Let Support.com Help You with AOL Instant Messenger
Dial our 800 number, or contact us online for help with AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). We'll have you chatting with your buddies in no time!
Getting Connected to AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
To log in to the AIM service, you will need to either install the AIM software or you can connect from any Java and web-enabled computer by using AIM Express. Whether you launch AIM or go to AIM Express, you will need to have an account, so let us help you install the AIM Software, and create your account if you don't already have one.
What is AIM Express?
The AIM Express service lets you use the features of AIM (view your Buddy List and send instant messages to your buddies) without needing to download or install the AIM software. It can be used from any computer that has an Internet connection, a Flash Player, and a Java enabled Web browser. Give us a call, and we'll help you check out your system to be sure it has everything you need to run AIM Express.
If you are having trouble connecting to AIM, there are a number of optional settings that can interfere with your connections. If you don't want to deal with techie stuff like servers, proxies and authentication credentials, the Personal Technology Experts® at Support.com can help you sort it all out and get your connection problems resolved.
Configuring How You Sign In and Out of AIM
We'll help you control whether or not your computer automatically logs you in as soon as you boot the computer, and whether it opens up the Welcome Page to give you access to AOL Mail, weather, top stories, news, and more as soon as you sign on to AIM.
Sometimes you want to close the AIM window, but stay logged on so your buddies can find you. Or maybe you want to stay logged in, but you'd rather not have everyone see that you're online -- we can show you how to do that, too! And if you have more than one account, we'll help you choose whether to be logged in on all of them at once, or just one at a time.
AIM Updates
Never worry about having the latest and greatest version of AIM software - we'll set it up for you so that it automatically downloads and installs the newest versions of the software. And for the daring types who love to try out new stuff before it's released to everyone else, we can even help you get their Beta versions.
Password Reset:
Uh oh... have you forgotten your AIM password? We can help you reset your password.
Beyond Getting Connected to the Service - How to Connect With Your Buddies
So if you're already connected to AIM, you're ready to take advantage of the other fun features of AIM.
Buddies and your Buddy List
Your Buddy list lets you see when your friends are online, so you can stay in touch, chat and exchange pictures and files.
We can help you get all your buddies together - arrange buddies on AIM Buddy List
You can sort your Buddy List alphabetically or you can organize your buddies into groups, like "family" "work" or "Soccer Team" and then choose to sort by groups. Give us a call and we'll help you set that up.
Choose whether to show full names or nicknames of buddies in AIM Buddy List
AIM lets you assign nicknames to your buddies, and we can help you choose whether you want to display their full names or nicknames of your buddies instead of their Usernames, and show you how you can find your buddies quickly, to see whether they are online or not.
Note: What AOL used to call a screen name is now called AOL Username.
More AIM Settings:
- General Settings for Instant Message (IM)
AIM offers you the grouped IM feature. Using this feature, you can group multiple IM windows and switch between tabs to change to another IM conversation with your buddies. Support.com can also show you how to configure the software so it will tell what the exact time was that a message from one of your buddies came in while you were away from the computer.
We can also help you avoid losing the content of your IM conversations if you accidentally close the IM window, or set the software to warn you if you have unread messages before closing a grouped IM window or choose to be alerted to new incoming IMs while you are using another window.
Privacy, Please! Do I Know You?
If you want to receive IMs only from people you know, we can configure your AIM Software so that you'll receive a message telling you if someone who is not on your Buddy List is trying to send you an IM.
AIM lets you chat with your buddies in a group chat, so everyone can join in on the same conversation. But some people are shy, even online, so they may just slip in quietly and never say a word. Your AIM Software can be set up to let you know when your buddies join or leave a Buddy Chat.
Sometimes You Feel Like a Chat, Sometimes You Don't
We can show you how to change the settings that control whether or not you are available for Buddy Chats.
We'll help you control the default font, color, size and other text attributes to be used for all of your Instant Messages. But since you may want to use a serious and professional font for talking with your boss, and a more playful or artistic style with your buddies, we can help you express yourself differently, depending on who you're talking to.
- Enhanced IM
Auto-accept Options -- Some people are always ready for anything, and will want to set up AIM to automatically accept all incoming requests for chats, video connections and file sharing, while others would rather maintain control over whether their buddies can see that they are still in their jammies at 4 in the afternoon.
There are also settings that will let you automatically accept incoming files, or allow direct access to your computer, or let you remotely access your buddies' computers. This can be really tricky, and may leave your computer vulnerable to viruses, so you might want to give Support.com a call and let us help you decide whether or not this is a safe option for your situation. And if you've accidentally accepted an infected file from one of your buddies, we can help you recover and clean up any problems that might have been introduced.
If you'd rather see what your buddies are typing in real time, rather than waiting for them to start typing, back up and correct, reword and refine what they're saying before they hit the Send button, AIM lets you do that, and we can show you how.
Audio & Video:
If you're having trouble with the sound or video, there may be some settings that need to be changed so that AIM knows whether to use external microphone or speakers, or to use the ones that are built in to your computer. Or maybe you'd rather use a wireless headset. You may also need to help it find your camera in order to be able to see each other in video chats. Our techs can quickly help you sort out the different settings so you have the best sound and video possible.
- Offline IM - AIM Never Sleeps, Even Though You Do
We can help you set AIM up so that even when your buddies are offline, you can send them messages that they will receive as soon as they log back online. You can also receive messages that were sent while you were away.
- Mobile - Stay Connected, Even When You're Away from the Computer
We can help you control how AIM sends messages to your mobile device, too.
You can register your mobile phone number, or change the number that AIM is using to send your messages, and then decide whether you want messages forwarded automatically to your phone when you sign out of AIM. Depending on the capabilities of your phone, you'll need to tell AIM whether to send the messages from your buddies at text messages, or to send the messages to the AIM application that can be installed on some phones.
We can also set it up so that even if all they know is your phone number, your buddies can still send you an IM.
And even though the technology makes it possible for everyone to see and contact you online, you may want to take a little control over who can contact you. To protect your privacy, you may want to receive messages only from people you know. We'll go over these safety and privacy options with you and explain why you might want to limit access.
- Logging Your IMs
We'll make sure you never lose a word that was said by showing you how to archive your instant messages (IMs) or chat conversations using your AIM® software - or if you need to find something in one of those archives, or if you want help to organize them, we can do that too.
- Take Control of Your Buddy List
AIM lets you choose whether to automatically store screen names of people who have contacted you, and to hover your mouse over any buddy icon in your Buddy List to get your buddy's details. You may also want to be alerted when your buddies sign on and sign off, so you can send them a message as soon as they arrive.
Away Messages - I'll be right back... or I'm really busy, sorry!:
You can create messages that will be displayed while you are away, or even if you're there, but just don't have time to chat. AIM lets you create and store a list of messages for different situations, like when you're on the phone, or just stepped away to grab something from the 'fridge, or if you're going to be gone for the day. Our Personal Technology Experts can show you how to create the different messages, and choose which of your saved messages you want to display.
Linked Usernames - Create Different Usernames for Work and Play:
With AIM® 7.0 and above, you can chat using all your user names at the same time. We can set up the different usernames and set AIM up to control the settings for which screen names you want to link to your current username.
- Express Yourself with AIM Expressions
AIM lets you personalize your expressions, including your buddy icon, wallpaper, and emoticons. You can choose to have no icon, or if you want your icon to act out different emotions while you're typing, we'll set up AIM to use a SuperBuddy® icon instead of the standard AIM icons.
If you want to change the look and style of your icon, there are hundreds of different options to choose from - from sports and fitness to game themes to work and hobbies, there's something for everyone!
We'll configure AIM to use any picture you choose as your icon if you want, or show you how to get rid of an old picture if you want to update your look.
With all this creative freedom, you may decide that you don't want to see (or don't want your kids to see) some of the icons that others have chosen. We can show you how AIM lets you see only the official AIM icons, or lets you be selective about letting your buddies show their custom icons, while suppressing the icons of people you don't know.
What's on the Wall? AIM Wallpapers:
Some of AIM Expressions include background images and animations called wallpapers, like having fish swimming around in the background of your text. And if you'd like AIM to accent the emotions you're typing with animated behaviors, like shooting stars when you type a big smiley face, we'll help you turn your IM conversations into a shower of sounds and colors to go along with your different moods.
Emoticons (emotional icons) are the little smiley faces that have evolved over the years as a way to type characters to represent different emotions. The original smiley face was :-) (if you turn your head sideways, it looks like two eyes, a nose and a smiling mouth). AIM and other texting software systems are now able to convert most of the common emoticons into images that portray those emotions, but if you'd rather just see the text, we can set you up so that you never see the different emoticon images.
We're here 24/7 as your remote AOL Instant Messenger help. Just call one of our Personal Technology Experts and we’ll handle everything. The entire process is easy. After you call, one of our Tech Experts will connect to your computer right away. By using only your Internet connection, we can fix just about any problem you may have—big or small. We're here to help you get the most from your technology. Also, by calling Support.com, there’s no need to go out to a local support center or invite strangers to your home. You’re free to just sit back and relax after we start.
Support.com offers the top-notch support you’ve been looking for. We've been helping people solve their computer problems since 1998.
All of our Personal Technology Experts are full-time employees living right here in North America. Before they can help you, they must first earn their title by passing a series of incredibly rigorous tests. By doing this, Support.com assures you that you’re getting the best customer support possible.
From driver problems to stubborn viruses to a slow computer, if you have a problem with your laptop, desktop or peripheral device, don't wait another minute—Support.com can help you right now.
Call Support.com and get the technical support you need.
