MSN Messenger Help

Personalize your MSN Messenger information

You can personalize the way others see you by using these features to make your online presence instantly recognizable and unique.

Please click one:

Show your music to your contacts

Create or change your personal message

Change your display picture

Create a dynamic display picture

Change your display name

You can change your display picture (An image associated with your display name that helps others recognize you. It appears in the main Messenger window, and in all conversation windows. ) to personalize your conversations.

On the Tools menu, click Change Display Picture. (If the menu bar doesn't appear at the top of the conversation window, the window frame may be hidden. Click in the upper left corner of the window, or press ALT to restore it.)
Select a picture from the list.
Optional: Create a display picture from one of your own pictures.
Optional: Create a dynamic display picture.
Click OK.

Tips

You can drag most images onto your background or display picture to quickly change them. MSN Messenger supports the following file formats: JPG, BMP, GIF, and PNG.
When using one of your own pictures as a display picture, the image will be automatically resized to 96 x 96 pixels. For best results, create or select images that are as close to a square as possible. You can use a digital image editing program to change the size and shape of your images before uploading them to MSN Messenger.

Notes

Some features may not be available in your country or region.
If you have billing problems or questions when purchasing MSN Messenger components or services from an MSN content partner, you must contact the content provider directly. Click Help, point to Billing Support, and then click the component or service for which you need billing assistance. MSN Support cannot resolve billing issues with other companies.
MSN Messenger components purchased from MSN content partners can be used only on the same computer and with the same Microsoft Passport account with which they were purchased.
You can prevent others from seeing your display picture. On the Tools menu, click Options. In the left pane, click Personal. Clear the Show my display picture and allow others to see it check box.
You can prevent the display pictures of others from appearing. On the Tools menu, click Options. In the left pane, click General. Clear the Show display picture from others check box.

Dynamic display pictures can change according to the mood you specify.

On the Tools menu, click Change Display Picture. (If the menu bar doesn't appear at the top of the conversation window, the window frame may be hidden. Click in the upper left corner of the window, or press ALT to restore it.)
Click Create Dynamic Display Picture.
On the MSN partner site, create the dynamic display picture you want to use. The picture will be automatically installed.
Select a picture from the list.
Click OK.

Notes

Some dynamic display pictures have moods. To change the mood of your dynamic display picture, use an appropriate emoticon or type the appropriate phrase in the message area. Alternately, in the conversation window, click next to your dynamic display picture, and then select your mood.
Some features may not be available in your country or region.
If you have billing problems or questions when purchasing MSN Messenger components or services from an MSN content partner, you must contact the content provider directly. Click Help, point to Billing Support, and then click the component or service for which you need billing assistance. MSN Support cannot resolve billing issues with other companies.
MSN Messenger components purchased from MSN content partners can be used only on the same computer and with the same Microsoft Passport account with which they were purchased.
You can prevent others from seeing your display picture. On the Tools menu, click Options. In the left pane, click Personal. Clear the Show my display picture and allow others to see it check box.
You can prevent the display pictures of others from appearing. On the Tools menu, click Options. In the left pane, click General. Clear the Show display picture from others check box.

On the Tools menu, click Options. (If the menu bar doesn't appear at the top of the conversation window, the window frame may be hidden. Click in the upper left corner of the window, or press ALT to restore it.)
In the left pane, click Personal.
Under My Display Name, type your name as you would like your MSN Messenger contacts to see it.
Click OK.

In addition to changing your display name, you can create your own personal message. Your personal message can contain up to 129 characters, and will appear under your display name.

In the main MSN Messenger window, under your display name, click <Type a personal message>.
Type your personal message, and then press ENTER.

Note

Instead of a personal message, you can alternately display the titles of the songs and artists you're currently listening to in Microsoft Windows Media Player. Click next to your personal message, and then click Turn on "What I'm Listening To".

To show your contacts what song you are listening to on Microsoft Windows Media Player:

Click next to your personal message, and then click Turn on "What I'm Listening To".
To turn this feature off, repeat step 1.

Notes

The name of the song and artist that you're listening to will appear instead of your personal message.
This feature is compatible only with Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 or later.
This feature is compatible only with Microsoft Windows 2000 or later.
If you close Microsoft Windows Media Player, your last personal message reappears until the next time you listen to music with Microsoft Windows Media Player.