Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
The email address use for your instant messenger account doesn't have to be the email address that belongs to the same service.
Can I use Yahoo or MSN messenger without Yahoo or MSN mail?
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Yahoo, MSN, and AOL all supply both email and instant messaging programs. Yahoo's email is free, MSN provides both free email with Hotmail and paid services with MSN itself, and AOL requires a subscription for email. But they all have different and incompatible instant messaging programs.
Can you mix and match? Sure!
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Yahoo requires that you create a Yahoo account to use their instant messaging service and with that account comes an email address. But there's nothing that says you have to use it. You can happily ignore your Yahoo email and use Yahoo instant messenger all you want. I do.
MSN requires that you create a Passport account to use MSN Instant Messenger, and a passport account requires an email address. The most common addresses used for happen to be Hotmail accounts. Year ago that was the only option but passports can now be created for any email address. So you can get a free Hotmail account like I did, or not. You can use an MSN email account or something else. It doesn't matter.
AOL Instant Messenger does not require an AOL account. If you have an AOL account, you're set. But if you don't then you can create an AOL sign-in name at any time. And keep using whatever email you use, AOL or not. I do.
And yes, I have instant messaging accounts on all three services and often run all three instant messaging clients at the same time. Again, no problem.
And my email? Not related to any of them. It's completely separate.
Article C1979 - June 2, 2004
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
I had to uninstall the new version of msn messenger as it was causing problems to my PC & was unable to open hotmail. Now I cannot sign into hotmail I think because I don't have messenger but I still need a hotmail, are you able to help. Thanks Lois
Posted by: Lois Burgess at June 21, 2009 9:45 PMhi,
Posted by: Bond at September 4, 2009 10:26 AMCould I use hotmail or any other email address(apart from yahoo id) in
yahoo messenger?
i want to open yahoo mail in gmail. IT is possible ???????????????????
Posted by: basharat at September 17, 2009 11:29 PMI want to use my msn account on yahoo, can it be done?
Posted by: Steve at November 11, 2009 1:39 PMI would like to automatically transfer all my yahoo IM's to MSN...but the list of emails that can be transferred doesnt include Yahoo.....How can I get yahoo on msn instant messenger without having to do it one at a time
Thanks
Posted by: Maggie at January 29, 2011 12:39 PM