Setting Up AOL Instant Messenger

The first time you open Instant Messenger you will need to set up your account.

1. Click on the Setup button . A wizard will open and guide you through the setup process.

   

2. Click the radio button beside I don't have a Screen Name , I need to register a new one.

3. Click on Next , and you'll be prompted to enter a name and password.

   

4. Type in your name in the Your Name text box.

5. Press the Tab key to advance to the next box.

6. Type in your Desired Screen Name . This will be the name that people see when you send them an instant message.

   

   Note  

   The screen name that you choose must be between three and 18 characters long. It must start with a letter and cannot have punctuation marks or spaces in it.

7. Press the Tab key to advance to the next box.

8. Type in a password . Make sure that it is a password you can easily remember.

9. Press the Tab key to advance to the next box.

10. Retype the password you entered in step 8.

11. Click on the Next button . You'll be taken to a screen where you can enter your personal information.

    

12. Type in your e-mail address . Instant Messenger requires the use of an e-mail address. If you don't have one, there are many sites where you can set up a free account, including www.netscape.com, www.hotmail.com, and mail.yahoo.com.

13. Click on the down arrow beside Month. A list of the months of the year will appear.

14. Click on the month that you were born.

    

15. Click on the down arrow beside Day. A list of days of the month will appear.

16. Click on the day that you were born.

17. Double - click in the Year text box . The contents will be highlighted.

18. Type in the year of your birth.

19. Click on the radio button beside Male or Female to specify your gender.

    

20. Double - click in the Zip/Postal Code text box .

21. Type in your Zip or Postal Code .

22. Click on the down arrow beside Country.

23. Click on your country from the list.

24. Click on Next . You'll advance to the Terms of Service.

    

25. Click the radio button beside I agree to these terms after you've read the page.

26. Click on Next . Instant Messenger will check to see if your screen name has already been used by someone else.

    

27. Enter a new screen name if Instant Messenger informs you that the one you selected has already been taken. You can also choose from one of the screen name options they suggest.

28. Click on Next . A screen confirming your screen same will appear.

    

29. Click on Finish . The registration of your AOL Instant Messenger account is complete.