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How can I keep Windows Instant Messenger from signing on automatically?

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Summary: It's easy to keep Windows Instant Messenger from signing in automatically.

How can I keep Windows Instant Messenger from signing on automatically?

My approach would be to turn off the option that starts Windows Instant Messenger when you login . That's at Options, Preferences, Run Windows Messenger when Windows Starts.

Then just run Windows Instant Messenger when you want to, and exit it when you're done.

Related:

  • Ask Leo! - How do I get Messenger to stop logging in automatically?

  • Article C2095 - July 3, 2004

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    Recent Comments
    34 Comments

    That does not work, windows messenger still signs me in automatically.

    Posted by: Lauren at November 18, 2007 12:23 PM

    hi, my windows live messenger keeps signin me out every couple minutes randomly when im talkin to friends, i tryed uninstalling it a reinstalling it, and also tryed repairing it but nothing seems to work, it getting quite annoying, any help would be much apreciated

    Posted by: Kieran at January 16, 2008 9:52 AM

    That was a crappy crappy suggestion, Leo. That's like saying the best way to protect your PIN when it's 1111 is to only pull out your bank card when you need it, NOT MAKE A SECURE PIN.

    Posted by: M at February 9, 2008 8:01 PM

    Crap! My comment bounced off the real answer. You nede to disable the .net crap (and I mean crap) in the Control Panel.

    Posted by: M at February 9, 2008 8:03 PM

    I will bump Carlo's comment as it helped me a lot. Leo, your answer was totally worthless.

    This is the way to stop any version of MSN to log on automatically.
    Go to CONTROL PANEL, and then to USER ACCOUNTS, once there click on ADMINISTRATOR and inside there you will see a tab where it say RELATED TASKS, click in the first one, which is MANAGE MY METWORK PASSWORDS and delete the account who is loging on automatically.
    If it doesn't work, delete the one which say PASSPORT NET

    Posted by: Tom at July 16, 2008 9:55 AM

    Tom, that was the answer I was looking for!!! As you cant stop IM from logging in automatically, once you have accidentally signed in with the 'remember me' ticked, this is the only solution to stop it from signing in with your details. Of course, you might not be the admin account, in which case, just do the same in the account that you want to stop the IM auto sign in.
    Thanks TOM!

    Posted by: bosh at July 22, 2008 12:10 PM

    Thanks Tom u r the real life saver. Leo that was a bad suggestion.

    Posted by: mustafa at August 14, 2008 3:10 AM

    I had to go about it a very very slightly different way:
    Control Panel > User Accounts > Then change the Tab from Users to Advanced > Manage Passwords > Delete the one called Passport Net

    Posted by: J at February 1, 2009 1:26 PM

    my windows live messenger keeps signing me out every couple of minutes saying that i've signed in to another computer what can i do about this problem?

    Posted by: cindy at February 25, 2009 4:16 PM

    Hi

    My wlm keeps signing me out every minute and its really annyoing as i want to chat to my friends.
    i havr tried evrything in the book.
    nothing seems to work
    what can i do
    please help :(

    Posted by: Yasmin at October 25, 2009 10:21 AM

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