Or, if the contact is online, you initiate a quick chat session in Yahoo! Mail. Naturally, you'll only do that if the matter is pressing, or if you have time to spare. (I heartily recommend writing a longer email in that latter case as well, though.)
Fortunately, instant messaging is not much different from sending an email in Yahoo! Mail.
Chat with Somebody in Yahoo! Mail
To exchange instant messages with any Yahoo! Instant Messenger or Windows Live Messenger user in Yahoo! Mail:
- Make sure you are singed in to chat.
- If a grey bolt appears next to Online Contacts in your Yahoo! Mail's left navigation bar, click that bolt to make sure it turns yellow.
- If you do not see Online Contacts, you can also click the globe that appears in front of your name in the top left corner of Yahoo! Mail and select Available, Busy or Invisible to Everyone from the list.
- Press i (think instant message).
- You can also select Chat from the Compose Message drop-down menu — click the down arrow first.
- Type the desired user's Yahoo! Messenger ID (or email address) under Start a new instant message..
- Hit Enter.
- Type away.
- Hitting Enter will send the message.
- You can jump to a new line by pressing Alt-Enter.
You can also start a chat by looking for an online contact first:
- Expand Online Contacts in Yahoo! Mail's left navigation pane.
- Now click on the desired contact's name or user name.
- Start typing.
(Updated December 2011)
