13, 2005, Yahoo and Microsoft announced plans to introduce interoperability between their two messengers, creating the second-largest real-time communications service userbase worldwide: 40 percent of all users.{{cite web |last=Fisher |first=Ken |date=October 12, 2005 |title=Official details on Microsoft-Yahoo alliance |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2005/10/1502/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428045726/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2005/10/1502/ |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |access-date=April 24, 2019 |website=Ars Technica}}{{cite web |last=Gohring |first=Nancy |date=July 3, 2006 |title=Yahoo-MSN IM interoperability behind schedule |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/840695/software-yahoo-msn-im-interoperability-behind-schedule.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426185107/https://www.networkworld.com/article/840695/software-yahoo-msn-im-interoperability-behind-schedule.html |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |access-date=April 24, 2019 |publisher=Network World}} The announcement came after years of third-party interoperability success (most notably, Trillian and Pidgin) and criticisms that the major real-time communications services were locking their networks. Microsoft has also had talks with AOL in an attempt to introduce further interoperability, but AOL was unwilling to participate.

Interoperability between Yahoo and Windows Live Messenger was launched July 12, 2006. This allowed Yahoo and Windows Live Messenger users to chat to each other without the need to create an account on the other service, provided both contacts used the latest versions of the clients. It was not possible to talk using the voice service between the two different messengers.

As of December 14, 2012, the interoperability between Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger ceased to exist. The Live Messenger contacts appeared as greyed out and it was not possible to send instant messages to them.

Third-party clients that could access the original service included:

{{div col|colwidth=18em}}

• Adium
• BitlBee
• Centericq
• Empathy
• Fire
• imeem
• IMVU
• Kopete
• meebo
• Meetro
• Miranda NG
• Paltalk
• Pidgin
• Trillian
• Trillian Astra
• Trillian Pro
• Windows Live Messenger

{{div col end}}

As of August 2000, according to Media Metrix, Yahoo! Messenger had about 10.6 million users in the U.S., about the same as MSN Messenger but trailing AOL Instant Messenger. However another analyst doubted the figures for Yahoo! and MSN.{{cite news |last=DiSabatino |first=Jennifer |date=November 16, 2000 |title=Report: Yahoo, MSN catching up with AOL in instant messaging |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2589271/networking/report--yahoo--msn-catching-up-with-aol-in-instant-messaging.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011641/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2589271/networking/report--yahoo--msn-catching-up-with-aol-in-instant-messaging.html |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=April 24, 2019 |work=Computerworld}}

As of the month of September 2001, over five billion instant messages were sent on the network, up 115% from the year before, according to Media Metrix.{{cite web |date=October 22, 2001 |title=Yahoo enhances instant messages |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1613221.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028211957/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1613221.stm |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |access-date=April 24, 2019 |work=BBC News}} Another study in August 2002 showed that it had a 16.7 percent share of IM work and home subscribers in the U.S., compared to 24.1 percent for MSN and 28.3 percent for AIM.{{cite web |last=Hu |first=Jim |date=August 15, 2002 |title=New Yahoo IM pushes video, 'emoticons' |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-yahoo-im-pushes-video-emoticons/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512132854/https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-yahoo-im-pushes-video-emoticons/ |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |access-date=April 24, 2019 |website=ZDNet}}

In April 2002, 19.1 million people in the U.S. used Yahoo! Messenger, according to Media Metrix.{{cite web |last=Hu |first=Jim |date=June 10, 2002 |title=Yahoo fills in Messenger hole |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/yahoo-fills-in-messenger-hole/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428070627/https://www.cnet.com/news/yahoo-fills-in-messenger-hole/ |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |access-date=April 25, 2019 |website=CNET}} Another study from Nielsen Net Ratings showed that as of 2002, Yahoo! Messenger had some 12 million users worldwide. This increased to 22 million by March 2006.{{cite web |last=Reimer |first=Jeremy |date=September 27, 2006 |title=Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Messenger get together |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2006/09/7846/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428044908/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2006/09/7846/ |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |access-date=April 25, 2019 |website=Ars Technica}}

Yahoo! Messenger was the dominant instant messaging platform among certain energy traders until the platform was discontinued in August 2016.{{cite web |last=Hoffman |first=Andy |date=June 2, 2016 |title=These May Be the Only People Who Want Yahoo to Thrive |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-01/oil-traders-may-be-the-only-people-who-want-yahoo-to-thrive |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502204153/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-01/oil-traders-may-be-the-only-people-who-want-yahoo-to-thrive |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |access-date=April 25, 2019 |publisher=Bloomberg News}}

At the time of Yahoo! Messenger's closure in 2018, it remained popular in Vietnam.{{cite web |date=June 11, 2018 |title=End of an Era: Yahoo Messenger Will Be Discontinued on July 17 |url=https://saigoneer.com/saigon-technology/13577-end-of-an-era-yahoo-messenger-will-be-discontinued-on-july-17 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011352/https://saigoneer.com/saigon-technology/13577-end-of-an-era-yahoo-messenger-will-be-discontinued-on-july-17 |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=April 25, 2019 |website=saigoneer.com}}{{cite web |author=Thế Anh |date=June 10, 2018 |title=Cộng đồng mạng tiếc nuối chia sẻ hình ảnh 'bá đạo' về Yahoo Messenger |trans-title=The online community regrettably shared the image of "humane" about Yahoo Messenger |url=https://znews.vn/cong-dong-mang-tiec-nuoi-chia-se-hinh-anh-ba-dao-ve-yahoo-messenger-post850071.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011235/https://news.zing.vn/cong-dong-mang-tiec-nuoi-chia-se-hinh-anh-ba-dao-ve-yahoo-messenger-post850071.html |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=April 25, 2019 |website=Zing.vn |language=vi}}

{{Expand section|date=December 2024}}

Yahoo! Messenger users were subjected to unsolicited messages (SPIM).{{cite web |date=November 2007 |title=Tired of Yahoo Messenger Spam? |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Tired-of-Yahoo-Messenger-Spam-69788.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608021911/http://news.softpedia.com/news/Tired-of-Yahoo-Messenger-Spam-69788.shtml |archive-date=June 8, 2012 |access-date=June 9, 2012 |publisher=News.softpedia.com}}Larry Dignan of Zdnet described the spam as becoming [http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=6833 insufferable] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080114013036/http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=6833|date=January 14, 2008}}. Yahoo's primary solution to the issue involved deleting such messages and placing the senders on an Ignore List.{{cite web |title=Messenger Help - |url=http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?locale=en_US&y=PROD_MSNG&page=content&id=SLN607 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730063342/http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?page=content&y=PROD_MSNG&locale=en_US&id=SLN607 |archive-date=July 30, 2013 |access-date=March 3, 2013 |work=yahoo.com}}

{{As of|2007}}, it was estimated that at least 75% of all users who used Yahoo chat rooms were bots.{{cite web |last=Simpson |first=Chet |title=SPAM Statistics for March 2007 |url=http://www.chatspam.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503092120/http://www.chatspam.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=2 |archive-date=May 3, 2009 |access-date=January 13, 2010 |publisher=Instant Messenger Anti-Spam Resource Center}} Yahoo introduced a CAPTCHA system to help filter out bots from joining chat rooms, but such systems generally do little to prevent abuse by spammers.{{cite web |title=Measurement and Classification of Humans and Bots in Internet Chat |url=http://www.usenix.org/events/sec08/tech/full_papers/gianvecchio/gianvecchio_html/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828034156/http://www.usenix.org/events/sec08/tech/full_papers/gianvecchio/gianvecchio_html/index.html |archive-date=August 28, 2009 |access-date=January 13, 2010}}

On November 4, 2014, the Electronic Frontier Foundation listed Yahoo! Messenger on its "Secure Messaging Scorecard". Yahoo! Messenger received 1 out of 7 points on the scorecard. It received a point for encryption during transit, but missed points because communications were not encrypted with a key the provider didn't have access to (i.e. the communications were not end-to-end encrypted), users couldn't verify contacts' identities, past messages were not secure if the encryption keys were stolen (i.e. the service did not provide forward secrecy), the code was not open to independent review (i.e. the source code was not open-source), the security design was not properly documented, and there had not been a recent independent security audit.{{cite web |date=November 4, 2014 |title=Secure Messaging Scorecard. Which apps and tools actually keep your messages safe? |url=https://www.eff.org/node/82654 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728011841/https://www.eff.org/node/82654 |archive-date=July 28, 2016 |access-date=September 28, 2016 |publisher=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}{{cite web |date=November 5, 2014 |title=Only 6 Messaging Apps Are Truly Secure |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2471658,00.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911120946/https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2471658,00.asp |archive-date=September 11, 2017 |access-date=January 8, 2015 |work=PC Magazine}}

The British intelligence agency Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)'s secret mass surveillance program Optic Nerve and National Security Agency (NSA) were reported to be indiscriminately collecting still images from Yahoo webcam streams from millions of mostly innocent Yahoo webcam users from 2008 to 2010, among other things creating a database for facial recognition for future use. Optic Nerve took a still image from the webcam stream every 5 minutes.{{cite web |author=Spencer Ackerman and James Ball |date=February 27, 2014 |title=Yahoo webcam images from millions of users intercepted by GCHQ |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/27/gchq-nsa-webcam-images-internet-yahoo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923234026/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/27/gchq-nsa-webcam-images-internet-yahoo |archive-date=September 23, 2016 |access-date=December 18, 2016 |work=The Guardian}}

In September 2016, The New York Times reported that Yahoo's security team, led by Alex Stamos, had pressed for Yahoo to adopt end-to-end encryption sometime between 2014 and 2015, but this had been resisted by Jeff Bonforte, Yahoo's senior vice president, "because it would have hurt Yahoo's ability to index and search message data".{{cite web |last1=Perlroth |first1=Nicole |last2=Goel |first2=Vindu |date=September 28, 2016 |title=Defending Against Hackers Took a Back Seat at Yahoo, Insiders Say |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/29/technology/yahoo-data-breach-hacking.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928133421/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/29/technology/yahoo-data-breach-hacking.html |archive-date=September 28, 2016 |access-date=September 28, 2016 |website=The New York Times |quote=Jeff Bonforte, the Yahoo senior vice president who oversees its email and messaging services, said in an interview last December that Mr. Stamos and his team had pressed for Yahoo to adopt end-to-end encryption for everything. ... Mr. Bonforte said he resisted the request because it would have hurt Yahoo's ability to index and search message data to provide new user services.}}

• AOL Instant Messenger
• Comparison of cross-platform instant messaging clients
• Comparison of instant messaging protocols
• Comparison of Internet Relay Chat clients
• Facebook Chat
• Instant messaging
• MSN Messenger

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Prone to spam|date=June 2012}}

{{Yahoo! Inc.}}

{{Oath Inc.}}

{{Instant messaging}}

{{URI scheme}}

Category:Discontinued software

Category:BlackBerry software

Category:IOS software

Category:Classic Mac OS instant messaging clients

Category:MacOS instant messaging clients

Category:Symbian instant messaging clients

Category:Windows instant messaging clients

Category:Freeware

Messenger

Category:Yahoo! instant messaging clients

Category:VoIP software

Category:Videotelephony

Category:1998 software

Category:Android (operating system) software

Category:Yahoo! community websites

Category:Internet properties established in 1998

Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2018

Messenger

Category:Defunct instant messaging clients